Hockey|Risto Dufva is the Joker’s new head coach.
Ice hockey Jokerit, who plays in Mesti, announced on Monday that Risto Dufva joins the club’s coaching group.
Dufva, 61, will start his job as Joker’s coach on Monday. The appointment is a surprise, as Dufva announced last spring that he was ending his long career as head coach. Dufva coached Vaasan Sport last season.
“When the “fool” calls, that’s when the man leaves. I see this as a very tough challenge. The Jokers’ goal, i.e. promotion to the league, is the best thing that can be achieved in Finnish ice hockey,” said Dufva in the bulletin.
Worked as Joker’s head coach since the beginning of the season Tero Määtt continue in the team’s coaching group. The rest of the coaching group will also continue.
“I have come here to help the Jokers, both coaches and players. I haven’t coached at this level in 18 years, so all the knowledge we have is needed. I think it’s really great that everyone is continuing. It tells us that this is a common issue for all of us,” Dufva said.
He will be in action already on Tuesday, when the Jokerit face Tuto in their first home game of the season. It is at the same time Valtteri Filppula return match in Joker’s shirt.
Jokerit started the Mestis season on Saturday with a 3–5 loss to Kiekko-Vantaa.
Dufva has influenced Finnish ice hockey for a long time. He coached JYP to the Finnish championship in the spring of 2009. Before that, he won four Mestis championships in Jukurei in the 2000s.
In the 2000s, Mikkeliläinen was also a member of the Lions’ coaching team and was involved in winning prestigious competition medals.
“Risto brings us valuable experience, know-how about success and, above all, more leadership. We have defined ambitious sporting goals that we intend to stick to, and bringing Risto into the coaching team is a big piece as part of achieving the dream of moving up the league,” the president of the Jokers Mikko Saarni said in the release.
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