Ice hockey | The golden lion Ville Pokka badly injured his leg – this is how it all happened

Ice hockey season the beginning is around the corner, but world champion and Olympic gold medalist Ville Pokka not even thinking about the whole sport at the moment.

The poka season doesn’t start until December.

The defender’s Achilles tendon broke during running exercises at the end of May.

“It was a normal situation. I started to sprint, and it (the Achilles tendon) snapped,” says Pokka.

He was operated on in Turku.

“Since then, I’ve rehabilitated myself here.”

Pokka traveled with June and July sticks. The length of the recovery period is estimated to be half a year.

“Now in August I have been able to walk without canes, which has been really nice. Little by little we are moving forward. We are right on schedule in terms of rehabilitation.”

In summer Pokka, who has turned 30, is known as one of the best Finnish defenders playing in European rinks. In 2022, he was about to win both the Olympic gold and the home games world championship in Leijon.

In the February 2022 Olympic final in Beijing, he scored Finland’s equalizing goal against the Russian Olympic athletes. Finland won the historic final with 2–1.

Last season, Pokka played in the Swiss league for EHC Biel-Bienne and SC Bern.

“It was a slightly different season. The club also changed in between,” he says.

“It wasn’t as good a season as I set out to get, but it was a very educational year.”

In Biel, Pokka played 18 matches with an output of 0+4. In Bern, the balance was 16 matches and six assist points.

Summer with crutches may sound boring, but Pokka says he enjoyed himself as a free lord at home in Kempele.

“I have enjoyed being at home. It’s been really nice that there hasn’t been the mental pressure of having to go somewhere again soon,” he says.

Poka’s summer was spent watching major sporting events.

“The Olympic Games, the European Championships in Athletics and the European Championships in Futsal. He has been able to play bench sports all summer. I have followed baseball as well. It was an easy summer.”

Now Poka is accompanied by a new puppy.

“You can have a good time with the dog.”

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The Olympic Games, the European Athletics Championships and the European Football Championships. He has been able to play bench sports all summer.

Half during the year’s sick leave, Pokka says he focused on rehabilitation. The future address does not cross my mind. Pokka is currently on the open market without a contract.

“I haven’t thought about it too much yet. Let’s keep all doors open. The purpose is to play for a long time,” he says.

Pokka is a Tornio boy who played his first league match in the Kärppie shirt when he was only 16 years old in the fall of 2010. He made an effort from Oulu to the world after the Finnish championship in the spring of 2014 – exactly ten years ago.

Kärpät has been in contact with the player.

“Of course they know my situation,” says Pokka.

“Sometimes I would be interested in playing in Kärpi again, but I don’t know when yet. Let’s rehabilitate the leg first and then see what the situation is.”