Ice hockey | The hottest player in the league slowly developed into the top: “At the age of 24, I started training properly”

Tampere

Lock striker Anrei Hakulinen is a model example that a player can improve even at the age of 32. He is playing the best hockey of his life.

The blade of Luko’s golden helmet has been record hot in the early season.

“Big praise and thanks for the points and goals to the chain friends. Jere Karjalainen and Julius Mattila are doing such incredible work all the time that positions are opening up. Even now, in the opening goal, Karjalainen threw the puck into the back mattress. It was enough to shovel it into an almost empty goal,” Hakulinen downplayed.

Hakulinen also excelled as a passer, when he gave a namupass with superiority Sebastian Revo to a 2–0 hit.

Ilves finally fell in the top match of the SM league in the Nokia Arena with 4–2 goals.

Hakulinen leads the points and goal exchanges of the SM league. He has scored seven hits and given nine assists in 14 games.

With steady scoring, it would know more than 20 goals and 60 points in the regular season.

“There’s no running away now. We’ll accept everything, but isn’t there still a quieter scoring period during the season,” Hakulinen braked.

Hakulinen’s own new single-season record for both goals (17) and points (41) is very likely, barring any injuries.

“You have to hope that I stay healthy. Last season I was sidelined twice for three weeks because of the corona.”

The latter of them came at the worst possible time before the playoffs.

“Bensa in the quarterfinals was not enough to challenge Tappara.”

Hakulinen was an artist of life when he was younger, who enjoyed playing more than training.

He played until he was 24 in Mestis. Sometimes even in the Suomi series.

” Age (Ismo) Lehkonen at school TuTo, at the age of 24, I started proper training. Since then, development has taken place little by little. Even later, I thought a lot about what I was doing in terms of goals and points, but already in my last season at KooKoo and now in Luko, I have done everything ahead of the team”, Hakulinen recounts the change in his mindset.

In the last four seasons, Hakulinen has turned into a more versatile all-rounder who plays all possible roles on the level field, with superiority and inferiority.

Even against Ilves, Hakulinen presented his entire arsenal of skills. Strong skating in changes of direction, protecting the puck near the wings, strong twisting in front of the opponent’s goal, excellent eye for the game and the ability to hit the puck from position to goal.

“Pekka Virta fooled me in my first Lukko season underpowered. Since then I’ve liked it too. That work is always done, wherever a man is needed at any time”, acknowledged Hakulinen.

Hakulinen already played an important role in Luko’s Finnish championship spring 2021. Since then, the responsibility has only increased.

Currently, he is the captain of the team and an exemplary player in every way. He no longer thinks about his own goals or points, but more than ever, thanks to the right actions, they are created.

Hakulinen made his debut at Leijon in the 2018–19 season. Someone may have already written him off the list of Leijona candidates.

If the performances continue as they did in the early season, it shouldn’t be surprising if Hakulinen still wears the national team jersey at one of the season’s EHT tournaments.

“I haven’t thought about it at all, but if the invitation comes, I’ll be excited to go.”

Luko’s last season did not go as expected. What changed in your game when Marko Virtanen became your coach?

“We still try to play with the puck, but we try to attack more actively after puck possessions. Now that the second season is going on, the way of playing is already better known to many of us. I believe that’s one of the reasons for our good start to the season,” Hakulinen said.

Lukko’s early season theme has been getting the defensive game in order. The team has succeeded brilliantly in that, as they have scored only 19 hits in 14 matches – the fewest in the league.

Still, the team has been really effective on the offensive end as well – 39 goals scored. Only Kärpät (42) has scored more hits.

“Let’s get back to making things better. The beginning of the season has been promising”, sums up Hakulinen.

In the case of Hakulinen, you can say that it is downright sparkling.