In November On day 1, the puck nation roared. At least the part that follows the hockey SM league.
Last spring's finalist, the Lahti Pelicans, who started the season with the most expensive team in their history, are in deep trouble. About a third of the regular season was already behind, and the Pelicans were in third last place in the standings.
On that Wednesday night in November, the Pelicans did something extraordinary. The club management is the main owner Pasi Nurminen and sports director Janne Laukkanen at the head ordered the whole group from their homes to the Isku-areena yumen in the twilight.
Outside the hall, journalists were on duty waiting like white smoke from a pipe. Just a few days earlier, the head coach of the Pelicans Tommi Niemelän it was reported that he would move to Ilves for the next season. Now his firing was seriously expected in Lahti.
In the end, they didn't come.
From that secret crisis meeting in November until now, the Pelicans have instead been the best team in the SM League – measured by average points.
Konkar striker By Jonas Enlund behind closed doors, a “darts tournament” was held at the time, but what really happened there?
“Things within the team. We can't comment,” says sports boss Laukkanen in true to his style, casually when asked about the obscure special meeting.
“It was for that place… Let's say that something had to be done, then it was done,” Laukkanen continues in a secretive way, but refuses to elaborate further.
The course of the Pelicans turned soon after the crisis meeting at the beginning of November.
The head coach Niemelä agrees to open the turning point of the season a little more.
“The Lätkä team is trying different ways to become unified. Meetings often take place in the morning and during the day, but at that time we came to the hall separately in the evening.”
“It was an overview of the situation: where we were going at that moment and what everyone personally thought about it. That conversation certainly had a big impact on the fact that the belief in the common way of working improved.”
The Pelicans renewed significantly for this season. New men were added to almost all key positions in the lineup. In the early period, a common note was not found.
“For 3.5 years, we have been able to instill that method of operation in that community, and there are many players who already believed in it. Also, their work from within the team was completely irreplaceable at that point,” says Niemelä.
“There was a lot of turnover in our team this season. The new player types were also very different. However, last year was mainly a very young team. Now a lot of experienced players joined the team. It certainly took a while for them to understand that this is wh
at we are trying to do here.”
September-October after the win, the Pelicans have already moved up to fourth in the standings and have the home advantage of the quarterfinals.
Expert Raimo Summanen has noted the development of the Pelicans' game.
“From the beginning of the season, the puck responsibilities were very limited. Pucks were always thrown away or played to a player who was standing too tight or otherwise just into stupid empty spaces,” says Summanen.
“Now they have been repaired. The team has found its identity. Special situations have also improved.”
Summanen talks about the “play bow”.
“The Pelicans are able to play a normal rhythm but also a fast rhythm game. They have a playful bow. The team comes together well, but there is also a sense of surprise in the game.”
“It's not a team with a steady pace, so to speak. That's what a game bow means. Because some teams have a problem that counterattacks don't start properly.”
The Pelicans have found their groove.
Summanen praises the Pelicans club management. Although the Pelicans have not been bathed in money in recent years, after last spring's finals place, this season's team was hit with big bangs. Even in the middle of the season, a point-per-game pace has been acquired as the number one center Nate Scharr and the valuable scrambler of the quad chain Antti Tyrväinen like wonks.
“The opposite of what is often done in Finnish ice hockey. Nurminen and Laukkanen only accelerated the pace. And they didn't go to kick the coach out. It's a hell of a feat how the Pelicans have turned this season around. “
“I claim” that 95 percent of the sports directors would have thrown Niemelä under the bus and badly, Summanen downloads.
Of the previous ones Pelicans have won 14 of their 18 matches. The team still has 13 matches left in the regular season.
With the flight of the moment, renewing last spring's final place is completely realistic.
“At the moment, the team has a really strong belief that we can only grind this game and make it a little better, then we will definitely fight for our big dream,” says Niemelä, referring to the Finnish championship.
The Pelicans, piloted by Tommi Niemelä (left), have been on a roll for a long time.
Even at the individual level, the Pelicans have started to find a lot of successful people. After the early season of Vaisu Ryan Lasch fight alone for the victory of the points exchange, Lars Bryggman from the paint kingdom. The boys from my own village, who played a big role last spring Aatu Jämsenin and Elias Vilenin the season has been messed up by injuries, but both still have unused power.
Check decks in defense Filip Kral and Michael Jordan have adapted excellently to the SM league as the season progresses. Along with them Toni Utunen debuted this week in Leijon.
The trials of the early season with secret crisis meetings have turned into an asset for the Pelicans.
“All experiences have meaning. You have to remember that one gang of roaches only lives for 8-9 months. It starts at the beginning of August when the foreign players join and ends when the last game is played. The cycle is really short,” says Niemelä.
“Even if there are many of the same players, each season's team is different. You shouldn't try to copy something from the previous team, but each team should find its own journey and route. It's certainly a big deal for this team that we managed to stay calm in the fall, focus on doing things and improving. When you see the result, it's a huge asset.”
Correction 7.2. at 2:21 p.m.: Corrected Pasi Nurminen's title as main owner. Earlier, the story read CEO.
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