Sami Kapanen is Pelicans’ new head coach – “There has been a spark to return to coaching”

Sami Kapanen, 51, was last head coach in the 2019-2020 season.

Kapanen, 51, last served as head coach in 2019-2020, when he coached HC Lugano in Switzerland. In the SM-liiga, Kapanen coached for two seasons at KalPa, from 2017 to 2019.

Lahti Pelicans are next to last in the SM-League standings with 47 points. The team has won silver in the last two seasons, but the past season has been disappointing in terms of results.

Kapanen, who has played more than 800 NHL regular season games, has spent the last few years with the NHL club Philadelphia Flyers. At the NHL club, he was responsible for player development for European reserves and player monitoring for professional players.

– I’m looking forward to the challenge I have offered. This season has been difficult for Pelicans, but I believe in the competitiveness of the team and the club, Kapanen says.

– Recent years have shown that the Pelicans have the opportunity to succeed. We start straightening the course at a time. It has been a spark for myself to return to coaching and now with the opportunity presented by the Pelicans, I find it natural to take up the challenge.

Pelicans announces that any other changes in team coaching will be decided later when Kapanen has begun and received an overall picture of the team’s needs.

*The story was updated throughout at 10.18 am when the Pelicans had announced Sami Kapanen’s Pest.*