Yle Urheilun expert Topi Nättinen assesses the three players in the ice hockey SM-League’s early season. The winners are Lenni Hämeenaho and Jerry Turkulainen. The top goalkeeper Jussi Olkinuora gets a bad mark.
The regular season of the ice hockey SM-liiga has been played ten games this season. Tappara from Tampere are leading the league, followed by Tampere Ilves, Rauma Lukko and Pori Ässät, who have been far from the top for the last ten seasons, and HIFK.
– His previous season was a good rookie season. Hämeenaho scored over 20 points and earned his place in the SM-liiga as a young player. I believe that the New Jersey second-round reserve is now playing his last season in Finland, Nättinen says.
At the end of last season, Hämeenaho was even speculated to be a first-round pick for the NHL.
Nättinen describes Hämeenaho as an exceptionally calm, confident and greedy 18-year-old hockey player.
– His expression doesn’t even waver. Sometimes I would like to shake it a little to wake up, but the bat speaks for itself. There’s no need to get too excited about it.
Nättinen says that Hämeenaho will definitely improve during the current season, both physically and mentally. At the moment, the young player is taking big developmental strides.
According to Nättinen, it should also be noted that out of Hämeenaho’s eight goals, only one was scored with superiority. Aces’ dominance percentage is the second weakest in the league at 14.29%. It is worse with the Lahti Pelicans, who have succeeded with only 8.57 percent efficiency.
– If that area also starts to work, Lenni will take further steps forward.
Silver medallist has goalkeeping problems
– I think his season as a whole has gotten off to a really bad start. Olkinuora is probably one of the biggest disappointments of the early season in relation to expectations, says expert Nättinen.
The average number of goals conceded by Olkinuora is the second worst in the SM league (3.47) and the save percentage is the third worst (85.11%). The Pelicans have not won any of their six games in which Olkinuora has been in goal.
– The Pelicans have played poorly as a team. They have had problems in special situations such as playing 5 on 5. There will be a lot of superiority and counterattacks against the team.
Nättinen wonders why the Pelicans signed a contract with Olkinuora, which allows the goalkeeper to move abroad during the season.
The clause in the contract practically means that by playing well, Olkinuora would probably go to a Swedish or Central European club. Another option is that the 32-year-old goalkeeper plays poorly, in which case he is not wanted abroad.
– Doors do not open on these screens. The early season has been a really big disappointment when you think about how much has been invested in Olkinuora.
Top of the points table in Jyväskylä
– Turku’s points have come in big bunches, but in many different matches, so we can’t just talk about streaks. That kind of start carries far into the season, even if there are a few worse matches, Nättinen estimates.
Last season, the native of Turku recorded 54 points, and in the previous four seasons his scoring average has been over 40 points. The expert believes that with these displays, Turkulainen could find a bigger role in the Finnish national team as well.
– Expectations for this season were high. I thought that this season could be the one when he comes to the attention of the general public, if anyone has missed Turku’s man yet.
The native of Turku is 25 years old, but can already play the 400th regular season game of his career in the SM league next week. His career scoring average is 0.69 points per game.