Jukka Jalonen named new head coach of Finland's world junior hockey team

MAAJOUKKUE / Uutinen
Kuva © Pekka Rautiainen - www.illcommunications.fi
Hannu Jortikka, who had a contract for next year's home World Championships, left the post on Monday evening. Finnish Ice Hockey Association announced the name of his successor just a few hours later.

The news of Jukka Jalonen's one-year contract came just hours after the former head coach Hannu Jortikka announced he would resign. Jalonen is among the top coaches in Finland and he led Finland to World Championships gold in 2011 in Bratislava as well Oympic Bronze in Vancouver in 2010. Jalonen took some time off coaching after working in the KHL with SKA Saint Petersburg.

- World Juniors team and home World Championships, that is a combination that would inspire any coach. It was easy to say yes when I was contacted regarding this position, Jalonen explains in Finnish Ice Hockey Association's announcement.

Jalonen will start his job in the beginning of February and work until the World Junior Championships that start in Helsinki on Boxing Day.

The Finns, who went to the World Junior Championships in Canada as the reigning Champions, finished disappointingly on seventh place in this year's tournament in Canada. Jortikka told the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat that this wasn't the reason he resigned.

- The reason behind this decision is simple: I just don't have the kind of passion anymore that working with young players requires. I should have had next year's team worked out by next week but I haven't done anything regarding that, Jortikka said.

The Finns quickly expressed their satisfaction with their new coach on social media. Equally happy was Kalervo Kummola, the President of the Finnish Ice Hockey Association.

- We got the best possible coach, Kummola said.

Ilta-Sanomat also revealed that Pasi Nurminen and Timo Lehkonen will work as the team's assistant coaches.

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