Ice hockey: Karalahti persuaded Kuhta to join him in Hamburg

Three former Helsinki IFK players now with German team Hamburg Freezers

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Initially no Finnish player was supposed to turn out for the German ice hockey team Hamburg Freezers this season, but now no fewer than three former Helsinki IFK players earn their living by playing for the German outfit.
      Defenseman Jere Karalahti had already planned to move from Hamburg to play in the Russian KHL league this season, but during the course of the summer he changed his mind. Around the same time, Karalahti began to urge Kimmo Kuhta to move to Hamburg.
     
Kuhta was still in two minds, when another former teammate Matias Loppi already flew to the North German port city to put on the Freezers’ light blue jerseys.
      “In the summer I spoke with Jere and he said that this is a good place. He said ‘come here if you’re interested’“, Kuhta explains in the cafeteria of the Freezers’ practice arena.
      Moments earlier Karalahti himself speaks to us at the door of the team’s locker room. He looks fit and good-humoured, and appears to have lost some weight. He is just as quiet as a year ago, when he started with the Hamburg team.
      “Thing are still up in the air”, Karalahti says and smiles.
      How have you got along here?
      “Very well. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here”, Karalahti says and disappears into the changing room.
      This is the extent of the interview Karalahti is willing to take part in at this stage. His pending lawsuits in Finland are progressing at their own pace.
     
Kuhta’s summer was spent in post-operative rehabilitation after a corrective surgery to his bruised pubic bone. His old contract with HIFK expired, but a new one was not offered straight away.
      “My first choice would have been to play with HIFK. My son started his school in August, and my daughter was born in June”, Kuhta explains.
      “In the summer I came here to meet the coach and the team bosses. They wanted to see me face to face.”
      Before signing a new contract HIFK wanted to ensure that Kuhta would recover fully from the operation.
      Hamburg Freezers were more flexible.
     
Kuhta moved to Germany in mid-September and has already convinced the team management of his skills. In three games he has scored as many goals.
      Kuhta’s goals have not been quite enough though to aid the team to achieve victories.
      After eleven games, the Freezers are propping up the bottom of the league. For Kuhta and fellow-Finn Matias Loppi, who plays on the same line with him, the team’s playing tactics are still a bit of a mystery.
      “I have felt at home here, but when you come to play hockey and the games are not going right, it does bring you down”, Loppi says.
      “The power play points are decidedly missing. We just have not been able to score in power play situations”, frets Loppi, who has so far managed to rustle up 1+4 points.
     
During their free time the family men Kuhta and Karalahti often hang out together. They live in the same area. Sometimes Loppi, who lives across town, joins them.
      The hockey wives join their husbands every so often, bringing the children with them to Hamburg.
      To ensure that Kuhta enjoys his stay in Hamburg for the length of the season, his contract with the Freezers includes five return flights for his wife and children.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Jere Karalahti presents a challenge to his coach (30.9.2008)
  Jere Karalahti sentenced to day-fines for use of cocaine (2.12.2008)
  Suspended sentence for hockey player Jere Karalahti in drug trial (25.3.2008)

Links:
  Hamburg Freezers, Kimmo Kuhta
  Hamburg Freezers, Matias Loppi
  Jere Karalahti (Wikipedia)
  Hamburg Freezers, Jere Karalahti

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