Money-drenched Russian hockey league seen as a threat to domestic competition

Jokerit owner Harry Harkimo calls for swift changes in Finnish hockey

Harry Harkimo

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According to the owner of Helsinki's Jokerit pro ice hockey team Harry "Hjallis" Harkimo, hockey in Finland in its present form is not going to be a viable concern for much longer, and it is arguable whether it is a worthwhile business even now.
      "Russia is the biggest threat in the future", said Harkimo at a lunch meeting with Helsinki sports journalists.
      What makes Russia such a challenge for Finnish hockey is money - large inviting dollops of it.
     
Harkimo recounted an example from his own club, a relatively successful and prosperous member of the Finnish SM-Liiga.
      Jokerit tried to coax one of its former players back from Russia. Harkimo offered the player a salary of EUR 250,000 before deductions, but the player wanted to consider his Russian cards first.
      "When he put in an offer to the Russian team, he was offered USD 1.5 million (around EUR 1.1 million) net. He signed on the dotted line in no time", said Harkimo.
      Harkimo did not mention the player's name, but goalie Jussi Markkanen, defenseman Antti-Jussi Niemi, and forward Jukka Hentunen are all ex-Jokerit players now with teams in the Russian premier league, which currently goes under the name Kontinental Hockey League. It was formerly known as the Russian Super League and had already won a reputation as the 2nd best series after the NHL.
     
Harkimo has led Jokerit for 16 years. Times have changed radically since the early 1990s.
      "In those days when we went after a player, we usually got him", said Harkimo. Now teams in Russia, Switzerland, and Sweden are all competing furiously for the services of the same quality hockey players.
      "It is a better place to live these days, and players like it there", said Harkimo of Russia and the Russian league.
     
He tossed out some big questions on the current plight of Finnish ice hockey. How is one to put together a colourful and attractive team that does well on the ice, and how can things be developed?
      At present the star Czech forward Jaromir Jagr is the biggest name to have signed on with the Russian league, but the current is certainly flowing to take more players eastwards.
      "They'll take everything and everyone that they need. They can already boast teams with an NHL scale and style of management. It is a threat to us", warned Harkimo.
     
He regards as far-fetched the idea that somehow the Russian and Scandinavian teams could be put together in an elite league.
      "The Finnish sides would have to travel something like 11 hours to play on the road in Novosibirsk. I can't see that happening at all."
      But is there a danger that the haemorrhaging could increase and that we could witness 50 players a year heading to the Russian teams?
      "No, there are not enough good players here for that", answered Harkimo.
     
Harkimo is known as a keen advocate of a Nordic hockey league, but he says he has also been putting out feelers for a broader European league.
      In any event, he is looking to see some kind of tidal change in the way things are arranged.
      Jokerit's attendance figures and gate receipts cannot really be increased very much, even if the arenas are not full at present. Jokerit collects revenue from corporate packages and is developing these into more lucrative products.
      Plans for a Nordic league are so far at such an early stage that Harkimo would not be drawn into saying more than a few words on the subject.


Links:
  SM-Liiga (Wikipedia)
  Kontinental Hockey League (Wikipedia)

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