20 Facts About Jokerit

Helsingin Jokerit are a professional ice hockey team based in Helsinki, Finland.

On February 24,2022, Jokerit announced it would withdraw from the 2022 KHL playoffs due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Jokerit guided the team, with success, towards a play that demanded technique and clever tactics.

Kanada-sarja didn't survive the 1970s, but Jokerit benefited from it through a steady flow of emerging talent including Jari Kurri, and by gaining a strong popular base in the outer urban zones of Helsinki.

Jokerit started downsizing the team's budget by methodically replacing departing stars with junior players.

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Jokerit appointed himself the chairman of the board, discontinued all managerial positions and nominated his wife Leena Harkimo the managing director.

Together with the above-mentioned junior champions they formed a core of a dynasty of thriving times: Jokerit won the Finnish championship in 1992,1994,1996 and 1997, the European Cup in 1995 and 1996, plus Finnish silver once and European bronze once.

Jokerit's efforts yielded Jokerit their own home venue, Hartwall Arena, in 1997 – first such privately owned in Europe.

Jokerit did not have much success in the following season although they had players like Jukka Hentunen and Antti Tormanen to strengthen the team.

Jokerit tried to replace the loss of Thomas with goalkeeper Karl Goehring but Goehring was released soon and replaced by ex-NHL'er Steve Passmore.

Jokerit had players like Eric Beaudoin and Justin Mapletoft but neither of them made a positive impact during the season.

Jokerit acquired some scoring talent in the form of Tim Stapleton and some NHL-experience as Shedden's former protege from Toronto-era Clarke Wilm moved to Jokerit mid-season.

Shedden's first Jokerit season was good as the team returned to the play-offs and infamously defeated the reigning champions HPK in the semi-finals to advance to the finals against Karpat.

Jokerit strengthened their goaltending department by acquiring former NHL and Finnish national team goaltender Jussi Markkanen to replace Scott Langkow before the season and added more NHL experience by contracting former Atlanta Thrashers and Vancouver Canucks center Tommi Santala after the season had started.

Jokerit contracted former Jokerit and Dallas Stars-player Juha Lind, former AHL'ers Janne Lahti along with Tomi Maki and enforcer and fighter Pasi Nielikainen.

Jokerit announced that Hanlon would not be coaching the team, but a former Jokerit head coach from 1993 to 1996, Hannu Aravirta, took over again.

Jortikka failed and Jokerit was the last team to qualify for the playoffs' wild card -round.

On February 25,2022, Jokerit announced they would forgo the KHL playoffs due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Also Jokerit began to offer players to Finnish league teams, and soon the team's head coach moved to Oulun Karpat.

Jokerit said team president Jari Kurri had left his post on the KHL board and the team would announce future plans for competition “as soon as possible.