Heikki Penttilä opens the background of the new hockey league plan.
The former Tappara chairman Heikki Penttilän limited liability company Causabon is organizing Finland’s new top ice hockey series, which would have included several SM league clubs.
In the opening season, the series was supposed to have 10 teams, and it was supposed to start already in the 2026–2027 season.
The plans have changed during the Friday afternoon.
– The league run by Causabon will not take place for the 2026-2027 season. After the decisions made at the general meeting on Thursday, the clubs want to calm down the situation, says Penttilä to Iltalehte.
– I didn’t have time to talk to all the organizations interested in the new league during Friday. I will continue discussions next week, Penttilä continues.
11 follows
Heikki Penttilä can’t get a new hockey league up and running next season. However, the plan is not buried. Mika Kylmäniemi / AOP
Penttilä’s plan was surprisingly advanced. According to the information received by Iltalehti, the negotiations for, among other things, the lucrative and important media contract were well under way.
How many clubs were concretely joining the new series?
– I will not tell you the exact number. But several clubs had already committed to the next level agreement in this project. I negotiated with 11 clubs in a positive spirit. I had positive and good negotiations about the development of Finnish ice hockey, Penttilä says.
Tappara cheated
According to information received by Iltalehti, Tappara did not join the new series masterminded by the club’s former chairman Heikki Penttilä. Mika Kylmäniemi / AOP
Penttilä keeps the names of the clubs a secret, but according to Iltalehti’s information on the other hand, Tappara did not sign the new league’s foundation paper for some reason.
Tappara was fully involved in the project as long as the legendary Mikko Leinonen was the president of the club. Lasse Aho, who became chairman in August, did not agree.
It was decided at the general meeting of the SM League on Thursday that the SM League will be played in two levels with the 14+10 model starting from the 2027–28 season. SM-liiga oy manages both levels.
In the next season, the transitional season, 18 teams can play in the SM league, while last season’s Mestis champion Jokers and the future champion have the opportunity to apply for a league license for the next season.
They voted against
The management of the SM league announced at the relevant press conference that the series system will be reviewed after a couple of years.
– I believe that the matter will remain pending. The reform of the series system is still not what many clubs want, Penttilä reminds.
At Thursday’s general meeting, eight shareholders voted in favor of a series system of 12+10 teams.
According to information received by Iltalehti, those clubs were HIFK, JYP, TPS, Pelicans, Tappara, Jukurit, Ilves and Lukko.
It was not enough, because a qualified majority of two-thirds is needed for the change.
It is known that HIFK and JYP would like a completely different league system than 14+10 teams for the SM league. AOP / MATTI RAIVIO