Jori Lehtera would have the opportunity to practice on their own in the summer. However, the veteran decided otherwise.
The HIFK league team has been practicing six weeks under new coaching. The team is coached by Olli Jokinen with a 2+1 year contract.
After this week, the team will retreat to a self -employed period. For the next six weeks, joint training is prohibited by the rules.
Jori Lehterä, 37, has sweat with the rest of the team during the early summer training weeks. The veteran has seen what Jokinen’s grip on the team is.
– This has been a relaxed atmosphere and such a sense of doing. This is not terribly much done. Work gloves were put in hand and tried to enjoy this work.
15 years on their own
37-year-old Jori Lehterä demands HIFK players to reach their own level next season. Pasi Liesimaa
Lehterä cannot say how much summer training at HIFK has changed with the entry of Jokinen and the new coaching team.
– It’s a bit hard to say when I haven’t been involved in any team’s summer training for the last 15 years. It is now the first summer or 2009 since I was practicing with the team in the summer.
In accordance with the contract in the contract, you would have the opportunity to practice independent in the summer. Why are you practicing with the team?
– I guess it was thought that if you could get something new. If you could still develop at this age. I can use professionals to help so -called free, so what’s here, Lehterä ponders.
Young people’s enthusiasm
Jori Lehterä is motivated by HIFK’s younger players. HIFK is practicing in Elixia, Ruoholahti. Pasi Liesimaa
In the team’s practice, Lehterä sees young players’ enthusiasm. It also sticks to a more experienced athlete.
– Yeah, good at all here. Note that everyone wants to develop and take the next step. It is engaging.
HIFK was fourth in last season’s regular season. The journey in the playoffs took the quarterfinals as SaiPa wrapped the ice at the stadium boys and won the match directly 4-0.
Lehterä knows the drugs to rise to HIFK to the top of the league.
– Yes, it starts with the fact that each player raises his or her own level. Even to the level you can operate. You don’t necessarily have to cross yourself, but as long as you can bring its own potential to this.
SaiPa model
Jori Lehterä scored seven goals and 59 power points in last season’s regular season.
However, the central striker who has seen the NHL and KHL and who has made a million -in -a -million accounts in the big leagues does not want to bet that HIFK will have seams up to the finals next season.
– A little bit useless to think so far. But the starting point is that if everything goes forward, everyone has the opportunity to succeed. SaiPa showed it last season. You have to model it.
Watch Lehterä’s full interview in the video in the main picture.