Raimo Helminen works as Ilves’ assistant coach.
Raimo Helminen returns to the SM league and Ilves Tomi Natri / All Over Press
Ice hockey legend Raimo Helminen is moving to Ilves’ coaching group, the club announces.
Helminen, 58, has signed a contract with the club for the rest of the season. Helminen works as an assistant coach Bunch of Myrrh in the leading coaching group.
– When the opportunity to hire Raimo Helminen opened up, we saw it as an excellent opportunity to focus on even more detailed coaching in different areas of the game, both at the team and individual level. After we discussed the matter with our head coach Jouko Myrrä, the decision to add Raipe to our coaching group was really easy, Ilves’ sports director Timo Koskela commented in the club’s press release.
– Raipe brings a lot of experience and versatile know-how to our coaching group and team. He offers a strong contribution to the development of our special situation play, the value of which will be emphasized even more in the decisive games of spring, Koskela continued.
Helminen returns to Ilves after a long break. He served as Ilves’ assistant coach in the 2009–2012 seasons and as the head coach for the first half of the following season.
The Ilves icon continued his journey to the KHL and Barys Astana as an assistant coach for the 2013–2014 season. He also worked as an assistant coach in the KHL for the teams of Dinamo Riga and Helsinki Jokers in the seasons 2015–2019.
As head coach of Turku Palloseura, Helminen led the club to silver medals in the SM league in the 2020–2021 season.
Last season, Helminen worked as the head coach of the Italian club HC Pusertal since November.
Helminen lifted the club from last place to fifth in the regular season of the ICEHL league.
– When I was asked to join, I got fired up with the idea, and after talking with head coach Jouko Myrrä, my vision was confirmed. I am excited to join the coaching group and bring my own contribution to it, Helminen said.
In his playing career, Helminen only represented Ilves when he played in Finland. He served as the club’s captain in the seasons 1999–2008.
Ilves is currently at the top of the SM league regular season. The Tampere club has won all three matches they have played.