The hockey legend tells HS what really happened behind the scenes.
Teemu Selänne would have liked to return the Jokers back to the league map. Tomi Natri / AOP
Disappointed Teemu Selänne tells For Helsingin Sanomat about the series of eventswhich destroyed the project of the NHL legend’s group to acquire the Helsinki Jokerit and return to the SM league.
Selänne was one of Naurava Narri oy’s carpenters. Its purpose was to acquire Jokerit and return the club back to the Finnish puck map.
In order to enter the league, SM-liiga oy required the Jokers to sever all ties with the Russian Hockey League KHL. This also meant a new ownership base, because the club owns it Jari Kurrin reputation is tarnished in KHL patterns.
– We probably contacted the Joker’s Association fifty times. We had my planwith which Jari and I could have a really nice exchange, Selänne says in the HS article.
Kurri’s demand
According to Selänte, Laughing Narr was supposed to take over the Jokers on the first day of September. Everything had to be clear.
The situation changed quickly, however, when the association announced that negotiations would have to be held with Kurr’s Jokerit Hockey Club. It owns the Jokerit brand.
In HS’s story, it is said that in addition to the representative team and A-youths, Kurri required the hiring of Jokeri’s currently laid-off office staff for the league club to be re-tooled. In addition, the responsibilities would have included gym accessories, game equipment, fan products.
Selänne and Nauravan Narrin’s other prominent character Keijo Säilynoja did not warm to the idea. For them, it would not break the KHL bond.
– We were told that now this fooling will end, Selänne states in Hesar’s story.
Shortly after what happened, Naurava Narri withdrew from the project.
Last week Joel Harkimo shuffled the pack. He contacted Säilynoja saying that he had bought the Jokers.
Harkimo did not reveal the financier of the project.
In the HS story, it is said that Säilynoja and Selänten got the idea that because of the KHL connection, even Joel Harkim is not the right person for the deal to happen.
– Jari got a piece of shit in his hand. And of course I understand that he wanted his own away, Selänne shakes.
The Laughing Jester is no longer involved in saving the Jokers.
– We are extremely disappointed by that, the HS story states.