Thanks, Morkö! This is how Marko Anttila suddenly grew into a sports legend

– Stretsi was quite quiet at first, but at the same time calmly confident. Even then, he was really comfortable with expectations and his own playing.

That’s how you remember Lasse Kukkonen Marko Anttilan entering the national team patterns in the 2011–12 season.

The Finnish puck crowd raised their eyebrows in surprise after the selection. Anttila had established his place at the league level, but many considered him too angular for the demands of international puck.

– I have an image of a calm guy who immediately slipped naturally into the action, Kukkonen says.

– From the beginning, he carried himself, and the more experienced players didn’t have to worry about whether he was there or ready.

Anttila now played his sixth and last World Cup tour. As if by stealth, a beloved leader emerged from him during the brightest years of Suomi-kiko, a golden skipper and even a decider.

– He gets along really naturally with everyone. Those features have always been visible in him, Kukkonen says.

– He is good at paying attention to young players and was also good at paying attention to old ones when he was a little younger.

Kukkonen emphasizes charisma and calmness.

– He doesn’t fuss much. When he gives, say, an interview, everyone gets a calm, confident, positive feeling.

“Big Lead”

Kaapo Kako operated for the second time in the team skippered by Anttila. The first trip together ended with the world championship in the spring of 2019.

– Anttila is a leader, Kakko sums up.

– He has been captain for many years and knows how it works.

When Anttila speaks, the lion pack listens.

– Note that he is starting to have quite a few of these games and competitions already behind him, Kakko states.

– He is a big leader who opens his mouth when he needs to. It has also worked on the ice – in these games as well.

Bold reservation

Anttila was anything but a lunatic. He played second diver in Lempäälä Kisa when he came of age.

Coached the Ilves A-junnu at the time Juha Pajooja invited Anttila to a two-day try-out in the spring of 2004. The tip was given by LeK’s coach, a former Ilves jyrä Kari Järvinen.

– Marko was a country boy in terms of body structure. Even the claws were like Juha MiedoPajooja recalled in Iltalehti’s story last year.

– Marko was happy and extremely humble. He really wanted to be a hockey player and was ready to train hard from the beginning.

Pajooja was quickly impressed and called Sakari Pietilä, to a Chicago Blackhawks scout. Pietilä arrived for a surprise visit and made the same conclusions as Pajojoja.

The Blackhawks already booked Anttila that same summer before the first youth championship match.

“Came here as a bambi”

Anttila gradually emerged into a league-eligible player, but the real breakthrough happened only when he was more mature, in TPS in the 2011–13 seasons.

– He came here as a bambi and left as a man – that is, a bit like how he grew up as a player, TPS’s skipper at the time and a stock market shark Ville Vahalahti said to Iltalehte last year.

– I think a change of scenery will do him good. Often in new circles it is possible to comfortably start from scratch.

Anttila played by far the most effective seasons of his career alongside Vahalahti: 14+22 and 17+24.

Like almost everyone else, Vahalahti praises Anttila as “absolutely amazing” in terms of personality.

– He gets along with everyone, and has a good command of the word. That’s good leadership too.

“Jukka somehow saw”

Jukka Jalonen dared to try Anttila for the first time in EHT matches in the 2011–12 season. In the following season, the door to the World Cup team was already opened, although still in a supporting role.

– Jukka somehow saw strengths in him and first took him into that big ring, Jalonen’s national team partner at the time Petri Matikainen told Iltalehti last year.

– From that point on, the story has developed tremendously.

Due to his size, Anttila is a specialist in the rinks: dribbling, understrength, puck handling, tackles, tackle threat, corner play, mask… The situation was completely different ten years ago.

– The strength seen today had not been found yet, because he thought of the game before the attack. He has become a quality two-way player, the real heart of the team.

The current role has developed and refined to its peak Jalonen and Lauri Marjamäki in schools: in the national team, Jokers and Kärpi.

– A role has been found for him comfortableMatikainen estimates.

– Jätkä is a tough team player, my God. He is able to bring his own strengths to the level of the ice and the locker room. It’s really admirable.

“Where would he go?”

Anttila turns 38 this weekend. He will play in Kärpi at least next season.

So why not continue in Leijon as well?

– Marko must have made that (termination) comment as a joke, he said Sakari ManninenAnttila’s close friend, before Thursday’s quarter-final.

– He’s not going anywhere. Where would he go?

Manninen grins that Anttila is “always here”.

– Marko will probably still play as a four-wheeler in the World Championships.

Manninen is a small result chain member, Anttila a giant four chain member, but both have been real golden nuggets of the golden years.

– His chain always plays well, Manninen praises.

– Every player would like to have a chain friend like that.

“Precious Heritage”

Despite his differences in hockey, Anttila will be remembered as one of the greats of Finnish hockey. The astonishment and awe of the hockey people have long ago changed to admiration and respect.

– He leaves a valuable and fine legacy, Kukkonen emphasizes.

– You don’t have to be top-notch or perfectly skilled, but big dreams are still possible.

Anttila is a team player for team players – in a country where all top hockey players are team players.

– How do you meet your teammates and how can you make the team better, Kukkonen verbalizes.

– He is the embodiment of all that.