The Jokers are trying to make a return to the SM League in the fall of 2023.
The Jokers are currently owned by Jari Kurr. Juha Metso
The Jokers announced on Wednesday morning that the club aims to return to the Finnish Championships for the period 2023–2024.
– The goal of the Jokers is to return to top Finnish hockey in the period 2023–24. Next season, the Helsinki club will not have a representative team in any series, but the junior teams will continue to operate normally.
The Helsinki Association will submit its license application by the deadline, which will be considered by the League’s Annual General Meeting.
– We have a lot of work to do in building our league eligibility and a new ownership base is currently being sought alongside me. I am confident that we will be able to meet all the criteria required by the League, owner of the Jokers Jari Kurri says.
The co-operation with the Helsinki Jokers Association continues normally, even though the next season for the activities of the representative team is the construction year.
– During the spring, it has been great to see that Finnish companies and individuals want to be involved in the new chapter of the Jokers ‘story, Jokers’ CEO Sami Kauhanen says.
The Jokers have played their home game since 1997 at the Arena in Ilmala, Helsinki. However, if there are no changes in the arena’s ownership base in the future, the Jokerit will look for a new home.
Out of KHL
The Jokers played the previous eight seasons in KHL. At the end of February, the Helsinki Society announced its decision to interrupt the last season due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
After this, the Jokerit, under the leadership of its main owner Kurr, completed its final exit from KHL and the club’s co-owner and main partner Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta Oy. At the same time, Kurri left his position on KHL’s board.
– In the future, the company’s ownership will be built in a genuine and transparent manner on a responsible and sustainable basis, Jokerit assures in its press release.
Jokerit Hockey Club Oy has the support of the junior organization Helsingin Jokerit ry, which owns the rights to the logo and name of the Helsinki Association.
– We appreciate Jari Kurr’s straightforward solution to separate the Jokerit from KHL. We stand completely behind him and Jokerit Hockey Club Oy in the construction process of the club’s future, Chairman of Helsinki Jokerit ry Kim Borgström says.