Story Summary
HIFK are reportedly in advanced negotiations with Ilves head coach Tommi Niemelä over their head-coaching position for next season. Niemelä, 43, is said to be the Helsinki club’s leading candidate as it looks to conclude the talks as soon as possible.
The prospective move follows a change behind the HIFK bench last week, when Olli Jokinen was dismissed. Tommi Miettinen was appointed on a contract running until the end of the current season, with no option for next season included.
Key Facts
- Tommi Niemelä is reportedly HIFK’s leading candidate to become head coach next season.
- Niemelä’s contract with Ilves expires at the end of the current season.
- Niemelä has coached Ilves since 2024 and won one Finnish Championship bronze medal with the club.
- Before joining Ilves, Niemelä led Pelicans to consecutive Liiga finals in 2023 and 2024.
- Niemelä won the IIHF Under-18 World Championship as Finland head coach in 2018.
- HIFK sporting director Janne Laukkanen previously worked with Niemelä in Lahti while serving as Pelicans sporting director.
- Tommi Miettinen is contracted as HIFK head coach only until the end of the current season, without an option for next season.
IHM Discussion
Niemelä would bring an established Liiga coaching record to a role that has become vacant for next season. His work at Pelicans included two straight appearances in the Liiga final, while his spell at Ilves has produced a Finnish Championship bronze medal.
There are also existing links between the leading candidate and key figures around HIFK. Laukkanen spent 10 seasons as Pelicans sporting director before moving to Helsinki last summer, and Niemelä is an HIFK youth product from his playing career as a goaltender. Those connections do not make an appointment certain, but they provide clear familiarity as negotiations reportedly progress.
Why It Matters
The report gives HIFK a defined direction after the club’s immediate decision to appoint Miettinen for the remainder of the season. With Miettinen’s deal carrying no option for next term, the head-coaching search is a significant decision for the organisation.
For Ilves, Niemelä remains the current head coach through the end of his contract. Any completed move would therefore affect both clubs’ planning for next season, but the reported talks have not yet been confirmed as an appointment.
Mini Q&A
Who is HIFK reportedly targeting as head coach for next season?
HIFK are reportedly in advanced talks with Ilves head coach Tommi Niemelä, who is said to be their leading candidate.
What is Tommi Niemelä’s recent Liiga record?
He has coached Ilves since 2024 and won Finnish Championship bronze, having previously taken Pelicans to the Liiga final in both 2023 and 2024.
Who is coaching HIFK for the rest of this season?
Tommi Miettinen was hired until the end of the season after Olli Jokinen was dismissed, and his contract has no option for next season.
What Comes Next
The immediate checkpoint is whether HIFK can complete its reported negotiations with Niemelä, whom the club is said to want to appoint for next season as soon as possible.