Story Summary
TPS will be without one of their leading forwards when they face Ässät in Pori on Saturday. Austrian forward Lukas Haudum is absent from the line-up after making a major early contribution to the Turku club’s attack.
Haudum has produced 16 points, made up of five goals and 11 assists, in 11 Liiga appearances. The 29-year-old is TPS’s second-highest scorer and fourth in the league-wide points standings.
Joel Määttä will move into Haudum’s place as first-line centre. TPS will also welcome first-choice goaltender Eetu Mäkiniemi back between the pipes.
Key Facts
- Lukas Haudum will not be in the TPS line-up for Saturday’s Liiga game against Ässät in Pori.
- The 29-year-old Austrian forward has recorded 5+11=16 points in 11 Liiga games this season.
- Haudum is TPS’s second-highest scorer and sits fourth in the Liiga scoring standings.
- Haudum has played on TPS’s first line with Lukas Wernblom and Lars Bryggman; all three are in the league’s top 10 scorers.
- Joel Määttä will take Haudum’s role as first-line centre against Ässät.
- Eetu Mäkiniemi returns between the pipes after leaving Wednesday’s game against HIFK and missing Friday’s line-up.
IHM Discussion
Haudum’s absence removes a player who has been central to TPS’s early attacking output. His 16 points account for a substantial individual contribution, and the change breaks up a first line whose three members have all featured among Liiga’s leading scorers.
Määttä’s move to centre keeps the adjustment within the existing forward group rather than changing the line’s stated role entirely. The immediate task for TPS is to maintain the production and connection established by Haudum, Wernblom and Bryggman without their Austrian forward.
Mäkiniemi’s return gives TPS a significant reinforcement at the other end of the rink. The goaltender had been unable to finish the HIFK game on Wednesday and was then absent from Friday’s squad, making his return an important part of the team news before the trip to Pori.
Why It Matters
TPS are losing their second-most productive player for a game against a Liiga opponent, while also altering their first-line centre position. Haudum’s individual scoring rank and the output of his usual line underline the scale of the attacking change.
At the same time, Mäkiniemi’s return restores TPS’s first-choice goaltender to the line-up. The contrasting personnel news leaves TPS managing a notable forward absence while regaining a key option in goal.