Story Summary
The Liiga season opens amid unusually high stakes: a 64-game regular season with 17 teams and relegation for the bottom three at its close. For Turun Palloseura (TPS), the context is stark. Last season ended in disappointment when TPS missed the playoffs, and the club has responded with a push for a ‘total change’. Hockey analyst Ismo Lehkonen said clubs are focused above all on staying in the top flight and may take risks to avoid finishing in the bottom three.
TPS have added returning players and new faces in an effort to bring experience to the group. Otto Paajanen, who captained KooKoo during their run to last season’s Liiga final, joins TPS. Defenceman Niklas Friman has returned to TPS; he made his Liiga debut with the club in 2011-12, left in 2016 and later won the Liiga with HPK in 2019, plus Olympic and World Championship gold in 2022. Homegrown player Hannu Kuru has returned to Turku, while the club have also signed Lukas Haudum, who won Austria’s domestic title in the spring. Lars Bryggman returns to Finland and TPS from Skellefteå as a reigning Swedish champion. He recorded 117 points in 158 regular-season games across three seasons with Pelicans.
TPS also had off-ice issues last season involving Pride and Veli-Matti Savinainen, as well as Tarmo Reunanen’s sidelining. Lehkonen said the organisation needed ‘a total change, here and now’, adding that staff brought into the club office were intended to change its rhythm.
Youth development remains part of TPS’s longer-term picture. Several second-generation players who saw Liiga ice time last season are competing for regular roles. Lehkonen cautioned, however, that many still need work on their skating and physical development before TPS can rely on them heavily this season.
Key Facts
- The Liiga regular season comprises 64 games and 17 teams.
- At the end of the regular season the three weakest teams will be relegated to the lower B-series.
- Jokerit have returned to the top flight, reviving a classic TPS rivalry last seen in the Liiga regular season in 2014.
- Ismo Lehkonen said clubs’ primary objective this year is to remain in the top tier and that some teams may take significant risks to avoid relegation.
- TPS missed the Liiga playoffs last season and finished their campaign in the regular season.
- TPS have brought in Otto Paajanen, who captained KooKoo during their run to the Liiga final last spring.
- Defenceman Niklas Friman has returned to TPS; he previously made his Liiga debut with TPS in 2011-12, left in 2016 and later won the Liiga with HPK in 2019 and Olympic and World Championship gold in 2022.
- Homegrown player Hannu Kuru has returned to TPS.
- TPS signed Lukas Haudum, who won an Austrian domestic championship in the spring.
- Lars Bryggman, Pelicans’ captain two seasons ago, returns to TPS from Skellefteå as the reigning Swedish champion; he scored 117 points in 158 regular-season Pelicans games.
- Several second-generation players saw Liiga ice time last season, but Lehkonen said they require further development in areas such as skating and physicality.
IHM Discussion
TPS’s activity over the summer reads as a deliberate recalibration rather than a short-term gamble. The additions of Paajanen and Friman supply leadership and Liiga-winning experience that can steady a locker room, while Haudum and Bryggman bring recent championship pedigree from Austria and Sweden respectively. Reintegrating club-trained players such as Hannu Kuru also signals a dual approach: immediate stabilisation plus a continued belief in the academy pipeline.
Lehkonen’s repeated point about risk and the need for ‘total change’ is worth unpacking. With budgets rising across the league and relegation applying to three clubs, the financial and sporting consequences of another failed season are magnified. TPS must balance the demand for instant improvement with the realistic development timelines for several young, second-generation players. The practical work – daily skating, strength and positional training – is the manageable end of that problem; the organisational and cultural reset Lehkonen describes is harder and will show up in how quickly TPS turn close games into wins.
Why It Matters
The structure of this Liiga season raises the consequences for every club. For TPS, the campaign will test whether the added experience can help the club recover from last season’s disappointment while younger players continue their development. League-wide, rising budgets and the threat of relegation could encourage aggressive decision-making as the standings take shape.
Mini Q&A
Why is TPS describing this summer as a ‘total change’?
TPS missed the Liiga playoffs last season and have made signings and brought players back, while Lehkonen said the organisation needs a total change.
Which notable players have joined or returned to TPS?
Otto Paajanen, defenceman Niklas Friman, homegrown returnee Hannu Kuru, Lukas Haudum and Lars Bryggman are among the arrivals or returnees mentioned.
How has the Liiga format changed for this season?
The regular season has 64 games, Jokerit have rejoined the top flight, there are 17 teams in total, and the three weakest teams at season’s end will be relegated to the B-series.
Will TPS rely on young, second-generation players this season?
TPS promoted several second-generation players last season, but Ismo Lehkonen warned the club cannot yet rely on them fully; many still need work on skating and physical development.
Who raised concerns about clubs’ risk-taking this season?
Hockey analyst Ismo Lehkonen said he would not be surprised if ‘a couple of clubs’ went under as risk levels rise across the league.
Coach Mark Comment
From a coaching perspective the immediate priority for TPS should be clarity and repetition. Introducing experienced winners like Friman and Bryggman must come with clearly defined roles so they can model the behaviours younger players must copy: compete in one-on-one battles, maintain gap control, and execute simple breakout options under pressure. Simultaneously, coaches need a measurable development plan for second-generation prospects – daily skating tests, progressive strength targets and situational minutes that emphasise defensive responsibility. Cultural resets take time, but consistent practice habits and transparent accountability are the fastest ways to change results on the ice.
IHM Final View
TPS have responded to last season’s disappointment with returning players, new additions and changes around the organisation. Whether that blend can produce an immediate improvement will depend on how quickly the group settles on the ice.