Jokerit

Jokerit Helsinki - Club Profile

Jokerit is a professional ice hockey club based in Helsinki, Finland, competing in Liiga, the country’s top division. Founded in 1967, the club returned to the Finnish elite for the 2026/27 season and plays its home games at Veikkaus Arena.

Recognised by its distinctive jester crest and red-and-yellow colours, Jokerit has a history spanning domestic championship success, European trophies and an extended period in international league competition.

Championship History

Jokerit has won six Finnish national championships: 1973, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 2002. The first title came in the SM-sarja era, while the remaining five were secured in SM-liiga. Four championships during the 1990s made that decade a defining period in the club’s history.

The club’s European honours include consecutive IIHF European Cup titles in 1994 and 1995, followed by the IIHF Continental Cup in 2003.

From the KHL to Finnish Hockey

Jokerit left Finland’s top division to join the Kontinental Hockey League for the 2014/15 season. Its KHL chapter ended in 2022, when the club withdrew following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The senior team resumed competitive hockey in Finland in the 2023/24 season, joining Mestis, the country’s second tier. Jokerit subsequently won back-to-back Mestis championships in 2025 and 2026, rebuilding its domestic presence before returning to Liiga.

Return to Liiga

Jokerit received its Liiga licence in February 2026, confirming its return to the top division for the 2026/27 season after twelve years away. The return also restored league meetings with Helsinki rival HIFK, bringing the capital’s derby back to Finland’s elite competition.

With six national titles, European honours and two recent Mestis championships, Jokerit’s current chapter connects a substantial hockey heritage with a renewed place in Finland’s top league.