Karri Kivi named as U20 national team coach

[thomast]

Www.leijonat.fi/maajoukkueet/u20/it...otiaiden-maajoukkueen-päävalmentajaksi.html

2 years and there is option for the third year. I think that this is great news.

Click to read more...

 

[edd1e]

Im happy about this.

 

[JJTT]

It's a great thing that he will only coach the u20 team and keep his focus on that, unlike Raipe and some other guys in the past.

 

[FiLe]

Friggin' finally they're taking our second most important NT seriously again.

 

[YARR123]

Great news! A modern, upward trending, professional hockey coach coaching our U20 team.

edit: and a 2+1 year deal too! Great to have some continuety

 

[Pajicz]

Agree with others, good decision.

 

[heksagon]

Good news, I really like the fact that it's a multi year contract.

 

[The Saw Is the Law]

 

[Juzmo]

Was great with the U20-Ässät some years back and many players have said that he is a very good coach for the younger ones.

Very pleased with the decision.

 

[Qurpiz]

Really happy with the news, and really happy for Karri, too.

 

[bebl]

Maybe the hottest name in coaching market in Finland. Signed with u20 NT = heaven

 

[Pine Bluff Variant]

Sweet, feeling better 'bout next years tourney now...

 

[Gaps]

He was easily the best candidate who was available to take on it full-time. K. Jalonen is free for the moment, but he wants to coach the men after Westerlund and in the KHL or NLA before that.

 

[FiLe]

He was easily the best candidate who was available to take on it full-time.

This might as well be a slight understatement, as his market value was perhaps too high to really accept a gig like the U20, even less multiple years and full time.

It does feel a bit silly to hype the guy like this when he hasn't had a single day on the job, but when put in the big frame, it is easily the best and most confidence-inspiring Liitto signing we've seen in many, many years - no matter which age or gender group we talk about.

 

[Gaps]

This might as well be a slight understatement, as his market value was perhaps too high to really accept a gig like the U20, even less multiple years and full time.

It does feel a bit silly to hype the guy like this when he hasn't had a single day on the job, but when put in the big frame, it is easily the best and most confidence-inspiring Liitto signing we've seen in many, many years - no matter which age or gender group we talk about.

Maybe if you're talking about his current market value, but if they'd come out with this signing two months ago when Ässät looked like they'd given up and wouldn't even make the playoffs, the reception wouldn't have been nearly as positive as it is now.

I'm still not sure how much credit for Ässät's current success can really be given to Kivi, but I've heard good things about him as a junior coach.

 

[thomast]

To me there should be a plan. Let Karri Kivi coach the U20 team for multiple years creating identity and system which are played in all finnish junior teams. That could be similar game as Ässät which relies on tight team defense, good goaltending and straight foward fast attacks. We never beat top teams skill-wise and our material is limited compared to top teams. But with strong team game and attitude and especially clear knowledge about system are the key things for success. At times our players at U20 doesen't even know what to do with the puck or are lost. Look at sweden, they know exactly what they do all the time. After that when he has worked with our top young players and knows their strength and weaknesses upgrade him as National team coach. Just similar route as Pär Mårts and now Rönnberg is the guy who steps in after Mårts.

Please Karri Kivi, create identity and system to our national junior teams and hopefully after that for national team. We don't have clear identity because coaches and system changes every year. I'm tired to watch lost players against teams like Sweden which plays like a team and they know what they're doing.

 

[FiLe]

Maybe if you're talking about his current market value, but if they'd come out with this signing two months ago when Ässät looked like they'd given up and wouldn't even make the playoffs, the reception wouldn't have been nearly as positive as it is now.

Yeah, yeah. And if a cow had wheels, it'd be a milk wagon.

This thing didn't come out two months ago, it came out now. At a moment when Kivi's market value is probably at his all-career-high this far. Now somebody might point out that maybe they did nab him earlier, just waited for the proper moment to announce it. But here's the thing: Liitto doesn't sit on contracts. At least they haven't done so in the past. They're not a rivaling club team so they've got no obligation to wait 'til a coach is free of his current duties.

So... unless somebody out there is a real psychic and knew that Kivi's going to turn Ässät's season upside down on the second half, what they did was to go after a reasonable prestigious name and get him under a full-time, multiple-year contract. And whoever sealed the deal, be it the Hippo or Urama (who is junior coaching chief) or whoever, they deserve full credit for that.

 

[JJTT]

wow u20 team has a championchip winner as a coach now, gj kale.