Ahead of the start of the upcoming Champions Hockey League season, we asked the Head Coaches of KalPa Kuopio's six Regular Season opponents what their thoughts are on the Finnish team - here's what they had to say!
Belfast Giants Head Coach Adam Keefe: “KalPa are a structured, disciplined team with a strong skating game. They play with high tempo and aren’t afraid to attack in waves.”
ERC Ingolstadt Head Coach Mark French: “As reigning Finnish champions, KalPa are currently one of the top teams in Europe for sure. They have a good mix of young, highly talented players, that play crucial roles within the team, and experienced guys. As it’s the youth team of our goalie coach Ilpo Kauhanen, who worked at KalPa in the same position for seven years, his input for the games against the Finnish teams will be very valuable.”
Storhamar Hamar Head Coach Petter Thoresen: “We will go into every game believing we can win. A strong belief in ourselves is important — then we’ll see if our skills are enough. KalPa play quick, high-tempo hockey.”
Red Bull Salzburg Head Coach Manny Viveiros: “The Finnish champions are as strong as any team in Europe. They are deep with talent and have four lines that can come at you in waves of pressure. It will be exciting to see where we stand up against such a good opponent.”
Mountfield HK Head Coach Tomáš Martinec: “The Finnish champions. They are very fast, young and dynamic, but also complemented by experienced players tested in international hockey or the NHL. Another big draw for our fans in Hradec and yet another European top-level team.”
KAC Klagenfurt Head Coach Kirk Furey: “KalPa won the championship for the very first time last year, so we expect an opponent looking to build on a successful season. Facing them to close out the Regular Season will be a great test for us. The game will not be part of a road trip, we’ll travel there for this one game, which means our full focus will be on these 60 minutes. At that point of the season, we should be in a good rhythm. It’s going to be a real challenge, but we want to fly to Finland and come back home with points.”