Former NHL center Olli Jokinen is now in his fourth year of coaching professional hockey, but it’s only been since an expletive-laced video of him trying to motivate his Timrå team went viral in the last few days that many outside of Finland or Sweden have known it.

Timrå was trailing the Växjö Lakers 1-0 after one period of an SHL game on Jan. 7 when Jokinen, unhappy with his team’s effort, let his players know about it.

The 46-year-old Finn was recently asked by Sundsvalls Tidning – a regional Swedish newspaper – about the video.

“I don’t like using the F-word,” was Jokinen’s reaction, according to HockeyNews.se. “I told the media team that maybe we should do like in the NHL where they ‘bleep’ it out, but they obviously haven’t done that yet.”

It seems that Jokinen’s biggest regret about the video being circulated publicly is that people only notice the foul language and not his intended message to his team, which he thinks was a good one. He doesn’t seem to be a fan of stereotypical “locker room talk” and hopes his speech isn’t construed that way.

“I am very much against that macho hockey world and the culture has to change,” he said. “The way I spoke is not how you change it. If you take the F-word out of it and listen, there is a message behind it. It was about determination, responsibility and taking the step as a team – not being satisfied with where we are.”

Perhaps the message was received. Trailing 2-0 after two periods against Växjö, Timrå came back with a pair of third-period goals to salvage a point, eventually losing in a shootout. Since then, the team has beaten HV71 5-2 and Skellefteå AIK 4-1 and has moved up to fourth place in the standings, one point up on fifth-place Luleå and one behind third-place Frölunda.

“We are very privileged people who get to do what we love and get paid for it,” said Jokinen. “The only thing we ask is that they put their heart and soul into practises and games. This is not a regular nine-to-five job.”

Timrå’s roster includes former NHLers Magnus Pääjärvi, Anton Lander, Tim Erixon and Jonathan Dahlén. It also includes a pair of youngsters with NHL experience that could soon be heading back as early as next season – Oliver Kapanen, who played 12 games with the Montreal Canadiens to start this season, and Filip Hållander, who is reportedly in talks with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The team also has a pair of 21-year-old prospects – forward Oliver Johansson of the Ottawa Senators and Simon Forsmark of the Carolina Hurricanes.

After his 17-year NHL career with the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, Phoenix Coyotes, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators, Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues ended in 2015, Jokinen immediately began coaching youth hockey in South Florida.

In 2021, Jokinen returned to Finland to coach Jukurit. In three seasons with Jokinen at the helm, Jukurit had its only two playoff appearances since being promoted to Finland’s top league in 2016.