The Municipality of Inari: Home to Finland's Northernmost Hockey Club and Rink
Located above the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland lies Inari, the largest municipality in Finland. Situated in the northernmost corner of the European Union at the heart of the North Calotte, Inari covers 5 percent of Finland's total land area. It is here that ice hockey is played in the country's northernmost indoor rink. The local team, Tunturi-Kiekko, also holds the title of the northernmost ice hockey club in Finland.
Currently, the Finnish national team is competing in the Milan Olympics. Several team members, such as Sebastian Aho and Mikael Granlund, hail from Oulu in Northern Finland. While Oulu is considered "North" from a Helsinki perspective, it is still over 500 kilometers away from Inari. Lapland is accessible by direct flight or by car. If driving, please be extra cautious of reindeer, as they roam and graze freely across the area.
Finland’s northernmost ice hockey rink is located in Inari. There are approximately 250 indoor rinks across the country, distributed fairly evenly throughout Finland. The majority of these rinks were built in the 1990s. Like the one in Inari, most Finnish rinks are municipally owned. Typically, the lifecycle of a rink is about 30 years for its technical systems and 50 years for its structures. This means that many Finnish ice rinks will soon be in need of renovation.
- 1960 - 1970 : 4 rinks built
- 1971 - 1980 : 16 rinks built
- 1981 - 1990 : 47 rinks built
- 1991 - 2000 : 117 rinks built
- 2001 - 2010 : 59 rinks built
- 2011 - 2023 : 48 rinks built
Currently, we are celebrating the school winter holidays here in Finland. This week is dedicated to various winter sports; you can go skiing or play hockey just about anywhere in the country right now. It has been a strong winter, with a steady blanket of snow even in Helsinki. However, my family and I decided to travel here to Lapland. The environment here is unlike anywhere else—it is dark, cold, and incredibly beautiful.
Ice Hockey Amidst the Arctic Magic of Lapland
Today, many international tourists have discovered the region, arriving to see Santa Claus, reindeer, and the Northern Lights. You can spot all of them here almost every day! When the sun set today around 5:00 PM, I hopped in the car and drove to the northernmost rink to see what it was like. On the ice, the Tunturi-Kiekko juniors were practicing—both girls and boys skating together. Because Inari is such a small community, both genders play on the same team.
One NHL player has become a Lapland player
Distances in Lapland are vast. Tunturi-Kiekko players are used to traveling long distances even for practice. I heard stories of players commuting all the way from Kirkenes, Norway, which is another 200 kilometers north of Inari. Kirkenes has an active hockey scene of its own, despite lacking an indoor rink. Players in the North often play across the borders of Finland, Norway, and Russia. Even here, hockey serves as a unifying force.
Many young people eventually move from Inari and elsewhere in Lapland to Southern Finland. For those serious about studies or professional hockey, Oulu and Rovaniemi are the nearest major hubs. To date, Jesse Puljujärvi is the only Finnish NHL player born in Lapland. Alongside Puljujärvi, defenders Ville Pokka and Vili Saarijärvi are the most recent NHL draft picks from the region. While active stars like Aho and Granlund are from Northern Finland, they are not technically from Lapland.
On the women's side, Iida and Emma Lappalainen play in Finland’s top-tier league. Both are products of the Tunturi-Kiekko youth system. In addition to the junior teams, Tunturi-Kiekko’s men's representative team competes in the Lapland regional 3rd Division. They have a crucial game this coming Saturday, which will determine whether the team makes the playoffs this year. The club was also recently nominated for the 'Sports Club of the Year' category at the Finnish Sports Gala.
Outdoor Games Under the Aurora
In addition to the indoor arena, there are many outdoor rinks nearby, equipped with lights and warm changing rooms. Though there weren't enough players for a full game this evening, outdoor rinks can be found in almost every Finnish village, usually near schools for use during physical education classes.
Being north of the Arctic Circle means the Northern Lights are a part of daily life. During mid-winter, clear skies almost guarantee a display. We have already seen them two nights in a row. It’s safe to say that a great deal of hockey has been played under the glow of the Aurora Borealis. If a three-period game started at 9:00 PM, the lights might dance above the ice for the entire match.
Reindeer pizza after the trip
As my evening in Inari drew to a close, I stopped by a local sports bar for pizza. Since there are more reindeer than people in Lapland, I chose reindeer as my topping, paired with lingonberries, blue cheese, and pickles. Tomorrow, Finland plays in Milan again, and even here in the far north, people will gather to cheer them on.
Only a Finnish goal can break this silence.6mo 
The Hockey NewsFor the eighth consecutive time, Finland has been ranked the happiest country in the world, according to the World Happiness Report published in the spring. In reality, this can mean many different things, but in this article, I reflect on happiness from the perspective of ice hockey.
The day before yesterday, I took part in an ice hockey match where we, as employees from the construction industry, played against Finnish Members of Parliament (MPs). In Finland, the Parliament (Eduskunta) is the body that exercises the state's legislative and budgetary power, and it consists of 200 MPs. Every four years, Finns vote for their own representatives to the Parliament.
Because the Parliament is composed of "ordinary Finns," many MPs have also played ice hockey. There are also other athletes among them. Politics related to ice hockey is an important part of Finnish society and holds significant political value, even in smaller towns and municipalities. Since ice hockey is the most popular sport in Finland, its importance as a social and cultural phenomenon has always been great.
Construction Industry (RT Infra) vs. Parliament
There is a dedicated sports section within the Parliament. In practice, this means that the MPs practice various sports together. They play football, ice hockey, Finnish baseball (pesäpallo), and many other sports.
Two days ago, I had the chance to take part in a game between construction industry representatives (RT Infra) and Members of Parliament. In addition to the MPs, other state officials played on their team. I recognized at least ten MPs, and many of them had a background in ice hockey. For example, defenseman Ville Skinnari played in the Liiga (Finland's top league) in the early 90s. As a Member of Parliament, Skinnari served as Finland’s Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade from 2019 to 2023.
We won the match with a score of 9-3. Our team was a bit younger and more agile. Additionally, we had three balanced lines, which allowed us to maintain pressure in the opponent's end. The match was played at the legendary Helsinki Ice Hall (Helsingin Jäähalli), which was built in 1966. It is the second-oldest ice hall in Finland. Every Finnish hockey player knows that arena and has played there.
IFK Helsinki also plays at the same ice hall. The arrangements for our match worked well; we were allowed to use their locker rooms and jerseys. They also provided the meals and prizes. The best player from both teams received a ladle (löylykauha) as a prize, which was made from broken hockey sticks. This ladle idea is brilliant and should be brought to the NHL as well! As a fan, you have the chance to choose your favorite player’s stick and have it turned into a sauna ladle.
We stayed with the MPs to watch the Liiga match between IFK Helsinki and HPK Hämeenlinna. The game ended in a win for HPK, continuing IFK's rough start to the season. Head coach Olli Jokinen will have a lot to think about as they try to turn things around. The whole event and that evening perfectly reflected why Finland is considered the happiest country in the world. Here, everyone has a fair chance to rise to the top — even to become a Member of Parliament — without being born into a specific family or background. Free education and equality ensure that every voice can be heard and people can influence their surroundings without needing money or power. Add to that our clean nature and strong healthcare system, and Finland truly is one of the best places to live.And if you get to play ice hockey in good company, well, that's happy too!10mo The Hockey News Jukka Jalonen, the most successful head coach of the Finnish national ice hockey team, gave a speech at a Finnish business seminar "Myyntihype" in Espoo. Jukka Jalonen has won three World Championship gold medals (2011, 2019, 2022) and an Olympic gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Games. He has also earned other medals in World Championships, a World Junior Championship title, and a Finnish league championship.
Jukka Jalonen's coaching career began in 1992 and he is currently the head coach of the Italian national team. The Italian national team will participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, playing in Group B with Finland, Sweden, and Slovakia.
At the "Myyntihype" seminar on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, Jalonen spoke about the recipe for success from both an individual and a team perspective. From an individual's point of view, success was primarily influenced by three key factors. The first was an individual's own passion. While a person's genetics and environment play a role, their passion can be directed toward anything—sports, business, music, acting, etc. The crucial thing is to be able to channel that passion into action. A high work ethic and diligence mean a lot of repetition, and through repetition, skills and competence are developed.
However, harnessing passion requires positive selfishness. According to Jalonen, he has been able to pursue his passion—coaching—for over thirty years, and it has never felt like work. In addition to passion, success also requires perseverance and tenacity from an individual. In Finland, this is commonly known as "Finnish Sisu."
In reality, however, perseverance and tenacity require a supportive environment. Family, friends, colleagues, teachers, or coaches all constantly help the individual. Therefore, an individual's success truly requires sacrifices from others. Jukka Jalonen also mentioned that he is eternally grateful to his own wife.
I've been fired three times. My loved ones have always helped me get back on track and back to work.
Team and Leadership Perspective
During Jalonen's tenure, the Finnish national ice hockey team became known for its strong teamwork. The team was always well-structured, so every player played in the right position based on their strengths. According to Jalonen, a coach can choose their players for a national team, but in club teams, they may not necessarily be able to influence the team's composition. However, it is always important in recruitment to invest in background checks, people skills, and to trust your own intuition.
I have never thought about how old the players are. Only their potential matters.
In Jalonen's teams, every player was valued regardless of their role. Respect can be given from the top down, but in reality, respect from colleagues also matters. Respect increases job satisfaction, well-being, and brings a sense of purpose to every individual. Through shared goals and team values, trust is built in the right way, and all actions are always open and transparent.
The most challenging thing in coaching is creating an atmosphere where everyone feels valued. But if you succeed at that, it immediately brings results, and then you always have a chance to win. That's why it's important to always acknowledge every success and tell another person about it. Every piece of positive feedback moves us forward.
Dealing with Difficult Situations and Capitalizing on Good Moments
Jalonen's teams were known for being resilient and patient. The pressure from the media or fans could sometimes be felt within the team, but inside the national team, they kept a cool head. According to Jalonen, teams must have the courage to make changes, especially in national teams where competition is fierce and not all players can make the roster. To handle this, Jalonen has used a few methods during his career.
In Finland, players often want to gather together to hear who made the national team. That moment is happy for some and sad for others, but it's still an open process. In Italy, I tried something different: I told the players who were cut to send me a text message, and then I could tell them the specific reasons and give feedback over the phone. The last time, out of six players who were cut, four texted me and two did not.
Throughout his career, Jalonen has noticed that every country or club has its own culture. However, he emphasized that you must trust people regardless of the country they're from. People everywhere in the world want to be heard. Still, acknowledging different cultures shows up in many ways in the day-to-day life of coaching.
In Russia, we didn't do group work. They are used to the coach leading and telling them what to do. In Sweden and Finland, there's a lot of discussion. In Italy, there's a lot of emotion in the game. In all these different cultures, you have to understand their specific characteristics and adapt to them.
At the end of his business seminar speech, Jalonen reminded the audience that teamwork requires selflessness. He wanted the audience to remember from his speech, above all, that together we can be more than the sum of our parts.11mo The Hockey News 
