On a Monday evening in August, many residents of Finland’s capital, Helsinki, had the rare chance to see Finnish NHL players take the ice in their home country. But this wasn’t a charity game or a special event — it was just a regular local beer league session.
In Finland, many children and teenagers play or have played ice hockey. That means beer leagues and weekly hockey sessions are popular hobbies well into adulthood. In nearly every Finnish city, hundreds of amateur hockey sessions take place each evening. Although very few make it all the way to the NHL, many Finns have a friend or acquaintance who plays professional hockey.
Because Finland is a small country by population, players like Miro Heiskanen may be familiar to many, or someone might have once played on the same team as Roope Hintz.In the Herttoniemi Ice Hall in Helsinki, a regular weekly session takes place every Monday evening. These sessions usually begin in mid-August and continue through early May. During the summer, Finns turn to sports like finnish baseball and simply enjoy the short but cherished summer season.
Every Monday night, a group of friends gathers for a hockey game where former professional player Siim Liivik picks his own team, while the opposing side is built by Finland’s most popular rap artist, Ville Galle. The teams play a season-long series, with each session counting as one game win. The games are also streamed on YouTube, which has turned this ordinary "beer league" into a completely new kind of hockey community.
Puita Hockey Club
Puita Hockey League LIVE maanantaisin klo 19:30.
Roope Hintz scores a goal in a beer league game
Roope Hintz played alongside Mikael Granlund and Finnish rap artist Ege Zulu.
NHL stars join Monday night hockey session
About a week ago, the social media channels for the monday night hockey game teased some big news — a few NHL players would be joining the upcoming session. Soon after, photos began appearing of stars likeMiro Heiskanen, Mikael Granlund, Roope Hintz, Teuvo Teräväinen, Anton Lundell, Joel Kiviranta and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The game was open for anyone to come and watch for free — just like every monday.
The game followed the usual format, with Siim Liivik and Finnish rap star Ville Galle each building their own squads. Team White, captained by Liivik, had Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in goal and a stacked offensive line with Roope Hintz, Mikael Granlund, and Joel Kiviranta. Liivik had a history with Granlund from their days together in HIFK.
On Team Black, Ville Galle lined up with Miro Heiskanen on defense and Anton Lundell and Teuvo Teräväinen up front. “Even my dad texted me saying I should enjoy this moment — getting to play defense next to a top-3 blueliner in the world,” Ville Galle said during the YouTube stream.
Goals were scored back and forth throughout the game. Mikael Granlund opened the scoring with a beautiful wrist shot. Anton Lundell recorded a hat trick early in the game, including a highlight-reel lacrosse-style goal past Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. In the end, Team White secured the win as Joel Kiviranta scored the deciding goal in the shootout, making the final score 9–8.
After the game, no one was in a rush to leave
Many fans who had come to watch the Monday night hockey game stayed at the rink even after the final whistle, hoping to catch a glimpse of the NHL stars as they took off their gear and headed to the lobby. They weren’t disappointed. Players took time to sign autographs, pose for photos, and chat with fans. None of them seemed in a hurry. For Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen, the Herttoniemi rink was a familiar place since they trained there with the Dallas Stars during the 2024 Global Series.
Outside, the Finnish NHL players said they would stay in Finland at least through August. Miro Heiskanen mentioned he would return to Dallas in early September, so it was a good chance to train in a familiar environment. All the players knew each other well and had been skating together all summer. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen admitted it was not the easiest session, but he really enjoyed playing with a good vibe. Anton Lundell also hinted that he might try a lacrosse-style goal in the NHL this upcoming season, just like the one he scored in the game.
We now look forward to seeing whether some of the same NHL stars or new ones will show up for next Monday's skate. Thanks for an unforgettable experience.
More highlights on my X account — follow @valtterikarjula.
Valtteri Karjula (@valtterikarjula) on X
Skater. Sauna fanatic. NHL enthusiast. A curious writer chasing captivating stories and intense steam.