Finland's top division, Naisten Liiga, will drop the puck for a weekend long season opening tournament on September 6. The league however, has lost significant talent.
Finland's top division, Naisten Liiga, will drop the puck for a weekend long season opening tournament on September 6. The league however, has lost significant talent.
Finland's top women's hockey league, Naisten Liiga, is set to drop the puck on their 2024-2025 season on September 6, 2024.
The opening game of the schedule will take place between TPS and Kiekko-Espoo as part of the league's season opening tournament in Turku.
All nine teams will be in action in Turku from September 6-8. The regular season will run until February 16 with the last possible day for a championship series to end being March 30.
Last year HIFK were the start to finish league leaders going 27-5-0-0 in the regular season to finish ahead of second place Kiekko-Espoo. HIFK went on the win the playoff title as well.
The league.however, will see a significant shift in talent with six of the top eight scorers in the league departing for Switzerland, Sweden, and NCAA hockey. There has been very little incoming talent from outside of Finland, yet, but that could change as the offseason continues and the trickledown from the PWHL continues.
Michaela Pejslova who led Naisten Liiga in scoring last season will head to Switzerland, as will the 4th and 5th leading scorers in the league Julia Liikala and Clara Rozier. The 2nd leading scorer Sanni Vanhanen and 7th leading scorer Elisa Holopainen will both play in Sweden, while the 8th top scorer in the league Julia Schalin is heading for the NCAA. Similarly, the league's stastical leader in the crease Kiia Lahtinen is also headed to the NCAA.