The playoffs are just around the corner, but the race for the top spot is still unclear. Expert Raimo Summanen offers his insights on the still evolving situation.
The SM league regular season is nearing its end in less than two weeks, making the current series more thrilling than it has been in years, particularly concerning the championships. Unlike Tappara’s consistent performance in recent years, there doesn’t seem to be any team clearly outperforming others in the series, according to Summanen.
Summanen believes that Ilves has a slight advantage over other teams due to its wider range and two strong superiorities. Additionally, Ilves can maintain a 5v5 game under any conditions, ensuring a tight match.
Ilves is still battling with Tappara for the regular season’s top spot. While Ilves leads the league table, Tappara, which has played fewer matches, has a higher average score. Summanen is not entirely convinced by Tappara’s performance this season, noting more randomness in their results than before.
Since the turn of the year, the best teams in the league have been Pelicans, Jukurit, and Kärpät, both in terms of league points and goal expectations. Even HIFK, which began the season as the biggest favorite, has shown signs of revival.
Summanen reflects on the top battle of the SM league with uncertainty, noting the unique situation where the competition field seems more open than ever. He also speculates that some teams may have been mentally preparing for the playoffs for a while.
At present, the quarter-final pairs would likely be Pelicans–HIFK and Jukurit–Kärpät. Ilves and Tappara would then face the successors of the “pity players.” Among the top six, Summanen highlights Luko, who came close to defeating the future champion Geneve-Servette in the CHL semi-finals.
Summanen also recognizes Kärpät as a resilient team under the leadership of head coach Lauri Marjamäki. He believes that their successful superiority and the efficiency of their superiority of over 40 percent could be deciding factors in the playoffs.
Summanen observes that no team in the regular season is without weaknesses, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning and the ability to maintain a fast pace in the game, especially in the playoffs. He concludes by highlighting the significant role of “playing transfer hockey” and how experienced teams use it to control the game in emergencies.
