Finnish ice hockey player and coach who won multiple championships as a player and led the Finnish national team to Olympic and World Championship medals. Known for his defensive-minded coaching style.
Kari Jalonen, born on January 6, 1960, is a renowned Finnish professional ice hockey coach and former player, best known for his accomplishments as the head coach of the Czech Republic men's national ice hockey team and his impressive record in the Finnish Liiga.
Before transitioning to coaching, Jalonen had a respectable playing career, with stints in the NHL, SM-liiga, Sweden, and France. He played parts of two seasons in the NHL with the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers, making a total of 37 appearances. Jalonen also represented Finland internationally on nine occasions, including the 1980 World Juniors team that won silver and the 1986 European Championship team that won bronze.
After hanging up his skates, Jalonen embarked on a successful coaching career, guiding several SM-liiga teams, including TPS, Krpt, and HIFK, to numerous championships. He has won four Finnish national championships as a head coach, with three coming during his time at Krpt and one with HIFK. Jalonen's coaching prowess earned him Liiga Coach of the Year honors in 2005 and 2007.
Jalonen's coaching career took an international turn when he became the head coach of the Czech Republic men's national ice hockey team in 2022, a position he held until 2023. Prior to this, he had coached Finland's national team, leading them to a silver medal at the 2016 IIHF World Championships in Russia. Jalonen has also coached in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and the Swiss top-flight National League A (NLA), guiding SC Bern to two Swiss championships in 2017 and 2019.
Kari Jalonen's impressive coaching record, combined with his experience as a player and international representative, has cemented his status as a Finnish ice hockey legend. His ability to adapt to different leagues and national teams has earned him a reputation as a versatile and successful coach. Jalonen's influence on Finnish ice hockey is undeniable, and his contributions to the sport will be remembered for generations to come.
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