Misplaced Pages

#773226

63-630: Helsingin Jokerit ( Finnish pronunciation: [ˈjokerit] , English: Jokers or Jesters of Helsinki ) is a professional ice hockey team based in Helsinki, Finland, which competes in Mestis . Jokerit plays its home games at the Helsinki Ice Hall in Helsinki. Founded in 1967, the team has a rich history of success, having secured six league championships as a prominent member of

126-481: A best-of-five series. Jokerit won the first two match-ups and held a 2-0 lead halfway through the decisive fifth game, but HIFK came from behind to take the match and the series 3-2. Unfortunately, the elation of the successful season was short-lived as unexpected financial problems surfaced for the management. The brief resurgence faded, and within a few years, the club found itself facing the imminent threat of bankruptcy not once but twice. This financial turmoil dealt

189-454: A blow to the club's credibility and resulted in a mass exodus of players. Key players like wing Risto Kerminen departed, and center Jari Lindroos came close to leaving the club after signing elsewhere. Though Lindroos' contract was illegitimately nullified, the team faced a challenging period. Only a few loyal players, including longtime goaltender Rauli Sohlman , remained steadfast during this trying time. In 1986-87 season Jokerit were at

252-592: A coveted position in the Suomensarja , the second highest tier of Finnish ice hockey. On 27 October 1967, Jokerit officially took shape during a momentous constitutional meeting, with Mäkinen assuming the role of the club's sole owner and wielding sovereign power, effectively acting as the board and managing director. The club adopted an emblem depicting a winking jester, creatively adapted from various jokers found in diverse card decks, designed meticulously by graphic artist Jorma Hinkka. The Helsinki Ice Hall became

315-456: A new role as the director of sports activities for Jokerit, leading to his replacement as the general manager by Keijo Säilynoja . Keijo Säilynoja, a former Jokerit-alumni and Finnish international player , took on the position of general manager for Jokerit on 15 June 2008. As part of their preparations, Jokerit engaged in a preseason game against the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins , but unfortunately,

378-460: A pack. The Joker's use varies greatly. Many card games omit the cards entirely; as a result, Jokers are sometimes used as informal replacements for lost or damaged cards in a deck by simply noting the lost card's rank and suit on the Joker. Other games, such as a 25‑card variant of Euchre which uses the Joker as the highest trump, make it one of the most important in the game. Often, the Joker

441-487: A precarious path toward securing its financial stability and future prosperity. To fortify the club's position, enthusiastic new owners stepped forward to rescue Jokerit. In a groundbreaking move, they established Jokeri-Hockey Oy, becoming the first limited company-based sports club in Finland. Kalervo Kummola played a prominent role in assembling the company and served on its board until 2002. In 1991, Jokerit underwent

504-522: A replacement candidate emerged, leading Aimo Mäkinen to retire from his ownership role. However, he continued to contribute to the club's junior organization until the 1990s. Subsequently, the ownership of Jokerit transitioned to new hands, overseen by Jokeriklubin Tuki Ry, a conventional association with a supervisory board. Under the stewardship of the new management, the club faced initial challenges in shaking off its previous struggles. Nonetheless, there

567-578: A result, Jokerit experienced a gradual decline in its success, narrowly avoiding relegation from the Finnish elite-level league on multiple occasions. These challenges, compounded by Mäkinen's controversial management style, which emphasized non-physical play, created an aura of uncertainty and turbulence for the club's future. Jokerit stood at a crossroads, facing critical decisions to secure its stability and enduring legacy in Finnish ice hockey . In 1980,

630-563: A result, on 5 April 2022, Jokerit officially announced their decision to withdraw from the league entirely. Jokerit intended to return to Finland and expressed their intentions to join the Liiga . However, before they could submit the formal application, Liiga announced that they would not be accepting any new applications for at least the next two seasons. Nevertheless, Jokerit remained determined to return to ice hockey in Finland. On 31 March 2023, they submitted their application to join Mestis ,

693-455: A significant shift when an investor withdrew, leading to board member Harry "Hjallis" Harkimo assuming a double majority of shares. Harkimo took on the role of chairman of the board and implemented changes by dissolving all managerial positions, appointing his wife, Leena Harkimo , as the managing director. This marked a turning point for the club, as the internal disagreements dissipated, and Harry Harkimo's proficient business acumen facilitated

SECTION 10

#1732782829774

756-420: A swift recovery of the club's financial standing. In a short span, Jokerit emerged as the wealthiest sports club in Finland. With newfound financial strength, the club made strategic signings, securing first-class talent to reinforce the team. Key acquisitions included Otakar Janecký , who became a central figure as the first-line center and the club's all-time leading point scorer; Petri Varis , who excelled as

819-508: A tactical transformation in SM-sarja. While physical and aggressive play became a prevailing strategy for many teams, Lampainen steered Jokerit towards a different path, recognizing the unsuitability of such an approach for the current lineup, particularly of the "nallipyssyketju" players. Instead, he emphasized a style of play that hinged on technique and strategic finesse. This unique playing philosophy became Jokerit's trademark, enduring until

882-518: A wild card is any card that may be used to represent another card or cards – it does not need be a Joker. The game of Euchre is credited with the introduction of the Joker into card games. However, Euchre originally did not use Jokers. In the earliest rules of 1844, 32 standard cards are used and the Right Bower , the trump Jack, was the "commanding card" with the Left Bower ,

945-476: Is a wild card, which allows it to represent other existing cards. The term "Joker's wild" originates from this practice. However, in Zwicker Jokers are higher value, matching and scoring cards while, in one variant, a normal suit card is the only one that is wild. The Joker can be an extremely good or extremely bad card to have, depending on the game you are playing. In Euchre it is often used to represent

1008-540: The Boston Bruins . In response to the loss of Thomas, Jokerit attempted to fill the void with goalkeeper Karl Goehring . However, Goehring's tenure was short-lived, and he was soon replaced by ex-NHL player Steve Passmore . A mid-season pairing with HIFK 's Tom Askey also failed to adequately replace Tim Thomas. Despite efforts to strengthen the lineup with players like Eric Beaudoin and Justin Mapletoft ,

1071-512: The Toronto Maple Leafs . Shedden's inaugural season with Jokerit proved to be a success, as the team returned to the playoffs and achieved a memorable victory over the reigning champions HPK in the semi-finals. Although Jokerit ultimately fell to Kärpät in the finals, the 2006–07 season marked a promising start for Shedden's tenure with the club. During the 2007–08 season , Jokerit celebrated their 40th anniversary, commemorating

1134-778: The Finnish SM-liiga in the years 1973 , 1992 , 1994 , 1996 , 1997 , and 2002 . Additionally, Jokerit has three European championships to its name, having triumphed in the IIHF European Cup in 1994 and 1995 , as well as the IIHF Continental Cup in 2003 . Starting in the 2014–15 season , Jokerit became part of the Bobrov Division of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) Western Conference, marking Finland as

1197-467: The Jack of the same colour, as the second-highest card. According to card game historian, David Parlett , the Joker was added to a 32‑card pack in the 1850s specifically for the game of Euchre and is first mentioned in a set of rules in 1868 where the blank specimen card is adapted for use in play. This gave rise to a variant game called "Euchre with the Joker" in which the blank card ranked above all

1260-716: The Mistigris. This happened around 1875, where it functioned as a wild card . Packs with two Jokers started to become the norm during the late 1940s for the game of Canasta . Since the 1950s, German and Austrian packs have included three Jokers to play German Rummy . In Poland, the third Joker is known as the blue Joker because the KZWP monopoly during the Polish People's Republic printed all third Jokers blue. In Schleswig-Holstein , Zwicker packs come with six Jokers. Jokers do not have any standardized appearance across

1323-494: The bottom of the league and were relegated. In the darkest hour of their history, when Jokeriklubin Tuki Ry contemplated discontinuing their association with the club, a renewed sense of hope was infused into Jokerit. The year 1988 saw their 20-year-old players claim victory in the Finnish junior championship , showcasing several prospective stars. Notable among them were defenceman Waltteri Immonen , who would later serve as captain from 1991 to 1999, and Mika Strömberg , who became

SECTION 20

#1732782829774

1386-522: The card manufacturing industry. Each company produces their own depictions of the card. The publishers of playing cards trademark their Jokers, which have unique artwork that often reflect contemporary culture. Out of convention, Jokers tend to be illustrated as jesters. There are usually two Jokers per deck, often noticeably different. For instance, the United States Playing Card Company (USPCC) prints one as monochrome and

1449-549: The club bid farewell to assistant coach Waltteri Immonen , who followed Shedden to EV Zug . In preparation for the 2008–09 season , Glen Hanlon , former head coach of the Belarus national team and the NHL's Washington Capitals , assumed the position of head coach for Jokerit, succeeding Doug Shedden . Despite coming off a recent appearance in the SM-liiga playoffs, Jokerit made notable signings to strengthen their roster for

1512-411: The club embraced a shift towards professional sports entertainment, taking inspiration from the NHL model. In 1997, Jokerit achieved a momentous milestone by becoming the first privately owned European club to have its own home venue, Hartwall Arena . To facilitate this transformation, the ownership structure was reorganized into Jokerit HC Oyj, a public limited company. The club strategically focused on

1575-513: The club underwent significant changes by appointing former NHL player and head coach of HIFK , Doug Shedden , to lead the team. Shedden's arrival brought several notable players to Jokerit, including Kim Hirschovits from HIFK , Jyrki Louhi from the 2005–06 champions HPK , and Juuso Riksman from Ässät , the second-place team in 2006. Additionally, the team acquired scoring talent Tim Stapleton and experienced NHL player Clarke Wilm , who had previously worked with Shedden during their time with

1638-484: The club's all-time leading scoring defenceman. Ari Sulander emerged as the main goaltender from 1993 to 1998, while forward Keijo Säilynoja displayed remarkable goal-scoring abilities and prowess in penalty shots. Most notably, the young phenomenon Teemu Selänne , who would go on to achieve records in the National Hockey League (NHL), stood among the promising talents. In the 1988-99 season with

1701-439: The club's popularity flourished, especially in the outer urban zones of Helsinki. Despite their on-ice achievements, notably securing Finnish championship silver in 1971 and a winning their first championship in 1973 , financial profitability remained elusive during Mäkinen's stewardship. In response, Mäkinen strategically downsized the team's budget by prioritizing the integration of junior players to replace departing stars. As

1764-440: The club's rich history. On 27 October, the jersey of former Jokerit alumnus Jari Kurri was retired, honoring his contributions to the team. To strengthen the goaltending department, Jokerit acquired former NHL and Finnish national team goaltender Jussi Markkanen to replace Scott Langkow before the season. They also added more NHL experience by signing former Atlanta Thrashers and Vancouver Canucks center Tommi Santala after

1827-423: The club's top goal scorer in the 1990s; and forward Antti Törmänen . Alongside the aforementioned junior champions, these players formed the core of a thriving dynasty. Jokerit celebrated Finnish championships in 1992 , 1994 , 1996 , and 1997 , as well as European Cup victories in 1995 and 1996 . They also earned a Finnish silver and European bronze during this successful period. Under Harkimo's leadership,

1890-498: The club. Subsequent to these initial reinforcements, Jokerit further bolstered its roster with noteworthy signings, including forward Jouko Öystilä and defenceman Timo Saari . Additionally, the club appointed head coach Matti Lampainen to lead the team. Notably, in 1969, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) revised its rules, allowing bodychecking anywhere on the ice, thus prompting

1953-416: The difficult decision of discontinuing their resource-demanding ice hockey activities. Seizing this opportune moment, Aimo Mäkinen, a master-builder with an ardent passion for the sport, saw the potential to establish a new semi-professional sports club. In a unique arrangement, Jokerit came into being by assuming half of Vesa's ice hockey debts and inheriting all their assets, including junior players and

Jokerit - Misplaced Pages Continue

2016-415: The finals. Following the conclusion of the NHL lockout in 2005, Jokerit faced significant player departures to both NHL teams and European clubs. Notable departures included Brian Campbell , Ossi Väänänen , Teemu Selänne , Glen Metropolit , Pasi Häkkinen , Valtteri Filppula , and Tomi Mäki . The final blow came just one day before the start of the regular season when goaltender Tim Thomas signed with

2079-511: The first Nordic country to have a team competing in this international league. However, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Jokerit made the decision to withdraw from the 2022 KHL playoffs . This move was followed by the termination of several team sponsor and supplier contracts, including the home arena 's name rights holder Hartwall , as a response to the invasion. As

2142-531: The following two seasons, 2002-03 and 2003-04 , yielded no medals for Jokerit. In 2003, the club acquired forward Glen Metropolit from the Washington Capitals (NHL) organization, and he became a key player for Jokerit in both the regular season and playoffs, as well as the 2004-05 regular season. Another important addition was goaltender Tim Thomas , acquired from the Boston Bruins (NHL) organization. Thomas's exceptional performance earned him

2205-476: The franchise was eventually sold back to the league. With Hartwall Arena as their new home, Jokerit signed several star players to further strengthen the team. Despite boasting talented line-ups, the team's performance experienced fluctuations, with their most notable achievement being a Finnish bronze medal in 1998 . In an ironic twist, Jokerit's long-standing rival, HIFK , claimed the SM-Liiga title in 1998 ,

2268-414: The high expectations set for the team. Despite being considered championship contenders, Jokerit faced a setback, losing a 3–1 lead in the series against Espoo Blues and ultimately falling in the series 3 games to 4. As a result, the club was relegated to the bronze medal game, where they suffered a defeat against Tappara , concluding the 2007–08 season in fourth place. Alongside Doug Shedden 's departure,

2331-526: The highest trump. In Gin Rummy it is wild. However, in the children's game of Old Maid , a solitary Joker represents the Old Maid, the card to be avoided. Generally, the Joker is omitted from patience games as in many others of its type. However, there are variations of solitaire games where a Joker does take part, most often as a wild card. Defenceman Too Many Requests If you report this error to

2394-407: The infusion of promising junior champions, Jokerit orchestrated a swift return to the top tier, now known as SM-liiga. Despite the newfound popularity supported by standout scorer Selänne and other young stars, the club's owners encountered severe financial difficulties stemming from inadequate management and internal board disagreements. These challenges posed significant hurdles as Jokerit navigated

2457-457: The late 1860s, with some depicting clowns and jesters such as Elizabethan jester Richard Tarlton . The idea behind the three top cards in Euchre appears to have originated from Germany where the games Juckerspiel and Bester Bube ("Best Bower") also used Jacks as best, right and left bowers. It is also believed that the term "Joker" comes from Juckerspiel , which is also known as Jucker ,

2520-514: The late 1990s. Mäkinen also prioritized the development of the club's junior organization, introducing the Kanada-sarja competition. This initiative attracted 500 aspiring junior players initially, with the number rapidly increasing over the ensuing years. Although Kanada-sarja did not survive beyond the 1970s, its impact was felt as Jokerit benefited from a consistent influx of emerging talent, including future stars like Jari Kurri . Moreover,

2583-573: The new European Hockey League , anticipating its potential for increased revenue compared to SM-Liiga. While some expansion plans did not materialize, Hartwall Arena proved to be a lucrative venture for the club's business. Additionally, Harry Harkimo endeavored to create an elite team, the Newcastle Jesters , to participate in the British Ice Hockey Superleague . Though its success did not meet expectations, and

Jokerit - Misplaced Pages Continue

2646-457: The original German spelling of Euchre. One British manufacturer, Charles Goodall , was manufacturing packs with Jokers for the American market in 1871. The first Joker for the domestic British market was sold in 1874. Italians call Jokers "Jolly", for many early cards were labelled "Jolly Joker". The notion of a Joker was later transferred to the game of Poker where it was initially called

2709-465: The other in colour. At times, the Jokers will each be colored to match the colors used for suits ; e.g., there will be a red Joker and a black Joker. In games where the Jokers may need to be compared, the red, full-color, or larger-graphic Joker usually outranks the black, monochrome, or smaller-graphic one. If the Joker colors are similar, the Joker without a guarantee will outrank the guaranteed one. With

2772-591: The prestigious Kultainen kypärä award. During the 2004-05 NHL lockout , Jokerit brought in Brian Campbell and welcomed Ossi Väänänen back to the team from the Colorado Avalanche . Teemu Selänne also joined the lineup, although he was unable to play due to injury. Jokerit emerged as contenders and looked poised to win the regular season and championship but faltered in the late stages, finishing as silver medalists after losing to Kärpät in

2835-436: The red and black Jokers, the red one can alternately be counted as a Heart/Diamond and the black one can alternately be counted as a Club/Spade. The Unicode for playing cards provide symbols for three Jokers: red, black, and white. Many decks do not provide the Joker with a corner index symbol; of those that do, the most common is a solid star (as is the case with Bee cards). It is also common for decks to simply display

2898-558: The rest. While the term "best bower" appears in a satirical 1861 piece about the American Civil War, this may only refer to the Right Bower and not a special card produced for that purpose. Samuel Hart is credited with printing the first illustrated "Best Bower" card in 1863 with his "Imperial Bower". Best Bower-type Jokers continued to be produced well into the 20th century. Cards labelled "Joker" began appearing around

2961-538: The revered home venue for the new club. Promotion to the highest level, SM-sarja , was achieved two years later in 1969, marking a pivotal moment in Jokerit's history. Aiming to strengthen the team for the challenges ahead, Aimo Mäkinen, as the club's sole owner, embarked on an assertive campaign to acquire star players. Notable additions included national team regulars, such as defenceman Ilpo Koskela , Veli-Pekka Ketola and forwards Henry Leppä and Timo Sutinen , who would go on to establish enduring connections with

3024-526: The season had commenced. As the 2007–08 season progressed, it was announced that Doug Shedden had accepted a contract with the Swiss team EV Zug , signaling his departure from Jokerit after the season's conclusion. Following Shedden's announcement, it was revealed that ex-NHL head coach Glen Hanlon would succeed Shedden as the head coach of Jokerit, taking over the role after Shedden's contract expired. However, Shedden's final season with Jokerit did not meet

3087-479: The second-tier league in Finland. On 3 May, Mestis announced that they had accepted Jokerit's application for the 2023–24 season which began on 21 September, marking the return of Jokerit to Finnish leagues after a decade. Jokerit, the prominent ice hockey club from Finland , owes its existence to a crucial turning point in the country's sporting landscape. In 1967, the ice hockey branch of Töölön Vesa , an amateur sports club grappling with significant debts, faced

3150-471: The subsequent season, Jokerit faced challenges despite the presence of players like Jukka Hentunen and Antti Törmänen , who were meant to bolster the team. The 2001-02 season saw the team welcome players like Pavel Rosa , Frank Banham , and 1995 world champion Ville Peltonen . With stellar performances by goaltender Kari Lehtonen and the acquisition of Vladimir Machulda from SaiPa , Jokerit clinched their sixth Finnish championship in 2002. However,

3213-468: The team found themselves at the bottom of the standings. In an effort to improve their performance, Jokerit made key player acquisitions at the start of the season, bringing in Fredrik Bremberg , Alex Brooks , Michael Nylander , and Bates Battaglia . On 25 November, due to the team's struggles, Aravirta was dismissed from his coaching position, and Hannu Jortikka , who had previously coached

SECTION 50

#1732782829774

3276-525: The team in 2003–2005, was brought in as a replacement. Despite the coaching change, Jokerit's season remained challenging, and they barely qualified for the playoffs' wild-card round. Unfortunately, their playoff run was short-lived as they were eliminated by Tappara in a 2–1 wild card series defeat. Joker (playing card) The Joker originated in the United States during the Civil War , and

3339-496: The team struggled to find its footing during the early season. Adding to the challenges, Jokerit entrusted rookie coach Waltteri Immonen with his coaching debut. Immonen, a long-time Jokerit player transitioning into a head coaching role , faced a daunting task. After a discouraging start for the 2005-06 season with a record of 5–11–4 in the first 20 games, Immonen was relieved of his coaching duties in November. Curt Lindström

3402-418: The team was defeated with a score of 4–1. This encounter marked the second time Jokerit faced an NHL team, the first being a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2003–04 season. In the 2009–10 season , Jokerit underwent significant coaching changes. The team initially appointed Hannu Aravirta , a former Jokerit head coach from 1993 to 1996, to lead the team. However, the season started poorly, and

3465-483: The upcoming season. Among the new additions were former Jokerit and Dallas Stars player Juha Lind , along with former American Hockey League (AHL) players Janne Lahti and Tomi Mäki . Pasi Nielikäinen , known for his role as an enforcer , also joined the team. The defensive line was bolstered with the signing of former Jokerit and Frölunda HC defenseman Tom Koivisto , bringing an added offensive dimension to Jokerit's defensive play. Additionally, Antti Hulkkonen

3528-644: The very first year of Jokerit's occupancy at Hartwall Arena . As the new millennium dawned, the management shifted their focus back to SM-Liiga , aiming to cultivate a more stable approach. However, there was a notable turnover rate in the line-ups between seasons, and a distinct core of players failed to develop or be retained. In the 1999-2000 season , Jokerit fielded a strong team, including players like German international Jan Benda , Russian Dmitri Kvartalnov , Czech Miroslav Hlinka , long-time Jokerit alumni Petri Varis , and Finnish top players Antti-Jussi Niemi , Tom Koivisto , and Pasi Nurminen in goal. The team

3591-505: The word "JOKER" in the corner. Bicycle cards use a "US" monogram as the Joker index. Joker collecting has been popular for an unknown amount of time, but with the advent of the Internet and social media, it has emerged as a hobby. Many unusual Jokers are available for purchase online, while other collectible Jokers are catalogued online for viewing. Guinness World Records has recognized Denoto de Santis, an Italian magician, as having

3654-662: The world's largest collection of Jokers. The Joker is often compared to " (the) Fool " in the Tarot or Tarock decks. They share many similarities both in appearance and in play function. In central Europe, the Fool, or Sküs , is the highest trump; elsewhere as an "excuse" ( L'Excuse ) that can be played at any time to avoid following suit , but cannot win. In a standard deck in the US or Britain, there are usually two Jokers. In other countries, such as Germany, there are usually three Jokers in

3717-494: Was a remarkable upturn for one season when Jokerit signed players who were considered outcasts from other clubs. The turning point came during the 1982–83 season when Jokerit secured the services of Nikolai Makarov , a defenseman from the Soviet Union 's national team . This significant addition led to an almost flawless season, propelling the team all the way to the SM-Liiga finals, where they faced local rivals HIFK in

3780-460: Was brought in as a replacement coach in an attempt to salvage the team's performance. However, despite the coaching change, Jokerit faced an unprecedented outcome for the first time in 16 years as they failed to qualify for the playoffs. This marked a period of significant challenges for the club as they navigated a transitional phase in their roster and coaching staff. Following a challenging season that resulted in Jokerit's lowest ranking in decades,

3843-437: Was created as a trump card for the game of Euchre . It has since been adopted into many other card games , where it often acts as a wild card , but may have other functions such as the top trump, a skip card (forcing another player to miss a turn), the lowest-ranking card, the highest-value card, or a card of a different value from the rest of the pack (see e.g. Zwicker which has six Jokers with this function). By contrast,

SECTION 60

#1732782829774

3906-481: Was further bolstered by the addition of former NHL players Tuomas Grönman and five-time Stanley Cup champion Esa Tikkanen . Despite their strength, Jokerit reached the finals but fell short, losing the series to TPS three games to one. While the club reached the finals in 2000 , they experienced repeated disappointments in the European Hockey League , which did not live up to expectations. In

3969-708: Was recruited for his valuable experience on the ice. In terms of goaltending, Juuso Riksman returned to Jokerit after a one-year stint in North America and the AHL. Riksman replaced Jussi Markkanen , who moved on to join HC CSKA Moscow in the Russian Superleague (RSL). Alongside the changes in player personnel, Jokerit's team organization underwent some modifications after the 2007–08 season . The team's general manager, Matti Virmanen , assumed

#773226