NHL Team Hires Jussi Ahokas, Who Reveals Money's Role in His Choice

Jussi Ahokas has made history by becoming the first Finnish head coach in the American Hockey League (AHL) in 36 years. The 45-year-old coach accepted a three-year contract with the Colorado Eagles, the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Colorado Avalanche.

Ahokas received offers from both the Avalanche and the Vancouver Canucks organizations. After weighing the pros and cons, he found the Colorado offer to be significantly more appealing. "I had two options to choose from, and Colorado had so many more pluses," he stated. The decision was made quickly; he finalized his choice on a Wednesday and the announcement followed that Friday.

While Ahokas's team is the AHL's Colorado Eagles, his contract is with the NHL organization itself. He celebrated this milestone at a friend's cabin in Hämeenlinna, while the news remained under wraps for two more days in Finland and the wider hockey world.

Ahokas is aware of Alpo Suhonen, the first and only Finnish head coach in the NHL, who also coached in the AHL in the 1989-1990 season. While they have met, Ahokas described their relationship as a polite greeting rather than a close acquaintance. He acknowledged that if another Finn were to become an NHL head coach soon, it would likely be either himself or Tuomo Ruutu, who has had a successful tenure as an assistant coach with the Florida Panthers.

Ruutu, a former teammate from their junior days and a fellow coach with the Finnish U20 national team, was among the first to congratulate Ahokas. They shared a sauna session shortly after the news broke. Ahokas highlighted that the Colorado organization's objectives and the autonomy to define the team's playing style were major draws. He noted that the Vancouver Canucks would have required adherence to their established system, whereas Colorado offered more flexibility for the Eagles' squad, which he described as more experienced and aiming for immediate success in the AHL.