2021–22 Naisten Liiga season

The 2021–22 Naisten Liiga season is the thirty-ninth season of the Naisten Liiga, the premier level of women's ice hockey in Finland, since the league's establishment as the Naisten SM-sarja in 1982. The season began on 11 September 2021.

2021–22 Naisten Liiga season
LeagueNaisten Liiga
SportIce hockey
Duration11 September 2021 (2021-09-11) –
March 2022
Number of games30
Number of teams10 in Preliminaries
6 in Regular season, 6 in Lower division series
TV partner(s)Ruutu+

League business

HPK Kiekkonaiset team transfer

In June 2021, it was announced that the HPK Kiekkonaiset team would be transferred to HPK Liiga Oy, owner of the Liiga team HPK and the U20 SM-sarja team HPK U20.[1] HPK Kiekkonaiset had previously been a part of the HPK-affiliated junior club HPK Edustusjääkiekko Ry, a non-profit association. According to Antti Toivanen, CEO of HPK Liiga Oy and general manager of the HPK men's team, the move was motivated by an interest in capitalizing on the growing women's ice hockey market, which was highlighted by the record crowds that attended the 2019 IIHF Women's World Championship in Espoo. Jorma Hassinen, general manager of HPK Kiekkonaiset, expressed hope that the transfer would allow female players to develop with the same opportunities as their male counterparts.[2]

Coaching changes
Team 2019–20 2020–21 Details
Off–season
HPK Kiekkonaiset Mari Saarinen Harri Nummela Appointed in May 2021, Nummela is the fourth HPK head coach in as many seasons. He has previously served as head coach of men's teams in the Suomi-sarja and 2. Divisioona.[3]
Oulun Kärpät Naiset Janne Salmela Samuli Hassi Hassi was appointed as the new Kärpät head coach in April 2021, replacing Salmela after two seasons at the helm.[4] The 27 year old, originally from Oulu, spent the previous four seasons studying in Rovaniemi and coaching in the junior organization of Rovaniemen Kiekko (RoKi). He served as the head coach of RoKi U18 in the 2020–21 season of the men's U18 Mestis.[5]
TPS Naiset Matti Tähkäpää, Kai Ortio Terhi Mertanen Ortio was promoted from assistant coach to head coach after Tähkäpää's contract was terminated with five games remaining in the 2020–21 regular season.[6] Mertanen was named the 2021–22 head coach shortly thereafter, in March 2021. An Olympic medalist with the Finnish national team at the 2010 Winter Olympics, Mertanen spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach of RoKi Naiset.[7][8]

Player signings of note

Incoming

Player 2019–20 team 2020–21 team(s) ref.
Nicole Andenmatten Neuchâtel HA (SWHL A) HPK [9]
Samantha Benoit Norwich Cadets (NCAA D3) HPK [10]
Megan Delay Buffalo Beauts (PHF) HPK
Paula Mandlíková ŽHK Zvolen (Slovakia) RoKi [11]
Alena Mills KRS Vanke Rays (ZhHL) HPK [10]
Noora Räty KRS Vanke Rays (ZhHL) HPK [12]
Minttu Tuominen KRS Vanke Rays (ZhHL) Kiekko-Espoo [13]

Intra-league transfers

Player 2019–20 team 2020–21 team ref.
Elisa Holopainen KalPa Kiekko-Espoo [13]
Julia Liikala HPK HIFK [14]
Matilda Nilsson KalPa HIFK [15]
Sanni Rantala Team Kuortane Kiekko-Espoo [13]
Kiira Yrjänen Team Kuortane Kiekko-Espoo [13]

League departures

Player 2019–20 team 2020–21 team ref.
Julia Hagnäs Vaasan Sport Färjestad BK (Damettan)
Anna Kilponen Tampereen Ilves KRS Vanke Rays (ZhHL)
Aino Laitinen Team Kuortane Budapest JA (EWHL)
Meeri Räisänen HPK JYP U20 Akatemia (U20 Mestis)
Jenna Suokko Tampereen Ilves Buffalo Beauts (PHF) [16]

Teams
Location of teams in the Naisten Liiga
Team Location Home venue Head coach Captain
Stadin Gimmat
or HIFK Naiset		 Helsinki Malmin jäähalli Saara Niemi Karoliina Rantamäki
HPK Kiekkonaiset Hämeenlinna Jääliikuntakeskus Hakio Harri Nummela Heta Seikkula
Ilves Naiset Tampere Tesoman jäähalli Linda Leppänen Anna Kilponen
KalPa Naiset Kuopio Niiralan Monttu Marjo Voutilainen Johanna Juutilainen
Kiekko-Espoo Naiset Espoo Tapiolan harjoitusareena Sami Haapanen Minttu Tuominen
Kärpät Naiset Oulu Raksilan jäähalli Samuli Hassi Suvi Käyhkö
RoKi Naiset Rovaniemi Lappi Areena Tuomas Liitola Emmi Mourujärvi
Sport Naiset Vaasa Vaasan Sähkö Arena Susanne Uppgård Pauliina Suoniemi
Team Kuortane Kuortane Kuortaneen jäähalli Mira Kuisma Nea Tervonen
TPS Naiset Turku Kupittaan jäähalli Terhi Mertanen Elina Heikkinen

Preliminary series

Series began on 11 September and will be played until 12 December 2021. Each team is scheduled to participate in twenty matches, however, it is expected that some matches will not be played due to COVID-19 pandemic in Finland; as a result, points per game will be used to determine team rank rather than points total, a ranking system first implemented in the 2020–21 season.[17] The top six ranked teams will advance to the regular season, also called the upper division series (Finnish: Ylempi jatkosarja), while teams ranking seventh through tenth progress to the lower division series (Finnish: Alempi jatkosarja).

Standings
Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Final Result
1 Kiekko-Espoo 18 18 0 0 0 130 22 +108 54 Advance to Upper division
2 HIFK 18 16 0 0 2 97 28 +69 48
3 Tampereen Ilves 20 9 2 2 7 59 42 +17 33
4 Oulun Kärpät 18 11 1 0 6 57 37 +20 35
5 Team Kuortane 18 8 1 2 7 62 66 −4 28
6 HPK 19 7 2 1 9 45 63 −18 26
7 TPS 19 6 3 1 9 68 66 +2 25 Proceed to Lower division
8 RoKi 18 5 0 2 11 38 78 −40 17
9 KalPa 18 2 1 2 13 33 72 −39 10
10 Vaasan Sport 18 0 0 0 18 24 139 −115 0
Updated to match(es) played on 5 December 2021. Source: Leijonat

Official ranking

Teams are officially ranked by average points per game. Ties are broken by greater number of games played, followed by best goal difference, then greater number of goals.[18]

Schedule

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of games played on 5 December 2021.[19]

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
1 Matilda Nilsson HIFK 18 27 12 39 6
2 Elisa Holopainen K-Espoo 17 18 21 39 2
3 Estelle Duvin TPS 16 22 16 38 37
4 Kiira Yrjänen K-Espoo 18 17 15 32 6
5 Emmi Rakkolainen K-Espoo 15 12 16 28 4
6 Maija Otamo TPS 13 11 15 26 31
7 Julia Liikala HIFK 18 10 15 25 6
8 Tinja-Mariia Haukijärvi K-Espoo 18 14 10 24 4
9 Anniina Kaitala Ilves 20 14 10 24 4
10 Sofianna Sundelin Kuortane 16 11 13 24 8
11 Nea Tervonen Kuortane 17 7 16 23 0

The following skaters were the top point scorers of teams not represented in the scoring leader table at the conclusion of games played on 5 December, noted with their overall league scoring rank:

  • 13. Oona Havana (F), Kärpät: 18 GP, 11 G, 11 A, 22 Pts, 6 PIM
  • 23. Johanna Juutilainen (F), KalPa: 16 GP, 6 G, 11 A, 17 Pts, 4 PIM
  • 26. Jenna Heitala (F), RoKi: 17 GP, 11 G, 5 A, 16 Pts, 6 PIM
  • 32. Susanna Viitala (F), Sport: 16 GP, 8 G, 6 A, 14 Pts, 2 PIM
  • 46. Kiti Seikkula (F), HPK: 18 GP, 7 G, 4 A, 11 Pts, 10 PIM

Goaltenders

The following goaltenders lead the league in save percentage at the conclusion of games played on 5 December 2021, while starting at least one third of matches.[20]

Player Team GP TOI W L S GA SO SV% GAA
1 Noora Räty HPK 13 765:10 7 4 438 20 2 .956 1.57
2 Iina Kuusela HIFK 11 659:17 9 2 278 16 3 .946 1.46
3 Anni Keisala Ilves 15 891:38 6 7 462 27 3 .945 1.82
4 Tiia Pajarinen K-Espoo 11 620:00 11 0 202 13 3 .940 1.26
5 Kati Asikainen Kärpät 10 600:06 7 3 274 18 2 .938 1.80
6 Minja Drufva K-Espoo 7 400:00 6 0 103 7 1 .936 1.05
7 Johanna Oksman Kärpät 8 477:17 5 3 235 17 1 .933 2.14
8 Janita Haapasaari RoKi 10 559:41 4 5 351 33 0 .914 3.54
9 Erica Jaskari TPS 12 726:44 4 6 367 37 1 .908 3.05
10 Emilia Kyrkkö Kuortane 10 596:48 4 5 378 39 0 .906 3.94
11 Susanna Airaksinen KalPa 6 360:16 1 4 151 17 0 .899 2.83

The following goaltender(s) had the best save percentage of teams not represented in the scoring leader table at the conclusion of games played on 5 December, while starting at least one third of matches. Goaltender(s) noted with their overall league rank:

  • 16. Oona Mäki, Sport: 8 GP, .861 SV%, 7.15 GAA

References
  1. "Kerholaisen kilpakiekon koti on HPK Liiga Oy – Naisten jääkiekkotoiminta liigaorganisaation alaisuuteen". Hämeenlinnan Pallokerho (Press release) (in Finnish). 17 June 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  2. Niskanen, Anne-Maria (17 June 2021). "HPK:n naisten jääkiekko on jatkossa osa HPK Liigan toimintaa". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  3. Lainesalo, Joonas (27 May 2021). "Harri Nummela HPK:n naisten päävalmentajaksi – "Hyvä saada uusia kuvioita"". Hämeen Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  4. "Samuli Hassi RoKistä Kärppien liiganaisten luotsiksi". Lapin Kansa (in Finnish). 9 April 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  5. Annala, Päivi (7 April 2021). "Oulun Kärppien naisten liigajoukkueen uusi päävalmentaja on Samuli Hassi". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  6. Leppäsyrjä, Jussi (3 March 2021). "TPS:n naiset eivät kuvia kumartele kiekkoliigan pudotuspeleissä – "Mitään muuta tavoitetta kuin mestaruus ei voi olla"". Turun Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  7. "Kokenut olympiakävijä Terhi Mertanen luotsaa TPS:n kiekkonaisia seuraavat kaksi vuotta". Turun Sanomat (in Finnish). 19 March 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  8. Lehtisaari, Matti (19 March 2021). "Naisleijonien arvokisamitalisti Terhi Mertanen TPS:n päävalmentajaksi". Yle Urheilu (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  9. Koivunen, Pertti (28 July 2021). "Nicole Andenmatten Kerhon naisten liigajoukkueeseen – Jutta Stoltenberg on tehnyt jatkosopimuksen HPK:n kanssa". Hämeen Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  10. Lainesalo, Joonas (24 August 2021). "HPK:n kiekkonaisille vahvistukset USA:sta ja Tshekistä – "Mills on erinomainen kansainvälisen tason kiekkoilija"". Hämeen Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  11. Pirkkiö, Jaarli (8 September 2021). ""Pystymme haastamaan kaikki joukkueet" – päävalmentaja Tuomas Liitola uskoo RoKin mahdollisuuksiin viikonvaihteessa alkavassa Naisten Liigassa". Lapin Kansa (in Finnish). Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  12. Niemeläinen, Jonne (21 June 2021). "Noora Räty palaa Naisten Liigaan seitsemän vuoden tauon jälkeen – "Pelivuoteni ovat vähissä"". Yle Urheilu (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  13. Karttunen, Anu (20 May 2021). "Kiekko-Espoolle kaksi kivikovaa pelaajavahvistusta – liigan paras pelaaja ja kokenut maajoukkuetähti Espooseen". Yle Urheilu (in Finnish). Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  14. Rautiainen, Reima (9 September 2021). "Leijonien ykkösvahdin paikasta käydään naisten liigassa hurja kamppailu – "Siinä kisaa kaksi kokenutta vahtia ja minä hieman nuorempana"". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  15. Karhu, Ann-Christine (19 August 2021). "Tredje gången gillt för Damlejonens Matilda Nilsson: "Efter att mattan drogs under fötterna i april har jag hela tiden trott på att det blir VM-debut i augusti"". Svenska Yle (in Swedish). Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  16. Rice, Dan (11 August 2021). "Beauts Roster Complete, Full Season 7 Schedule Released". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  17. Malmberg, Henna (20 August 2021). "Sijoitukset sarjataulukoissa – Määräävänä tekijänä pistekeskiarvo". finhockey.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  18. "2021-2022 Naisten Liiga, alkusarja – Sarjataulukko". tulospalvelu.leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  19. "2021–22 Naisten Liiga, alkusarja – Pelaajatilastot". tulospalvelu.leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  20. "2021–22 Naisten Liiga, alkusarja – Maalivahtitilastot". tulospalvelu.leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
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