Release from 03.12.2021

Raimo Helminen: "A good defense brings good offense"

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Raimo Helminen took over as coach of HC Pustertal on November 15. In the five games so far, the 57-year-old Finn has picked up three wins, and the Wolves have gained points in four games. In the interview, Helminen talks about his philosophy, the focus on the next games and the differences between Finland and his new home.

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Ahead of the away game at EC Red Bull Salzburg (Friday, 7:15 p.m. - watch the livestream), Raimo Helminen talked about his commitment to HC Pustertal. Before the 57-year-old signed the contract in Bruneck, he said he gathered information from other Finnish colleagues. "There is not a big difference between the game in Northern Europe and the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League," reports Helminen, who himself prefers an offensive orientation: "I have been an offensive player all my life. But of course good defense brings good offense." Just three years after making the jump to the pros with Ilves Tampere, Helminen moved to the New York Rangers in the NHL. The center played 119 games in the world's best league before playing nearly 20 more years in Sweden and Finland. With his home country, Helminen once won World Championship gold and also secured silver at the Olympics.

Helminen also began his coaching career at Ilves, where he served first as assistant and later as head coach. After a few years as assistant in the KHL, he returned to the Liiga last season as head coach of TPS Turku. Since mid-November, the 57-year-old has now set the agenda in Pustertal. The Wolves have gained points in four of his five games so far. "We have to go day by day. We have to be ready when game day is coming, that's our main goal," said Helminen, who is also enjoying the relatively warm temperatures and sunshine in South Tyrol.