Partnership: Cool runnings with the ‘Leijonat’

Nicknamed the ‘Lions’ the Finnish ice hockey team is one of the most successful national teams in the world, and a member of the so-called Big Six, the unofficial group of the six strongest men’s ice hockey nations. We caught up with three of the players in Finland and shot them in their all important jerseys.

Right now we’re amid the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships, the annual international men’s ice hockey tournament that’s a big deal in Finland and the rest of the world. Being one of the most intense and fast-paced sports out there, you can’t help but watch in awe as these men hurl themselves around the rink at breakneck speed. Whether you’re watching a game on TV, or seeing it happen in real life, there’s constant excitement. While any game is likely to keep you interested from beginning to end, there are many things about the sport which might surprise you.

Quick fun facts:
Hockey pucks are frozen - The ice isn’t the only thing frozen during the games. Pucks are kept frozen before games to keep them from bouncing. Warmer pucks would risk going airborne and injuring players and fans. There are about 12 pucks used in each hockey game, and pucks get replaced as they thaw.

Players can lose up to three kilos of weight in one game - Even the most casual fans know how much work players put into a game. Not only are hockey players constantly on the move, but they’re playing under a lot of heavy padding and equipment. Hockey can be quite a workout, and you can heat up fast. Of course, this is all water weight, which shows how important it is to stay hydrated when on the ice.

Ice in the rink is less than 2.5 centimeters thick - The ice layer in a professional hockey rink is only 1.90 cm thick and is kept at -9℃. Thinner ice layers allow the water to freeze faster and harder. The thicker the ice, the softer and slower it becomes.

Pekka Jormakka

IG: @pjormakka25
TikTok: @eljore25

This 33-year-old speedy winger, with good hands and scoring instincts first started playing hockey with his older brothers when he was just a toddler. ‘I definitely fell in love with the game from my brother's influence and just watching them play,’ he says. Now a father of two girls, this relaxed but competitive guy tries not to stress too much before a game and follows the same warm-up routine, which helps him mentally prepare. ‘I do the same moves every time before a game which helps my nerves.’ When it comes to fashion off the ice, he’s casual. ‘I like to wear comfortable clothes that aren’t too tight or uncomfortable, so just some relaxed pants. I really enjoyed getting dressed in blokecore for this shoot, mixing my regular clothes with a game jersey is cool and I will be trying it from now on,’ he says. And does he have a favourite ice hockey-style icon? ‘Valtteri Filppula has great style. Though he’s a handsome guy, so everything looks great on him!’

IG: @hannesbjorninen

At 28 and 185cm, this ice hockey player is quite a tower of strength and power on the ice. Skating from age six with his brother, it’s no surprise he has one gold Olympic and two world championship medals under his belt. This pretty chilled-out guy who doesn’t do anything special before a game ‘just the same warm up every time’, and loves to unwind by watching sports like football, and cross-country skiing. ‘I love all sports, so it doesn’t matter what I watch but it's important to hang out with my family and friends to ground me,’ he says. And as for fashion, his style is pretty simple ‘I just try to feel good and comfortable after a game, so it's jeans, sneakers, and a good-looking jacket when it's cold outside,’ he says. ‘It's the first time I’ve mixed my jersey with my everyday clothes and I’m liking it,’ he says of Blokecore adding that if he had to name one style icon it would be Swedish Henrik Lundqvist. ‘He has such great style.’

IG: @juusori

It’s hard to believe that Riikola was just six when he played in his first ice hockey team. Now, 30, and playing for the SCL Tigers of the National League in Switzerland, and previously for Pittsburgh Penguins and KaIPa he is a true iceman who dedicates his life to the sport. ‘I try to hang out with my family and friends but it’s hard when I have so many games,’ he says. Summertime is when he does find more time to relax and that’s when he hits the golf course. ‘It’s great as I don’t think of anything else, you compete but it’s not serious or anything like when I’m on the rink.’ So how does he like to dress when he’s out of the uniform? ‘Just jeans a loose hoodie, and a jacket. It has to be easy and comfortable when I go only to and from the rink in a day,’ he says. ‘I wouldn’t think to blend my jerseys with my normal clothes now but I’m sure I did as a kid.’ As for who has the best style ‘Kris Letang from Pittsburgh for sure.’