# Kari Jalonen's criticisms of Finnish Liiga regulations

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/kari-jalonens-criticisms-of-finnish-liiga-regulations
> Updated: 2026-08-31T06:09:47.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 2.

Kari Jalonen, the head coach of Tappara, has raised concerns regarding the structure and regulations of the Finnish Liiga (SM-liiga).

Initially, Jalonen criticized existing training regulations established by the collective agreement between the league and the Players' Association. He described the rules as a “utopia” of restrictions, specifically noting training bans that prevent joint practices from starting until early August. Jalonen compared these limitations unfavorably to his coaching experiences in Germany, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic.

Following these criticisms, Jalonen proposed reducing the regular season schedule from 64 games to 52 games. He argued that the current volume prioritizes recovery over high-quality training and development, noting that the league's schedule is significantly higher than other top European leagues. In response, SM-liiga CEO Mikko Pulkkisen stated that the league has established guidelines to decrease the number of games in the future, designating the upcoming season as a transition period.

## Claims

- Tappara head coach Kari Jalonen suggested a 52-game regular season would improve game quality and player freshness. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- SM-liiga CEO Mikko Pulkkisen stated that guidelines have been set to decrease the number of regular season games. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The current number of regular season games in the SM-liiga has reached 64. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-31: Kari Jalonen proposes reducing SM-liiga regular season games

Tappara coach Kari Jalonen suggests reducing the SM-liiga regular season to 52 games to improve player freshness and training quality, amid plans by league leadership to decrease game counts.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kari-jalonen-proposes-reducing-sm-liiga-regular-season-games

### 2026-08-14: Kari Jalonen criticizes Liiga training regulations

Tappara head coach Kari Jalonen has criticized Finnish Liiga training restrictions, calling the regulatory environment unusual compared to other European leagues.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kari-jalonen-criticizes-liiga-training-regulations

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Cite as: Kari Jalonen's criticisms of Finnish Liiga regulations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/kari-jalonens-criticisms-of-finnish-liiga-regulations