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It was a matter of time before an American Hockey League team hired Jussi Ahokas as a head coach.
Hes the big name from the Ontario Hockey League who won the Memorial Cup with the Kitchener Rangers and is one of the innovative coaches poised to get the nod.
The Colorado Eagles are bringing him in to replace Mark Letestu, who moved to the Vegas Golden Knights staff after a successful season in the AHL.
They found the right right to follow up Letestu with Ahokas being a trend-setting move.
Ahokas As A Creative Hockey Mind The Rangers played a unique style in junior hockey.
They looked like a pro team, especially in the past season when they were dominant in the OHL.
Likewise, Ahokas made them look like an innovative pro team.
Ahokas combined his experience from North America and his home country, Finland, to build a complete team.
Theyd move the puck up the ice but also play an East-West style to open up the offense.
The Rangers had an aggressive offense yet were also sound defensively, allowing them to beat teams by four or five goals.
Colorado Avalanche Hire Memorial Cup-Winning Coach for Colorado Eagles Fresh off leading the Kitchener Rangers to a Memorial Cup championship, Jussi Ahokas has been hired as the new head coach of the Colorado Eagles, bringing a championship pedigree to the Avalanche's top affiliate.
The 2026 Memorial Cup run was his masterpiece, one that put his brilliance on full display.
The Everett Silvertips were a talented team led by presumptive 2027 number one pick Landon Dupont.
The Rangers controlled the game from start to finish in a 6-2 stomping, one where they looked like an NHL team playing a junior team.
In hockey, everyone is searching for the next startup.
Everyone wants to find the next great thing before it catches on from a front office to a bench, or on the ice.
Ahokas looks like that coach in hockey and now puts it to the test in the AHL.
Ahokas As The Trendsetter The NHL has seen a surplus of talent from Finland, Sweden, and other European countries in recent seasons.
Yet, there arent many coaches from those countries to show for that shift.
Some of that has to do with familiarity, while most of that is because of the risk.
Teams dont want to hire a coach who comes from a different background and have it go wrong.
Its why Anders Sorenson was the first and only Swedish-born coach in NHL history, and he only got the job as an interim when the Chicago Blackhawks fired Luke Richardson halfway through 2024-25.
Ahokas is a coach who put the Finnish brand of hockey on the map.
The positionless style where defensemen and forwards are interchangeable, who can play in any situation.
The ability to roll four lines with even ice time, yet find the hot hand in a big game and lean on it.
The Rangers had top prospects, and Ahokas knew it, and its why Sam OReilly and Dylan Edwards combined for 53 points in the 18-game playoff run.
Kitchener Rangers' Memorial Cup Head Coach Jussi Ahokas Heads To AHL Colorado After three seasons in Kitchener, Ahokas will take a step up to the professional game.
Many hockey fans associate the overseas style of hockey with the Olympics, where Canada and the United States defeat Finland or Sweden, and use it as a case in point to justify which brand of hockey is superior.
However, Ahokas is bringing it to the spotlight with the way he turned the Rangers into a powerhouse.
Ahokas is also a coach who will take ideas from all over the place.
Its something hes acknowledged when assembling his staff and running his practices, where the assistants can provide insights that hell use during the game.
Its what teams are looking for in their future coaches, as multiple aspects of the game influence Ahokas.
He takes ideas from everywhere and puts them together to coach great teams.
The Eagles Will Open The Door For Him The Eagles have nailed their coaching hires in recent years, allowing them to stay at the top of the Pacific Division.
They had Greg Cronin before he made the jump to the Anaheim Ducks (and is now on the St.
Louis Blues staff).
Recently, the Letestu hire was a big hit, proving they have an eye for talent and creative coaches.
The next in line is Ahokas, and theyll hand him the keys to the car.
Hell build a team in his image and will have the luxury of making bold moves or taking risks.
The Eagles coaching staff was overhauled this offseason, with Derek Army being the one holdover, so theres a good chance Ahokas brings in his guys from day one.
The Eagles are willing to push boundaries as well.
They hired Kim Weiss as an assistant coach last season, and she impressed many in the hockey world to the point that the PWHL expansion team in Las Vegas hired her this summer.
Ahokas fits in Colorado and will maintain the standard of excellence for the Eagles.
The Pushback On Ahokas (& OHL Coaches) Jay McKee was the other big name from the OHL, leading the Brantford Bulldogs the past few seasons before the Hamilton Hammers brought him in.
Like Ahokas, hes seen as a young coach who is sure to be in the NHL soon enough.
The background in juniors is seen as a plus, as they've worked with prospects and will now do the same at the next level.
Jay McKee Hire A Reminder Of The Pros Of Hamilton & Islanders Questions The New York Islanders introduced their American Hockey League head coach, Jay McKee, on Tuesday.
The hire is a big plus for the team's future and where they are heading.
These coaches from junior hockey have a lot working in their favor.
That said, they wont have control over their rosters in the AHL.
They must work with what theyve got and a changing team since players are called up and sent down all the time.
Its something Ahokas and McKee never experienced in junior hockey.
They also must handle the AHLs age gap.
In the OHL, everyone is within the same age bracket.
Rarely is a skater over 21 years old.
In the AHL, the prospects are still learning the game while the veterans are fighting to keep their hockey careers alive.
The kids are still adjusting to life on their own in small cities.
The vets have families and sometimes are in their 30s.
Ahokas is coaching in a league that is much tougher than the OHL.
Its going to test how good he truly is.
However, like McKee, theres a chance he nails it and wont be in the AHL for too long as a result.