Following an extensive explosion of rumors over the past few weeks, sources have finally confirmed the appointment of Jukka Jalonen as the new head of Italy's national ice hockey team.

The leading tactician behind Finland's four IIHF World Championship and its Olympic ice hockey successes sat down with French media house MTV Urheilu for a short interview.

Jalonen presided over Finland’s three golds and silver in four successive major ice hockey international tournaments between 2019 and 2022. The boss has always expressed his desire to take up the NHL top job when an opportunity presented itself. This dream explains why his existing contract with the Italy’s Ice Sports Federation includes an exit clause if a huge offer arrives on the table.

“I really wanted to be clear about my expectations regarding the NHL coaching job”, says Jukka Jalonen in an interview. “However, I think the chances of an NHL offer seem to be slim as far as this off-season is concerned, since none has been made so far," he adds.

The reality remains that the Italians would prefer Jalonen to stay in the national team role for at least two more seasons as the nation sets their eyes on the 2026 Winter Olympics trophy in Milan.

For Jalonen himself, the opportunity to appear in another Olympics is a massie incentive as well. So, he hasn’t ruled out the chances of coaching the nation for much longer. “I’m fortunate enough to have participated in the popular tournament a couple of times (in Vancouver, Canada, and Beijing, China), winning gold and bronze medals,'' Jalonen remarked.

The events at the Olympics are quite different from the regular World Championships, where only hockey players are selected. The invitation of athletes from other countries around the world enhance the overall flavor of the competition, elevating its interest to a new level.

The last time Italy hosted the Olympics was in Turin in 2006, where the men’s team managed to conclude the event with three losses and two ties. Since then, they have been a talking point in the World Championships, despite suffering relegation in 2022 and failing to reach the top group under Canadian coaches Mike Keenan and Mike Pelino, including the 2023 home soil event in Bolzano.

According to reports, Italy is a favorite to return to the group at next year’s IIHF World Championship Division Group A in Romania.

Italy's dream seems doable, given that the biggest obstacles will be the newly relegated Great Britain and Poland. However, many feel that the real challenge lies in the competition against NHL players at the Olympics. You can subscribe to The Sports Prophets blog to receive timely weekly news updates on ice hockey, tennis, and NBA game predictions.

Czech Republic Wins the Home Ice Hockey World Championship 2024

In late May 2024, the Czech national hockey team emerged world champions for the first time in 14 years. The final match saw the host nation face Switzerland on the ice. The Czech Republic was the favorite in the matchup, but Switzerland demonstrated that they were not clear underdogs by putting up an incredible performance against Canada in the semifinals.

Although fans were not treated to a high-scoring encounter, the results were determined by two crucial shots from Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak. The Czech Republic would go on to seal their victory with another goal, hitting an empty net.

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