Raimo Helminen to Return as Ilves Head Coach on Two-Year Deal Starting 2027

Raimo Helminen will return as head coach of Ilves of Tampere on a two-year contract beginning with the 2027–28 Liiga season, while current Ilves head coach Tommi Niemelä will leave after the 2026–27 season to take the head coach job at HIFK, Tamperelainen reports.

Niemelä, 43, is completing his third season as Ilves head coach. Helminen, 62, is in his third season leading SaiPa. Ilves confirmed Helminen’s contract covers the 2027–28 and 2028–29 campaigns and said the club will announce the composition of his coaching staff after the current season ends. Sporting director Timo Koskela said the decision to make the coaching changes public now was intended to preserve calm in both clubs during Liiga’s busy season, and that clubs and coaches have agreed not to comment further on Niemelä’s or Helminen’s future seasons until current contracts expire.

The YLE article adds that Niemelä already coaches Ilves in Tampere and HIFK has installed Tommi Miettinen to lead the team for the remainder of this season after Olli Jokinen was dismissed earlier. It also quotes/attributes HIFK sports director Janne Laukkanen’s statement that Miettinen is fully committed to the short-term task and that Niemelä has proven his capabilities as a Liiga head coach with Ilves and previously with Pelicans, plus specific performance context for Helminen (bronze last season and silver the year before with SaiPa).