Veteran Jan‑Mikael Järvinen named Ilves captain for 2026–27 season
Jan‑Mikael Järvinen has been elected captain of Ilves for the 2026–27 Liiga season, with Erik Borg and Luke Henman named alternate captains.
He is 38.
The captaincy was decided by a joint vote of players and the team's leadership group, a process coach Tommi Niemelä called highly democratic. Niemelä praised Järvinen's long experience and noted he returned to his boyhood club on a two-year contract this spring; Järvinen is the 41st captain in Ilves's Liiga history. His return was confirmed in Ilves' May signing announcement.
Niemelä pointed out that Järvinen continues a family legacy, as his father, Kari "Kilu" Järvinen, served as Ilves captain in 1979–1980, and he commended Borg and Henman as respected, hard-working leaders. The club named a broader five-player leadership group that includes defensemen Toni Utunen and Otto Latvala.
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