Hurricanes 'excited' for unique overseas bonding experience at Global Series Finland

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes were focused on business before turning their full attention to what they hope will be an enjoyable trip to Helsinki for the NHL Global Series Finland.

Following a 8-2 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks at Lenovo Center on Saturday, the reigning Stanley Cup champions can look forward to the week ahead, which will include games against the Seattle Kraken at Veikkaus Arena on Thursday (12 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN+, TVAS) and Saturday (1 p.m. ET; HHN, Prime Video, CARNHL, KONG, KING, NHLN, SN1) along with a chance to bond as a team and experience Finland’s culture.

“Not that we don’t already have a pretty tight group, but you can never have too much time with the guys,” center Jesperi Kotkaniemi said. “So, it should be good to see a couple Finnish restaurants and maybe a couple of beers with the guys.”

The Global Series will provide a special opportunity for Kotkaniemi, center Sebastian Aho and defenseman Juuso Valimaki, to play in front of family and friends in their home country. Kotkaniemi, a native of Pori, a coastal city in southwestern Finland, expects to have 20-30 family members and friends in attendance.

Aho, who is from Rauma, about a three-hour drive northwest from Helsinki, said he doesn’t have a complete head count on his contingent of supporters because his wife, Rosa, has been organizing the tickets. Rosa left early for Finland with their 18-month-old daughter Vivian, so he will meet them there after the Hurricanes arrive Monday.

Aho said his group chats with family and friends have already been active, though, in anticipation of the games in Helsinki.

“Hopefully, I’ll have a little time to spend with them, too,” Aho said. “Overall, it’s very exciting. I don’t know what to expect, honestly. Just it’s going to be so much fun for me and, hopefully, we’ll put on a good show and win some hockey games there.”

Winning, of course, will be the priority for both teams. When asked what he hopes the Hurricanes (14-3-2) will take from the trip, Aho immediately replied, “Four points and leave. That’s what we want to bring home.”

The Global Series is about more than that, though.

“You don't really get the chance to go home during the season ever, so it's obviously an experience that is probably a once in a lifetime,” said Valimaki, who was born in Tampere, but grew up in Nokia, about two hours north of Helsinki. “So, definitely excited about it. I don't live too far from Helsinki, so should be able to kind of see some people, maybe even go home for a little bit.”

Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers, who is from Aalborg, Denmark, said he also will have a sizeable group of family and friends making the trip to Helsinki. Beyond that, though, there will be plenty of down time for the Hurricanes players and staff to enjoy each other’s company and get to see some of the city.

“I’ve got a few things planned for the boys to just kind of show our culture a little bit,” Aho said. “Obviously, there’s not like big surprises. Everyone knows kind of what it’s about, but I think it’s awesome. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun.”

Aho, who leads all NHL players from Finland with 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in 19 games this season, has been happy to take the lead in planning off-ice activities, which will include a sauna trip. He playfully took a shot at Kotkaniemi, though, for not helping.

“Not once,” Aho said. “I feel like ‘Marty’ (Jordan Martinook) has been helping more than ‘KK,’ which is a little crazy to me, but I hope guys will like what I have planned for them.”

Kotkaniemi confirmed Aho’s claim, but also insisted the right person is in charge.

“I own it,” Kotkaniemi said. “But he’s been doing a good job. He’s got a couple more bucks than I do, so he’s taking care of it.”

Although forward Seth Jarvis, who is from Winnipeg, Manitoba, has visited Finland twice previously, including this past summer, and is considered an “honorary Finn” among the Hurricanes players, he said his teammates should not look to him for guidance when they’re in Helsinki.

“No one is going to trust me to do that,” Jarvis said. “I’m not showing anybody anything over there. I’m just a bystander.”

Jarvis is eager to enjoy it all, though, especially the games.

“I think just playing there will be cool,” Jarvis said. “I think it’s going to be a different atmosphere and just really excited for all the Finnish guys that have a chance to have family and people that can’t make it over here attend a game and see them play.”

That’s one of the facets of the Global Series that makes it different from any of the other regular-season games, not only for the players from the host country, but also their teammates.

“That’s the part that you’re excited about,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “This is a chance for ‘Fishy’ (Aho) in particular. He’s been such a great Hurricane and a chance for him to kind of showcase his importance to us and a little payback for his supporters back home. So, I’m looking forward to that kind of reaction for him because he deserves it.”

That captain Jordan Staal, who is recovering from a torn calf muscle, will accompany Carolina to Helsinki and might play for the first time since he was injured during warmups on Oct. 11 adds another interesting element to the trip. Ultimately, though, for a group of players that went through so much on their way to winning the Stanley Cup last season, it will be a chance to make more memories together.

“I think it's a cool way for your teammates to kind of see your country,” Valimaki said. “It's kind of a unique situation where, obviously for me, I'm going home, but for a lot of other people, you get to see Finland for a little bit while playing hockey.

“So, I think more on the life side, it's a cool experience.”