“I played in different countries, and there were at least ten. If you count Finland, there were 11. I got to know different cultures and ways of working. I especially remember the countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union: there was always a fear of the authorities, and the teams were often controlled by gangs.”
In Russia, players didn’t have a lot of free time. Many Russian players spent it on drinking in large quantities. When I played for Yuzhny Ural, after drunken nights, the coaches ordered us to be hungover in the morning so that the alcohol didn’t get out of control. We all went to the gym at ten in the morning. After a short chat with the coaches, we were allowed to rest. Many players liked to drink beer and even did it before training the next day,” Laakkonen told Iltalehti.
- Fasel visited the JHL referee training camp
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I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
