The Colorado Eagles announced this week that Jussi Ahokas will take over as head coach, succeeding Mark Letestu who is joining the Vegas Golden Knights staff.
Ahokas comes to the franchise after a distinguished tenure with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League, where his teams captured a Memorial Cup championship and posted at least 40 victories in each of the past several seasons.
His coaching résumé also includes a four‑year stint in Finland’s Liiga, highlighted by a runner‑up finish with TPS Turku in the 2022 playoffs and a Coach of the Year award during the 2019‑20 season.
International Coaching Highlights
Beyond club success, Ahokas has guided Finland’s national programs to multiple international medals, including gold at the 2016 IIHF Under‑18 World Championship and bronze with the women’s team at the 2008 and 2009 IIHF Women’s World Championships. He also served as head coach of Finland’s World Junior team from 2017 to 2019.
Before turning to coaching, Ahokas wore the pads as a goaltender, competing in Finland’s under‑20 league and spending part of the 1998‑99 season with the Victoria Salsa of the British Columbia Hockey League.