Carolyn O.

Active on blue butterfly @hmof2 - As Hockeymomof2, I'm a Hurricanes fan (est 06) whose 2 sons played hockey as kids.

[Carolyn O. @HMof2]

@Lvvk_lvvk He's come to Raleigh often for the Dads trip and playoffs, and I feel like he's a well-established member of our family here. Loved hearing the details of his hockey life. Thanks for this! Kiitos!

[Carolyn O. @HMof2]

Very long read, but interesting background on Fishy's Dad...

[LVVK @Lvvk_lvvk]

I met a guy who has watched every single Sebastian Aho Canes game except for one – right here in Finland!

Harri Aho arrived in Helsinki last evening to watch his son Sebastian’s #NHLGlobalSeries game, which is being played tonight at Veikkaus Arena. The former player and current Sports Director of @Liiga_SaiPa is driving back to Lappeenranta tomorrow, as his team plays a home game there. Unlike his usual routine, Harri doesn't have to stay up late this time, because Sebastian is playing at prime viewing time right at home in Finland. Barring one game, Aho has watched every single one of Sebastian’s @NHL and #CarolinaCulture games. That single missed matchup happened when the @Canes played against Nashville and Aho happened to be on an airplane himself.

15 Years as a Player and Professional

Harri Aho was born in Oulu in 1968. However, the family moved further north to Kemi, where Harri started playing ice hockey at the age of 7. As a junior, he was among the best in his age group and was closely monitored in Northern Finland. Initially playing as a forward, Aho transitioned to defense. He made it into @OulunKarpatFi organization at an underage level.

A strong junior season also earned him a spot on the Finnish national team @leijonat. Finland won the World Junior bronze medal in Moscow in 1988. At age 14, Aho transitioned to defense and was able to contribute effectively on the offensive end. During the 1987-1988 season, Aho broke into Oulun Kärpät's Liiga roster. However, wanting more ice time and responsibility, he opted to move to Kouvola and ended up joining KooKoo instead of Kärpät. Back in those days, players also pursued education, and Aho studied business administration.

A return to Oulu soon followed, and Aho played 4 more seasons for Kärpät. From there, his journey continued to Sweden and Kiruna, and then to Rauma. It was precisely in Rauma that Sebastian was born in 1997, after older brother Samuli had been born in Oulu in 1994. After Rauma, the family packed up their belongings again and moved back to Oulu. In the spring of 2000, Oulun Kärpät earned promotion to Liiga and remain the most recent team to promote to Liiga through play. A third child, Anna-Katriina, was born in Oulu. Aho ended his own playing career in 2002 at the age of 34. By then, he had played professional ice hockey for 15 years.

Transitioning to Sports Director for Kärpät and SaiPa

Following his playing career, Harri Aho started out as the executive director of Oulun Kärpät 46 ry. In 2009, he stepped up as Sports Director, taking responsibility for the club’s overall hockey operations development. The Sports Director's purview encompassed both strategic and on-ice matters; he assembled the roster and built the coaching staff. After three championships and multiple medals, Aho left for new challenges on his own terms in 2023. Immediately afterward, he was appointed Sports Director of Lappeenrannan SaiPa.

Aho notes that being a Sports Director is a way of life for him. The love for ice hockey ignited in childhood has endured to this day, and he is doing exactly what he loves most. The job has never felt like work or a burden because Harri Aho puts his heart into everything he does. Ice hockey has always guided and defined Harri’s entire family. Harri, Samuli, and Sebastian have all played hockey, while his wife and Anna-Katriina have been dedicated supporters.

What's It Like Watching #NHL at Night?

Many North Americans don't always stop to think that we here in Europe usually watch NHL games during the night hours. Typically, games start at 2:00 AM, and Canadian matchups even later. Ever since Sebastian Aho was drafted into the NHL and the Hurricanes, father Harri Aho has missed watching only a single game. Just one!

Typically, Harri Aho goes to bed at a reasonable hour. An alarm wakes him up at night to watch the game, and after the game, he goes back to sleep. Thanks to his ability to fall asleep easily, Aho frequently drifts right back off and is able to maintain this lifestyle. He hasn't needed any sleeping pills and has managed to watch over 800 games, playoffs included.

On game days, father and son always keep in touch before and after the puck drops. Nowadays, their communication isn't just about analyzing the game, as Sebastian's on-ice experience has grown immensely. Still, they analyze the play and the matchup just the same, with the duo sharing insights and tips with each other. Sometimes, when Sebastian can't respond immediately due to media duties or attention, father Harri is already sleeping the second half of his night.

As a Sports Director, Harri Aho’s work is heavily evening-focused. In fact, every workday inevitably stretches into the evening. SaiPa’s style of play is just as aggressive and high-tempo as the Hurricanes'. When the puck is won through hard work and relentless forechecking, the team immediately transitions the puck up ice. Skating and pace are kept consistently high, and every player on the team is willing to work for the win.

You Learn to Play hockey by Playing hockey

Ever since he was a little boy, Sebastian Aho has loved ice hockey and stickhandling. His father recalls that Sebastian was very curious about everything new. To this day, even as a 29-year-old experienced player and Stanley Cup champion, there must always be room to learn. Making it to the NHL requires hard work and major sacrifices. Many people perhaps don't realize the massive volume of training NHL players put in.

Even though the entire Aho family lives and breathes hockey, they have wanted to learn how to disconnect from it as well. Hunting, fishing, and spending time at the cabin have been great ways to leave hockey behind. Now Harri is also a grandfather to two children, who call him by the Finnish term "Ukki." Phone calls between games to North America also make it possible for him to see the younger generation.

In 2010, Harri and his sons Samuli and Sebastian traveled to Helsinki to watch an NHL Global Series game. The group traveled from Oulu to Helsinki by bus, accompanied by other Kärpät juniors. Joni Pitkänen and Jussi Jokinen were both role models from Oulu for the boys. This time, son Sebastian gets to experience this exact same buzz firsthand as an NHL player. The father feels immense pride and gratitude that the family also gets to experience the event in person. A lot of relatives are attending as well, making the event a family reunion of sorts.

At the end of the interview, we talk with Harri about elite players. According to him, the difference between an elite player and an average player is that over the course of an 84-game season, an elite player is able to perform at an elite level in at least 90% of the games. An average player's contribution drops to about half of that. In Harri’s own day-to-day reality at SaiPa, the team is a well-known example of a small-budget club where players want to come to develop.

In a small club, Sports Director Harri Aho and Head Coach Raimo Helminen are largely shouldering the responsibility for the entire roster's success together. The challenge is huge, but they are a duo that knows quite a lot about ice hockey.

[Carolyn O. @HMof2]

Everyone understood the assignment

[NHL Public Relations @NHLPR]

The 15-3-2 @Canes have the most wins by a reigning #StanleyCup champion in nearly a century (tied) and remain perfect all-time in games played outside North America after Europeans accounted for all their goals in the #NHLGlobalSeries opener.

#NHLStats: https://t.co/1ggFIsPVWh

[Carolyn O. @HMof2]

@WaltRuff ⭐️🐟 ⭐

[Carolyn O. @HMof2]

👀

[Adam Gold @AGoldFan]

Quick correction....

With his 2 goals today, Sebastian Aho now has 322 with the Hurricanes. That ties him with Eric Staal for the most in Carolina history.

[Carolyn O. @HMof2]

@Canes_Country @AnnieGoldman @Canes yay!

[Carolyn O. @HMof2]

@Canes_Country @AnnieGoldman @Canes It's working on Spectrum and Fubo - I think it's just Prime that's messed up? DirectTV?

[Tom Gulitti @TomGulittiNHL]

Looks like sizeable contingents of Kraken and Hurricanes fans made the trip to Helsinki for the NHL Global Series.

[Carolyn O. @HMof2]

this story pairs well with the Joe Smith piece on the Hurricanes culture at The Athletic yesterday.

[Tom Gulitti @TomGulittiNHL]

Here's our story on Hall playing his 1,000th game today in Helsinki from @Tramyers_NHL

https://t.co/PRm5vVMzbO

[Carolyn O. @HMof2]

unanimous #1

[NHL @NHL]

These are some super duper rankings! 🙌

Read the full list ➡️ https://t.co/Iz6EdHzfwK

Powered by Energy Bird

[Carolyn O. @HMof2]

Beluga? like the turtle?
Tastes like I licked a fish's butt
I heard Brent Burns say that once.

This is GOLD.

[Tom Gulitti @TomGulittiNHL]

Sebastian Aho and Jesperi Kotkaniemi took Seth Jarvis to sample some Finnish foods in Helsinki. Enioy:

https://t.co/SxYyGrPwOF

[Shelby Brosseau @BrosseauShelby]

Do I have any X friends that are in Helsinki and will be going up to Lapland after the games? I have postcards that I forgot to bring with me to Santa’s Village and I’m wondering if someone would bring them and mail them for me at the official Santa Post Office! #carolinaculture

[Mike Sundheim @MikeSundheim]

And tonight he will face the exact same goaltender - Philipp Grubauer

[Ryan Henkel @RyanHenkel_]

Also mentioned he's never seen Sebastian Aho smile as much as he has on this trip in his entire career.

[Carolyn O. @HMof2]

@CanesStats Awesome note for today. Also: Grubauer!? Will he get the start today maybe?

[NHL Rumour Report @NHLRumourReport]

Elliotte Friedman: Re Teuvo Teravainen future/Blackhawks: I think [he] needs a fresh start; that has not worked very well this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if the player feels the same way too...I don't know that for sure - 32 Thoughts (11/9)

[Carolyn O. @HMof2]

@thedailykaily lol! the way they're all scooched close together on one side of the table with Jarvy in the middle, the Finns' arms wrapped around him like parents!!

[🏆 m @nyetminder]

bringing this back in honor of jarvis’ return to his honorary homeland

[Carolyn O. @HMof2]

lol - these go way back.
Tony D'Angelo is still having nightmares about 2 of these.

[NHL @NHL]

Will we see a highlight-reel Sebastian Aho play at #NHLGlobalSeries? 🇫🇮

Top Plays presented by @Enterprise

[Carolyn O. @HMof2]

@aschnitt53 lol

[Carolyn O. @HMof2]

Looks like we're getting 11-3 for the Dems? Wow, that's a true FAFO for the NC GOP.

[Bryan Anderson @BryanRAnderson]

JUST IN: Rep. Greg Murphy concedes defeat to Democratic challenger Raymond Smith. #ncpol #NC03