Jukka Jalonen, who has led Finland to three world championships and an Olympic gold medal, is coaching the Italian national team in the upcoming hockey championships. He has pointed out that Italy's team lacks the depth and talent found in teams like Canada, the USA, Finland, and Sweden, which are predominantly composed of NHL players. With only a few players from top European leagues, Italy faces a significant challenge in competing at a high level in international tournaments.

During the recent Olympics, Italy managed to compete in only one meaningful game, leading to frustrations expressed by Jalonen over the qualification and competitive structure of the hockey championships. He mentioned that while Italy enters the upcoming World Championships with a positive outlook, the team's competitiveness remains questionable due to the evident skill gaps between them and more established hockey nations.

Jalonen also noted that Finland is often more highly regarded abroad than at home. This perspective reflects a larger sentiment within Finland about the country’s hockey standing internationally and raises questions about how smaller hockey nations can effectively compete against those with more robust development systems and player resources. The ongoing debate over the competitive balance in international hockey continues to be a point of contention, leading to calls for potential reforms in how these championships are structured.