Kärpät, a team in the Finnish SM-liiga, announced that their defender Markus Nutivaara has decided to leave the club and join the German team Köln Haien. Nutivaara, at 31 years old, is part of a troubling trend for the team as he is not the first prominent player to depart in recent weeks. Earlier, defenseman Marcus Björk also left Kärpät for IF Björklöven in Sweden's second-highest league, magnifying concerns about the team's current direction.

The exit of such key players has led to speculation about whether Kärpät has given up on their chances this season. They currently sit six points away from a playoff contention spot with only seven regular-season games remaining. This situation poses an urgent question about the club's strategy and intentions moving forward. Fans and analysts alike are questioning the leadership's communication regarding the team's prospects for making significant changes or adjustments before the end of the season.

The departure of Nutivaara, who has 275 NHL games under his belt, reflects a deeper issue within the club. It raises alarms about the commitment to maintaining a competitive team in the league as they seem to be losing pivotal talent at a crucial moment in the season. With the pressure mounting and the stakes high, the coming games will be crucial for determining the team's fate and whether they can pull together a late rally or continue on this troubling path.