The season’s best of the Finnish F-liiga were awarded on the 12th of May. Sami Johansson (Classic) and Hanna Niemelä (Rankat Ankat) were elected best players.
Classic and PSS won the historical championship titles and now the first F-liiga season has ended. The planned first annual gala fell through because of the ongoing Covid-19 situation but that did not stop F-liiga from declaring and honouring the winners.
The MIKA KOHONEN award (best men’s f-liiga player), the best women’s f-liiga player and the referee awards were chosen by the players. The best goalkeepers, defenders and forwards were chosen by a jury.
F-liiga men
Best goalkeeper: Miro Tuomala, Nokian KrP
Jury: Gave his team a chance to win night after night in 2020-21 through his own performances. The success of the team matters, but the importance of the goalkeeper to the team’s chances of success is even more important.
Best defender: Mikko Leikkanen, Classic
Jury: Was the best player overall in his position in 2020-21. Defensive skills at the defensive end matter, but also how well he was able to play a modern ball game and contribute to the whole line’s performance with and without the ball mattered. Contributed to making the other players better in their roles.
Best forward: Eemeli Salin, Classic
Jury: Overall best forward of the season 2020-21. Fulfilled the requirements of his position best in the league. Made his teammates better with his own contribution. When talking about forwards, points matter too, but it’s not more important than playing a holistic game with the whole line.
Top scorer: Sami Johansson, Classic
Tupla+ player (top scorer of his team for the longest time during the season): Peter Kotilainen, Happee
Best referee pair voted by the players: Mikko Alakare-Vesa Vilkki
Rookie of the year: Waltteri Vesterinen, TPS
MIKA KOHONEN trophy for best player of the season voted by the players: Sami Johansson, Classic
F-liiga women
Best goalkeeper: Flavia Niemelä, Rankat Ankat
Jury: Gave her team a chance to win night after night in 2020-21 through her own performances. The success of the team matters, but the importance of the goalkeeper to the team’s chances of success is even more important.
Best defender: Iida Mettälä, FBC Loisto
Jury: Was the best defensive player overall in 2020-21. Defensive skills at the defensive end matter, but also how well he was able to play a modern ball game and contribute to the whole line’s performance with and without the ball mattered. Contributed to making the other players better in their roles.
Best forward: Hanna Niemelä, Rankat Ankat
Jury: Overall best forward of the season 2020-21. Fulfilled the requirements of her position best in the league. Made her teammates better with her own contribution. When talking about forwards, points matter too, but it’s not more important than playing a holistic game with the whole line.
Top scorer: Hanna Niemelä, Rankat Ankat
Best referee pair voted by the players: Tom Kirjonen-Jyrki Sirkka
Rookie of the year: Henriikka Järvi, Pirkat
Best player of the season voted by the players: Hanna Niemelä, Rankat Ankat
There were also two additional important trophies decided by the Finnish Floorball Federation.
Best floorball act of the year: All F-liiga and Divari clubs for their responsible action during the Covid-19 pandemic keeping the number of infections in the sports at an almost non-existent level.
Pekan Malja (named after the father of floorball in Finland Pekka Mukkala): Mika Hujanen for his years of charity work collecting money and resources to provide equipment and opportunities to young people to take part in floorball.
Source: F-liiga & Finnish Floorball Federation
