Kari Jalonen fired as coach of Czech national team after poor result at world championship

PRAGUE (AP) — Finnish coach Kari Jalonen has been fired by the Czech ice hockey association after the national team’s poor result at the world championship. Radim Rulik has been named the new coach. He led the Czechs to the final of under-20 worlds in January. Jalonen took charge in March 2022 on a two-year contract as the first foreign national in the post. He led the team to the bronze medal at last year’s world championship. It was the Czech’s first podium at the tournament in 10 years. This year the team finished eighth, its worst result ever.