Juha Juujärvi

Coaching junior hockey
Juujärvi started coaching in the Kärpät junior organization in 1997-98 as an assistant coach for the U14 team. His first head coaching position was with the Kärpät U13 team in 1998-99. Moving up to the head coaching position of the Kärpät U16 team, his team won silver medals in 1999-00. From Kärpät, he moved to the Tappara junior organization. At the helm of the Tappara U20s, the team was crowned Jr. A SM-liiga champion in 2003-04. Juujärvi returned to Tappara U20s in 2017.

Coaching in the pro ranks
After his first stint with Tappara, Juujärvi moved to coach LeKi, a Suomi-sarja promotee, in its inaugural season in Mestis. Finishing in the fifth place in the 2007-08 regular season, his work with LeKi earned him a position as an assistant coach with Ilves in 2008-09. After three seasons in the Ilves organization, he moved to coach Mestis team KooKoo in early 2012. His stint with KooKoo proved successful, earning him a full range of medals: bronze, silver and gold. His time with KooKoo culminated in winning the Mestis championship in 2013-14 and securing the team a right to Liiga promotion. From KooKoo he returned to coach LeKi, developing among others the then 16-year-old Patrik Laine in 2014-15. After his latest stint with LeKi from 2014-15 to 2015-16, he worked as a Finnish Ice Hockey Association tutor coach before being hired to coach RoKi in February 2017. He returned to pro hockey in 2021.
Juha Juujärvi is currently in his third season on Tappara’s Liiga coaching staff and was part of the team that won the Finnish Championship in 2024. He has spent over 14 years in various coaching and development roles within the Tappara organization, including two separate three-year periods as U20 head coach, as well as twice serving as head coach of Tappara’s affiliate team LeKi in Mestis. He has also served as Tappara’s Director of Player Development. As Tappara U20 head coach, he led the team to the Finnish Jr. A Championship in 2003–04. In the Liiga, Juujärvi has also worked as an assistant coach with Ilves and JYP. At the professional level, he has been the head coach of KooKoo, LeKi, and RoKi, winning the Mestis Championship with KooKoo in 2013–14. He is recognized as a game-oriented coach combining strong tactical awareness with modern teaching ability.