Ice hockey: four years before the 2030 Olympics, France recruits a Finnish player to restore a winning culture

Anssi Laine has joined the leadership of the French Ice Hockey Federation, aiming to bounce back for the 2030 Olympics. However, the French hockey players must first win the D1A World Championship in Poland, with the first match scheduled for Saturday against Japan.

Published on May 2, 2026 at 09:22, the French ice hockey team is currently in Poland competing in a special World Championship D1A, which is equivalent to the second division. The team is in Sosnowiec, aiming to reclaim its spot in the world elite. The first match against Japan is set for Saturday, May 2, at 12:30. French hockey is undergoing a reconstruction mission before hosting the World Championship in 2028 and the Olympics in 2030. To achieve this, the French Ice Hockey Federation has hired Anssi Laine, a Finn, as the “director of hockey operations.”

Shortly after arriving in France, Anssi Laine, known as the Finnish “wizard,” began working on his project for French hockey. Laine, through discussions with Finnish players who have played in France, is positive about French hockey’s improvements and wants to contribute to that growth. He expressed belief in France’s potential and is pleased to have been chosen for the role.

In Finland, Laine is recognized for his work with youth national teams and leading the modest club KalPa to a championship last year. He was recommended to French executives by their Finnish counterparts. Pierre-Yves Gerbeau, President of the French Ice Hockey Federation, noted Laine’s success with a small budget and his potential to bring winning culture to the French team.

Laine’s priority is to unify different categories within French hockey, believing that teamwork across national teams will yield better results. His vision is aligned with the ambitions of Antoine François, the national technical director, who emphasizes the importance of a cohesive development structure from youth to senior levels.

In less than four years, there is hope to reach the quarter-finals of the men’s tournament at the 2030 Olympics, a feat not achieved since the 1992 Albertville Games.