Coaching Across the AHL, NCAA, KHL, and Liiga: HIFK’s Matias Sarvela on Adapting to Different Hockey Cultures

Welcome to the Firstbeat Sports Podcast where we talk with coaches and sports scientists to explore the latest in physiology monitoring and how it is making a difference in team sports. We’re going to connect you with practical advice from the best in the business to help you take your athletes to the next level.

In this episode, we’re chatting with Matias Sarvela, S&C Coach at HIFK. Matias is an experienced strength and conditioning coach with a uniquely international background in professional ice hockey and athlete performance. Throughout his career, he has worked across Finland, U.S. college sports, and professional organizations in China, Russia, and North America, gaining extensive experience in a wide range of coaching environments and performance systems.

Matias has built his expertise through years of working closely with elite athletes, helping teams optimize performance, manage training loads, and navigate the demands of long competitive seasons. His international experience has given him valuable insight into different coaching cultures, athlete development pathways, and approaches to performance management.

In this conversation, Matias shares the lessons he has learned from working across diverse hockey environments, including managing demanding travel schedules, adapting to new cultures, and individualizing training for athletes with different needs and backgrounds. He also discusses how heart rate-based internal load monitoring data can be translated into practical coaching decisions, along with his perspectives on player development, weekly load planning, effective communication within high-performance teams, and the future of strength and conditioning in ice hockey.