Olli Jokinen: It would be 'a dream' to coach in NHL one day

Warning: Video contains coarse language

Former NHLer Olli Jokinen went viral last week for delivering a passionate, profanity-laced speech to motivate the team he coaches, Timra IK of the top professional league in Sweden.

"Obviously it got way too much attention," Jokinen told The Athletic's Chris Johnston on Wednesday. "It's not my proudest moment. You can get that message across without cursing."

Nonetheless, Jokinen received rave reviews online for his intensity. Seeing the 17-year NHL veteran back in headlines also fuelled some speculation about whether a return to North America could be in the cards at some point in the future.

"I understand that those spots over there are limited," he said. "It's not something I work toward every day. I work to develop players, to be there for the players. To help these individuals over here now and also help the club to build a culture - help the team to win the games.

"Obviously, I am a goal-oriented person. I would say that (an NHL job) is a dream, but it's not a must."

Timra sits in third place out of 14 teams in Jokinen's first year behind the bench. He was previously a head coach in his native Finland, making two playoff appearances in three seasons with Liiga's Jukurit.

The 46-year-old played in the NHL from 1997 to 2015, collecting 750 points across 1,231 games. During a five-season stretch in his prime with the Florida Panthers, he averaged 34 goals and 40 assists per year.

Jokinen also played for the Kings, Islanders, Coyotes, Flames, Rangers, Jets, Predators, Maple Leafs, and Blues.