The Finnish ice hockey team Jokerit are aiming to return to the Finnish Hockey League for the 2023-2024 season, the club said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Jokerit will not play in any league next season, even though the club's junior teams will continue operating normally, the club said.
The Helsinki-based club had played the previous eight seasons in the Russian-dominated Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), but ended its participation in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The club announced last week that Jari Kurri, previously Jokerit’s principal owner, had gained full ownership.
In the Wednesday press release, Kurri said the team needed to put in a lot of work to build its league eligibility, but he was confident Jokerit would be able to meet all the criteria required by the Finnish Ice Hockey League to participate.
"It is fair to say that issues outside hockey have affected the club's reputation. We will do everything we can to restore people's trust in Jokerit," Kurri added.
Up until now, the team has played its home games in the Helsinki Arena, previously known as the Hartwall Arena, which has been under Russian ownership since 1997.
If there is no change in the arena's ownership, Jokerit will look for a new home, the club added.