Opened in 1950, Linnanmaki is Finland’s oldest and most popular amusement park. It is operated by the Children’s Day Foundation, which raises funds for child welfare causes, with admission fees at the park contributing to the cause.
Lundell said the wooden roller coaster was a favorite of his as a kid, back when winning a Stanley Cup — or back-to-back Cups — was his dream and not very much the reality of the moment. He had advice for any younger Finns looking up to him.
“Believe in yourselves,” Lundell said. “Dare to dream big and reach for your dreams and hopes by working hard. Anything is possible if you dream and work hard.”
As for Lundell, does his current dream include a third straight Stanley Cup title?
“We know it will take a lot, but we have started preparing for it,” he said.
— NHL.com/fi Senior Independent Correspondent Varpu Sihvonen contributed to this report