Born in Imatra, Finland, Iiro Mäntylä’s hockey journey began as a defenseman, playing professionally across Europe before transitioning into coaching and player development.
Over the past decade, Iiro has built his reputation across junior, professional, and elite environments. He has worked as a Player Development Coach with Jukurit (Liiga & U20), served as a Skill Development Expert with the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation, and led individual player development initiatives with Jokerit.
Today, through Viima Hockey, Iiro works with players ranging from top European prospects to NHL athletes. His experience includes supporting the development of players such as Miro Heiskanen, Konsta Helenius, Aatu Räty, Niko Mikkola, Samuel Helenius, and many other professional players competing across Europe and North America.
Iiro’s approach combines the Finnish player development philosophy with practical and science-based coaching tools that improve perception, adaptability, and game transfer — helping players move from executing skills to reading situations, solving problems, and ultimately performing when the game becomes chaotic.