Career
Jalonen is the current head coach of the Finnish junior ice hockey team He is the first Finnish head coach to lead the Finnish national men"s ice hockey team to a World Championship. The first one is Canadian Mike Babcock.
Jalonen served as the head coach of the Finnish national team 2008–2013.
Jalonen has previously coached several Finnish ice hockey teams in the Master of Science-liiga: Ilves (1992–1995), Lukko (1996–1997), and HPK (2001–2007), and also Vaasan Sport (1997–1998) in Mestis (known as I-divisioona at that time). He also coached the Newcastle RiverKings and Newcastle Jesters in the British Ice Hockey Superleague during seasons 1999/2000 and 2000/2001.
Currently (from 2012) he is the head coach of SKA Saint St. Petersburg in KHL. All of them were with HPK. He is of no relation to Kari Jalonen. In his playing career, he played in two Master of Science-liiga games for JyP HT in the 1985-1986 season.
He also played for JYP, Jääahmat and Lohi in lower divisions.