After the success of 1996 Aravirta left his position in Jokerit to concentrate in his national team assistant coaching job. Aravirta returned to the SM-liiga for the 2003–2004 season when he was hired to coach former Helsinki rivals HIFK. Aravirta's first season was good as HIFK won bronze but his second season however was to be different. Aravirta was fired during the 2005 SM-liiga playoffs after very poor play from HIFK. Aravirta made his third return to SM-liiga in 2006 when he replaced Jami Kauppi as the head coach of Pelicans(whom he has lifted from a team constantly fighting among the bottom teams to a force to be reckoned with. In the 2007–2008 season, Pelicans led the league for the greater part of the year). During his 10-season SM-liiga coaching career Aravirta has won 2 championships, 3 silver medals and 2 bronze medals.