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WC: 2015 — Team Finland

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Barkov & Jokinen look rusty.

The d-core showed up to a beer league game today, the amount of sloppy turnovers is putrid.
 
"Wrong" guys scored today. Not that they were bad, but I just don't see Louhivaara and Petrell making it, simply because there is no room after the more established guys are accounted for.


Yesterday, I listed 16 players that make it. Let's extend from there...


Goalies: Koskinen, Saros, Engren.

They're set, unless Rinne becomes available and wants to come.


Defense: Lepistö, Hietanen, Ristolainen, Lindell, Jaakola, Salmela

I'm adding Lindell in. He didn't have his best game 5-on-5, but simply put, he's far too useful on PP. Another indicator of that today. Also, Salmela was one of our few mistake-free guys today. I think he booked it.

Now, that leaves us four guys and two slots. Jokipakka, Ohtamaa, Mäntylä and Lajunen. I had Ohtamaa in before but now I'm not so sure. But let's say he makes it regardless. Then, Mäntylä needs to be cut. At least partial blame on Russia's first goal can be put on him for not following the situation all the way through.

That leaves the final choice between Jokipakka and Lajunen. I'd pick Jokipakka, but we'll see.


Forwards. I listed nine yesterday, and they're still going to make it. Barkov, Jokinen, Kontiola, Aaltonen, Ruutu, Komarov, Immonen, Salminen, Pihlström.

Now, I still think Jalonen intends to add Donskoi and Kemppainen. That leaves three spots open. One of them needs to be a centre. I initially figured Wirtanen, but... nope, it's gotta be Hytönen. Then two more wingers. Huhtala is going to make the cut. And finally... it should be Hartikainen. He's been just that good throughout and has shown his value for top-six.


So that gives us...

Koskinen
Saros
Engren

Lepistö
Hietanen
Ristolainen
Lindell
Jaakola
Salmela
Ohtamaa
Jokipakka/Lajunen

Barkov
Jokinen
Kontiola
Aaltonen
Ruutu
Komarov
Immonen
Pihlström
Hartikainen
Hytönen
Huhtala
Louhivaara
Donskoi
Kemppainen


One slot in D is up in the air, but otherwise I feel pretty confident this is the team - perhaps save for a possible forward from the MIN/STL pair.

EDIT: Salminen cut. That adds Louhivaara in.
 
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Jussi said:
Doesn't mean it won't work in a bigger rink.
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Not saying that; but if they think that Barkov&JJ looked great together today, then I don't know what to say. They were both definitely rusty and didn't play anywhere close to the level that they could, Barkov especially.

However, the entire team played sloppy, so it's hard to evaluate two players that played their first game. Barkov was noticeable in the d-zone (as always) and somewhat mistimed his movement when his linemates had the puck, JJ had a couple of brutal turnovers and he just doesn't have enough speed to get open or/and create space, Hartikainen was really invisible for a energy player.
 
Donskoi is better than Salminen on his current form, no point of taking both.
 
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master4071 said:
Or rather Pesonen

But maybe it means that Palola will be there as a typical smallish offensive player.
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Those two are also options, yeah, but Jalonen is going to need stones the size of Parliament House now to cut Louhivaara. After all, this was not the first good game from him.
 
FiLe said:
Those two are also options, yeah, but Jalonen is going to need stones the size of Parliament House now to cut Louhivaara. After all, this was not the first good game from him.
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Same can be said of Harri Pesonen, who I think has been phenomenal since his first game on the EHT. Basically created the Petrell goal from nothing today as well. Very hard choices ahead for the coaches...
 
rduck1 said:
Same can be said of Harri Pesonen, who I think has been phenomenal since his first game on the EHT. Basically created the Petrell goal from nothing today as well. Very hard choices ahead for the coaches...
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The thing is, at least one of Huhtala/Louhivaara/H.Pesonen is not going to make it. Otherwise KJ would have to cut one of Pihlström/Ruutu/Komarov, and I don't see that happening. Hartikainen and Osala could be expendable, but hard to see them not taking preference.
 
FiLe said:
The thing is, at least one of Huhtala/Louhivaara/H.Pesonen is not going to make it. Otherwise KJ would have to cut one of Pihlström/Ruutu/Komarov, and I don't see that happening. Hartikainen and Osala could be expendable, but hard to see them not taking preference.
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This is exactly what I meant by hard choices :laugh:. I could maybe see Osala being cut though, he hasn't had a particularly good season and with the Salminen cut(which I find a bit odd) it looks like previous accomplishments don't count for much this time. Hytönen and Wirtanen might also both end up being cut, we have four centers in Barkov, Kontiola, Immonen and Kemppainen, plus Ruutu, Jokinen and Komarov as backups.
 
rduck1 said:
I could maybe see Osala being cut though, he hasn't had a particularly good season and with the Salminen cut(which I find a bit odd) it looks like previous accomplishments don't count for much this time. Hytönen and Wirtanen might also both end up being cut, we have four centers in Barkov, Kontiola, Immonen and Kemppainen, plus Ruutu, Jokinen and Komarov as backups.
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Osala didn't feature in my prediction either, so I don't view it as a hug surprise if he ends up going should the Nose feel the need to include some other grinder.

While Jokinen, Ruutu and Komarov can play center, it'd be unusual to cut a "pure" centre forward because of it. I'd say the likeliest scenario for both to get cut is getting either Lehterä or Koivu.
 
I'd put Kontiola as 13th forward He is just terrible defensive player and with Hytönen/Kemppainen playing great is there any need for him?

These grinders seem to work much better in KJ's system.

Jokinen-Barkov-Aaltonen
Komarov-Kemppainen-Donskoi
Hartikainen-Immonen-Ruutu
Pihlström-Hytönen-Louhivaara/H.Pesonen
+Huhtala, Kontiola
 
Jussi said:
Jatkoaika posters saying the exact opposite, that they look really good together.
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Those guys don't know **** then :laugh:

Saw half of the 1st and the second period.. the sucked. That jatkoaika post must have been sarcasm. They show absolutely nothing.
 
This team a mess, i have no clue whatsoever who KJ is going to pick, but at least this time it's a positive mess, a lot of good players is going to be left out, My hope is all 3 young d-men (Ristolainen, Lindell and Jokipakka) will be on the team, which i doubt, and KJ should now forget for the rest of the eternity about playing Barkov and JJ together, btw Ruutu looked good with Kontiola and Aaltonen, he made space very nicely for those two artist
 
JJTT said:
I'd put Kontiola as 13th forward He is just terrible defensive player and with Hytönen/Kemppainen playing great is there any need for him?
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Special teams. He's potted three assists on PP in the last four games.

And for everyone criticisizing the NHLers - it was their first game in two weeks, three days after having crossed the pond. Take that into consideration before panning them. The least time you have to give them is 'til the games vs. Czech next weekend.
 
The NHLers didn't really play bad together so much as they played bad individually. They were all playing pretty timid and missing a step or two(except Ruutu, who had a little too much energy). It'll get better with time. I do think that Barkov needs some more speed on the wings though. J.Pesonen could be a good option there if he makes the cut.
 
master4071 said:
Or rather Pesonen ;)

But maybe it means that Palola will be there as a typical smallish offensive player.
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Yep definately Palola or Janne Pesonen over Louhivaara. I pretty much agree with File's current selections about other players.

I don't like what I'm seeing from Kontiola. He so often disappears from the picture vs top nations. He was good vs GER and did pretty well in the first Russia game, but when Russia plays their normal game he disappears from the picture. So Kontiola shouldn't be cut but I hope Jalonen is smart enough to drop him outside the lineup if he doesn't improve in the EHT/practise games vs Czech.

I'd like to see Kontiola and Aaltonen separated in the Czech games and have them in different lines. If Aaltonen does well and Kontiola still sucks it's pretty clear that we can have Donskoi-Kemppainen-Palola/Granlund/X in our top-6 in the tournament or Aaltonen, but I don't mind Aaltonen in 3rd line either fishing those penalties.
 
Mestaruus said:
Yep definately Palola or Janne Pesonen over Louhivaara. I pretty much agree with File's current selections about other players.
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The thing is, when there are "too many" guys playing "too well" in the current team, they will have to take preference in the coach's mind over those outside the team. The Kärpät duo have been phenomenal - but Palola and J.Pesonen have been merely "good". For a fan it makes little difference, but Jalonen would have to explain both to himself and the players why he's sending these good players home and picking these seemingly equally good players from outside the team.

Mestaruus said:
I don't like what I'm seeing from Kontiola. He so often disappears from the picture vs top nations.
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Well, somebody has to topple those little guys as well. If there's something we should have learnt from last year, Latvia, Switzerland and others are not going to keel over and play dead if our guys just growl at them and point at the lion on their chest.

Besides, let's keep in mind the words of the previous Jalonen: "In modern hockey, games are decided on special teams." This squad needs enough guys to run two PP units, and unless we get another centerman from the NHL, Kontiola is our best bet at helming one of those.

On even strength I pretty much agree with all the criticism pointed towards Kontiola. His saving grace, however, is all that he brings on man advantage.
 
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