WC: 2016 Team Finland Pt. II

[Conspiracy Theorist]

It's kind of funny that not too long ago Granlund and Pulkkinen were going to be the future of the Finnish national team, the new Koivu-Selänne pair if you will. Now them potentially playing together feels like an afterthought.

Laine-Barkov-Puljujärvi
Vesalainen-Aho-Tolvanen
Granlund-X-Pulkkinen

 

[FiLe]

Laine-Barkov-Puljujärvi
Vesalainen-Aho-Tolvanen
Granlund-X-Pulkkinen

This is at the same time both funny and sad how quickly people seem to go after the shiny new toys and forget that there's a great group of forwards born in the 90s who've already established themselves in the NHL (or are in the process of doing it). Teräväinen, Donskoi, Rantanen, Kapanen, Armia, and Lehkonen could get there too... be courteous and paint them in before you start figuring out where the underagers fit in.

 

[rduck1]

This is at the same time both funny and sad how quickly people seem to go after the shiny new toys and forget that there's a great group of forwards born in the 90s who've already established themselves in the NHL (or are in the process of doing it). Teräväinen, Donskoi, Rantanen, Kapanen, Armia, and Lehkonen could get there too... be courteous and paint them in before you start figuring out where the underagers fit in.

Yeah... Remember when Mäenalanen was almost certain to be part of the next Olympic team? Never change HF, never change !

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

This is at the same time both funny and sad how quickly people seem to go after the shiny new toys and forget that there's a great group of forwards born in the 90s who've already established themselves in the NHL (or are in the process of doing it). Teräväinen, Donskoi, Rantanen, Kapanen, Armia, and Lehkonen could get there too... be courteous and paint them in before you start figuring out where the underagers fit in.

They can play on the 4th line.

 

[JJTT]

Lineup at practice:

Sebastian Aho – Mikko Koivu – Mikael Granlund
Jussi Jokinen – Aleksander Barkov – Patrik Laine
Mika Pyörälä – Jarno Koskiranta – Leo Komarov
Antti Pihlstr̦m РTomi Sallinen РTeemu Pulkkinen

Jani Lajunen, Mikko Rantanen

Topi Jaakola– Juuso Hietanen
Anssi Salmela РTommi Kivisț
Lasse Kukkonen – Atte Ohtamaa
Esa Lindell – Ville Pokka

Pyörälä and Pihlström playing over Rantanen

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

WTH is Pulkkinen doing on the 4th line.

 

[JJTT]

PP

Koivu
Pulkkinen-Aho-Granlund
Lindell

Komarov
Laine-Barkov-Jokinen
Hietanen

Makes no sense to play Aho and Granlund in the same unit, but we'll see how it goes.

 

[jalperi]

Laine-Barkov-Puljujärvi
Vesalainen-Aho-Tolvanen
Granlund-X-Pulkkinen

I can see something like that on 2022 Olympics...x= Teräväinen and fourth line could be:

Lehkonen-Haula-Kapanen/Rantanen, so four offensive lines

 

[LOFIN]

Lineup at practice:

Sebastian Aho – Mikko Koivu – Mikael Granlund
Jussi Jokinen – Aleksander Barkov – Patrik Laine
Mika Pyörälä – Jarno Koskiranta – Leo Komarov
Antti Pihlström – Tomi Sallinen – Teemu Pulkkinen

Jani Lajunen, Mikko Rantanen

Topi Jaakola– Juuso Hietanen
Anssi Salmela – Tommi Kivistö
Lasse Kukkonen – Atte Ohtamaa
Esa Lindell – Ville Pokka

Pyörälä and Pihlström playing over Rantanen

I find it shocking that the one line that KJ would break the Rantanen-Komarov duo, who played better together than any other line in the USA game aside from Aho-Laine in the OT obviously.

And nice way to reward Pulkkinen after a great pre-tournament.

 

[HockeyHistorian]

These lines are pretty surprising, but I guess there will be changes as the tournament progresses. Pulkkinen actually looked quite good with Sallinen and Pihlström against USA, but it really doesn't seem to be an ideal place for him. Aho - Koivu - Granlund is an interesting line with a lot of skill and two-way prowess, but with three pass-first guys I wonder who is going to score the goals. The one truly baffling thing about this lineup is that Rantanen is missing after playing really well in the preparatory matches. Also, Aho and Granlund on the same PP seems a bit weird.

 

[Gaps]

Aho is a very smart player and he's had a good camp, so I don't wonder why Koivu and Granlund would like to play with him. If Aho himself realizes that he needs to be the one to shoot, this line could be effective. If not, they can always put Pulu there.

 

[aahola]

Lineup at practice:

Sebastian Aho – Mikko Koivu – Mikael Granlund
Jussi Jokinen – Aleksander Barkov – Patrik Laine
Mika Pyörälä – Jarno Koskiranta – Leo Komarov
Antti Pihlstr̦m РTomi Sallinen РTeemu Pulkkinen

Jani Lajunen, Mikko Rantanen

Topi Jaakola– Juuso Hietanen
Anssi Salmela РTommi Kivisț
Lasse Kukkonen – Atte Ohtamaa
Esa Lindell – Ville Pokka

Pyörälä and Pihlström playing over Rantanen

Don't you dare screw this up Nokka...

Granlund - Koivu - Pulkkinen
Laine - Barkov - Aho

The rest can be whatever, perhaps like this:

Jokinen - Koskiranta - Pyörälä
Rantanen - Sallinen - Komarov

 

[BusQuets]

These lines are pretty surprising, but I guess there will be changes as the tournament progresses. Pulkkinen actually looked quite good with Sallinen and Pihlström against USA, but it really doesn't seem to be an ideal place for him. Aho - Koivu - Granlund is an interesting line with a lot of skill and two-way prowess, but with three pass-first guys I wonder who is going to score the goals. The one truly baffling thing about this lineup is that Rantanen is missing after playing really well in the preparatory matches. Also, Aho and Granlund on the same PP seems a bit weird.

30 goals in NHL + 20 goals in Liiga. To me it looks like the line that's the safest bet to score goals.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

There are no goal scorers in the first line. What a waste.

 

[psycho_dad*]

There are no goal scorers in the first line. What a waste.

It does seem weird, but that first line will possess the puck so much and create a lot of offense, they'll be able to score too.

Pulkkinen is wasted on the 4th line with two work horses, they will play a lot of north-south hockey with straight slappers from Pulu.

But historically I can't remember a team Finland that had this much firepower for PP units. Laine and Pulkkinen are lethal from further away than most players.

 

[Lennu32]

Aho is a very smart player and he's had a good camp, so I don't wonder why Koivu and Granlund would like to play with him. If Aho himself realizes that he needs to be the one to shoot, this line could be effective. If not, they can always put Pulu there.

This. I'm willing to bet them being really effective Granlund always plays better with smart guys who understand his passes and Aho has smarts with the best of them. Aho is underrated as a goal scorer too

I also love our PP lines:

Koivu - Aho - Granlund - Pulkkinen - Lindell

Komarov- Barkov - Jokinen - Laine - Hietanen

Threat all over

 

[gwh]

1st line has nobody who likes to shoot the puck. 3 pass first centers. Insanity.

 

[kelsier]

Not entirely convinced about playing Jokinen with Barkov (much rather would have preferred Aho for instance). They never hit it off in the NHL and based on the USA game I just didn't see any chemistry whatsoever. Why try this again when it's already been proven not working. The only thing they have in common is playing in the same franchise. The other thing is Laine playing on the "wrong" side, when he's been on the left wing throughout the season. Knowing how it normally is in these events, once the lines are decided there will be no changes unless we're being awfully beaten or generally scrambling. Well, I guess we'll have to watch how it plays out.

 

[HockeyHistorian]

Not entirely convinced about playing Jokinen with Barkov (much rather would have preferred Aho for instance). They never hit it off in the NHL and based on the USA game I just didn't see any chemistry whatsoever. Why try this again when it's already been proven not working. The only thing they have in common is playing in the same franchise. The other thing is Laine playing on the "wrong" side, when he's been on the left wing throughout the season. Knowing how it normally is in these events, once the lines are decided there will be no changes unless we're being awfully beaten or generally scrambling. Well, I guess we'll have to watch how it plays out.

Is this 2015 again? I thought this exact discussion was had last year and then Barkov and Jokinen (along with Donskoi) showed that their doubters were wrong. They were great together last year and while I doubt that Aho would be any worse, why fix something that isn't broken?

I'm quite sure that Aho - Koivu - Granlund line will find ways to score, but at the same time I'm a little disappointed for Pulkkinen; the guy can't seem to catch a break from playing with less skilled linemates.

 

[BB88]

I know I've ben against Pulkkinens 5on5 play but I have to say him on the 4th line with those guys doesn't make sense, but also to say that Aho has earned his role on the 2nd line, clearly Jalonen wants that to be a shutdown line.

Rantanen should definitely be playing, I was liking the Komarov-Rantanen bottom6 duo.

 

[MMANumminen]

I am happy that Aho is in the first line so he will get lots of icetime. Aho is good goalscorer. About Rantanen it doesn't really matter who the 4th line grinders are...Komarov, Pyörälä, Pihlström...same same.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Komarov-Koskiranta-Rantanen could mean we'd had 4 offensive lines. Not too bad for WHC.

 

[FiLe]

I must say, I don't generally get a good "feel" about that Granlund-Koivu-Aho line. While they're all highly celebral players, they're still too similar as player types.

But we'll see. In the best case scenario, they prove me wrong. The worst case is that they will dazzle in the first two games vs. Belarus and Germany, and start hiccuping against USA - but KJ is by then too stubborn to mix things around, because they started things so well against those weaker countries. At the very least they should have put Pulkkinen next to Koskiranta, neither Sallinen and especially Pihlström are not the kind of players who can effectively feed him.

Oh well, at least the PP units have all the right names.

I can actually see the logic behind having Rantanen as an extra forward. After all, most coaches want all their players either playing PK, PP (or both) and Rantanen is not one exactly a penalty killing type, and as of right now does not have room in the PP units.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

These line combo's won't work.

1) 3 pass first players
2) Why Laine is "forced" to play with Barkov?
3) Pulkkinen not in first line?,bonkers!
4. Where the **** is Rantanen?

 

[MardyBum]

Isn't Laine primarily a LW? Has he played alot of RW?