WJC: 2017 Finland Roster Talk

[teravaineSAROS]

Luoto is someone to keep an eye on. Got a chance in FEL because of injuries and took it. 8 games played and 4+1 in those games. He looked pretty good in those games. I do't think I am the only fan who would have liked to see him getting more responsibility already.

The description of "a big two way winger who can score" above is pretty good. I think Luoto would have played more in many FEL-teams already this season but Tappara is currently pretty well equipped on the wings. Without injuries it would be hard for any junior to break in the team currently (Haapala, Savinainen, Repo, Karjalainen, Nurmi, Peltola etc already proven players ahead). Luoto is not that "Laine-like special kid" who you just put in the roster and trust that he will grow up to his new responsibility.

At least I think it will be interesting to see how Rautakorpi uses him since Luoto should be in Rautakorpi's Tappara next season... Even though Luoto may not have NHL potential I think that he can be one of the next guys who grow in Tappara to be good enough and take the next step and create at least a decent career in European top leagues.

Really appreciate your take!

 

[teravaineSAROS]

I'll be interesting to come back watch these posts after the tournament.

This is why I'm trying not to bait on complaining about the lines; because last year I was a huge critic of having Laine and Pulju on the same line

 

[Prntscrn]

I remember briefly reading about it in IL in January, but do you mind giving me a rough translation please?

It was an interview just after Russia equalized with a few seconds to go in last years final. You would expect him to be super down and disappointed but he was pumped.

"This is hockey at it's best, only to get out there and score the next one". Then he went on about how he felt they had more energy and believed this was their year with a big smile on his face. Difficult to describe it in text but Sweden loved him after that

 

[illone84]

It was an interview just after Russia equalized with a few seconds to go in last years final. You would expect him to be super down and disappointed but he was pumped.

"This is hockey at it's best, only to get out there and score the next one". Then he went on about how he felt they had more energy and believed this was their year with a big smile on his face. Difficult to describe it in text but Sweden loved him after that

Thanks man!

Definitely sounds like a winner's attitude!

Sounds like something Crosby would say!

 

[Tulipunaruusu*]

Sounds like something Crosby would say!

Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

He was rather more merry than as Björkvist positive.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

It was an interview just after Russia equalized with a few seconds to go in last years final. You would expect him to be super down and disappointed but he was pumped.

"This is hockey at it's best, only to get out there and score the next one". Then he went on about how he felt they had more energy and believed this was their year with a big smile on his face. Difficult to describe it in text but Sweden loved him after that

Haha his vocabulary was liked aswell. It's hard to explain but Finnish-Swedish uses some words that are a bit outdated here so him saying "skrinna" instead of "skrilla" for example was charming in a way.

 

[Merya]

Finnish optimism?

Syntax Error, Does Not Compute, Error: Division by Zero...

 

[Merya]

On the other hand I'm pissed that Edm didn't release Puljujärvi to play (while being benched!). However the other perspective is, that there's a unique opportunity to put on the usually Canadian jacket of "our best didn't play" excuse.

 

[BB88]

What a pathetic performance.

No heart, 0 highlight offensive plays, loved to turn the puck over.

1 positive I found was that Valimaki looked good.

 

[FinPanda]

This will be another QF exit. Maybe gold next year?

 

[JJTT]

Lol what a terrible game. Other than Välimäki, Luoto and Vehviläinen, not many positives in this one.

None of the lines worked and the forwards didn't really seem to have any idea what to do in the offensive zone. Weak shots right at the goalie and overpassing the puck when they should shoot.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

I knew that Palmu Nättinen Tolvanen line won't work.
Tolvanen hasn't never played with those guys before this tournament.

It's not good for goal-scoring wingers confidence to play with guys who hasn't no clue what to do with the puck and where their sniper is.
Rautakorpi has made himself an totally idiot.
When that Tampere native moron tooks his brains out of his ass.

Vesalainen Räsänen Tolvanen line back together IMMEDIATELY.

 

[FinPanda]

Overcoached team, no heart or creativity. Such a shame.

 

[Periwinkle]

For me the best part was that Vehviläinen looked solid. I thought he was our best player today. Both goals were dumb bounces that weren't really on him. He was often left hung out to dry and kept us in the game.

Koivula was the biggest positive surprise for me. A big guy who is skilled enough to make some plays.

Now for the negatives....

There is just something iffy about the first line. We are relying on a a shrimp and a 17-year-old who plays in a weaker junior league. And is Nättinen a true #1C? The second line I thought had better offensive opportunities, but then had some dumb plays as well, especially by Kuokkanen.

It's going to spell trouble for the team down the line if some D is already playing so much.

I mentioned this in the GDT, but the sloppiness was painful. It improved in the third period but there is no excuse with not being able to execute a simple pass at this level and/or the (resulting) constant turnovers.

 

[JJTT]

Overcoached team, no heart or creativity. Such a shame.

Yep. The breakout from the defensive end looked better than ever but nobody knew what to do when they had the puck.

 

[Joe MacMillan]

One game. Round robin. They played sloppy as hell and lots of players will need to step up, but I ain't mad.

 

[vaiski]

In addition to Luoto, Välimäki and Vehviläinen, I thought Borgström had a strong game. To me, he proved he is the #1C on the team. Blowing up the forward lines shouldn't at least make things worse. I'd try something like this:

Tolvanen-Borgström-Vesalainen
Luoto-Räsänen-Koivula
Kuokkanen-Nättinen-Palmu
Björkqvist-Mattila-Ruotsalainen

 

[behemolari]

if it's not broken don't fix it..

What the hell was Rautakorpi thinking, combining proper elements from two championship teams into something which doesn't work at all

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

How Janne Kuokkanen has been able to score 40 points ( 15+25) in London Knights.
And tonight's Czech Republic game he was like a Goofy on the ice and lost his man twice. No need to mention Czechs scored both mistakes.

 

[Mestaruus]

Vesalainen Räsänen Tolvanen line back together IMMEDIATELY.

I would like to see that too.

Vehviläinen did his job well, but he will be horrible vs North-American teams. Mark my words on that. Seems like Finland will most likely face USA or CAN in the first playoff match, although Finland has still a chance to win the group by defeating Sweden.

 

[llwyd]

Surprisingly bad play from us - in one game we can easily lose to the Czechs, but I totally didn't expect the team to look this disorganized. Weird.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Luck is earned,wheather its good or bad.

Wrong players,wrong coaches.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Zero positive thing about that mockery of a game.

-Vehviläinen wasn't solid,too many times he left rebounds,
over played couple of times,the talk between d and goalie didn't work,
lucky for us Czechs are one of the worst teams in this tournament

-Still don't understand why Vaakanainen was picked,
the turnovers in the blueline alone made me scream inside,
couldn't receive any sort of pass without problem

-The entire D looked shaky in the own end

-No forward skated as they could,played with spirit(with edge),
where was the feeling,the umph

-No one defended the net,not a single front of the net
scruff in this game

-Where was the plan?,if there was one,what was it?

 

[DoubleGold]

Finland was disorganized and frankly, ****. Not going to win a medal.

 

[FiLe]

Overcoached team

Pretty much no need to say more than this. I can tell when a game is lost behind the bench, and this was one of those games.


There's little reason to be blaming the players, they are fine. But everyone isn't on the same page what comes to the game plan, and maybe the lineup isn't optimally organized. Bit too early to say the latter for sure though.

As another positive, I thought the small glimpse we saw to special teams looked promising. I have hard time seeing it'll be as dazzling as last year, though, but I think it'll get more done than it did under Jortikka.

And oh, Vehviläinen was okay. I won't call it a standout performance, but it did go some ways to allay the worst doomsaying.


The good news is that losing a game to an "equal" opponent in round robin isn't the end of the world. It happened last year and it happened in 2014. Now all that remains to be seen is if we have people behind the bench who know how to correct the course of this ship. The bad news is that when it's an apparent coaching issue, the odds of the right stuff getting done are somewhat lower than they would be if it was just the players needing time.