WJC: 2017 Finland Roster Talk
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This would be my roster of choice on this given date:
Vehviläinen
Heljanko
Ruusu
Juolevi
Saarijärvi
Välimäki
Niemeläinen
Salo
Vaakanainen
Parikka
Saarela
Nättinen
Borgström
Ruotsalainen
Kuokkanen
Puljujärvi
Björkqvist
Tammela
Koivula
Tolvanen
Vesalainen
Palmu
Vidgren
Vehviläinen
Heljanko
Ruusu
Juolevi
Saarijärvi
Välimäki
Niemeläinen
Salo
Vaakanainen
Parikka
Saarela
Nättinen
Borgström
Ruotsalainen
Kuokkanen
Puljujärvi
Björkqvist
Tammela
Koivula
Tolvanen
Vesalainen
Palmu
Vidgren
In the bubble for sure. Too bad we can only take seven. These classes 97-99 are deeeeeep on D.
Not a fan of Vidgren, doesn't seem to have much head for the game. I think Rautakorpi has better options available than him.
Heiskanen is a lock to make the team I think.
Salo didn't exactly ace the tournament in Hodonin and Vaakanainen hasn't even played under Rautakorpi yet. On the other hand, Jokiharju and Jesper Mattila performed reasonably well at Plymouth in August and proved that they are capable of executing Rautakorpi's game plan. There's definitely room for speculation when looking at D. And who knows what Rautakorpi really thinks about guys like Kotkansalo, Vainio, Reunanen, Almari, Rautanen, Ilomäki and Leskinen. He might surprise us with few of his final selections.
My criteria for him were reasonable amount of experience from men's games and slotting well as a "typical" 4th line guy. Need one or two of those as well. I certainly don't expect anything fancy from him.
Age might come to issue. He's a '99 born, with many equal options available from the two elder classes. Not that I've got anything against him personally. After all, our best d-man last year was two years underage, and guys like Määttä and Ristolainen fared well as well. But back then, there was not this much competition.
No argument from me here. Only truly obvious no-brainer locks are Juolevi and Saarijärvi, beyond them there're roughly a dozen names who have a realistic shot. In a situation like this, I gave some preference to guys who have U20 experience from the previous year. For example Heiskanen's yet to break his cherry here, which gave me some pause. No doubt though that it will happen soon.
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Goalies are about on par. D will be miles better than last year. 2016 may have advantage in forwards, but not by a lot.
Overall - it doesn't look like a worse than the group of reigning champions, so I'd say yeah. Definitely a candidate, and not even in the usual "every top country is a candidate" way.
I wouldn't call 'em #1 favorites though.
ChicagoBullsFan
Registered User
That's too early say for sure.
At the moment i think Finland has chances to win a medal.
I don't make any predictions before Finland's team in world juniors has announced in December.
ChicagoBullsFan
Registered User
He's almost locked in the team already.
Only an injury keeps him sidelined for world juniors
Team for Sweden tournament in 4.11-6.11
G:
1 Heljanko Christian, Tappara Tampere
31 Vehviläinen Veini, JYP Jyväskylä
D:
2 Heiskanen Miro, HIFK Helsinki
3 Almari Niclas, HPK Hämeenlinna
4 Salo Robin, Sport Vaasa
5 Parikka Jarkko, Ilves Tampere
6 Rautanen Juho, Jokerit Helsinki
7 Vaakanainen Urho, JYP Jyväskylä
29 Leskinen Otto, KalPa Kuopio
F:
9 Koivula Otto, Ilves Tampere
10 Heikkinen Jaakko, Jokerit Helsinki
13 Koppanen Joona, Ilves Tampere
15 Turkulainen Jerry, JYP Jyväskylä
18 Jääskä Juha, HIFK Helsinki
19 Oksanen Emil, Espoo United
20 Luoto Joona, Tappara Tampere
21 Piipponen Topi, KalPa Kuopio
22 Ruotsalainen Arttu, Ässät Pori
27 Väyrynen Teemu, TPS Turku
34 Vesalainen Kristian, Frölunda
36 Juhola Jouka, Ässät Pori
37 Vidgren Aaro, Lukko Rauma
They also have a second team playing vs Czechs here in Finland
http://www.leijonat.fi/maajoukkueet...at-paakaupunkiseudulla-talla-joukkueella.html
G:
1 Heljanko Christian, Tappara Tampere
31 Vehviläinen Veini, JYP Jyväskylä
D:
2 Heiskanen Miro, HIFK Helsinki
3 Almari Niclas, HPK Hämeenlinna
4 Salo Robin, Sport Vaasa
5 Parikka Jarkko, Ilves Tampere
6 Rautanen Juho, Jokerit Helsinki
7 Vaakanainen Urho, JYP Jyväskylä
29 Leskinen Otto, KalPa Kuopio
F:
9 Koivula Otto, Ilves Tampere
10 Heikkinen Jaakko, Jokerit Helsinki
13 Koppanen Joona, Ilves Tampere
15 Turkulainen Jerry, JYP Jyväskylä
18 Jääskä Juha, HIFK Helsinki
19 Oksanen Emil, Espoo United
20 Luoto Joona, Tappara Tampere
21 Piipponen Topi, KalPa Kuopio
22 Ruotsalainen Arttu, Ässät Pori
27 Väyrynen Teemu, TPS Turku
34 Vesalainen Kristian, Frölunda
36 Juhola Jouka, Ässät Pori
37 Vidgren Aaro, Lukko Rauma
They also have a second team playing vs Czechs here in Finland
http://www.leijonat.fi/maajoukkueet...at-paakaupunkiseudulla-talla-joukkueella.html
^That's about as predictable as a team can get with no NA-based players available.
Well, there's a no-brainer missing in Saarela, but it's not like he has something left to prove.
Well, there's a no-brainer missing in Saarela, but it's not like he has something left to prove.
He could, but it's by no means an automatic decision. If the Oil thinks he's high up on the reserve chart, as in one of those players they want to recall at any second, then it could be the answer is still no.
But if he's in the farm, there's no shame in presuming they let him go as long as they haven't said otherwise.
Any NHL fixture (as Laine and Aho appear to be) obviously has a snowflake's chance in a sauna.
Pretty sure if he's in the AHL they have to release him like the Leafs had to release Nylander and Kapanen last year. To stop this though they would just have to recall him before the cut off point and keep him up. Nashville managed to keep Fiala out of the tournament last year for the Swiss, but they may have a different agreement than Sweden and Finland. Also, teams might be less reluctant this year, because it isn't played on the other side of the Atlantic.
ChicagoBullsFan
Registered User
Actually it was really close that Kapanen would have been the team at all.
Last August ( 2015) Kasperi Kapanen didn't show up to Finland's evaluation camp tournament in Lake Placid.
Toronto Marlies GM Kyle Dubas forgot to inform Finnish Ice Association that Kapanen stays home and he won't come to Lake Placid.
Because he wanted focus to Practicing.
Team Finland U20 head coach Jukka Jalonen was really angry for that and he said.
'' if Kapanen isn't interested to come lake placid's tournament he won't play in home world juniors''.
In November 2015 Jalonen changed his mind and decided to give last chance for Kapanen to participate in home world juniors.
He came to Toronto and had long conversation between Kapanen and after that conversation Kapanen said he wants to play in world juniors.
That's why Maple-Leafs was forced to release Kapanen in home world juniors.
And how i do know that.
The story of Finland's 2016 U20 gold medal winning team has been published as a book few months ago.
That book contains all comments for players and team management and of course some pictures of Finland's journey to gold in home world juniors.
The book is available only for Finnish and you can't buy or read it because there's no English version of that book.
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Dude, irrelevant. You're mixing up our NT management's selections with the club team's decisions. It doesn't matter whether Jalonen wanted Kapanen or no, the main argument about the obligation/willingness to release would still have stood either way.
HockeyHistorian
Registered User
- Mar 17, 2015
- 1,563
- 1,451
One of the most interesting points about the team this year is will Palmu make the team. I sure hope so as I don't really see how it could be justified if he will not.
Phenomenon
Registered User
- Jun 10, 2006
- 1,362
- 140
Miro Heiskanen is playing 19 minutes per game in FEL. I am really surprised, if he is not in the team. My prediction for D is:
Juolevi
Saarijärvi
Välimäki
Niemeläinen
Salo
Vaakanainen
Heiskanen
Parikka has played well, but the competition for the spots in the U20 team is extremely tough for Dmen.
Conspiracy Theorist
Registered User
- Jan 30, 2016
- 5,862
- 2,098
Kuokkanen-Saarela-Puljujärvi
Vesalainen-Nättinen-Tolvanen
Palmu-Borgström-Koivula
Björkqvist-Tammela-Tuulola
Juolevi-Saarijärvi
Välimäki-Niemeläinen
Vaakanainen-Salo
Heiskanen
Vesalainen-Nättinen-Tolvanen
Palmu-Borgström-Koivula
Björkqvist-Tammela-Tuulola
Juolevi-Saarijärvi
Välimäki-Niemeläinen
Vaakanainen-Salo
Heiskanen
ChicagoBullsFan
Registered User
Actually the competition for all roster spots in world juniors will be tough one.
ChicagoBullsFan
Registered User
Is Rautakorpi going to watch Finnish players in North America like Jalonen did?.
Palmu has been really good in Owen Sound Attack so he belongs in the team but is there spot for him that's another story.
Keep in mind that fact Finland has 16-17 players in North American leagues right now and that's really rare situation in Finnish junior hockey.
How many players from the tournament in sweden have a chance to make the final team?
For Finlands sake, not many I hope. At least in the game against sweden they've all been quite terrible.
For Finlands sake, not many I hope. At least in the game against sweden they've all been quite terrible.
ChicagoBullsFan
Registered User
FinPanda
Barkov Stanley cup champ!
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