WC: 2021 Finland Roster Talk

[David OSullivan]

Here are the forward lines I think Jalonen is looking at right now:

Turunen - Ruohomaa - Pakarinen
Sallinen - Lundell - Ruotsalainen
Innala - Kontiola - Karjalainen
Mäenalanen - Björninen - Anttila

Lines #1, #2 and #4 feel kinda obvious to anyone who watched the last EHT leg and owns half a brain. In order to keep building that chemistry with so little preparation, remixing the entire lineup from those games is not the answer. #1 was together for two games and looked like it had some chemistry going on. HIFK linemates Sallinen and Lundell got two games as well, stuck together, with Puustinen being the third string. Because they knew they have to insert Ruotsalainen into the lineup, Puustinen looked like the obvious placeholder for him. #4 is a pretty self-explanatory checking unit.

#3 is what I'm struggling with. There's just no ideal way to build a good-looking line out of the remaining players. Karjalainen potted two goals vs. Russia and perhaps earned his spot with those, especially since he looked pretty good overall. To my eye, he had more chemistry with Tiivola than Kontiola, though, and I'd perhaps personally prefer to see Tiivola centering the line, but Konna is Konna and I doubt Jalonen brought him along just to sit him on the sidelines. LW is also tricky, as I feel there's room here for a reliable power forward, but none of the remaining players quite fit that mold. It felt so clearly a spot earmarked for Claywoman. Now all we have left are these smallish scoring types who don't, however, seem particularly good at scoring. Well, Ojamäki does fit the mold somewhat, but he'd be on his off wing - which is not, however, that big of a shift as people sometimes make it out to be. Ultimately, though, I think Innala's going to get the first shot here. He was in three EHT events this season and dressed for all games in them - so he's obviously someone Jalonen trusts, even though why may not always be so obvious as a spectator.

Think your right. Mainly because I don't want to be accused of having half a brain.

I think that's the 3rd line that starts too and hope it fires.

I agree to an extent with all the thoughts on Kontiola but I just have this feeling he ll do well. Maybe I'm kidding myself here but I have more hopes than most for this line. Jere Innala is also a guy I like. EHT did not go well for them but I dunno. Gotta feeling they ll be just fine.

 

[FiLe]

I agree to an extent with all the thoughts on Kontiola but I just have this feeling he ll do well. Maybe I'm kidding myself here but I have more hopes than most for this line. Jere Innala is also a guy I like. EHT did not go well for them but I dunno. Gotta feeling they ll be just fine.

I don't actually think Konna is as much of a scrub as some other posters make him out to be - in fact, I think he's still better as an individual than Tiivola is. But a line has to be more than the sum of its parts, and I liked the look of Tiivola-Karjalainen in the Russia game better than how Kontiola looked with just about anybody all tournament long. On the other hand, special teams matter too, and our best options in this roster to direct the two PP units are Konna and Lundell. So that alone might punch his ticket to the regular lineup even if he does end up struggling to get anything going on even strength.

 

[RorschachWJK]

As 2019 showed, you can never really know what's going to happen. But it is just really hard to get excited about the team or the World Championships in general. Heck, even about hockey in general.

 

[David OSullivan]

As 2019 showed, you can never really know what's going to happen. But it is just really hard to get excited about the team or the World Championships in general. Heck, even about hockey in general.

Is this because of the amount of nhl players that joined? This never phases me. The players that go represent Finland just the same. They answered the call when it came and earned their way to be selected. I love this tournament always. Not every tournament has to be best on best to be enjoyable. I look forward to seeing these players compete.

If the issue is covid and everything else going on in the world I find the hockey a welcome distraction to be honest but everybody is going to feel different on this.

 

[Lambo]

Is this because of the amount of nhl players that joined? This never phases me. The players that go represent Finland just the same. They answered the call when it came and earned their way to be selected. I love this tournament always. Not every tournament has to be best on best to be enjoyable. I look forward to seeing these players compete.

If the issue is covid and everything else going on in the world I find the hockey a welcome distraction to be honest but everybody is going to feel different on this.

But Finland has more NHL-Players than ever before(c.a. 60).
One then has the hope that at least 5-10 NHL players per year could be free.

 

[Mestaruus]

Here are the forward lines I think Jalonen is looking at right now:

Turunen - Ruohomaa - Pakarinen
Sallinen - Lundell - Ruotsalainen
Innala - Kontiola - Karjalainen
Mäenalanen - Björninen - Anttila

Same lines as I put, except Ruotsalainen LW. Few of the lines were hard to break as they seemed solid in some EHT games, so it's not a surprise we came to the same conclusion.

I mean those lines and duos I bolded here don't seem like something that Jalonen will break going to the first game against USA and then inserting Karjalainen in who was good in these recent EHT games and Ruotsalainen has to have a spot in the roster as well.

I have my doubts about Kontiola but since he had so dominant season in Liiga, have to give him a chance. It wasn't a great sign that he didn't produce points in EHT Czech tournament, pretty sure that he didn't.

 

[FiLe]

Same lines as I put, except Ruotsalainen LW.

Like I said earlier, wingers being left or right isn't that big of a deal in hockey, save maybe for a few select individuals. However, I did consider it enough, as Sallinen was on the left in the EHT games, and he's been mainly on the left in HIFK as well. And Ruotsalainen's been on the right side in Buffalo.

 

[Mestaruus]

Like I said earlier, wingers being left or right isn't that big of a deal in hockey, save maybe for a few select individuals. However, I did consider it enough, as Sallinen was on the left in the EHT games, and he's been mainly on the left in HIFK as well. And Ruotsalainen's been on the right side in Buffalo.

Oh okay. I agree with that then. I think that it's going to be a good line. Second goal scorer with Lundell as it seems like Lundell is showing signs of being the pre-Covid Lundell again.

 

[Sanf]

I admitt that I was able to only watch one EHT game from that last tournament so I´m not going to go with line combos at this point.

Regarding Kontiola im fine with him. Sure he may have lost some legs. I think I did read this from somewhere else and I do fully agree (always though that way. Offensive game is hardest to translate to international level. We have lot of examples from the past. And in that Kontiola is proven. We have now quite a many players that aren´t. I´m not doubting that if someone like Tiivola can perform in bottom six. I´m more worried does players like Ruohomaa and Turunen have it to be among the offensive leaders.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

The lines at the 1st official Worlds practice...its a doozy...

Innala-Kontiola-Pakarainen
Turunen-Ruotsalainen-Karjalainen

Sallinen-Ruohomaa-Lundell
Mäenalanen-Björninen-Anttila

Ojamäki-Tiivola-Puustinen

Määttä-Pokka
Ohtamaa-Kaski
Sund-Lindbohm
Seppälä-Koivisto

Nousiainen-Rindell

----

I have trusted you Jukka Jalonen, always, everything you have done,
you have been Midas for our national team....but not sure what the hell is happening
inside your head JJ right now.....that top 6????????? WTF?!?

Jere Innala, Petri Kontiola, Jere karjalainen, Iiro Pakarinen
4 / 6 top 6 forwards...for our Leijonat, at the Worlds????

What-the-flying-f-word

----also----

You put Lundell to RW position, instead in the center position, our best face-off guy..
Ruohomaa to 3rd line instead to the 1st line, Seppälä, Koivisto plays (neither should be on the team)
instead of Nousiainen and Rindell...

You have neither Puustinen, nor Ojamäki playing....

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Does he expect every game to end 1-0 W for us????

 

[Lambo]

When I look through the squad in Group B, I realize that the Czechs and Swiss could be very tough nuts. It is important to avoid this in the QF. Therefore, a good placement in the Round Robin is very, very important

 

[BigBadBoar]

When I look through the squad in Group B, I realize that the Czechs and Swiss could be very tough nuts. It is important to avoid this in the QF. Therefore, a good placement in the Round Robin is very, very important

I don't think RUS and SWE are looking weaker than CZE and SUI. Overall, the Group B look much more stacked than group A, where one of 2nd tier teams (Latvia? Germany?) will take a QF spot. In the group B, it will probably be about CZE, RUS, SUI, SWE, and anything else would be quite a huge surprise.

 

[David OSullivan]

Ignoring the line numbers a while because that can be changed easily.

4th line is set.

I like Pakarinen on the Kontiola line. Good fit and energy I think

The other 2 lines I would like to see Ruotsilainen swapped with Ruohamaa and then lundell centering with Ruotsilainen on the wing.

Sallinen Lundell Ruotsilainen
Turunen Ruohamaa Karjalainen
Innala Kontiola Pakarinen
Maenlenan Bjorninen Antilla

Having said that, the forward lines are the players file mentioned just in slightly different format. Maybe Jalonen saw something he likes. I'm not going to pretend I know better than Jalonen on line combinations.

 

[Lambo]

I don't think RUS and SWE are looking weaker than CZE and SUI. Overall, the Group B look much more stacked than group A, where one of 2nd tier teams (Latvia? Germany?) will take a QF spot. In the group B, it will probably be about CZE, RUS, SUI, SWE, and anything else would be quite a huge surprise.

But i think that Czechs anf SUI more danger for the Finns than RUS and SWE.
But who knows how it will all develop

 

[Artorius Horus T]

But i think that Czechs anf SUI more danger for the Finns than RUS and SWE.
But who knows how it will all develop

Germany will be another tough opponent as well, they have a surprisingly strong roster.

 

[Mestaruus]

I don't think RUS and SWE are looking weaker than CZE and SUI. Overall, the Group B look much more stacked than group A, where one of 2nd tier teams (Latvia? Germany?) will take a QF spot. In the group B, it will probably be about CZE, RUS, SUI, SWE, and anything else would be quite a huge surprise.

Finland is in the group where there is no "reward" opponent for the game of death if the groups go as expected. I would always rather be in the tougher group to have the chance to get Germany in the QF. Doesn't matter that much where Finland places in the group stage as long as they get to the playoffs. Czech is the one that I would like to avoid this time. So perhaps it would be good to be top-1 or top-2 in group for Finland to avoid CZE if we assume that CZE is minimum #2 in their group.

 

[Mestaruus]

If these new practice lines aren't working, Jalonen will reunite that Turunen-Ruohomaa-Pakarinen line after some games and perhaps he will return Lundell back to center as well. It seems like he is still testing the line combinations and wants to have different players have different experiences with other players so there are back up options in the games that matter later on.

I fully trust on Jalonen what ever he does as he is the best coach Finland has ever had but if there is one thing I really don't like it's having Lundell as a winger instead of center. Did Lundell play as winger in HIFK this season at all? If he did, how much?

 

[Lambo]

Germany will be another tough opponent as well, they have a surprisingly strong roster.

Yes but i mean a possible QF opponent.

 

[Lambo]

Finland is in the group where there is no "reward" opponent for the game of death if the groups go as expected. I would always rather be in the tougher group to have the chance to get Germany in the QF. Doesn't matter that much where Finland places in the group stage as long as they get to the playoffs. Czech is the one that I would like to avoid this time. So perhaps it would be good to be top-1 or top-2 in group for Finland to avoid CZE if we assume that CZE is minimum #2 in their group.

I don t mean a "reward" opponent. All opponents are heavy yes. But my feeling is that CZE and are SUI not suit for Suomi in QF.
But as I said, maybe I'm completely wrong.

 

[JabbaJabba]

Does he expect every game to end 1-0 W for us????

Relax, those are lines for the first practise. They can be changed quite easily.

 

[Mestaruus]

I don t mean a "reward" opponent. All opponents are heavy yes. But my feeling is that CZE and are SUI not suit for Suomi in QF.
But as I said, maybe I'm completely wrong.

I agree about CZE being a team to avoid. SUI did eliminate our team some years ago in the "game of death", but looking at the rosters and so on, to me it's the same if it's RUS, SWE or SUI that we would face in that eliminator game.

 

[Lambo]

I agree about CZE being a team to avoid. SUI did eliminate our team some years ago in the "game of death", but looking at the rosters and so on, to me it's the same if it's RUS, SWE or SUI that we would face in that eliminator game.

Yes but with SUI i have a bad feeling about that. A strange opponent.

 

[Mestaruus]

Yes but with SUI i have a bad feeling about that. A strange opponent.

It's because despite of their better top players in this tournament, they aren't the favorites against Finland. Our overall team + coaching might be better but all in all these teams are pretty evenly matched. Finland does best from underdog position against a top country and when Finland isn't the underdog against SUI which I do consider a top country this time it creates a weird psychological situation that isn't preferred for us, so SUI has a good chance of winning against Finland. I think that's where you are coming from and I feel so too .

 

[SoundAndFury]

I really think the 2019 campaign just set you up for major disappointment, overconfidence seems to be at an all-time high. Yes, it worked once, it doesn't mean any bunch of average Euro pros can now be considered a contender as long as Jalonen, and sisu, and intangibles and all that.