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WJC: 2022 Team Finland roster talk

According to Finland U20 National Team head coach Antti Pennanen, the goalie selections were based on success in National Team events. That's the only reason, how Antti Pennanen could have been let Joel Blomqvist out of Finland U20 National Team's roster. If we follow Blomqvist's stats from the National Team events, the exclusion of Joel Blomqvist is justified. Comparing the save percentages earned by goalkeepers in club teams is difficult, because the level of the teams varies and the level of defense is especially decisive in this respect. Regarding National Team events, it is also difficult to compare percentages, because the team's roster has varied in different events (from the better A team to not that good B team). The following percentages are from Elite Prospects and those show that Blomqvist was the sixth best and did not deserve his place with the stated criteria. The table from EP shows (name/drafted team/games/GAA/percentage) goalies in descending order based on their save percentages:
1. Aku Koskenvuo Vancouver Canucks 2 0.00 1.000 |
2. Juha Jatkola 2 1.00 .959 |
3. Juuso Helomaa 1 1.00 .944 |
4. Leevi Merilainen Ottawa Senators 4 - .941 |
5. Juho Markkanen Los Angeles Kings 5 - .909 |
6. Joel Blomqvist Pittsburgh Penguins 6 - .889 |
7. Rasmus Korhonen Arizona Coyotes 3 - .813 |

The table does not include all the stats from all the Finland U20 National team's tournaments. You can find all the Finland U20 National team's games from the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation's web page -http://tulospalvelu.leijonat.fi/. That page does not include this week's tournament tournament in Vierumaki (if you click goalie's name), where Switzerland and Czechia played with two Finland National U20 teams. In Vierumaki:
- Koskenvuo let one goal on 14 shots (in game between Finland B-team vs Switzerland)
- Helomaa let one goal on 10 shots (in game between Finland B-team vs Switzerland)
- Merilainen let one goal on 27 shots (in game between Finland A-team vs Switzerland)
- Korhonen let four goals on 18 shots (in game between Finland A-team vs Czechia)
- Lampinen let 3 goals on 29 shots (in game between Finland B-team vs Czechia)

The following table includes all Finland U20 National team's games in the season 2021-2022 (name/games/shots/GA/percentage/games played against):
1. Aku Koskenvuo3631.984RUS, SWE, SUI
2. Leevi Merilainen71659.948GER, USA, USA A, USA B x 2, CZE, SUI
3. Juha Jatkola6937.93SWE x 2, SVK, CZE x 2, AUT
4. Juuso Helomaa2262.929CZE, SUI
5. Jani Lampinen1293.906CZE
6. Juho Markkanen510010.909CZE x 4, SWE
7. Joel Blomqvist712917.884USA, RUS, USA B x 2, USA A, SWE, SUI
8. Rasmus Korhonen35010.833USA A, SUI, CZE

Based on above mentioned table Joel Blomqvist was the seventh best of all the Finland U20 National Team goalies in this season. The 2003 born goalkeepers - Koskenvuo, Helomaa and Lampinen - and 2002 born Juho Markkanen have played only in the Finland B teams, where you can't expect as high percentages as when playing in Finland A team.

Maybe we can stop arguing that Joel Blomqvist deserved to be in the roster.
 
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NCAA Hockey rules said:
According to Finland U20 National Team head coach Antti Pennanen, the goalie selections were based on success in National Team events. That's the only reason, how Antti Pennanen could have been let Joel Blomqvist out of Finland U20 National Team's roster. If we follow Blomqvist's stats from the National Team events, the exclusion of Joel Blomqvist is justified. Comparing the save percentages earned by goalkeepers in club teams is difficult, because the level of the teams varies and the level of defense is especially decisive in this respect. Regarding National Team events, it is also difficult to compare percentages, because the team's roster has varied in different events (from the better A team to not that good B team). The following percentages are from Elite Prospects and those show that Blomqvist was the sixth best and did not deserve his place with the stated criteria. The table from EP shows (name/drafted team/games/GAA/percentage) goalies in descending order based on their save percentages:
1. Aku Koskenvuo Vancouver Canucks 2 0.00 1.000 |
2. Juha Jatkola 2 1.00 .959 |
3. Juuso Helomaa 1 1.00 .944 |
4. Leevi Merilainen Ottawa Senators 4 - .941 |
5. Juho Markkanen Los Angeles Kings 5 - .909 |
6. Joel Blomqvist Pittsburgh Penguins 6 - .889 |
7. Rasmus Korhonen Arizona Coyotes 3 - .813 |

The table does not include all the stats from all the Finland U20 National team's tournaments. You can find all the Finland U20 National team's games from the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation's web page -http://tulospalvelu.leijonat.fi/. That page does not include this week's tournament tournament in Vierumaki (if you click goalie's name), where Switzerland and Czechia played with two Finland National U20 teams. In Vierumaki:
- Koskenvuo let one goal on 14 shots (in game between Finland B-team vs Switzerland)
- Helomaa let one goal on 10 shots (in game between Finland B-team vs Switzerland)
- Merilainen let one goal on 27 shots (in game between Finland A-team vs Switzerland)
- Korhonen let four goals on 18 shots (in game between Finland A-team vs Czechia)
- Lampinen let 3 goals on 29 shots (in game between Finland B-team vs Czechia)

The following table includes all Finland U20 National team's games in the season 2021-2022 (name/games/shots/GA/percentage/games played against):
[TABLE=collapse]
[TR]
[TD]1. Aku Koskenvuo[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]63[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD].984[/TD]
[TD]RUS, SWE, SUI[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2. Leevi Merilainen[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]165[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD].948[/TD]
[TD]GER, USA, USA A, USA B x 2, CZE, SUI[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3. Juha Jatkola[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]93[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD].93[/TD]
[TD]SWE x 2, SVK, CZE x 2, AUT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4. Juuso Helomaa[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]26[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD].929[/TD]
[TD]CZE, SUI[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5. Jani Lampinen[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]29[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD].906[/TD]
[TD]CZE[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6. Juho Markkanen[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]100[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD].909[/TD]
[TD]CZE x 4, SWE[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7. Joel Blomqvist[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]129[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD].884[/TD]
[TD]USA, RUS, USA B x 2, USA A, SWE, SUI[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]8. Rasmus Korhonen[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]50[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD].833[/TD]
[TD]USA A, SUI, CZE[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Based on above mentioned table Joel Blomqvist was the seventh best of all the Finland U20 National Team goalies in this season. The 2003 born goalkeepers - Koskenvuo, Helomaa and Lampinen - and 2002 born Juho Markkanen have played only in the Finland B teams, where you can't expect as high percentages as when playing in Finland A team.

Maybe we can stop arguing that Joel Blomqvist deserved to be in the roster.
Click to expand...
Comparing goaltenders' stats with such small sample sizes is kinda dumb I think.
 
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Looks like no streams for pretournament Sweden and Usa matches either on North american stations. So don't expect to get to see those matches
 
Finland looks like the team to beat this year with Canada and USA suffering from some significant roster losses - guys like Power, Beniers, Sanderson, Wright, Guhle, Commesso...

But this is a pretty loaded roster - they would have been top contenders even without the opt outs.
 
WhiskeyYerTheDevils said:
Finland looks like the team to beat this year with Canada and USA suffering from some significant roster losses - guys like Power, Beniers, Sanderson, Wright, Guhle, Commesso...

But this is a pretty loaded roster - they would have been top contenders even without the opt outs.
Click to expand...
One big strength Finland could have is just the WJC experience of this roster.
Lambert, Helenius, Rajaniemi, Järventie, Puutio, Viro, Niemelä, Simontaival, Hirvonen and Räty are guys who have already played full WJC tournaments. Also have the same coach as they had in 2021.
 
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Lineups for practice game against Sweden:

Maalilla:
1 Leevi Meriläinen

Varalla:
30 Jani Lampinen

1:
22 Roni Hirvonen – 34 Aatu Räty – 37 Joakim Kemell
15 Petteri Nurmi – 7 Topi Niemelä

2:
13 Roby Järventie – 27 Oliver Kapanen – 29 Kasper Simontaival
6 Eemil Viro – 3 Ruben Rafkin

3:
24 Ville Koivunen – 20 Samuel Helenius – 19 Juuso Mäenpää
21 Aleksi Heimosalmi – 10 Kasper Puutio

4:
28 Eetu Liukas – 18 Joel Määttä – 23 Kalle Väisänen
2 Matias Rajaniemi – 5 5 Joni Jurmo

Seems similar to what the final lineup is expected to be . Lambert missing on third line, and instead there's another speedy guy in Mäenpää. Lambert injured apparently.
 
Last edited:
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Jukurit said:
Lineups for practice game against Sweden:

Maalilla:
1 Leevi Meriläinen

Varalla:
30 Jani Lampinen

1:
22 Roni Hirvonen – 34 Aatu Räty – 37 Joakim Kemell
15 Petteri Nurmi – 7 Topi Niemelä

2:
13 Roby Järventie – 27 Oliver Kapanen – 29 Kasper Simontaival
6 Eemil Viro – 3 Ruben Rafkin

3:
24 Ville Koivunen – 20 Samuel Helenius – 19 Juuso Mäenpää
21 Aleksi Heimosalmi – 10 Kasper Puutio

4:
28 Eetu Liukas – 18 Joel Määttä – 23 Kalle Väisänen
2 Matias Rajaniemi – 5 5 Joni Jurmo

Seems similar to what the final lineup is expected to be . Lambert missing on third line, and instead there's another speedy guy in Mäenpää. Lambert injured apparently.
Click to expand...

Any news about Lambert's injury or if he's able to play once the tournament starts? I am eager to see him in action.

The lineup looks great otherwise. I really like that they were able to make three dangerous lines like I have said before. The first line looks nasty and the third line should be good, especially once Lambert is back. He can produce against his age group at least. Fourth line is big and mean, can't wait to see it in action. The defence pairings make sense and are what we expected.

The second line is the only one that sticks out. I am not sure if those players have played together before previously. At least Simontaival and Kapanen both play in Kalpa so there's that connection. Hopefully Järventie has a big tournament. Last time didn't go so well so hopefully that motivates him to give his best.
 
Box score from the US game
Screenshot_20220806-125604_Chrome.jpg
 
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Just stat watching, but it seems both goaltenders Meriläinen and Jatkola played good in their practice games.
Hopefully Finland will not be missing Blomqvist.
 
ES said:
Not sure but all original tournament captains are in this tournament as well. Hirvonen was C with Niemelä and Puutio A's.
Click to expand...
But Räty was missing then because of covid, wasn’t he? I could see Räty with at least an A, maybe even the C?
 
Jukurit said:
Hasn't Hirvonen always been the captain in this age group? So he probably gets the C.
Click to expand...
Yes, you are probably right that he gets it. But hasn’t Räty also been at least an A before? Anyway
his status and example for the team should be quite important, so could be quite natural to have him at least with an A.
 
Ippenator said:
Yes, you are probably right that he gets it. But hasn’t Räty also been at least an A before? Anyway
his status and example for the team should be quite important, so could be quite natural to have him at least with an A.
Click to expand...
I don't remember if Räty has had an A. But Räty did take that dumb penalty in Liiga playoffs where he taunted the opposing team's goaltender after goal. That doesn't seem like "captain material" to me.
 
Looks like Puutio will be on the first powerplay unit again instead of Kemell. Makes no sense to me since the first unit has no natural goal scorers and the 2nd unit has Kemell and Järventie with no playmaker on either side.

Pennanen must be a wizard or something.
 
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