World doesn't work like that, you can't say that they were missing player x or player x. It's impossible to know what would've happened if Slovakia or Sweden had their best team, that's why there's no point to talk about it. If Sweden scored 1-0, it would've been different game and different things would've happened. There are billions of possibilities in this life, if you go to grocery store and turn right instead of left you might get hit by a car and die. There is no point to talk about whatifs because we don't know for fact.
Finland has culture in their national teams nowadays which goes beyond Pennanen or his choices and selections. These kids has grown into it, that system gives them backbone to win anyone anytime, regardless what happened in preliminary rounds, also mentally they are ready to play tough games. How many times we need to play like trash in preliminary games and end up gettint medals that it's not counted as a coincidence? This is something what people here doesn't seem to understand.
I don't agree with leaving Blomqvist out, also i don't agree with all his decisions. But for me result matters and everything else is irrelevant.
That's why i don't? I don't speculate like you do? I'm not claiming anything else than that Finland have lot of their best players available and that it was up to Pennanen to select them.
Other coaches didn't have the same luxury.
My freaking point is? If you could be so nice and try to read between the lines instead of trying to misunderstand and take focus from your own made up thoughts about what you believe i, or another person think? Is that Finland were always supposed to be there this year. What is it that is so difficult for you to comprehend?
Did USA have any players of Zegras, Eichel, Hughes, Matthews caliber this year? No, they didn't.
Cooley seems more like a Keller kind of potential to me.
And... It's a fact that Sweden missed their best players, or am i lying here?
Imagine this roster without the first line and Niemelä? Do you honestly believe we would've been in the finals? Who are you even trying to fool? Yourself?
Last but not least, even Canada don't have their best roster ever in my opinion. Bedard is the best player and how old is he really? No matter how talented he is, he's three years younger. Even Barkov (born 95) wasn't at Granlunds (92) level at the WJC's, not even close. And now he's probably considered as our best player with or before Rantanen.
I mean Niemelä already dominated this tournament before. Räty played it two years ago and has already showed himself in the Isles camp and performed. Not to mention the summer showcase.
Kemell should be top end talent at this level as well.
Simontaival, Järventie and others are drafted pretty early and are already very experienced at this level.
Also, i don't believe Pennanen is a mastermind after all, even if we would win. Some things do hit me and makes me wonder... How come a talent like Koivunen has been so sh*t? Helenius perhaps not as talented, but should be more than decent and he's not been that. Lambert got selected, why? Pennanen shows that he's not the coach who's able to use him. Even if it would be Lamberts weaknesses and his fault? Why pick him in the first place then? If anything he's probably destroyed the kids confidence even more.
Is Nurmi better than Rami Määttä in any way? Or should he even earn more ice time than Jurmo? He didn't select R. Määttä even when he's insisting on using Puutio in an uncomfortable position?
Meriläinen? Pennanen didn't even trust him when it mattered. And it's not like "The system" and defense were that good in helping him in the first place. You know the system that impressed us all before and you like to refer to? When the team plays a solid game defensively and attack with fire and intensity without forgetting their responsibility defensively. I just haven't seen that, nor got the impression that we've reached the same level as before.
Do you remember the year when we won with Utunen scoring the decisive goal? Yes, the defense were probably a bit better and overall the roster was good, but so was our game too.
I don't think Tolvanen is a much better talent than Räty, Kemell and others. I do believe Niemelä can reach Jokiharjus heights. I mean Canada had Suzuki, they had Lafreniere etc.
The US had Spencer Knight, the better Hughes (Quinn) defender, Jack Drury, Jack Hughes etc.
Sweden had Broberg, Sandin, Boqvist, Zetterlund.
Russia had Marchenko, Denisenko, Kravtsov, Podkolzin, Morozov, Tarasov, Mifthakov, Romanov.
Czechia had Dostal, Skarek and Patera in goal, perhaps the best trio in the WJC's ever. Kaut, Jenik, Necas, Pekar, Zadina, Lauko, Kondelik etc.
My point in all this? We deserved the win back then and the competition was fierce. That was truly impressive on a whole another level.
This years final is no upset and we've not seen any masterful things of this team yet. If they impress a lot in the final? Well, then they at least fooled me and i' ll be the first to gladly admit that. Cheers!
While we're on the discussion about coaches, what do you guys think about Jussi Ahokas?
Well Ahokas has been a head coach in two gold winning teams. Also one bronze and one silver. I do think his team in 2019 played better overall than Pennanens this year.
What's your opinion?
