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Eligible returnees for 2006 WJCs

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Finland has a lot of guys back next year and will probably be one of the favorites.

Of course guys like Frolik and Kessel will be back again next year.
 
Epsilon said:
Finland has a lot of guys back next year and will probably be one of the favorites.

Of course guys like Frolik and Kessel will be back again next year.
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Canada will be the fav again, just not as obvious as this year. The team will be loaded with 87's next year and with 1986 guys like Chipchura, Bourret, Wolski, McGrath, Pouliot, Dubnyk, etc.
 
Tukonen, Korpikoski, Nokelainen, Rask, Korhonen, Laakso, Joensuu

So the whole core of Team Finland will be back next year.
 
Pepper said:
Tukonen, Korpikoski, Nokelainen, Rask, Korhonen, Laakso, Joensuu

So the whole core of Team Finland will be back next year.
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They didn't do anything this year, will it matter?

I mean last year when Canada was one period away from gold, they had a bunch of player's returning this year, which makes sense why they won gold tonight. The Americans had a bunch of players returning after winning gold last year and they sucked! It doesn't always guarantee a solid finish just cuz you have guys returning!
 
Actually, 9 of the 22 Finnish players are eligible to play next year. Almost half of the team. Which can't hurt. Joensuu, Laakso and Rask will be able to play in 2007 as well.
 
...plus Seitsonen and Kolehmainen (to Pepper's list).

The defensemen of the Finnish '86 age group are poor. '87 has a great core but a young defense corps will be vulnerable, which at this point seems to be the main weakness.

Finland has never had a top 2 team on paper. The age group finished seventh in U18, although it was extremely unlucky to do so.
 
HabLover said:
They didn't do anything this year, will it matter?
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I think that before the next WJC more of these guys will have seen regular SM-liiga time (most of the players are still in the Junior leagues at the moment... which is not even close to being the same thing as junior leagues in Canada) and would have more experience on playing against bigger and more talented players and goalies.


I still won't expect too much, but getting in the top 4 would be great.
 
tommi462 said:
Yeah, if my memory serves me right, they only lost to Russia who won the tournament.
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As far as I remember, the round robin group featured as many as five games in any of which a more favourable result by just one goal would've sent Finland to the quarterfinals. What's more, one of these was Finland's last game where the Czechs tied the game to 1-1 in the last minute. Another one was the group's last game where Russia needed a tie to win the group and Slovakia needed a tie to beat Finland to the quarters, and whaddayaknow.
 
HabLover said:
They didn't do anything this year, will it matter?

I mean last year when Canada was one period away from gold, they had a bunch of player's returning this year, which makes sense why they won gold tonight.
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Uhhh.

No one is saying that next years Finnish team would be like Canada this year, but you know, you don't have to be quite that good to have a good tournament, eh?

Of course we could just stop playing the WJC altogether as others don't have as good players as Canada.

Anyway, on Finnish team, the top line of Tuokonen-Nokelainen-Joensuu will be back, as I think Korpikoski will be used in the 2nd line with his old center Jarmo Jokila. Maybe Uronen or someone could be the 3rd guy there, if they are willing to but him on a line with Jokila. Seitsonen and Kolhemainen are there to fill the lower lines.

I'd suppose Rämö will be there to play G with Rask, who didn't have that good tournament this time, but that's what was said on Schwarz and he was pretty good this time. Rask has the skills too.

Defense is the problem, with only Laakso and Korhonen returning, hopefully in full shape next time. Erkka Leppänen will be there too I guess, but after that? Can't think of any big name junior players from -86 grou, -87 would have maybe Mielonen who could be used?
 
tommi462 said:
Actually, 9 of the 22 Finnish players are eligible to play next year. Almost half of the team. Which can't hurt. Joensuu, Laakso and Rask will be able to play in 2007 as well.
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Holy Crap! :eek: 2007??? Wow. If these guys don't win one of these tow years, they never will.

I'm pretty sure that Schwartz will be back next year as well.
 
MaV said:
Uhhh.

No one is saying that next years Finnish team would be like Canada this year, but you know, you don't have to be quite that good to have a good tournament, eh?

Of course we could just stop playing the WJC altogether as others don't have as good players as Canada.

Anyway, on Finnish team, the top line of Tuokonen-Nokelainen-Joensuu will be back, as I think Korpikoski will be used in the 2nd line with his old center Jarmo Jokila. Maybe Uronen or someone could be the 3rd guy there, if they are willing to but him on a line with Jokila. Seitsonen and Kolhemainen are there to fill the lower lines.

I'd suppose Rämö will be there to play G with Rask, who didn't have that good tournament this time, but that's what was said on Schwarz and he was pretty good this time. Rask has the skills too.

Defense is the problem, with only Laakso and Korhonen returning, hopefully in full shape next time. Erkka Leppänen will be there too I guess, but after that? Can't think of any big name junior players from -86 grou, -87 would have maybe Mielonen who could be used?
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No Alikoski? Yes, he is a midget but he has been part of Finland's 86-team very long.
 
For the Czech's you should see back:

POLAK Roman, SMID Ladislav, SMACH Ondrej, KREJCI David, GULASI Michal, FROLIK Michael, SCHWARZ Marek

Not looking too bad with four D possible to return and well as two forwards. Plus it always helps having one of the tournaments top goalies coming back for his third year.

Can't believe we have to wait another year before we get to watch all this great hockey again.
 
Sweden has Johannes Salmonsson, Mattias Hellström, Björn Svensson, Sebastian Karlsson, Niklas Bergfors, Oscar Hedman and Anton Strålman eligble for next year. However I'm pretty certain that next years team will feature alot of players born '87 since Sweden hosts the WJC in 2007 and they will probably want to have a decent team that year.
 
Russia- Malkin, Radulov, Lisin, Voloshenko, Lyamin (could make it next year), Parshin, Shirokov, Emelin, Yunkov, Khudobin.
 
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montreal said:
Russia- Malkin, Radulov, Lisin, Voloshenko, Lyamin, Parshin, Shirokov, Emelin, Yunkov, Khudobin.
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Looks like Team Russia could be the team to beat next year, with so many quality players coming back, hungry to do that final step a little better than this time.
 
Canada and Russia are always contenders. Canada has a very deep talent pool of 1987 born players. They won the Under 18 World Cup this summer.

I'm glad that a lot of teams seems to look like they will be strong next year. It should make the Vancouver WJHC a memorable one.
 
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