WJC: Finland 2020 Roster Talk

[Conspiracy Theorist]

People forget Finland was 2 minutes away from the gold medal game in 2012.

 

[illone84]

I don't blame Raipe for the 2012 loss.
The team played very well. I remember Pulkkinen throwing monster hits.
It's not the coaches fault the goalie chokes hard, and then Granny has bad luck in the shoot out.
Game could have easily went the other way, and Finland would have been guaranteed a silver.

People forget Finland was 2 minutes away from the gold medal game in 2012.

 

[JJTT]

Finland lineup in 2012

Ma. Granlund - Mi. Granlund - Pulkkinen
Mäkinen - Hakanpää

Donskoi - Salomäki - Armia
Hovinen - Pokka

Aaltonen - Barkov - Ruuttu
Ristolainen - Riikola

Hännikäinen - Paajanen - Kuronen
13th forward Hämäläinen

Aittokallio
Gibson

I mean, sure most of them are great players nowadays but that defense was terrible, Määttä getting injured kinda ruined any chance we had at succeeding.

On topic for next WJC's, Miska Kukkonen has looked pretty solid for Lukko in Liiga so far. Could be a contender for the third RHD spot behind Thomson and Honka.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Finland lineup in 2012

Ma. Granlund - Mi. Granlund - Pulkkinen
Mäkinen - Hakanpää

Donskoi - Salomäki - Armia
Hovinen - Pokka

Aaltonen - Barkov - Ruuttu
Ristolainen - Riikola

Hännikäinen - Paajanen - Kuronen
13th forward Hämäläinen

Aittokallio
Gibson

I mean, sure most of them are great players nowadays but that defense was terrible, Määttä getting injured kinda ruined any chance we had at succeeding.

On topic for next WJC's, Miska Kukkonen has looked pretty solid for Lukko in Liiga so far. Could be a contender for the third RHD spot behind Thomson and Honka.

Yeah, true. Barkov is like a superstar but he was 16 at the time. That defense though, yikes. No wonder Finland had problem against Sweden as the game went on.

 

[ES]

I don't really mind Helminen as part of the coaching staff, but he just doesn't seem to be a good head coach.

 

[Jussi]

I don't blame Raipe for the 2012 loss.
The team played very well. I remember Pulkkinen throwing monster hits.
It's not the coaches fault the goalie chokes hard, and then Granny has bad luck in the shoot out.
Game could have easily went the other way, and Finland would have been guaranteed a silver.

Our powerplay stunk. It was all set up very poorly. Pulkkinen played in the wrong position etc.

 

[llwyd]

Well, I guess memory can deceive but I remember that our play didn't look that organized at all and some of Helminen's decisions were really weird. But that was years ago and he was quite inexperienced then, he is probably on another level now.

 

[illone84]

Our powerplay stunk. It was all set up very poorly. Pulkkinen played in the wrong position etc.

I was referring to the semi final vs Sweden.

http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/270/IHM270225_74_3_0.pdf

 

[Jussi]

I was referring to the semi final vs Sweden.

http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/270/IHM270225_74_3_0.pdf

I was referring to the whole tournament.

 

[Mestaruus]

Well, I guess memory can deceive but I remember that our play didn't look that organized at all and some of Helminen's decisions were really weird. But that was years ago and he was quite inexperienced then, he is probably on another level now.

This is how I remember it too.

I don't know about the latter part you said. He has nothing to show as a head coach in his resume, quite the opposite. I would choose probably over 30 guys over him for a head coaching job, but I would welcome Raipe as a U20 assistant coach if he would form a good team with some head coach.

Raipe sure is getting undecerving chances (favors) in his coaching career. I respect the hell out of him as a player but coaching is a different world.

Let's hope that Raipe's assistant coaches will be more qualified in head coaching than him so they/him can take over.

 

[Mestaruus]

^
Yllätysnimi Raipe Helmisen rinnalle Nuorten Leijonien valmennustiimiin

Tommi Miettinen seems to be Raipe's assistant coach for U20.

 

[Jussi]

Helminen confirmed: Raimo Helmisestä Nuorten Leijonien seuraava päävalmentaja – "Tämä on mahtava työ"

 

[FinnishSniper]

This site never fails to amaze me with how much most coaches get hate here. I don't have too high hopes for Raipe, but there has to be something. Why else would Selin, Jalonen and Marjamäki have wanted him on his coaching team?

Besides, that 2012 team wasn't that stacked, and Ilves was garbage back then. And Raipe has coached half.a decade since then.

What the f***? The argument of good coaches wanting him in the team makes him a good assistant coach, but not a f***ing head coach lol there's a huge difference...

 

[JJTT]

Antti Pennanen is the coach from 2020 to 2022

Leijonat - Antti Pennanen Nuorten Leijonien peräsimeen Raimo Helmisen jälkeen – Sopimus jatkuu huhtikuulle 2022

I guess hiring Raipe for a year makes more sense after this.

 

[Jussi]

Antti Pennanen is the coach from 2020 to 2022

Leijonat - Antti Pennanen Nuorten Leijonien peräsimeen Raimo Helmisen jälkeen – Sopimus jatkuu huhtikuulle 2022

I guess hiring Raipe for a year makes more sense after this.

It really doesn't.

 

[Past Considerations]

We can only hope he has learned new things in recent years, especially during the past two years under Jalonen in Jokerit, and is more ready to be a head coach or this is going to be another throwaway & missed opportunity tournament.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Leijonat - Nuoret Leijonat Vierumäen kautta USA:n Plymouthiin – Tässä testi- ja otteluleirin joukkue

 

[Muuri]

I'm actually okey with Raipe as the selection. I think he has most likely imroved and gained lot of experience since 2012.

This is also his last chance to impress as a head coach. If he doesn't deliver, we have only lost one WJC.

 

[Lepardi]

It's not the coaches fault the goalie chokes hard

Aittokallio sure choked hard. Only had 56 saves in the game and allowed two. He has to take a lot of responsibility for that loss for giving the puck away when Sweden equalized.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

I'm actually okey with Raipe as the selection. I think he has most likely imroved and gained lot of experience since 2012.

This is also his last chance to impress as a head coach. If he doesn't deliver, we have only lost one WJC.

Last two U20 WJC's which are held in Europe Finland has won both ( 2014 and 2016).
So why not win 3rd time?

But that's probably not likely because Canada, Sweden and USA will be very good teams too.
Also Russia and Czech Republic can win these U20 WJC's.

 

[illone84]

Aittokallio sure choked hard. Only had 56 saves in the game and allowed two. He has to take a lot of responsibility for that loss for giving the puck away when Sweden equalized.

That was the sad part. Guy was lights out until the last 5 mins or whatever it was. What can you do. Too bad it had to be decided in a shootout.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

My first prediction Finland's U20 WJC roster.

1st line Puistola Lundell Nordgren ( If healthy )
Utunen Thomson

2nd line Maccelli Kupari Simontaival
Kokkonen Honka

3rd line Tieksola Pärssinen Ranta
Heinola Tuomisto

4th line K Hirvonen Tanus V Petman
7th dman Seppälä / Hatakka / Salmela / Nousiainen / Airola ( depending injuries)
13th forward Aaltonen / Miettinen / Intonen / Myllylä / Saarela ( depending injuries )

Goalies
Annunen
Huhtamaa
Patrikainen

C Utunen
A Thomson
A Lundell

Graduated from juniors and not available due to NHL duties.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi Montreal Canadiens
Kaapo Kakko. New York Rangers

Questionmark but might be available
Rasmus Kupari Los Angeles Kings

 

[Muuri]

Maybe we can bride Rangers so they will send Kakko to WJC

 

[PJM]

It's not the coaches fault the goalie chokes hard, and then Granny has bad luck in the shoot out.

Yep, stopping the puck behind the net and shooting it up the glass is a well known sign of a goalie choking, while losing the puck in a shootout means the skater was just unlucky...

 

[Lepardi]

I don't blame Raipe for the 2012 loss.
The team played very well. I remember Pulkkinen throwing monster hits.
It's not the coaches fault the goalie chokes hard, and then Granny has bad luck in the shoot out.
Game could have easily went the other way, and Finland would have been guaranteed a silver.

Whose fault is it that Sweden absolutely dominated that game and that Finland only made it to the shootout thanks to Aittokallio's 56 saves?