WJC: Finland 2021 Roster Talk

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Lambert had flashes, he needs to add lower body strength as he falls a lot. But, he’s 16 years old in as close to best-on-best as we’ll see.

All in all he impressed, I suspect he’ll get better as the tournament goes on.

The Americans have a good team, tough loss. Learn from it and regroup for the next one.

I also liked Heinola and both their goalies. I thought their defense was pretty weak. They were committing bad penalties and struggled to move the puck out of their zone.

 

[ORRFForever]

Finland looked better than I thought.

They were rattled after the 5 on 3 - starting the 2nd. Still, they held their own against a strong U.S. team. No shame in that.

Having said all that, 2nd place looks right in their pool.

 

[ORRFForever]

Isn't regular cable included in health care in Canada?

???

 

[Zub]

Finland looked better than I thought.

They were rattled after the 5 on 3 - starting the 2nd. Still, they held their own against a strong U.S. team. No shame in that.

Having said all that, 2nd place looks right in their pool.

Could say so myself if were talking about the defensive side of the game, offensively Finland was garbage with a few rushes here and there. Passing play was super poor, this was way below Finnish standards. We're lucky we even got 2 goals.

 

[ORRFForever]

Could say so myself if were talking about the defensive side of the game, offensively Finland was garbage with a few rushes here and there. Passing play was super poor, this was way below Finnish standards. We're lucky we even got 2 goals.

Finland always gets better as the tournament goes on.

I agree, offensively you are challenged, but if you can do like you did tonight, and keep games within a goal... well, God knows you've performed miracles before.

 

[Zub]

Finland always gets better as the tournament goes on.

I agree, offensively you are challenged, but if you can do like you did tonight, and keep games within a goal... well, God knows you've performed miracles before.

It's just that that kind of hockey is super boring, i just can't stand passive old school hockey, it's not "meta" and hasn't been in a long time, i mean sure we are very shorthanded on offense but that's the coach's job to handle. They should've had way more to give but that was just 60 minutes of embarrassing whimpyness.

 

[Zub]

I also liked Heinola and both their goalies. I thought their defense was pretty weak. They were committing bad penalties and struggled to move the puck out of their zone.

Heinola wasn't too shabby. Niemela was also pretty good and Kokkonen, the rest were total bums concerning the D core.

 

[ORRFForever]

It's just that that kind of hockey is super boring, i just can't stand passive old school hockey, it's not "meta" and hasn't been in a long time, i mean sure we are very shorthanded on offense but that's the coach's job to handle. They should've had way more to give but that was just 60 minutes of embarrassing whimpyness.

I think you're being too hard on your team.

 

[Zub]

I think you're being too hard on your team.

They got walked over way too easily i'm just saying.

 

[Zub]

Plus i guess the 2016 team we had somehow set the bar so high for my expectations, the crop of talent we had there was pretty insane. It has died down alot ever since..

 

[behemolari]

What the f*** was idea leaving Aatu Räty out, its not like his brother scored more at all (or 5 other guys in the roster). Also great opportunity for PR missed here.

 

[Jeti]

Finland looked really passive offensively in the game tonight. The US forwards were regularly trying to beat the defense with 1-on-1 plays, while the Finns kept avoiding contact, turning away from pressure and making a safe pass on the outside. The only exception I can think of was Lundell made a nice deke on one rush.

Unless there's someone I'm missing, the team looks like it'll be Heinola and Lundell carrying a bunch of grinders. That's my uneducated opinion based entirely on tonight's game and without reading about all the prospects.

 

[behemolari]

Bruh! Chill the f*ck down will you. Same Stubb said that Aatu dominated the last game he scouted. In what way has players like Benjamin Korhonen, Aku Räty been better? Tell me that buddy. And you know what, while you are at it, why not include Simontaival and Mäntykivi? Simontaival has 7 games 0 goals and one assist. Really impressive. Mäntykivi then? 17 freaking games and 0 goals, 4 assists and -5. Aku and Benjamin then? 0 points, zero, big zit zero.

I´m not stating they are worse, but to do the opposite is just as foolish because those numbers don't lie, not when you've managed zero points or goals! God damn.

With that said, I'm glad that players who could be classed under the radar as Puhakka is getting a chance because he has actually managed to produce something this year.

I think it's two factors here, at first it is conspiracy against northern part of Finland. Second. Pennanen thinking only his own record and career and playing "winning hockey" by sacrificing talent is just stupid. That mentality should be leaved out from juniors.

 

[JJTT]

Didn't watch the game, what were the PP and PK units?

 

[JJTT]

Were they really this bad?

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Finnish team struggling on small ice. No way, what a predicament. That plus the fact that it's not a very strong team, I'd go in with low expectations and just try to enjoy. Don't be so angry.

Not sure why people are always so shocked to see NA teams run circles around Finnish teams on the small ice.

 

[FinPanda]

Didn't watch the game, what were the PP and PK units?

Nikkanen-Räty-Niemelä-Pärssinen was the 2nd PP. 1st PP probably had 1st line.

PK, I don't know.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Funny, how some peoples in here are panicking and freaking-out after one practice game.
So what if the game was bad and not so good.

Bad hockey games WILL HAPPEN TO ALL HOCKEY PLAYERS.
So lets CALM DOWN and lets panic later if there is any reason or reasons for it.

This was one game and DON'T EVER make any statements / conclusions based on one practice game.
Merry Christmas to everyone.

 

[Svedu]

I think it's two factors here, at first it is conspiracy against northern part of Finland. Second. Pennanen thinking only his own record and career and playing "winning hockey" by sacrificing talent is just stupid. That mentality should be leaved out from juniors.

Interesting.

Is Nikkanen not more skilled than Pärssinen? Strange to play Nikkanen below Pärssinen further in the tournament. Many people here seem to flourish when hearing Pärssinens name. I think he is a good two-way player, but he is by no means a player for top6 if you have a roster fighting for the gold medal. Please, don't fool yourselves.
Pärssinen is comparable to a Talvitie back in the days with the difference that Talvitie is a true lion heart and a leader. Probably one of the best I´ve seen in these junior tournaments when it comes to attitude. That kid had something else when it came to his mental toughness.

If this team fails badly offensively, there will be room for Pennanen to hear about it and you know what? He should. After all, no one can deny he left out better hockey players out of this tournament. Don't get me wrong here, i´m not even talking about skill or potential here. I´m just stating that Aatu Rätys actual level is higher and that there is no doubt that he is an overall better hockey player than two thirds of this roster. There is nothing to argue about.
I just have the feeling Pennanen got overly excited to take the role as a saint himself and that impacted his choice of players. Of course I hope I will have wrong here, and that Finland succeeds under this tournament.
The thing is I just don't think you are the best coach for juniors if you can't build a winning team WITH one of your three best forwards, being Aatu.
When Saarela got injured Finland got even more room for offensive talent. I mean it's so strange not to invite Veeti Miettinen, Aatu and Puistola etc. Look at Veeti for example, he has already got started with point per game in the NCAA and he has 158 points in 138 games in the u20 Liiga. You can bash that league as much as you want, but those numbers are impressing, and his last season when he was playing without Hirvonen he still had 1.4 PPG. I would think he is comparable to Simontaival with the difference that Miettinen is a good skater.

So, nothing bad against others like Korhonen, Aku, Mäntykivi etc but there is nothing, and I tell you nothing, that tells me that Pennanens choice to prefer these before Aatu and Veeti are legit, on the contrary.
I just don't buy Pennanens ideas and vision when hearing him on Urheilucast. He talks about skating and speed in a smaller rink? So why the hell does he leave one of the best skaters in Leevi Aaltonen back home? Why does he leave a potential top6 winger in Veeti (better skater than most in this roster) out and doesn't even invite him? Why the hell does he leave Finlands best player born in 2002 out of the roster? So what is the criteria here? Players chosen who are only playing in Liiga and score zero points because becoming a decent checking line player is everything? God damn, that is so old fashioned it stinks. I just have a feeling Pennanen got over his head this time.

All in all, I hope I will have wrong in this one and I wish the team all success. Will I be surprised if they do reach success in this tournament? Yes.

 

[JabbaJabba]

Practise games are for practise. You find out weaknesses and they work on them. There's still work to be done and luckily for Finns, they'll start their tournament playing against the weaker teams before facing against Canada and then the plaoffs start. No need to overreact yet.

 

[Svedu]

Practise games are for practise. You find out weaknesses and they work on them. There's still work to be done and luckily for Finns, they'll start their tournament playing against the weaker teams before facing against Canada and then the plaoffs start. No need to overreact yet.

Okay, but they need to react now and not later. Because when the games mean something further down the road you should be acting instead of reacting.

 

[FinPanda]

Yea I don't understand the negativity and overreacting here. I get they didn't have the best game, but they played against one of the best teams after not playing at all for a while. Obviously they have a lot to improve on, but good to find out what is not working early and work on it. Should be good to play against a few weaker opponents before canada.

 

[king89]

The game was in the middle of the night where i live so i was quite sleepy but these are some things i take with me from the game.

Player positives
Niemelä
Lambert
Pärssinen
Helenius
Kokkonen
Both goalies

Played OK
Heinola (played better at the end)
Lundell (played better at the end)
Hirvonen
Nikkanen
Räty
Pyyhtiä (maybe a positive, don't know)
Puutio

Not so good
Simontaival (worst player?)
Järventie (better at the end)
Viro (jesus so many turnovers)

This are the players i have an opinion on.

About the game then.

I thought we played well until the first penalty, after that it was all surviving. But good PK and Piiroinen was calm in the net. The first 10 minutes or so of the second was horrendoes from us. We had trouble getting the puck out from our end and when we succeded we had no energy left so we just dumped the puck and went for change. That led to further USA momentum and we kept giving them the puck. We need to play faster D. Better communication and the feets must be moving. When we did that we succeded with escaping their forechecking. But USA pinched high so the neautral zone was pretty clogged up so we were forced to dump the puck a lot.

Third period was better. We stood higher upp with the team and the D turned the puck around quicker and we could attack more as a unit.

Overall thoughts
I think we backed home way too much, this led to free USA momentum. I think we played better when stood up against them. When we challenged them.

We dumped the puck, A LOT. This did not work and i hope we don't continue doing it.

Special teams solid.

 

[Erikfromfin]

Match can be seen on TSN games on demand if anyone wants replay

IIHF World Juniors Pre-Competition: USA vs. Finland

 

[JabbaJabba]

Okay, but they need to react now and not later. Because when the games mean something further down the road you should be acting instead of reacting.

Yes of course. Fix issues now before the games start and continue improving throughout the tournament.