WC: Finland 2024 roster talk

[FinPanda]

I really hope Helenius makes the team. He really makes us better.

 

[illone84]

I really hope Helenius makes the team. He really makes us better.

I thought he looked really good today. I hope he gets pencilled in, as well.

 

[Mestaruus]

I

Personally, I see the 4 nations cup as a way for Pennanen to prepare for the upcoming best on best Olympics. I don't see Finland doing much in the gimmy tournie, and probably finishing last. On the other hand, if Pennanen pulls a Marjamäki and the Finns only score 1 goal, management will still have time to find a replacement before the real tournament commences.......The reality is that the 4 nations cup is a right loads of codswallop that was just put together to
appease and concurrently rekindle interest for international hockey that has been dying out in the North American market. Finland and Sweden don't mean much in the large scale of things when it comes to audiences having any weight, so the dream is always for a CAN VS USA final. Too bad it didn't work out that way in 2004 and 2016.

In that case, Kari Jalonen could get his chance, but I'd hope for Olli Jokinen to be the one, but nah I don't think Pennanen will do a Marjamäki. It can't be that bad even in the worst case.

Saros declined.

I'll take my words back. He's the Ristolainen of goalies. No matter how nice of a person Saros seems like or how tired after a season, the fact stands that he just always finds a reason not to come. Luckily Säteri is a good and reliable goalie, so we aren't doomed.

 

[Mestaruus]

I'd go with something like this. I didn't pay that much attention on which winger plays on which side, but I like this top-12 of players. Defenders are a boring thing so I only picked 5 of them, let the rest be who ever Jalonen wishes them to be (come on Dallas, you know what to do tonight).

Puistola-Granlund-Puustinen
Innala-Kapanen-Helenius
Jääskä-Hyry-Puljujärvi
Mäenalanen-Björninen-Pakarinen

Lehtonen-Määttä
Kaski-x
Saarijärvi-x
Riikola-x

13th forward: Ahti Oksanen.

Säteri
Larmi

Okay, Lankinen no contract. Never mind.

 

[JJTT]

Bulju wins mvp with his two black eyes. Scores 12 goals from Granlunds's passes like Immonen did way back in 2011.

 

[EK47]

Helenius is insanely talented.

 

[Svedu]

I'd go with something like this. I didn't pay that much attention on which winger plays on which side, but I like this top-12 of players. Defenders are a boring thing so I only picked 5 of them, let the rest be who ever Jalonen wishes them to be (come on Dallas, you know what to do tonight).

Puistola-Granlund-Puustinen
Innala-Kapanen-Helenius
Jääskä-Hyry-Puljujärvi
Mäenalanen-Björninen-Pakarinen

Lehtonen-Määttä
Kaski-x
Saarijärvi-x
Riikola-x

13th forward: Ahti Oksanen.

Säteri
Larmi

Okay, Lankinen no contract. Never mind.

That second line could really "punch above" their weight. I believe I trust them all.
First line, I do not trust Puistola as a winning first liner. Haven't seen him in a long time though. Even if Granny and Puustinen could be good I would've wished to see someone else there. Either a speedy scorer or a power forward.

 

[JJTT]

Final team

Maalivahdit:
29 Harri Säteri, EHC Biel, NLA
30 Lassi Lehtinen, MoDo Hockey, SHL
32 Emil Larmi, Växjö Lakers HC, SHL

Puolustajat:
2 Rasmus Rissanen, Örebro HK, SHL
3 Olli Määttä, Detroit Red Wings, NHL
4 Mikko Lehtonen, ZSC Lions, NLA
7 Oliwer Kaski, HV71, SHL
18 Vili Saarijärvi, SCL Tigers, NLA
33 Veli-Matti Vittasmäki, Tappara Tampere
50 Juuso Riikola, SCL Tigers, NLA
82 Jesper Mattila, KalPa Kuopio

Hyökkääjät:
12 Jere Innala, Frölunda HC, SHL
15 Juha Jääskä, HIFK Helsinki
19 Konsta Helenius, Jukurit Mikkeli
21 Patrik Puistola, Jukurit Mikkeli
24 Hannes Björninen, Örebro HK, SHL
25 Pekka Jormakka, Jukurit Mikkeli
39 Jesse Puljujärvi, Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL
48 Valtteri Puustinen, Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL
57 Arttu Hyry, Kärpät Oulu
64 Mikael Granlund, San Jose Sharks, NHL
71 Ahti Oksanen, IK Oskarshamn, SHL
79 Oliver Kapanen, KalPa Kuopio
80 Saku Mäenalanen, SCL Tigers, NLA
81 Iiro Pakarinen, HIFK Helsinki

 

[JJTT]

So this means Granlund as winger most likely?

Innala-Kapanen-Granlund
Oksanen-Helenius-Puustinen
Puistola-Hyry-Puljujärvi
Mäenalanen-Bjööninen-Pakarinen
Jääskä, Jormakka

Määttä-Lehtonen
Rissanen-Kaski
Riikola-Saarijärvi
Vittasmäki-Mattila

Säteri, Larmi

 

[FinPanda]

Yay Helenius, deserved

 

[Playmaker82]

With Helenius in the Lineup:

Innala - Granlund - Puljujärvi
Puistola - Kapanen - Puustinen
Oksanen - Helenius - Hyry
Mäenalanen - Björninen - Pakarinen
Jääskä, Jormakka

Without:

Innala - Granlund - Puljujärvi
Puistola - Kapanen - Puustinen
Oksanen - Hyry - Jormakka
Mäenalanen - Björninen - Pakarinen
Jääskä, Helenius

I dont think they would give the 1-2C pressure on Kapanen/Helenius. Although they could try this one in of the easier game (or two):

Innala - Kapanen - Granlund
Puistola - Helenius - Puustinen
Oksanen - Hyry - Puljujarvi
Mäenalanen - Björninen - Pakarinen
Jääskä, Jormakka.

 

[Mestaruus]

That second line could really "punch above" their weight. I believe I trust them all.
First line, I do not trust Puistola as a winning first liner. Haven't seen him in a long time though. Even if Granny and Puustinen could be good I would've wished to see someone else their. Either a speedy scorer or a power forward.

Perhaps Pulju. Puistola seems to be in a very good scoring form and Granlund needs someone to feed them Granny apples.

 

[Mestaruus]

With Helenius in the Lineup:

Innala - Granlund - Puljujärvi
Puistola - Kapanen - Puustinen
Oksanen - Helenius - Hyry
Mäenalanen - Björninen - Pakarinen
Jääskä, Jormakka

Without:

Innala - Granlund - Puljujärvi
Puistola - Kapanen - Puustinen
Oksanen - Hyry - Jormakka
Mäenalanen - Björninen - Pakarinen
Jääskä, Helenius

I dont think they would give the 1-2C pressure on Kapanen/Helenius. Although they could try this one in of the easier game (or two):

Innala - Kapanen - Granlund
Puistola - Helenius - Puustinen
Oksanen - Hyry - Puljujarvi
Mäenalanen - Björninen - Pakarinen
Jääskä, Jormakka.

Yeah trusting them both young centers at the same time as the leading centers could be our doom. At playoffs stage we'd probably get eliminated, so I wouldn't gamble with that either.

And let's hope for Hintz to come. It's still a possibility.

 

[Svedu]

Perhaps Pulju. Puistola seems to be in a very good scoring form and Granlund needs someone to feed them Granny apples.

I understand but Puistola is just not a medal winning winger for me. Compared to other weaker or smaller players before.
Manninen was a superior finisher and Rajala did actually possess some individual skill with good skating.
Comparing to other european players.

If they are or would be successful I'm pretty sure it will mostly be because of granny and perhaps Puustinen.

 

[Mestaruus]

I understand but Puistola is just not a medal winning winger for me. Compared to other weaker or smaller players before.
Manninen was a superior finisher and Rajala did actually possess some individual skill with good skating.
Comparing to other european players.

If they are or would be successful I'm pretty sure it will mostly be because of granny and perhaps Puustinen.

Someone recently mentioned about Immonen back in 2011 (I think that was the year). Puistola could be the reincarnation of that this year. Doesn't matter what Puistola's true level is in the future if he's on fire right now. To me it seems like we should give him that opportunity to shine and we can still move him anywhere, even outside the line up if his level or current form isn't good enough in the WHC tournament's preliminary stage.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Jormakka

suprise

 

[JJTT]

suprise

Yeah no idea why he is there. Not good enough to be a scorer and we have far better players for grinder role. If he is anything more than a 13rd forward we are in trouble.

 

[Jussi]

Helenius will become the first Finn to be play in three different World Championships during one season.

 

[FiLe]

This is pretty much the selection I would have made, apart from Luoto over Jormakka and Rindell over Mattila. But despite this, I consider Mattila as the only true left-field pick. Jormakka is very much one of those players whose on-ice value is not always instantly obvious to those of us watching afar, but still is a creature every coach just seems to love for some reason.

 

[Lambo]

This is pretty much the selection I would have made, apart from Luoto over Jormakka and Rindell over Mattila. But despite this, I consider Mattila as the only true left-field pick. Jormakka is very much one of those players whose on-ice value is not always instantly obvious to those of us watching afar, but still is a creature every coach just seems to love for some reason.

Maybe he will be as much of a surprise factor as Anttila was back then? I can already read the headline on May 26th: "Jormakka single-handedly shoots Finland to gold."

 

[FiLe]

Maybe he will be as much of a surprise factor as Anttila was back then?

Here's hoping, albeit the 2019 team did feature a player far more akin to Jormakka: Kristian Kuusela. A middling vet, not probably the first guy you remember from that squad, but not really a liability either.

 

[JJTT]

This is pretty much the selection I would have made, apart from Luoto over Jormakka and Rindell over Mattila. But despite this, I consider Mattila as the only true left-field pick. Jormakka is very much one of those players whose on-ice value is not always instantly obvious to those of us watching afar, but still is a creature every coach just seems to love for some reason.

Rindell played well in the EHT games but we have Kaski, Lehtonen and Saarijärvi already for the same role. Having 4 offensive d-man would be too much.

 

[Mestaruus]

Jormakka is very much one of those players whose on-ice value is not always instantly obvious to those of us watching afar, but still is a creature every coach just seems to love for some reason.

Jalonen calculates that Jormakka is the most suitable to take the disappointment when Hintz takes his forward spot. Just kidding, he ain't that bad of a player despite of his age and probably a good locker room guy. Well being the captain of Jukurit says something what he brings, leadership.

 

[FiLe]

Rindell played well in the EHT games but we have Kaski, Lehtonen and Saarijärvi already for the same role. Having 4 offensive d-man would be too much.

I see Rindell as fully capable of being utilized in an all-around role without being a liability in either end of the rink. The fact that he might add a bit of spice in the other end is a plus. Mattila, on the other hand, belongs to that utterly unremarkable d-man type who never sticks out in any manner. Although, this isn't meant solely as criticism - when you don't notice players like him, it usually means they're simply doing their jobs and doing it well enough. But neither can you ask anything extra from them, be it joining the rush or protecting the net when the goalie gets crowded.

And it's not like we're sorely lacking for anything, since there is enough puck-moving ability even without Rindell, and size is not an issue either - plenty of meat to throw around between Määttä, Rissanen and Vittasmäki. Kaski is no small fry either, but funnily enough, he's one of those players who somehow manage to look smaller than they actually are.

Just kidding, he ain't that bad of a player despite of his age and probably a good locker room guy.

At 33, he isn't even that old yet.

---

Lineup prediction:

Säteri (Larmi)

Lehtonen - Määttä
Riikola - Saarijärvi
Rissanen - Kaski
Mattila - Vittasmäki

Innala - Granlund - Puljujärvi
Puistola - Kapanen - Puustinen
Pakarinen - Hyry - Jormakka
Mäenalanen - Björninen - Oksanen

Going a bit conservative on Helenius here, which usually leaves room for pleasant surprises if he ends up penciled in from the get-go. I don't really see much use for him if he's not in the top-six, and especially if he's meant to be a center - that kind of responsibility on this level as a 17-year-old? Goes against most of the conformities of hockey. He could also make it as a winger, but whom could he really replace here? Jormakka perhaps - but as I just indicated, if a player like Jormakka makes it, they rarely end up sitting on the sidelines.

 

[FinPanda]

I see Rindell as fully capable of being utilized in an all-around role without being a liability in either end of the rink. The fact that he might add a bit of spice in the other end is a plus. Mattila, on the other hand, belongs to that utterly unremarkable d-man type who never sticks out in any manner. Although, this isn't meant solely as criticism - when you don't notice players like him, it usually means they're simply doing their jobs and doing it well enough. But neither can you ask anything extra from them, be it joining the rush or protecting the net when the goalie gets crowded.

And it's not like we're sorely lacking for anything, since there is enough puck-moving ability even without Rindell, and size is not an issue either - plenty of meat to throw around between Määttä, Rissanen and Vittasmäki. Kaski is no small fry either, but funnily enough, he's one of those players who somehow manage to look smaller than they actually are.


At 33, he isn't even that old yet.

---

Lineup prediction:

Säteri (Larmi)

Lehtonen - Määttä
Riikola - Saarijärvi
Rissanen - Kaski
Mattila - Vittasmäki

Innala - Granlund - Puljujärvi
Puistola - Kapanen - Puustinen
Pakarinen - Hyry - Jormakka
Mäenalanen - Björninen - Oksanen

Going a bit conservative on Helenius here, which usually leaves room for pleasant surprises if he ends up penciled in from the get-go. I don't really see much use for him if he's not in the top-six, and especially if he's meant to be a center - that kind of responsibility on this level as a 17-year-old? Goes against most of the conformities of hockey. He could also make it as a winger, but whom could he really replace here? Jormakka perhaps - but as I just indicated, if a player like Jormakka makes it, they rarely end up sitting on the sidelines.

I hope you're wrong because Helenius makes the team better on the ice, not in the stands. If he wouldn't have a role, why they invited him to sit in the stands?