Finland is a serious contender in Olympics next year

[TheFinalWord]

Serious contender for 4th. With NHL players, Canada is the only contender for gold.

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How many threads are you going to be a troll in? You contribute nothing to this board. Welcome to the ignore list. Do everyone a favour and go back to your cave.

 

[Eye of Ra]

But I wrote top 12, not top 6.

Since when does Finland have better defensive D than Hedman, Ekholm and Brodin? Hell, even if one of those guys goes out, Hampus Lindholm is better in his own zone than any Finnish D.

Erik Karlsson, Dahlin, OEL and Klingberg are not good in their own zone. All of Finlands d are good in their own zone.

 

[Phil McKraken]

Erik Karlsson, Dahlin, OEL and Klingberg are not good in their own zone. All of Finlands d are good in their own zone.

Are you trolling? Obviously you play one d more offensively and the other more defensively. Finland would love to swap 4 of their d-men against those guys...

If defense was that much more important we'd swap one of them against freaking Adam Larsson. But we won't, since offense is more valuable.

 

[jonlin]

But I wrote top 12, not top 6.

Since when does Finland have better defensive D than Hedman, Ekholm and Brodin? Hell, even if one of those guys goes out, Hampus Lindholm is better in his own zone than any Finnish D.

Heiskanen, Lindell and Hakanpää are actually all really good in their own zone.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Are you trolling? Obviously you play one d more offensively and the other more defensively. Finland would love to swap 4 of their d-men against those guys...

If defense was that much more important we'd swap one of them against freaking Adam Larsson. But we won't, since offense is more valuable.

If Jalonen where swedish coach he would probaly go with something like:

Hedman - Ekholm
Lindholm - Brodin
R.Andersson - A.Larsson

 

[Eye of Ra]

Heiskanen, Lindell and Hakanpää are actually all really good in their own zone.

Hakanpää only have 1 good NHL season in his belt. We will see next season how good he is.

 

[Phil McKraken]

Heiskanen, Lindell and Hakanpää are actually all really good in their own zone.

Indeed they are. But they are not better than Hedman, Ekholm and Brodin.

 

[MeHateHe]

Just re: the thread title; does anyone dispute this?

I was in Helsinki in 2013 and the tour guide I had at Suomenliina didn't want to talk about military history so much as to tell me that he fully expected that Finland was going to be Canada's main challenger for gold in Sochi. I didn't dispute it then and I wouldn't dispute it now. I expect Canada to always be a serious contender for gold, but it's a bad idea to ignore the challenge of the remainder of the big 6. I don't think there's a significant enough separation between any of them. In an 80-game season between those six, I would expect Canada's depth would have them at the top of the table. In a short tournament, especially with single-game elimination, any of those six can win on the day.

 

[Czechboy]

Just re: the thread title; does anyone dispute this?

I was in Helsinki in 2013 and the tour guide I had at Suomenliina didn't want to talk about military history so much as to tell me that he fully expected that Finland was going to be Canada's main challenger for gold in Sochi. I didn't dispute it then and I wouldn't dispute it now. I expect Canada to always be a serious contender for gold, but it's a bad idea to ignore the challenge of the remainder of the big 6. I don't think there's a significant enough separation between any of them. In an 80-game season between those six, I would expect Canada's depth would have them at the top of the table. In a short tournament, especially with single-game elimination, any of those six can win on the day.

I'm with you 100%... it's all so even and close.

Using a playoff format.. you can't tell me that if Finland met Sweden in a 7 game series that it isn't going to game 7. Same with Russia vs US. Or US vs Finland etc.

Canada has a slight advantage. Next 4 are all awesome.

This now finished world's had a big debate on how bad everyone is but the final 3 medalists were from the Big 5. Same with the Jrs. Same with the U18's. Big 5 are on a different level right now.

 

[Hockeyholic]

I'm assuming Canada will be favorite?

 

[jonlin]

I'm assuming Canada will be favorite?

As always. So was Leafs againts Canadiens and Jets against the same. Upsets happen. Even more so in a tournament

 

[Hockeyholic]

As always. So was Leafs againts Canadiens and Jets against the same. Upsets happen. Even more so in a tournament

I didn't say an upset wouldn't happen.

I was just asking a question.

 

[Eye of Ra]

I'm assuming Canada will be favorite?

yes

 

[FiLe]

I'm assuming Canada will be favorite?

Yes. Canada will be the #1 favorite to win gold in any best-on-best for the foreseeable future. But there are also four other countries that can capture the title in a single-game elimination format and it wouldn't be a massive upset. That's the definition of a "contender".

One might argue that what is stated in the thread title is not news - Finland has been one of the contenders since the first best-on-best olympics in Nagano 1998. What the OP of this thread is trying to point out - or at least what I assume they're trying to do - is that Finland has never looked as good as they do on the eve of the 2022 Olympics. And that makes them an even more serious contender than what they normally are.

 

[Eye of Ra]

What the OP of this thread is trying to point out - or at least what I assume they're trying to do - is that Finland has never looked as good as they do on the eve of the 2022 Olympics. And that makes them an even more serious contender than what they normally are.

exactly + jalonen

 

[PatrikBerglund]

Never been more excited about the state of Finnish hockey.

I hate it.

/ Swede

 

[ORRFForever]

I hate it.

/ Swede

While some countries tend to surprise to the down side at "Best on Best", Finland always surprises to the upside.

They are talented and tough to play. They have heart. If I was a Finn fan, I would be proud of my teams success.

 

[ORRFForever]

As always. So was Leafs againts Canadiens and Jets against the same. Upsets happen. Even more so in a tournament

Canada is due for a bad tournament. Having said that, the 4 lines we will roll are going to be scary good. But will they have chemistry?

Could we run into a Hasek-esk performance and be out? Of course. But it'll be hard to bet against us.

 

[JabbaJabba]

My approach is based on an assumption that achieved level of Team Play in recent international tournaments cannot be maintained with people not interested enough to get acclimatized to the successful system. People, players are what maintain the culture and spirit after all. I highly doubt that even Jalonen could instill the same spirit to the full NHL roster in such short notice likely available, particularly if some of players have attitude "Ok, maybe I could join this time, but I'm not coming to the camp. See you a night before the debut."

I am sure that players who get invited to the Olympics are interested in doing whatever it takes to go far in the tournament. I don't recall any instance where a Finnish player had such an ego that he wouldn't play for the team. Hockey is a team sport and that kind of selfish mentality is coached out of players early. I believe that Finnish players are generally known for their good work ethic and teamplay mentality. I don't know why all of the sudden some of Finnish players would have such a bad attitude towards national team.

Of course. Playing pure or near pure D-team of motley collection of Euro-scraps doesn't promise too good, but the roster full of NHL-players isn't necessarily some kind all saving formula; there is very real possibility they'd play as a team worse than them all summed up as individual parts, something that we do not see with our beloved and fully committed 'Euro-Scraps'.

I think you are exaggerating that possibility by a lot. Whenever team Finland has had it's best players, they have played well together. Also, if you look at the players who should make up the roster in the Olympics, a lot of them have played together previously and even won together. These players know each other already and have chemistry.

While "Euro-scraps" roster has kind of a romantic feel to it, their average skill level is lower than of an NHL player. Also keep in mind that the games are played in NHL size rink and they won't have that much time or space. A lot of the Euro players don't have that experience of what it is like to play in that environment. I don't want to see players like Pokka, Kaski, Turunen, Kontiola, Anttila on the ice when they face Canada and USA in small rink.

Also, I would like to highlight that while the 2019 was mostly made out of Euro players, it had a lot of hidden potential. Kiviranta, Kakko, Luostarinen, Lehtonen, Hakanpää, Lankinen, Mikkola, Jokiharju and Lammikko all played in the NHL this season. The team had better players than what it appeared.

NHL label doesn't ensure anything, particularly not if an individual's self-perceived availability to NT duties doesn't come cincerely from the heart.

I think your perception of players who have declined NT invitation is overly negative. You make an assumption that just because some players for whatever reason haven't represented Finland in Worlds, they don't have it in their hearts. I think it's incorrect. They also have other things in their heart like their families, own health, the team they play for. They have other things in their lives than playing for Finland. I don't know why it is so hard to understand. They can't always be completely motivated or available for NT duty.

You know, the often-heard excuse about long, hard, exhausting NHL season doesn't exactly work when on average that is the case of all (or most) NHL players wanting to take part to the Olympics and other International tournaments.

Well, the Olympics are held in the middle of the season so at that point of the year they don't have 82 games behind them plus whatever amount of playoff games they might have. Completely different thing.

While Finland has had success in World Championships in the last two tournaments with Euro rosters, a lot of the times those Euro rosters haven't done so well. Jalonen managed to install a good defensive system for a big rink that has worked. I hope that he manages to upgrade his system to fit with NHL rink and to the faster pace. He also gets the best offensive weapons Finland has to offer and I hope he knows how to utilize them. They need to know how to attack as well.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

When was the last time Finland wasn't a "Serious contender in the next Olympics"?

 

[Lartsaman]

Finland has allways been a contender in modern era. Now the expectations are so high that I predict us to fail. Finland winning olympic gold just sounds like an impossible thing. I hope Im wrong and it will be reality one day.

Ive watched hockey for so long and there have been endless disappointments.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I must have missed the time when Finland wasn't considered a legit contender for gold, especially on the big ice. These are short tournaments where any of the big 5 have a legitimate chance to win.

Anyone who thinks Finland isn't a serious contender doesn't know what they are talking about. I think Canada has to be the favorite

But for sure this is one of their strongest rosters in recent memory. On paper, probably not as strong as Canada, USA, or Russia, but probably on par with Sweden, or maybe even a tad better. But on paper doesn't really matter all that much in a short tournament, especially when you're talking about Finland on big ice.

 

[Elias40]

I must have missed the time when Finland wasn't considered a legit contender for gold, especially on the big ice. These are short tournaments where any of the big 5 have a legitimate chance to win.

Anyone who thinks Finland isn't a serious contender doesn't know what they are talking about. I think Canada has to be the favorite

But for sure this is one of their strongest rosters in recent memory. Probably not as strong as Canada, USA, or Russia, but probably on par with Sweden, or maybe even a tad better. On paper doesn't really matter all that much in a short tournament, especially when you're talking about Finland on big ice.

Why is Russia over Sweden and Finland? The quality is clearly higher only in Canada, then the USA, but three other favorites are extremely close to the quality.

On the contrary, I would say that the russians have a mental block in their heades and they admit too much failure. The nordic countries are much further in this.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Why is Russia over Sweden and Finland? The quality is clearly higher only in Canada, then the USA, but three other favorites are extremely close to the quality.

On the contrary, I would say that the russians have a mental block in their heades and they admit too much failure. The nordic countries are much further in this.

I think on paper, Russia probably has a slight edge because of their enormous star power on the wings and goaltending, but it's certainly very close. D groups are a wash, and Finland is better down the middle.

If I had to grade Russia vs Finland (respectively) by positional strength, I would say something like:

Wingers
A, C

Centers
C, B

Defense
B, B

Goaltending
A, B

 

[IceHockeyDude]

I think on paper, Russia probably has a slight edge because of their enormous star power on the wings and goaltending, but it's certainly very close. D groups are a wash, and Finland is better down the middle.

If I had to grade Russia vs Finland (respectively) by positional strength, I would say something like:

Wingers
A, C

Centers
C, B

Defense
B, B

Goaltending
A, B

Doesn't really matter. Finland should shut down the Russian wingers. Not really worried about Russia. Can, USA and Sweden are the biggest challenge.