WJC: Team Finland 2018 U20 WJC Roster Talk

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Here we go.......this is the correct thread...LOL

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This would of been my roster (Without NHL players):
6x* d 14xf

C: ARäsänen,Kuokkanen,Koppanen,Somppi,Ikonen
W: Tolvanen,Heponiemi,Kotkaniemi,Vesalainen,Turkulainen,Koivula,Moilanen,Oksanen,Tuulola
D: Heiskanen,ERäsänen,Juolevi,Jokiharju,Vaakanainen,Kotkansalo

Heponiemi-ARäsänen-Tolvanen
Kotkaniemi-Kuokkanen-Turkulainen
Vesalainen-Somppi-Tuulola
Moilanen-Koppanen-Koivula

Ikonen,Oksanen - Rotate forwards: Ikonen-> Koppanen, Oksanen->Koivula

Heiskanen-ERäsänen
Juolevi-Jokiharju
Kotkansalo-Vaakanainen

*how many times we have had a d-man gotten hurt during the tournament?
the answer; not many,can't even remember the last time that has occurred.

So much firepower (this season)

Pro goals+assists
71+103

Junior goals+assists
74+167
 
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*how many times we have had a d-man gotten hurt during the tournament?
the answer; not many,can't even remember the last time that has occurred.

In this decade twice: Määttä in 2012 and Sopanen in 2016. Talking about forwards, Finland has lost one early twice as well, Sallinen in 2010 and Aaltonen in 2013.

It's just too risky to have 6D+14F.
 
Here we go.......this is the correct thread...LOL

_____

This would of been my roster (Without NHL players):
6x* d 14xf

C: ARäsänen,Kuokkanen,Koppanen,Somppi,Ikonen
W: Tolvanen,Heponiemi,Kotkaniemi,Vesalainen,Turkulainen,Koivula,Moilanen,Oksanen,Tuulola
D: Heiskanen,ERäsänen,Juolevi,Jokiharju,Vaakanainen,Kotkansalo

Heponiemi-ARäsänen-Tolvanen
Kotkaniemi-Kuokkanen-Turkulainen
Vesalainen-Somppi-Tuulola
Moilanen-Koppanen-Koivula

Ikonen,Oksanen - Rotate forwards: Ikonen-> Koppanen, Oksanen->Koivula

Heiskanen-ERäsänen
Juolevi-Jokiharju
Kotkansalo-Vaakanainen

*how many times we have had a d-man gotten hurt during the tournament?
the answer; not many,can't even remember the last time that has occurred.

So much firepower (this season)

Pro goals+assists
71+103

Junior goals+assists
74+167
Where's Välimäki?

There's no chance Räsänen makes team before Välimäki..
 
Where's Välimäki?

There's no chance Räsänen makes team before Välimäki..

Yeah every year it happens that the Captain is left of the team.

3.60 odds for Finland against Canada, so Canada is seen as the clear clear favourite for the game.
 
Here we go.......this is the correct thread...LOL

_____

This would of been my roster (Without NHL players):
6x* d 14xf

C: ARäsänen,Kuokkanen,Koppanen,Somppi,Ikonen
W: Tolvanen,Heponiemi,Kotkaniemi,Vesalainen,Turkulainen,Koivula,Moilanen,Oksanen,Tuulola
D: Heiskanen,ERäsänen,Juolevi,Jokiharju,Vaakanainen,Kotkansalo

Heponiemi-ARäsänen-Tolvanen
Kotkaniemi-Kuokkanen-Turkulainen
Vesalainen-Somppi-Tuulola
Moilanen-Koppanen-Koivula

Ikonen,Oksanen - Rotate forwards: Ikonen-> Koppanen, Oksanen->Koivula

Heiskanen-ERäsänen
Juolevi-Jokiharju
Kotkansalo-Vaakanainen

*how many times we have had a d-man gotten hurt during the tournament?
the answer; not many,can't even remember the last time that has occurred.

So much firepower (this season)

Pro goals+assists
71+103

Junior goals+assists
74+167
Yes, Välimäki will be left out so Räsänen can play in the top pair, dear god.
 
According to Riku Salminen, the lines and special teams at today's practice were:

Vesalainen - Kuokkanen - Tolvanen
Heponiemi - Ikonen - Koivula
Innala - A.Räsänen - Kupari
Jääskä - Koppanen - Nurmi
Tuulola

Heiskanen - Välimäki
Juolevi - Jokiharju
Vaakanainen - Kotkansalo
E.Räsänen

PP1: Räsänen, Vesalainen, Kuokkanen, Tolvanen, Heiskanen
PP2: Heponiemi, Ikonen, Koivula, Juolevi, Jokiharju

SH1: Koppanen, Nurmi, Välimäki, E.Räsänen
SH2: Innala, Jääskä, Kotkansalo, Vaakanainen

 
So they have Vesalainen creating space for Kuokkanen/Tolvanen on the 1st line and Koivula creating space for Ikonen/Heponiemi on the 2nd line.
Ahokas doesn't want to see one of his top6 lines get bullied against Canada.
 
It's curious that Ahokas chose to flip Ikonen and A.Räsänen around from the last game. I'm not complaining in the least - I think Ikonen is actually a better fit between Heponiemi and Koivula than Räsänen. But still curious he had them the other way around for a game.

Salo wasn't practicing at all, I hear he has something hindering him. If he can't dress tomorrow, then our defense is set. If he can, E.Räsänen will be the odd man out.

In this decade twice: Määttä in 2012 and Sopanen in 2016. Talking about forwards, Finland has lost one early twice as well, Sallinen in 2010 and Aaltonen in 2013.
There can also be temporary absences due to players getting ill. In 2016, half the team famously caught a stomach bug mid-tournament. Because Sopanen had dropped from the ranks earlier, they only had four d-men healthy enough for one game. In 2014, Ristolainen missed a game (QF, no less!) because he was sick.

Bottom line, only a moron rides with just six D from the beginning.
 
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I don't think Ikonen is a bottom 6 C. I don't think Canada's players are physical so Finland should use this to their advantage.
 
3.60 odds for Finland against Canada, so Canada is seen as the clear clear favourite for the game.
As they should be, I think. Finns might have better top end Talent in Heiskanen, Tolvanen etc. but Canada's depth all around the lineup is just unfair. And then there is Hart who has seemed unbeatable all season long
 
Here we go.......this is the correct thread...LOL

_____

This would of been my roster (Without NHL players):
6x* d 14xf

C: ARäsänen,Kuokkanen,Koppanen,Somppi,Ikonen
W: Tolvanen,Heponiemi,Kotkaniemi,Vesalainen,Turkulainen,Koivula,Moilanen,Oksanen,Tuulola
D: Heiskanen,ERäsänen,Juolevi,Jokiharju,Vaakanainen,Kotkansalo

Heponiemi-ARäsänen-Tolvanen
Kotkaniemi-Kuokkanen-Turkulainen
Vesalainen-Somppi-Tuulola
Moilanen-Koppanen-Koivula

Ikonen,Oksanen - Rotate forwards: Ikonen-> Koppanen, Oksanen->Koivula

Heiskanen-ERäsänen
Juolevi-Jokiharju
Kotkansalo-Vaakanainen

*how many times we have had a d-man gotten hurt during the tournament?
the answer; not many,can't even remember the last time that has occurred.

So much firepower (this season)

Pro goals+assists
71+103

Junior goals+assists
74+167


Where is Valimaki and why the hell is Rasanen on the top pair
 
According to Riku Salminen, the lines and special teams at today's practice were:

Vesalainen - Kuokkanen - Tolvanen
Heponiemi - Ikonen - Koivula
Innala - A.Räsänen - Kupari
Jääskä - Koppanen - Nurmi
Tuulola

Heiskanen - Välimäki
Juolevi - Jokiharju
Vaakanainen - Kotkansalo
E.Räsänen

PP1: Räsänen, Vesalainen, Kuokkanen, Tolvanen, Heiskanen
PP2: Heponiemi, Ikonen, Koivula, Juolevi, Jokiharju

SH1: Koppanen, Nurmi, Välimäki, E.Räsänen
SH2: Innala, Jääskä, Kotkansalo, Vaakanainen




Interesting. Does Valimaki play RD as a lefty? If not why put him on the right instead of Heiskanen who played RD all of last year.

Also if Heiskanen is praised for his all round game and people think his defense is pretty much NHL ready why is he not on either PK lines?
 
Interesting. Does Valimaki play RD as a lefty? If not why put him on the right instead of Heiskanen who played RD all of last year.

Also if Heiskanen is praised for his all round game and people think his defense is pretty much NHL ready why is he not on either PK lines?
This is a very deep defense so keeping top Dmans icetime down on a reasonable level seems smart to me
 
Would be hard to practice on both units at the same time.. I really wouldn't put much stock on those lines..
 
I would feel really bad for Salo if he is cut in the last minute for the third year in a row. He is up against really tough competition though.
 
Would be hard to practice on both units at the same time.. I really wouldn't put much stock on those lines..
How does this make any sense? Have you ever played hockey/watched pros practice PP/PK? One line plays around a minute starting from the defensive zone and then the other unit comes on. And they can also practice PP starting from the point or the corner of the offensive zone. It isn't exactly rocket sience ;)
 
Is the roster official? The latest I've seen is that they still have 24 listed (13fws, 8d 3 goalies)
In a sense it is. They intend to start by accrediting 12+7. One forward and one d-man will hang around as a taxi squad. Then they will decide at a later date whether they need one more forward or an additional d-man. Injuries and illnesses happen, after all.

Salo is sick with a stomach bug. But if he gets healthy enough to play, then it looks like E.Räsänen and Tuulola will be the extras.
 

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