WJC: Team Finland 2018 U20 WJC Roster Talk

[JetsFan815]

The PP was bad and needs a lot of work. Vesalainen is wasted as the netfront presence, esp since Finland could barely get pucks through to the net. Finland had a lot of trouble moving the puck around on the PP to try to get Tolvanen open for the one-timer.

I would move Vesalainen out of the netfront spot to the spot on the left halfwall, bring Koivula onto the #1 PP as the netfront presence and run the PP through Heiskanen on the point with shooting threats in Vesalainen and Tolvanen on both sides on the circles, I think that would do a better job of opening up Tolvanen for the one-timer instead of trying to run the PP through him

 

[Critical13]

#UnleashERasanen

 

[BusQuets]

Ahokas with very questionable decision to leave the net empty with 10 seconds remaining in the game. He does know that there's a good chance that the winner of this group is decided by goal differential?

 

[kelsier]

Just terrible team effort. Canada was consistently getting to a high scoring chances. This is what it looks like with Ahokas? Not that any defenders really played up to their standards. Also I have to say there was not a single center that stood out. Was mostly disappointed at Kuokkanen who managed to accomplish pretty much nothing at the first game. He was the only one I had much expectations from. The rest weren't any better really. After all is said and done and we don't get that gold there's going to be a lot of talk about leaving Kotkaniemi, Somppi etc out. Basically Age & Experience & roles (meh) over skill & scoring. Never a big fan of that.

 

[Patrik Barkov]

Very sloppy and slow puck moving from the team. Players seemed confused at what to do as soon as they hit the neutral zone. Vesalainen showed some skill and speed there. Jokiharju was solid. Won't get too worried after the first game

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Luukkonen shouldn't be anymore locked for a starting goalie.
He was shaky and extremely unsure what i saw in this game.

Also i'm not sure on that does Heiskanen deserve be 1st defense pair.
He had bad game and he was invisible also he was like a shadow on that what he's been in HIFK.

Sure Miro can play better but still i'm not sure somehow.
If this team wants to win something great entire Team Finland package needs massive improve.

Ahokas do your job and put the guys to work their asses off this can't continue.
We have to win Denmark and Slovakia otherwise we are close the relegation round again.

WAKE UP Team Finland.

 

[Opak]

Where was Ahokas' ultra-aggressive forechecking system? IIRC, we were promised a group that would put a lot of pressure on the opponent, but we saw none of that tonight. Instead, we saw a bunch of guys that just looked lost out there.

Välimäki was directly responsible for two goals against -- first he takes the dumbest penalty imagineable, then he leaves Batherson by himself in front of the net. He wears the "C" for Christ's sake, he needs to be smarter than that. Also, Kotkansalo needs to go to the press box next game. WAY too slow and sloppy to play on this level.

The top line was a total disaster. Vesalainen tried to do everything by himself, Kuokkanen couldn't do anything and Tolvanen was doing "something" during 5 vs 5. Next game, put Tolvanen with Heponiemi, move Vesalainen to some other line. Fire Kuokkanen into the sun, that guy just doesn't belong to this level. Same applies to Kupari, he's just not good enough yet.

I think we all know that the PP units have to be completely scrambled, they got absolutely nothing done. Don't try to run the play through Tolvanen, have someone else make the play and have Eeli be the finisher, as it should be.

On the other hand, Koivula was a positive surprise, I honestly think he was our best player tonight. Can't exactly blame Luukkonen for this game either, the defense left him to dry. I'd give him at least one more game to try and show what he's made of.

 

[FinPanda]

Positive: Last time we have lost to Canada by under 3 goals was 2002 on small ice tournament.

 

[WhatWhat]

Luukkonen shouldn't be anymore locked for a starting goalie.
He was shaky and extremely unsure what i saw in this game.

Also i'm not sure on that does Heiskanen deserve be 1st defense pair.
He had bad game and he was invisible also he was like a shadow on that what he's been in HIFK.

Sure Miro can play better but still i'm not sure somehow.
If this team wants to win something great entire Team Finland package needs massive improve.

Ahokas do your job and put the guys to work their asses off. this can't continue.
We have to win Denmark and Slovakia otherwise we are close the relegation round again.

WAKE UP Team Finland.

Luukkonen had a rough start but finished strong. Heiskanen lost his man on the PK but didnt look horrible fore the rest of the game. To suggest taking one out from being a starter and the other off the top pair after losing to Canada is a little ridiculous.

The team as a whole looked a bit off and those who looked the best where the kids playing in NA. Its almost as if some guys need to adjust a little to the different sized ice. Its definitely worth monitoring closely but your take is way way way too reactionary

 

[WhatWhat]

Biggest mistake Finland made on the PP was not using Tolvanen properly. Use him like Ovechkin, funnel pucks to him and let him shoot but if he gets the puck and doesnt shoot he should pass the puck back to the d or open man down low almost immediately. The first units best chances came when he unleashed his cannon and their worst plays happened when Tolvanen held the puck for about 4-5 seconds then couldnt get it back to Heiskanen because Canada just sat on that lane.

Its not rocket science, shoot or pass Tolvanen shouldnt posses the puck for much more than a second at a time on the PP. Thats how Finland will score with the advantage.

 

[Loffer]

Another disaster WJC coming... Maybe not but it seems to be in the realm of possibilities again. Nothing much worked and no spirit nor emotion in the team. No real leader either. Prepare for an early exit.

 

[Hockeyisl1fe]

People are overreacting badly here, not really surprising considering it's HF though. The team will only improve... it did already in this game after that atrocious 1st period. 2nd and 3rd were far from perfect, but really: it's the first freaking game! I don't know if some of the posters memories here are just short, but the gold winning team in 2014 started poor too.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

People are overreacting badly here, not really surprising considering it's HF though. The team will only improve... it did already in this game after that atrocious 1st period. 2nd and 3rd were far from perfect, but really: it's the first freaking game! I don't know if some of the posters memories here are just short, but the gold winning team in 2014 started poor too.

I do remember 2014 U20 gold medal squad damn well i'm not demented yet.
2014 Finland's defense was hard as a rock but today it was something else what hype told before the tournament.

Yes i do hope that our guys takes themselves on the neck.
But those mistakes with handle the puck needs to get fixed.
Thank god next game is vs Denmark that is good chance to boost our scorers self confidence.

 

[Rob]

Come on guys. Your team is good. They might not win Gold but they definitely won't be finishing 9th again.

Looking forward to your game against the US.

 

[agent082]

Kids are kids. Realising referees were allowing that first goal came out of blue. These kids have playes over 10 years and never has seen such a call even without videorefereeing. It must have been devastating experience and i'm glad everyone were mentally strong enough to finish the game after that shock. It will be a huge trauma for them, but I hope they just stop worrying team success and enjoy playing there.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Come on guys. Your team is good. They might not win Gold but they definitely won't be finishing 9th again.

Looking forward to your game against the US.

It's good our ( Finland's) next game is against Denmark.
I'm sure on that our guys has bad memories last years game and payback will be hard.

 

[agent082]

It's good our ( Finland's) next game is against Denmark.
I'm sure on that our guys has bad memories last years game and payback will be hard.

At least referees will favour us.

 

[Canadian Finn]

LoL.

You are a winner

 

[Minty Cowboy]

Maybe now Eemeli Rasanen might get a look

 

[FinPanda]

Maybe now Eemeli Rasanen might get a look

After they played against Canada? I don't think so.

 

[Scrantonicity 2]

Do you guys think Luukkonen will start again next game? I thought he played well in the third.

 

[Hockeyisl1fe]

Kolumni: Nuorten MM-kisat murtavat harhan – jääkiekosta on tullut yksilölaji, jossa osa toivoo pelikaverille epäonnistumista this was probably the worst sport article I've ever read. It actually made my blood boil, pure clickbait trash. Nothing was based on any kind of facts, seriously wtf? "Many players hope their teammates to get injured"... this is outright insulting to the players. They don't get paid to play in this tournament. I don't get the point of this article either, hockey is not a team sport because inviduals are more important? Every team based sport is driven by great individuals, like soccer. This columnist should be fired asap.

 

[Opak]

Speaking of sports articles that don't suck, apparently Välimäki and A. Räsänen did not skate in yesterday's practice. Ahokas said they were held out as a precaution, but he expects both to play vs Denmark. Ahokas also said that there may be some lineup changes for today's game.

Plus, to the surprise of no one, Ahokas wants the team to be better on the PP, move the puck quicker, etc. We'll see how that translates into the Denmark game.

 

[JJTT]

Kolumni: Nuorten MM-kisat murtavat harhan – jääkiekosta on tullut yksilölaji, jossa osa toivoo pelikaverille epäonnistumista this was probably the worst sport article I've ever read. It actually made my blood boil, pure clickbait trash. Nothing was based on any kind of facts, seriously wtf? "Many players hope their teammates to get injured"... this is outright insulting to the players. They don't get paid to play in this tournament. I don't get the point of this article either, hockey is not a team sport because inviduals are more important? Every team based sport is driven by great individuals, like soccer. This columnist should be fired asap.

Saw this as well and thought the same thing, just what the hell is this crap?

 

[scud9]

In my opinion the biggest problem was center-play. Especially Kuokkanen and Ikonen failed miserably. I would move Räsänen to the 1st line, Kuokkanen to 2nd and Ikonen 3rd. If Ikonen can't do better, you may have to try Kupari at C.