WJC: Team Finland 2018 U20 WJC Roster Talk

[Deebs]

Hey, what can you guys tell me about Oksanen? Is he a good skater, poor, weak on the puck etc... He's joining my Pats this year and I've never seen him play. Thanks

 

[JJTT]

Hey, what can you guys tell me about Oksanen? Is he a good skater, poor, weak on the puck etc... He's joining my Pats this year and I've never seen him play. Thanks

Lanky winger who skates well and has some nifty puck skills. Oksanen has a hard wrist shot and can score goals from far our. Can challenge defenders 1vs1 and make some really good passing plays. Good on the powerplay.

While Oksanen has good size, he needs to improve his physical play and especially play away from the puck. His offensive game is a bit inconsistent.

Couple of scouting reports https://finnprospects.com/player/emil-oksanen/

Few goals from last season:






(At 26 second mark)



I think he should do very well at the WHL.

 

[Deebs]

Thanks for the info JJTT, much appreciated.

 

[Erikfromfin]

Post summer showcase prediction

Kristian Vesalainen - Janne Kuokkanen - Eeli Tolvanen
Aarne Talvitie - Joni Ikonen - Otto Koivula
Aleksi Heponiemi - Aapeli Rasanen - Jerry Turkulainen
Juha Jaaska - Joona Koppanen - Markus Nurmi
Rasmus Kupari

Urho Vaakanainen - Miro Heiskanen
Olli Juolevi - Juuso Valimaki
Robin Salo - Henri Jokiharju
Kasper Kotkansalo

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Lassi Lehtinen
Justus Annunen

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Post summer showcase prediction

Kristian Vesalainen - Janne Kuokkanen - Eeli Tolvanen
Aarne Talvitie - Joni Ikonen - Otto Koivula
Aleksi Heponiemi - Aapeli Rasanen - Jerry Turkulainen
Juha Jaaska - Joona Koppanen - Markus Nurmi
Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Urho Vaakanainen - Miro Heiskanen
Olli Juolevi - Juuso Valimaki
Robin Salo - Henri Jokiharju
Kasper Kotkansalo

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Lassi Lehtinen
Justus Annunen

Looks good even if it lacks Laine and Pulju. Hopefully they keep those lines.

 

[Icejoker]

after the last tournament the biggest ? in the finnish team must be the goalie.(the pp was good in the last period thanks to Ikonen)
Lehtinen has 2 games 85% savings and Luukkonen 3 games 79%, with stats like that they dont play in liiga.
Isnt Lehtinen too small, Annunen and that jokerit goalie who was drafted are bigger.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

after the last tournament the biggest ? in the finnish team must be the goalie.(the pp was good in the last period thanks to Ikonen)
Lehtinen has 2 games 85% savings and Luukkonen 3 games 79%, with stats like that they dont play in liiga.
Isnt Lehtinen too small, Annunen and that jokerit goalie who was drafted are bigger.

This was first pre tournament before the world juniors.
And one training tournament will not tell anything the team's impact in world juniors.

How many times i have to remind you Finland didn't have Heiskanen,Juolevi, Vesalainen and Tolvanen in this tournament ( World juniors summer showcase).
Don't ever do any long-term analysis based on a single tournament.

And what comes to goalies Luukkonen,Makiniemi and Annunen aren't only names which have available for world juniors.
There's also Leevi Laakso and Niilo Halonen both 1998 born.

Annunen is born 2000 and his main tournament this season is U18 WJC's in Russia next April so it's not likely he's Finland's world juniors team in Buffalo.

 

[LeafChief]

Hey Finns,

What did you think of Eemeli Rasanen at the WJSS?

Did he increase or decrease his chance of making the WJHC squad?

 

[JJTT]

Hey Finns,

What did you think of Eemeli Rasanen at the WJSS?

Did he increase or decrease his chance of making the WJHC squad?

Definitely increased. He looked very solid for the most part. Kept it simple with the puck, played physical and laid out a couple of big hits. As of now he is maybe 8th or 9th on the depth chart.

Juolevi - Heiskanen
Valimaki - Salo
Vaakanainen - Jokiharju
Kotkansalo/Rasanen/Niemelainen

 

[LeafChief]

Definitely increased. He looked very solid for the most part. Kept it simple with the puck, played physical and laid out a couple of big hits. As of now he is maybe 8th or 9th on the depth chart.

Juolevi - Heiskanen
Valimaki - Salo
Vaakanainen - Jokiharju
Kotkansalo/Rasanen/Niemelainen

Thanks. He definitely looks to be in tough. A lot of 1st round picks in that group.

 

[BB88]

after the last tournament the biggest ? in the finnish team must be the goalie.(the pp was good in the last period thanks to Ikonen)
Lehtinen has 2 games 85% savings and Luukkonen 3 games 79%, with stats like that they dont play in liiga.
Isnt Lehtinen too small, Annunen and that jokerit goalie who was drafted are bigger.

We left our best prospects out of this tourney.

The team should look completely different by December and goalies as well because of it.

 

[Puckluck]

I was not able to watch the games, but did anybody pay attention to Robin Salo and would be willing to give a report?

 

[JJTT]

I was not able to watch the games, but did anybody pay attention to Robin Salo and would be willing to give a report?

Very good. Was probably Finland's best defenseman along with Valimaki. Tough and solid on the defensive end, passed the puck out of the zone well, also scored 4 points in 5 games and was very eager to join the attack. His skating looked improved since last season too.

 

[clevelandcane]

Very good. Was probably Finland's best defenseman along with Valimaki. Tough and solid on the defensive end, passed the puck out of the zone well, also scored 4 points in 5 games and was very eager to join the attack. His skating looked improved since last season too.

I agree. I was watching for Valimaki but Salo popped for me. He looked confident and moved the puck well. I was impressed.

 

[Puckluck]

Very good. Was probably Finland's best defenseman along with Valimaki. Tough and solid on the defensive end, passed the puck out of the zone well, also scored 4 points in 5 games and was very eager to join the attack. His skating looked improved since last season too.

Thanks for the responses, much appreciated! Good to hear that Salo did well.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Nuorten Leijonien joukkue nimetty Lahden turnaukseen - mukana myös NHL-paikasta taisteleva puolustaja! | Leijonat

Finland's team in 4 nations tournament in Lahti next week is announced.

Goalies
Ukko Pekka Luukkonen HPK
Niilo Halonen HIFK.

Defencemans
Suistio Santeri, Lukko
Kotkansalo Kasper, Boston University
Juolevi Olli, Vancouver Canucks
Almari Niklas, HPK
Pylkkanen Eetu, TPS
Allen Roni, JYP
Valimaki Juuso, Calgary Flames

Forwards
Kuokkanen Janne, Carolina Hurricanes
Moilanen Sami, Seattle Thunderbirds
Haapanen Topias, Ilves
Kupari Rasmus, Karpat
Heponiemi Aleksi, Swift Current Broncos
Hamalainen Janne, HIFK
Ratinen Samuli, JYP
Virtanen Santeri, Dupuque Fighting Saints
Talvitie Aarne, Espoo United
Kuiri Niko, Kokkolan Hermes
Ikonen Joona, Ilves
Vesalainen Kristian, HPK
Ylonen Jesse, Espoo United

 

[edd1e]

How do you guys see the final roster at this point?

There's surplus of dmen and i believe there will be some shocks down the line. Heiskanen, Juolevi, Välimäki, Vaakanainen, Jokiharju, Niemeläinen, Räsänen, Salo

Fowards are more mysterious.. Räsänen, Tolvanen and Vesalainen might be the top line but who knows. I have not been able to follow this age group as much as i wanted so i'd like more insightful view from somebody who knows what they're talking about.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Tolvanen-Kuokkanen-Puljujärvi
Vesalainen-Räsänen-Koivula
Turkulainen-Heponiemi-Oksanen
Nurmi-Kotkaniemi-Ikonen

Heiskanen-Vaakanainen
Juolevi-Välimäki
Salo-Jokiharju

Luukkonen

 

[LeafChief]

Eemeli Rasanen has had a great start in Kingston (8 points in 6 games).

Any chance he plays his way onto the team?

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Tolvanen-Kuokkanen-Puljujärvi
Vesalainen-Räsänen-Koivula
Turkulainen-Heponiemi-Oksanen
Nurmi-Kotkaniemi-Ikonen

Heiskanen-Vaakanainen
Juolevi-Välimäki
Salo-Jokiharju

Luukkonen

Forget Puljujarvi Oilers won't release him.
Also Jesse doesn't have nothing to prove in junior world championships anymore.
He's already double world champion ( U20 and U18 gold medalist).

 

[rickardr]

Forget Puljujarvi Oilers won't release him.

I would have understood if he played in the NHL, but now he plays in the AHL so ofc there is a bigger chance then.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

I would have understood if he played in the NHL, but now he plays in the AHL so ofc there is a bigger chance then.

Why Puljujarvi should play in world juniors and what he has to prove in junior world championships.
He's already won U20 and U18 gold medals so Jesse doesn't have nothing to prove anymore in U20 WJC's.

And how playing in upcoming world juniors helps Jesse's development and makes him NHL player.
I know this hurt and you probably don't like this.
But the fact is that Puljujarvi is ''graduated'' from Finland's U20 team so try deal with it.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Eemeli Rasanen has had a great start in Kingston (8 points in 6 games).

Any chance he plays his way onto the team?

Right now Eemeli Rasanen is 8th or 9th in Finland's U20 team defence depth chart.
Which means he's battling with 7th defenceman's spot with guys like Markus Niemelainen, Kasper Kotkansalo, and Roope Laavainen

Finland's TOP6 defenders without injuries will be.
Heiskanen Vaakanainen
Juolevi Valimaki¨
Salo Jokiharju.

So if Eemeli Rasanen wants make in the team he needs to have good training camp before world juniors.
But if Finland's coaching staff decides to select 8th defenceman's onto final team then Eemeli Rasanen has chances to make in the team.

And this doesn't mean that Eemeli is out of the world junior candidate list.
No he's not out he was very good in Plymouth's U20 summer showcase tournament.

But this year when defence really is Finland's biggest strength.
The competition of defence spots will be hard and tough.
And only what's sure is that someone really good defenceman needs to face huge disappointment.

 

[rickardr]

Why Puljujarvi should play in world juniors and what he has to prove in junior world championships.
He's already won U20 and U18 gold medals so Jesse doesn't have nothing to prove anymore in U20 WJC's.

And how playing in upcoming world juniors helps Jesse's development and makes him NHL player.
I know this hurt and you probably don't like this.
But the fact is that Puljujarvi is ''graduated'' from Finland's U20 team so try deal with it.

First of all, take a chill pill mate. I only said the chance is bigger for him to play in the JWC if he is in the AHL and then u start whining.

So if a player wins the Olympics and WC then he has nothing to prove anymore in the national team? Haha, thats a great argument, not.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

First of all, take a chill pill mate. I only said the chance is bigger for him to play in the JWC if he is in the AHL and then u start whining.

So if a player wins the Olympics and WC then he has nothing to prove anymore in the national team? Haha, thats a great argument, not.

If Edmonton Oilers really release Puljujarvi to world juniors so be it.
But i won't hold my breath to wait that happen.

Puljujarvi will be key player to Finland's senior national team for years to come.
But it's time for him to play in IIHF men's world championships.
And yes Jesse is '' graduated'' for junior national team.

PS don't rewrite my comments next time.
Have a nice day.