WC: Team Finland 2019 men's World Championships roster talk
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gwh
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- Mar 4, 2013
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Contract breach with IIHF transfer contract if true. Someone will get the axe for this tweet. The teams explicitly cannot ban players from National Team ice hockey.
I think it is in the CBA too.
Disappointment ofc, but it is what it is. Next year with better roster.
This is a positive thing especially for those guys that have either breakout ssn or personal best ssn in Euro leagues (Kaski, Virtanen, Kakko) to show what they can do against actual NHLers and how they can handle the pace. And they will get better role than better case years.
We still might get Hintz, Heiskanen or Teräväinen from the NHL, but not a stacked team from there like Russia or USA or Sweden. Tho those guys have very good ssn under their belt aswell so they can be considered very good reinforcements.
I think this situation fits better to us Finns that we dont go sweeping every Latvias or Norways like 8-1 in round robins, no matter how euphoric it looks like. Almost every single gold medal tournament we have had struggles to overcome in route to that cup and more often as an underdogs when we rely more on teamwork.
This is a positive thing especially for those guys that have either breakout ssn or personal best ssn in Euro leagues (Kaski, Virtanen, Kakko) to show what they can do against actual NHLers and how they can handle the pace. And they will get better role than better case years.
We still might get Hintz, Heiskanen or Teräväinen from the NHL, but not a stacked team from there like Russia or USA or Sweden. Tho those guys have very good ssn under their belt aswell so they can be considered very good reinforcements.
I think this situation fits better to us Finns that we dont go sweeping every Latvias or Norways like 8-1 in round robins, no matter how euphoric it looks like. Almost every single gold medal tournament we have had struggles to overcome in route to that cup and more often as an underdogs when we rely more on teamwork.
Well, at least there will be zero expectations this time. This is likely the most underwhelming team Finland in a loooong time.
Just getting to quarterfinals will be a feat.
Just getting to quarterfinals will be a feat.
Interesting view! But today you need a top team to win gold. In former times it was different,there you could exsist also with players from European Leagues(+ 3-4 NHL-Player) Of course, players like Kakko can prove themselves against NHL-Players. But waht use are super talents to Finland if they don t want to play for Finland in the future anyway.
I think the pace of the game has changed drastically, but its not far away when we culd beat stacked Canada in 2014 WC quarterfinal with just couple of NHLers (that year tho Rinne was everything for us) and wasnt that far away from gold either vs Russia in WC final.
Miracles on ice still happens nowadays (Switzerland last year) so anything can happen, but it requires a strong teamspirit and commitment to ur own system. Possible unsung heroes and those high expectation guys has to play their A-game that it can happen. And even if we didnt have Rinne caliber gk this year we still can be effective underdogs especially w/ coaches like Jalonen and his staff is.
Luck and overperforming are required pretty much from everybody.
Jesus christ this team does look like shit, but i like it 
. Let's go for that upset!
. Let's go for that upset!
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Yes but Switzerland had Timo Meier,Niedereiter,Josi,Fiala etc in their team. I haven t much trust in miracles.And the schedule isn t very lucky for Suomi. First 3 games vs CAN,SVK and US.
You know, overall, the team doesn't even look THAT bad. Or rather, only one part of it looks really underwhelming.
Goalies - well, all we need is one who does the minimum, as in, catches everything he sees. By the looks of things, that guy will be either Saros (if available) or Vehviläinen. Saros can do the job, and Vehviläinen has been pretty damn good this season. Both with Kärpät and on EHT. Guys like Vehanen, Koskinen and Raanta have proven us that the gap between an NHLer and a solid euro goalie is actually quite narrow.
Defense - Jokiharju, Lehtonen, Kaski, Koivisto, Virtanen, Pokka, Hakanpää, Ohtamaa, Lindbohm, Eronen... the strongest part. As you can see, I listed ten names. So even with no further additions from overseas, we have spares. And Määttä, Heiskanen, Niku, Honka and Riikola are still within the limits of possibility.
Forwards - okay, this is not good. Besides Kakko, it's hard to see any names to be truly excited about. Could really use Hintz and TT to build a respectable top-six. On the other hand, there will be plenty of room for newcomers, and Jalonen has plenty of eye for talent. Will be interesting to see who he poaches from the Liiga finals.
All in all - the back end is no worse than we've had most years. In fact, I'd call it one of the better ones even w/o any more NHLers. The issue is the firepower up front. But even with this representation, the games shouldn't be blowouts, even against the other elite countries.
Goalies - well, all we need is one who does the minimum, as in, catches everything he sees. By the looks of things, that guy will be either Saros (if available) or Vehviläinen. Saros can do the job, and Vehviläinen has been pretty damn good this season. Both with Kärpät and on EHT. Guys like Vehanen, Koskinen and Raanta have proven us that the gap between an NHLer and a solid euro goalie is actually quite narrow.
Defense - Jokiharju, Lehtonen, Kaski, Koivisto, Virtanen, Pokka, Hakanpää, Ohtamaa, Lindbohm, Eronen... the strongest part. As you can see, I listed ten names. So even with no further additions from overseas, we have spares. And Määttä, Heiskanen, Niku, Honka and Riikola are still within the limits of possibility.
Forwards - okay, this is not good. Besides Kakko, it's hard to see any names to be truly excited about. Could really use Hintz and TT to build a respectable top-six. On the other hand, there will be plenty of room for newcomers, and Jalonen has plenty of eye for talent. Will be interesting to see who he poaches from the Liiga finals.
All in all - the back end is no worse than we've had most years. In fact, I'd call it one of the better ones even w/o any more NHLers. The issue is the firepower up front. But even with this representation, the games shouldn't be blowouts, even against the other elite countries.
I usually dont critize players who skip these games but holy shit. Why the f*** you even come to play eht games then??? Stay the the f*** away from national team if you cba to play in the spring.
mattihp
Registered User
What kind of fine or other sanction will be set for the panthers? They aren't allowed to stop players from world champs.
Conspiracy Theorist
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- Jan 30, 2016
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This could be the weakest team Finland has ever sent on paper. Imagine if Jack Hughes was your best player in men's tournament.
How do you know that Barkov didn’t decide to not go, and informed the IIHF of his decision, prior to the Panthers releasing the info? This is the captain of the team, you really think the team would go above him in regards to this, without first consulting with him?
Lack of interest from Finnish players should be really worrisome for the staff. NHLers are less and less interested in joining : many decline several times (Barkov, Maatta), youngs guys not interested even though is a great opprtunity (Kotkaniemi, Borgstrom). Many never joined (Armia, Lehkonen)
The big news is that KHL players are also declining now.
The big news is that KHL players are also declining now.
Retroglyphs
Registered User
- Mar 23, 2018
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Who decided when Denis Malgin didn't join the swiss national team at last year's tournament in Copenhagen?
If Barkov would have informed the Finnish federation then the Finnish federation would be aware of that which they are not. Everything in this makes blatantly clear that the decision was made by the Panthers and they openly admit as much.
Lots of barking up the wrong tree here. This is the first time Barkov declines without a discernible injury (and it seems pretty obvious that he would have come if not pressured by the club). Määttä hasn't declined - at least not yet. Kotkaniemi's decision is actually understandable - a full NHL season can be really taxing for a guy who was conditioned to U18 and Liiga hockey. Armia and Lehkonen are both contractless.
Borgström is a bit of a mystery, especially since he DID initially express interest.
And the KHL players declining is arguably another issue that should be looked into more closely. It's especially puzzling since some guys who turn down the WHC invites don't mind answering EHT calls earlier in the season.
greasysnapper
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- Apr 6, 2018
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"24.6 For the IIHF World Championships, the Clubs shall permit a Player to play for his National team provided:
(a) The Player's Club either did not qualify for the NHL Playoffs or was eliminated in an early round of the Playoffs.
(b) No agent or representative of the Player's National team inquired as to whether the Player would be willing to play for his National team until after his Club was eliminated from the NHL Playoffs and any such inquiry was only made with simultaneous notice being given to the General Manager of the Player's Club and the Player.
(c) The IIHF or the Player's National team agree to provide such insurance to cover the remaining value of the Player's SPC.
(d) The IIHF or the Player's National team agree to provide such additional insurance to cover the Player's loss of earning capacity as the Player may require."
Team claiming an "injury" without even including him in the IR/LTIR is not valid.
Armia and Lehkonen had contracts in the last 2 years, I guess, but declined.
Regarding Kotkaniemi, Dahlin is joining Sweden right? Same situation but different decisions.
About Risto, it is really sad that one of the best available player each year declines almost automatically.
Hopefully some other guys (Rantanen, Mi Granlund or Aho) are reliable when they are proposes to join. But they remain a minority
team can stop players and do it all the time. Players have contracts and in this contract it is clearly stated what players can and can not do. Example. After Luc Bourdon of Vancouver died in the motorbike crash, many teams put in perversions banning stuff like that and other dangerous activities that could harm their ability to play. And playing hockey can be a dangerous activity.
Can you post a the rule where a team who has a valid contract can not stop a player from playing in any tournament?
See above. It's in the CBA, thus no team can forbid no player from going as long as the four conditions are fulfilled.
Doesn't change the fact that they have valid reasons now, so it is a bit disingenuous to mention them as examples. Especially since the last year was the first time Armia declined with no discernible reason.
It's not. Counting the games in Europe, this is Dahlin's third full season of pro hockey, Kotkaniemi's second. It makes a massive difference in conditioning.
Star Ocean
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- Dec 30, 2018
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