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WJC: Team Finland 2019 U20 WJC Roster Talk

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ChicagoBullsFan

ChicagoBullsFan

Registered User
Jun 6, 2015
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Finland
This years ( 2018) world juniors was second straight fiasco for Team Finland.
When overhyped Finnish U20 team lost quarterfinal game vs Czech's in shootout contest.

Let's take a early look on 2019 U20 team Finland.

1st line Vesalainen Ikonen Nyman
Vaakanainen Jokiharju.

2nd line Heponiemi Kotkaniemi Nordgren
Isiguzo Honka

3rd line Ylönen Kupari Nevasaari
Utunen E Räsänen.

4th line Virtanen Talvitie Engberg.
13th forward Kaapo Kakko / Sampo Ranta /Matias Maccelli / Samuel Salonen / Leevi Aaltonen / Lauri Pajuniemi / Aatu Luusuaniemi ( depending injuries).
7th dman Mikko Kokkonen / Jasper Rannisto / Eero Teräväinen / Otto Latvala / Saku Vesterinen. ( depending injuries)

Goalies
Annunen
Lehtinen
Luukkonen

Not available and retired in U20 national team
Miro Heiskanen ( Dallas Stars / Texas Stars)
Eeli Tolvanen ( Nashville Predators / Milwaukee Admirals)
Click to read more...
 
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Off the top of my head...

Kristian Vesalainen - Jesperi Kotkaniemi - Rasmus Kupari
Aleksi Heponiemi - Joni Ikonen - Jesse Ylönen
Kaapo Kakko - Aarne Talvitie - Niklas Nordgren
Sampo Ranta - Santeri Virtanen - Sami Moilanen
Linus Nyman

Urho Vaakanainen - Henri Jokiharju
Oskari Laaksonen - Anttoni Honka
Toni Utunen - Eemeli Räsänen
Saku Vesterinen

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Justus Annunen
Lassi Lehtinen
 
Defense will take a pretty big hit, although it will be compensated by having many experienced D+2 players. Vaakanainen-Jokiharju-Räsänen form a not-hopeless basis, and Honka is kind of a wild card. Offense looks a bit better at this point. Kakko looks like a top prospect, and Nordgren is very interesting as well. Add Ylönen and Kotkaniemi and the offense looks a lot deeper. I'm cautiously excited.
 
TheFinnishTrap said:
Defense will take a pretty big hit, although it will be compensated by having many experienced D+2 players. Vaakanainen-Jokiharju-Räsänen form a not-hopeless basis, and Honka is kind of a wild card. Offense looks a bit better at this point. Kakko looks like a top prospect, and Nordgren is very interesting as well. Add Ylönen and Kotkaniemi and the offense looks a lot deeper. I'm cautiously excited.
Click to expand...

It would be jackpot for Finland if Heiskanen could come and finish his career to medal in junior national team.
Jere Lehtinen has excellent contacts to Dallas and Jere is probably one of the most respected Dallas Stars icons.
So perhaps Jere can talk to Jim Nill and at least try to get Heiskanen on the team.
 
Another tournament with NA rink incoming...

Seems like the offence might have slightly better depth but without an elite guy like Tolvanen in it other than Kakko who is most likely way too young to dominate there at 17. Defence takes a big hit but after seeing how our strong D on paper couldn't achieve anything this year, I'm optimistic for something to come out of this tournament.
 
So it's in NHL rink, let's just skip it.

It will end up like this again.
 
BB88 said:
So it's in NHL rink, let's just skip it.

It will end up like this again.
Click to expand...

We will also likely sent a team full of midgets too, NA ice + small players who have only played in Europe is not really a good starting point.

From the top guys only Kotkaniemi, Virtanen and Vesalainen are big, rest are 183cm or under.
 
That OP team looks pretty bad. There is no guarantee that Kotkaniemi and Kupari take next steps and they need to be big contributors if Finland wants to success. Heponiemi and Vesalainen cant carry a team, those two play good with other good players.

Again there is potential but small rink problems comes through again and other countries will have very good teams again.
 
Vesalainen - Ikonen - Heponiemi
Kotkaniemi - Kupari - Nordgren
Nyman - Talvitie - Ylönen
Koskenkorva - Virtanen - S. Moilanen
Kakko

Vaakanainen - Jokiharju
Utunen - E. Räsänen
Salmela - Honka
Vesterinen

Luukkonen
Lehtinen

I think this group could go far if they click. Talvitie should wear the C.
 
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Now when this season ended with another disappointing exit for one of our national teams, let’s look forward to the next championship which will be the 2019 U20 WJC. Another great generation with 2017 U18 silver medalists and 2018 U18 gold medalists. I listed 40 players who I believe have a good chance of making the team(I assume that Tolvanen and Heiskanen are playing in the NHL):
FW:
Vesalainen
Heponiemi
Ikonen
Kupari
Kotkaniemi
S.Moilanen
Nordgren
Nyman
Kakko
Talvitie
Ylönen
Virtanen
Tanus
Pajuniemi
Ranta
Lundell
Petman
Hirvonen
Nikkanen
Maccelli
Engberg
Luusuaniemi
D:
Jokiharju
Vaakanainen
Räsänen
Honka
Utunen
Kokkonen
Laaksonen
Teräväinen
Salmela
Iziguzo
Anttalainen
Vesterinen
Latvala

G:
Luukkonen
Annunen
Lehtinen
Mäkiniemi
 
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If 2019 world juniors start now Finland's team could look like this.

1st line Vesalainen Ikonen Nyman.
Vaakanainen Jokiharju

2nd line Nordgren Kotkaniemi Kakko.
Utunen A Honka

3rd line Heponiemi Kupari Ylönen
E Teräväinen E Räsänen

4th line Engberg Talvitie Moilanen.

7th Dman Saku Vesterinen / Otto Latvala / Oskari Laaksonen ( depending injuries etc)
13th forward Santeri Virtanen / Anton Lundell / Lauri Kulmala / Leevi Aaltonen ( depending injuries etc)

Goalies
Luukkonen
Annunen
Mölder

Other potential candidates
Lauri Pajuniemi
Aatu Luusuaniemi
Santeri Salmela
Sampo Ranta
Peetro Seppälä
Bernard Isiguzo

Graduated from juniors and not available
Miro Heiskanen
Eeli Tolvanen

Remember this is only speculation so no need to rip your ass off.
 
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ChicagoBullsFan said:
If 2019 world juniors start now Finland's team could look like this.

1st line Vesalainen Ikonen Nyman.
Vaakanainen Jokiharju

2nd line Nordgren Kotkaniemi Kakko.
Utunen A Honka

3rd line Heponiemi Kupari Ylönen
E Teräväinen E Räsänen

4th line Engberg Talvitie Moilanen.

7th Dman Saku Vesterinen / Otto Latvala / Oskari Laaksonen ( depending injuries etc)
13th forward Santeri Virtanen / Anton Lundell / Lauri Kulmala / Leevi Aaltonen ( depending injuries etc)

Goalies
Luukkonen
Annunen
Mölder

Other potential candidates
Lauri Pajuniemi
Aatu Luusuaniemi
Santeri Salmela
Sampo Ranta
Peetro Seppälä
Bernard Isiguzo

Graduated from juniors and not available
Miro Heiskanen
Eeli Tolvanen

Remember this is only speculation so no need to rip your ass off.
Click to expand...
Seems pretty much the same as I was thinking, good options up front, good enough defenseman, and potentially 2 good goalkeepers fighting for the number one spot, let’s see after the summer how these guys have developed.
 
*Bolded players were at U20 test camp in Vierumäki.

------------------------NHL/AHL---------------------------
Kristian Vesalainen (-99) - Eeli Tolvanen (-99)
Miro Heiskanen (-99)

--------------------Top Candidates------------------------
Linus Nyman (-99) - Jesperi Kotkaniemi (-00) - Niklas Nordgren (-00)
Aleksi Heponiemi (-99) - Joni Ikonen (-99) - Kaapo Kakko (-01)
Aarne Talvitie (-99) - Rasmus Kupari (-00) - Jesse Ylönen (-99)
Teemu Engberg (-99) - Santeri Virtanen (-99) - Sampo Ranta (-00)
Sami Moilanen (-99)

Urho Vaakanainen (-99) - Henri Jokiharju (-99)
Eemeli Räsänen (-99) - Anttoni Honka (-00)
Joona Riekkinen (-99) - Oskari Laaksonen (-99)
Santeri Salmela (-00)

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (-99)
Lassi Lehtinen (-99)
Justus Annunen (-00)

-------------------Other Candidates-----------------------
Erkka Seppälä (-99) - Anton Lundell (-01) - Lauri Pajuniemi (-99)
Aleksi Klemetti (-99) - Olli Maansaari (-99) - Janne Jokinen (-99)
Eetu Päkkilä (-99) - Jesse Koskenkorva (-99) - Aatu Luusuaniemi (-99)
Matias Maccelli (-00) - Henri Nikkanen (-01) - Antti Saarela (-01)
Ville Petman (-00)

Eero Teräväinen (-99) - Saku Vesterinen (-99)
Toni Utunen (-00) - Bernard Isiguzo (-99)
Aleksi Anttalainen (-99) - Otto Latvala (-99)
Olli Kaskinen (-99)

Filip Lindberg (-99)
Eetu Mäkiniemi (-99)
Conrad Mölder (-99)
 
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Goalies are interesting. Luukkonen has so much raw talent, but the development has been slow IMO. And he was "outplayed" by many other young Mestis goalies this season. I still believe that he may make the best career of the bunch, but can he be challenged for next year. More of project goalie. Is he chosen only by his potential to be the starter?

Lehtinen was surprisingly good in Mestis playoffs. Solid and calm. Still the quality of shooters does raise signicantly going to Liiga. Can challenge Luukkonen.

Lindberg did a good choice IMO going to NCAA. It has been good road to pro career historically (Wallinheimo, Tarkki, Helanen (what if)..) and recently (Olkinuora, Tirronen, Kaskisuo...). If I thik of the similar level of talent it is amazing how many of the NCAA goalies has became solid pros.
 
LeafChief said:
Does Eemeli Rasanen moving to the KHL hurt or hep his chances of making this squad?
Click to expand...
He should be a lock anyway, doesn't really matter.


Sanf said:
Goalies are interesting. Luukkonen has so much raw talent, but the development has been slow IMO. And he was "outplayed" by many other young Mestis goalies this season. I still believe that he may make the best career of the bunch, but can he be challenged for next year. More of project goalie. Is he chosen only by his potential to be the starter?

Lehtinen was surprisingly good in Mestis playoffs. Solid and calm. Still the quality of shooters does raise signicantly going to Liiga. Can challenge Luukkonen.

Lindberg did a good choice IMO going to NCAA. It has been good road to pro career historically (Wallinheimo, Tarkki, Helanen (what if)..) and recently (Olkinuora, Tirronen, Kaskisuo...). If I thik of the similar level of talent it is amazing how many of the NCAA goalies has became solid pros.
Click to expand...
I think Lehtinen could be our starter.. He had very impressive season.
 
Sanf said:
Goalies are interesting. Luukkonen has so much raw talent, but the development has been slow IMO. And he was "outplayed" by many other young Mestis goalies this season. I still believe that he may make the best career of the bunch, but can he be challenged for next year. More of project goalie. Is he chosen only by his potential to be the starter?

Lehtinen was surprisingly good in Mestis playoffs. Solid and calm. Still the quality of shooters does raise signicantly going to Liiga. Can challenge Luukkonen.

Lindberg did a good choice IMO going to NCAA. It has been good road to pro career historically (Wallinheimo, Tarkki, Helanen (what if)..) and recently (Olkinuora, Tirronen, Kaskisuo...). If I thik of the similar level of talent it is amazing how many of the NCAA goalies has became solid pros.
Click to expand...

In general 18 year-old netminders have a harder time at World Juniors than those that are 19, that extra year of development seems to make a big difference in many cases. Joni Ortio was a perfect example of this; he struggled as a 18 year-old, a lot more than Luukkonen did, but a year later he redeemed himself and had a good tournament.

Luukkonen didn't display the same kind of growth in his game during the second half of the season as Lehtinen did, but there was a pretty good reason for it. Luukkonen simply wasn't healthy for half the time and only played in 6 Mestis games after the World Juniors.

National team coaches have preferred Luukkonen over Lehtinen for two years now, so at this point it would be bit of a stretch to say that he isn't the odds on favourite to be the starter next season as well. That being said, it's interesting to see how the summer goes for these guys and how they perform at the first big U20 event of the season in early August. There's always room for surprises.

Lindberg played well with the U19 national team in February and April, he seems to be quite a promising netminder. Not the biggest goalie out there, but has some similarities with Saros in how quick and agile he is. BTW, game videos from those two tournaments can still be found from HokejkaTV.
 
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