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WJC: Team Finland 2019 U20 WJC Roster Talk

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My thoughts about the team roster:

Vesalainen-Kotkaniemi-Nordgren
Kupari-Heponiemi-Kakko
Ylönen-Talvitie-Nyman
Moilanen-Virtanen-Pajuniemi
Ranta

Jokiharju-Vaakanainen
Räsänen-Honka
Laaksonen-Salmela
Utunen

Luukkonen
Lehtinen
Annunen

Offense seems to be our strenght.
 
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Heponiemi-Kupari-Vesalainen
Kakk0-Kotkaniemi-Ylonen
Ranta-Virtanen-Nordgren
Pajuniemi-Moilanen-Talvitie
Nyman

Tried for a balance of power (Vesalainen and Kakko) and speed (Kupari and Ylonen and Ranta) and determination (Kotkaniemi and Nordgren)

Suomi for the Gold!
 
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I'm not counting on Virtanen playing. He is always injured. Apparently even in the offseason since he just missed the on-ice stuff at Jets dev camp
 
I forgot Ikonen. If he is healthy, I think he would take Moilanen's spot and Moilanen would be 13th forward. Ranta out from the team.
 
FinPanda said:
I put Kupari on W as I don't like him at C with his hockey sense. He can bring a lot more when he is a winger.
Click to expand...
Ideally Kupari would be on the wing, but if Ikonen isn't available or something, I think Kupari takes that spot. I thought he did a fine job filling in for Kotkaniemi at U18s and was okay in Liiga too. I am not sold on Heponiemi at center.
 
TheFinnishTrap said:
Ideally Kupari would be on the wing, but if Ikonen isn't available or something, I think Kupari takes that spot. I thought he did a fine job filling in for Kotkaniemi at U18s and was okay in Liiga too. I am not sold on Heponiemi at center.
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Yeah I didn't even remember he hasn't played a lot C lately. Oh well, good to have some options. I hope Ikonen is healthy.

Kupari-Ikonen-Heponiemi :nod:
 
MarkovtoSubban said:
Heponiemi-Kupari-Vesalainen
Kakk0-Kotkaniemi-Ylonen
Ranta-Virtanen-Nordgren
Pajuniemi-Moilanen-Talvitie
Nyman

Tried for a balance of power (Vesalainen and Kakko) and speed (Kupari and Ylonen and Ranta) and determination (Kotkaniemi and Nordgren)

Suomi for the Gold!
Click to expand...

If Nordgren makes Finland's world junior roster there's no way he plays in 3rd line.
Nordgren needs to TOP6 role in order to benefit the team.

Nordgren is physically very raw.
And if / when he plays in 3rd line he'll get abused like a rag doll vs bigger opponents .

You don't put guy like Nordgren in 3rd line if you have guys like Kupari, Ranta Engberg,Virtanen, Ylönen, Talvitie,Pajuniemi, Moilanen to those roles.

And why coach Ahokas should broke Nordgren Kotkaniemi Kakko line.
That trio played well together in U18 WJC's so let them continue of that they were left for U18 WJC's.

And I can bet on that Finland won't win U20 WJC gold.
North American ice surface doesn't fit Finland so well as you probably have seen last two U20 WJC's.
 
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Early crap shot:

Nordgren-Kotkaniemi-Kakko
Vesalainen-Kupari-Ylönen
Ranta-Lundell-Ikonen
Moilanen-Talvitie-Pajuniemi

Heponiemi/Nyman

I wouldn't mind having the top unit from the U18 gold winning team as the first line. Kupari and Vesalainen have some experience from FEL that could turn useful. Lundell was just excellent against kids older than him in the U18s and his two-way game already looked like it was on a solid level. Seems to have the vision & IQ to turn into a real good forward. Really needs to prove he belongs just to make it though and no doubt a wildcard. Last year I felt like I wanted to add Kakko on the roster (don't think I did) and looking back now he might have made some difference. As for the 4th line, I hope Talvitie makes it. He seems like he can do a little bit of everything and adds some offence to the otherwise not so offence orientated line.

Heponiemi was such a disappointment last year that I'm not sure if I want to see him again. If he can improve his game and add some real speed, then perhaps he could be less one dimensional and actually productive. The lack of size and not really being the fastest skater ensures he doesn't have a role in the bottom six at least. I Didn't add defencemen as there's no certainty who's actually available and I'm almost certain it'll be our achilles heel again. From the goalkeepers I'd probably lean towards Luukkonen at this point.
 
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kelsier said:
Early crap shot:

Nordgren-Kotkaniemi-Kakko
Vesalainen-Kupari-Ylönen
Ranta-Lundell-Ikonen
Moilanen-Talvitie-Pajuniemi

Heponiemi/Nyman

I wouldn't mind having the top unit from the U18 gold winning team as the first line. Kupari and Vesalainen have some experience from FEL that could turn useful. Lundell was just excellent against kids older than him in the U18s and his two-way game already looked like it was on a solid level. Seems to have the vision & IQ to turn into a real good forward. Really needs to prove he belongs just to make it though and no doubt a wildcard. Last year I felt like I wanted to add Kakko on the roster (don't think I did) and looking back now he might have made some difference. As for the 4th line, I hope Talvitie makes it. He seems like he can do a little bit of everything and adds some offence to the otherwise not so offence orientated line.

Heponiemi was such a disappointment last year that I'm not sure if I want to see him again. If he can improve his game and add some real speed, then perhaps he could be less one dimensional and actually productive. The lack of size and not really being the fastest skater ensures he doesn't have a role in the bottom six at least. I Didn't add defencemen as there's no certainty who's actually available and I'm almost certain it'll be our achilles heel again. From the goalkeepers I'd probably lean towards Luukkonen at this point.
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Will Finland care one way or the other that Talvite is headed to NCAA?
 
cg98 said:
No, they took Borgstrom and Bjorkqvist in 2017 and Rasanen and Kotkansalo in 2018. Talvite will be fine.
Click to expand...

In US and Canada there have been rumblings from time to time of a player being passed over by the national program where the player went to a league the national program wanted to discourage. It wouldn’t shock me if a European development program wanted to discourage young players bolting for North America it wouldn’t shock me if they told a role player like Talvite thanks but no thanks. I’m impressed if they’d let him slide on that.
 
Niklas Nordgren - Jesperi Kotkaniemi - Kaapo Kakko
Kristian Vesalainen - Rasmus Kupari - Jesse Ylönen
Aleksi Heponiemi - Anton Lundell - Lauri Pajuniemi
Aarne Talvitie - Santeri Virtanen - Sampo Ranta
Joni Ikonen

Urho Vaakanainen - Henri Jokiharju
Toni Utunen - Anttoni Honka
Oskari Laaksonen - Eemeli Räsänen
Joona Riekkinen

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Lassi Lehtinen
Justus Annunen


- Theres 23 roster spots and I have 28 players on my radar at this time competing for those with Nyman, Engberg, Moilanen, Salmela and Vesterinen just missing the cut.
 
My3Sons said:
In US and Canada there have been rumblings from time to time of a player being passed over by the national program where the player went to a league the national program wanted to discourage. It wouldn’t shock me if a European development program wanted to discourage young players bolting for North America it wouldn’t shock me if they told a role player like Talvite thanks but no thanks. I’m impressed if they’d let him slide on that.
Click to expand...

The distinction that he's a role player is the important part. As you stated, it's been a pretty serious discussion in the US. I'm of the belief that, if all other things are equal, the US program will take the NCAA kid over the CHL kid. So, stars are one thing...role players are another. See no reason it wouldn't be similar for you.
 
How about the coach? I am asking because I think Finland underachieved last WJC. Would you change the coach if you could?
 
theVladiator said:
How about the coach? I am asking because I think Finland underachieved last WJC. Would you change the coach if you could?
Click to expand...

If it was my decision Tommi Niemelä or Juuso Nieminen would have replaced Jussi Ahokas already.
But Finland will have anyway new U20 head coach after 2019 world juniors.

So i think Finnish hockey association wants to see first how this upcoming season goes before they change U20 coaching staff.
 
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Updated U20 summer camp roster.

Goalies
Annunen Justus, Kärpät Oulu
Lehtinen Lassi, Lukko Rauma
Luukkonen Ukko-Pekka, HPK Hämeenlinna

Defencemans
Anttalainen Aleksi, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
Honka Anttoni, JYP Jyväskylä
Isiguzo Bernard, TPS Turku
Laaksonen Oskari, Ilves Tampere
Latvala Otto, HPK Hämeenlinna
Riekkinen Joona, KalPa Kuopio
Räsänen Eemeli, Jokerit Helsinki
Salmela Santeri, KooKoo Kouvola
Teräväinen Eero, Lincoln Stars (USHL)
Utunen Toni, Tappara Tampere
Vaakanainen Urho, Boston Bruins (NHL)
Vesterinen Saku, KalPa Kuopio

Forwards
Engberg Teemu, HIFK Helsinki
Jokinen Janne, HPK Hämeenlinna
Kakko Kaapo, TPS Turku
Klemetti Aleksi, KalPa Kuopio
Koskenkorva Jesse, Kärpät Oulu
Kotkaniemi Jesperi, Ässät Pori
Maansaari Olli, HPK Hämeenlinna
Moilanen Sami, Tappara Tampere
Nyman Linus, Lukko Rauma
Pajuniemi Lauri, TPS Turku
Petman Ville, Lukko Rauma
Päkkilä Eetu, Kärpät Oulu
Ranta Sampo, Wisconsin Badgers (NCAA)
Seppälä Erkka, HPK Hämeenlinna
Talvitie Aarne, Penn State Univ (NCAA)
Tanus Kristian, Tappara Tampere
Vesalainen Kristian
Ylönen Jesse, Pelicans Lahti
 
I've adopted Finland as my 2nd favorite team and try to follow you guys as much as I can. I think that roster and some of the lineups posted above looks really strong. Question is, how strong? You think you guys are going to be firmly in the medal mix this December? I hope so.
 
clevelandcane said:
I've adopted Finland as my 2nd favorite team and try to follow you guys as much as I can. I think that roster and some of the lineups posted above looks really strong. Question is, how strong? You think you guys are going to be firmly in the medal mix this December? I hope so.
Click to expand...

Advancing the medal games would be huge upgrade for our two last ( 2017 and 2018) U20 performances.
But there is so many questionmarks regarding player selections and coaching so it's better wish the best and scare the worse.

The fact is that Heiskanen and Tolvanen will be gone.
Also Vesalainen, Vaakanainen, and Jokiharju are the potentially excluded players if they make NHL rosters too.

We ( Finland) aren't heavy gold or medal favorites even this year.
If i need to predict something i have to say Finland will face 2nd straight quarterfinal exit with small margin.
 
ChicagoBullsFan said:
Advancing the medal games would be huge upgrade for our two last ( 2017 and 2018) U20 performances.
But there is so many questionmarks regarding player selections and coaching so it's better wish the best and scare the worse.

The fact is that Heiskanen and Tolvanen will be gone.
Also Vesalainen, Vaakanainen, and Jokiharju are the potentially excluded players if they make NHL rosters too.

We ( Finland) aren't heavy gold or medal favorites even this year.
If i need to predict something i have to say Finland will face 2nd straight quarterfinal exit with small margin.
Click to expand...
Aha. I didn't think about the NHL. I'm still going to hold out hope they play for you guys
 
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