WC: Team Finland 2022 roster talk

[SantosHalper]

So is Risto.

Yup, but my idea was that he plays on the left side in more defensive role.

but there is another option - moving Pokka to the left. It's what he did in Omsk when paired with Kaski.

Ohtamaa - Pokka is most likely written down already as a shut-down pair, like they were in the Olympics.

My 2nd idea is to move Jokiharju to the left side and pair him with Vatanen and Risto plays with Friman and gets more offensive role. Jokiharju plays with Dahlin in Buffalo in more defensive role, so i though maybe he could do that with Vatanen. Granted Dahlin is a LHD and in Buffalo Jokiharju plays on the right side, but max. 10 games on the left side im sure Jokiharju or Risto could handle that.

Like i said im not holding my breath, if Ristolainen is injured chances to get him goes down even more. Sund, Leskinen or Seppälä is the last piece.

 

[Mestaruus]

Eyeing all those potential first round matchups, we've been so fixated on the west that there's one we should definitely keep an eye on in the east: Boston vs. Carolina. (Not a clinched one yet, but looks probable.)

If this matchup becomes reality, both squads would have a Finnish center with a contract extending to the next season. And while most of us would without a doubt prefer the Carolina one, the Boston one's been in great form lately, and would likewise be a solid addition for us.

I didn't forget about Boston vs Carolina, but it would be much more important to get more high quality players before the regular season ends so I found that more important. I'm sure that all these Panthers, Colorado, Carolina won't win their series so we will probably end up having more players than slots available. Not to forget Dallas and Nashville. At least one one of them will go to the playoffs and maybe both. Tonight's match with Vegas will be interesting.

If we'd get unlucky with all those teams or many players would be injured then there might be Määttä, Puljujärvi and others.

Yeah Haula has been on fire lately I must say.

 

[Mestaruus]

Lines vs Czech today:

Jussi Olkinuora

Varalla:
Frans Tuohimaa

1:
Jere Innala – Sakari Manninen – Teemu Hartikainen
Mikko Lehtonen – Oliwer Kaski

2:
Toni Rajala – Valtteri Filppula (C) – Niko Ojamäki
Niklas Friman – Sami Vatanen (A)

3:
Harri Pesonen – Jere Sallinen – Petrus Palmu
Vili Saarijärvi – Juuso Hietanen

4:
Markus Nenonen – Saku Mäenalanen – Valtteri Ojantakanen
Atte Ohtamaa (A) – Ville Pokka

13. hyökkääjä:
Eemil Erholtz

Interesting things:
-Mäenalanen as center now. Obviously because Mörkö & Björninen aren't there, but it's still interesting imo.
-Lehtonen's first game. That D pair certainly has enough offense. Maybe they go together to the PP unit as well with 3 forwards instead of 4?

 

[Mestaruus]

Olkinuora is pretty good. No more worries about his form. I want Säteri to join also because I don't want Tuohimaa to get games during the tournament.

 

[illone84]

delete

 

[illone84]

For the players in teams not making the playoffs, *any* injury is season-ending at this stage.

Risto is listed as DTD with an unspecified upper body injury, so there's still a chance, I guess.

Rasmus Ristolainen ei lähde MM-kisoihin: ”Olisi ollut todella kova kiinnostus”

 

[Eye of Ra]

What a suprise. Im in utter shock.

 

[FiLe]

Rasmus Ristolainen ei lähde MM-kisoihin: ”Olisi ollut todella kova kiinnostus”

Well, never said it was a decent chance. Doubt anyone really had him penciled in. I know I didn't.

As a break from the usual, at least this time he's citing an injury as a reason instead of simple lack of motivation.

 

[mattihp]

35 Frans Tuohimaa
30 Niclas Westerholm

1:
15 Miro Aaltonen – 65 Sakari Manninen (A) – 21 Jere Innala
4 Mikko Lehtonen – 7 Oliwer Kaski

2:
25 Toni Rajala – 22 Ville Petman – 20 Niko Ojamäki
3 Niklas Friman – 18 Vili Saarijärvi

3:
82 Harri Pesonen – 76 Jere Sallinen – 52 Petrus Palmu
81 Kalle Maalahti – 38 Juuso Hietanen

4:
37 Eemil Erholtz – 80 Saku Mäenalanen – 12 Marko Anttila (C)
55 Atte Ohtamaa (A) – 41 Arttu Pelli

Trying out new guys with Manninen

 

[ijuka]

Ristolainen also wanted to join in 2020 but it got canceled.

Oh well, maybe the king of minus is not a huge loss.

 

[IceHockeyDude]

Colorado-Nashville will be a match-up to pay attention to. Dallas and Calgary aswell.
Getting Rantanen would be pretty sick, however not very likely. I'll happeily take Granlund aswell.

If Dallas loses in 6 or even 7 games, there's chance to get a group of high caliber players without contract-issues.

I gues the possibility for Laine joining is close to zero?

 

[FiLe]

Trying out new guys with Manninen

Likely giving Hartikainen a rest. The guy has nothing left to prove at this stage.

Also, I guess Aaltonen's going to stick to wing then. Which makes me wonder if Jalonen's planning to add a center from somewhere, as the present selection leaves something to be desired.

 

[FiLe]

If Dallas loses in 6 or even 7 games, there's chance to get a group of high caliber players without contract-issues.

I gues the possibility for Laine joining is close to zero?

Once more, a reminder that any series that takes 6 to 7 to decide won't end before the puck drops in Tampere. Which means the amount of spots left will be somewhat limited.

This being said, I consider the odds of getting at least one or two top shelf additions actually quite decent. But we should be wary with any wet dream scenarios. What we see being added next week is mostly what we're going to get.

 

[IceHockeyDude]

Once more, a reminder that any series that takes 6 to 7 to decide won't end before the puck drops in Tampere. Which means the amount of spots left will be somewhat limited.

Doesn't matter. They can still join.

 

[FiLe]

Doesn't matter. They can still join.

They can't if the roster limit of 22 skaters is already full. And Jalonen will likely dress 18-20 for the first game. So some dropouts can join, some can't.

 

[IceHockeyDude]

They can't if the roster limit of 22 skaters is already full. And Jalonen will likely dress 18-20 for the first game. So some dropouts can join, some can't.

We don't know what's going on behind the scene. Jalonen sure want at least two, perhaps three players from NHL. This is a home tournament and he wants the best he can get. And as you said there is space for perhaps even 4 players. Drop 4 players, get 4 from NHL.

First two games are against Norway and Latvia. No disrespect for either one, both are always difficult opponents but the USA and Sweden games will be played in 16th and 18th day which are the most important so there is plenty of time.

 

[FiLe]

And as you said there is space for perhaps even 4 players. Drop 4 players, get 4 from NHL.

4 is plausible, as there's no way he'll dress less than 12 forwards and 6 d-men from the get-go. But even if he keeps as many spots open as possible, both Dallas and Nashville getting eliminated may mean more players being available than spots being open.

 

[IceHockeyDude]

4 is plausible, as there's no way he'll dress less than 12 forwards and 6 d-men from the get-go. But even if he keeps as many spots open as possible, both Dallas and Nashville getting eliminated may mean more players being available than spots being open.

Take Granlund and Hintz. That's good enough for this level. Heiskanen being the third.

Granlund and Hintz for the first line and UFA line as the second. We got two good offensive lines and special teams. Defense would be decent at Finnish standards with Olympic returnees added with Heiskanen and Jokiharju (who played 23-24 minutes every night for the Sabres.

 

[BB88]

Nashville and Dallas should be done quickly.
For Saros just not enough time to get healthy

 

[Mestaruus]

Also, I guess Aaltonen's going to stick to wing then. Which makes me wonder if Jalonen's planning to add a center from somewhere, as the present selection leaves something to be desired.

Well kind of like in my earlier post, I think that Sallinen will be a center in the tournament and Aaltonen was good as a winger in the Olympics and Jalonen didn't forget that.

I'm guessing that Björninen returns but I'll also guess that MaG won't return.

This being said, I consider the odds of getting at least one or two top shelf additions actually quite decent

Oh we'll get few big time players after the first round of playoffs. I'm 95% sure about that. It would be silly if Jalonen wouldn't keep few slots open. There will be more players dropping out after playoff round 1 who would like to come than there will be slots.

 

[Mestaruus]

If MaG doesn't return:

Aaltonen-Manninen-Hartikainen
Armia-Filppula-Innala
Pesonen-Sallinen-x
Mäenalanen-Björninen-Mörkö

X = Kuokkanen, Donskoi if one of them them comes. I would maybe elevate one of them to the second line and move Armia to 3rd. Petrus Palmu and Rajala haven't impressed me enough and Ojamäki even less (Ojamäki of course scores on the same second I wrote his name down, but goals shouldn't be everything). With that Ojamäki is improving his chances though and he needs to be good in the remaining games. Arttu Ruotsalainen or Maccelli could have chances as well.

There are some joker cards from Liiga finals as well. Perhaps few of these might make it as some kind of back ups. What I mean by that is being selections but not top-12:

Savinainen, Luoto, Nurmi, Pyyhtiä, Pärssinen. Tyrväinen from SEL to that list as well.

 

[jaro]

 

[Mestaruus]

I'd say that's actually positive news. I had lost all hope but that gives some hope.

 

[Mestaruus]

Säteri is in good shape now, so I hope that he actually joins. Then we'll have a good tandem with him and Olkinuora. Olkinuora was amazing in his last game.

Säteri's last game was almost a full shutout with Arizona. 53 mins on the ice, He substituted the goalie who let something like 4 goals in 7 mins and after that Säteri shut it down with 27/27 saves.

But I'm mostly waiting for the news of the roster that is available for EHT Sweden. Maybe they announce it tomorrow night or on Monday? I'm not sure when they will do that. We should then finally hear about the likes of Donskoi, Maccelli, Ruotsalainen, Kuokkanen and Säteri to mention a few and will there be any Liiga finalists in the team is another question.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Hannes Björninen have signed with Brynäs, where Manner is coaching. Do you guys think he can produce many points in SHL? Im under the impression he is more of a hardworking shutdown center.