U18: Team Finland 2022 U18 WJC roster talk

[ijuka]

Since this for whatever reason does not have a thread yet, I decided to make one.

The February 18 camp had these players and I assume that the WJC u18 roster will mainly consist of them:

Maalivahdit:
Leinonen Topias, JYP Jyväskylä
Marttinen Milo, KalPa Kuopio
Varis Kalle, SaiPa Lappeenranta

Puolustajat:
Grönlund Thomas, Lukko Rauma
Hiltunen Paavo, HIFK Helsinki
Hintikka Juho, KalPa Kuopio
Junkkari Jimi, Pelicans Lahti
Kangas Kalle, Jokerit Helsinki
Kiviharju Aron, TPS Turku
Kulonummi Kasper, Jokerit Helsinki
Minkkinen Niko, JYP Jyväskylä
Pieniniemi Emil, Kärpät Oulu
Salin Otto, HIFK Helsinki
Vesala Juuso, Sport Vaasa
Vuori Topi, Jokerit Helsinki

Hyökkääjät:
Bau Samu, HIFK Helsinki
Halttunen Kasper, Jokerit Helsinki
Hynninen Topias, KalPa Kuopio
Hämeenaho Lenni, Ässät Pori
Kaskimäki Aleksanteri, HIFK Helsinki
Kaukonen Jesperi, Ässät Pori
Kiiskinen Jesse, Pelicans Lahti
Kivipelto Viljami, JYP Jyväskylä
Koskipirtti Max, Kiekko-Espoo
Kumpulainen Rasmus, Pelicans Lahti
Lassila Jere, JYP Jyväskylä
Maurola Valtteri, JYP Jyväskylä
Männistö Tommi, Tappara Tampere
Pesonen Iisai, KalPa Kuopio
Raiman Lauri, Pelicans Lahti
Rönni Topi, Tappara Tampere
Tolppola Venni, Kiekko-Espoo
Vuorio Oskari, Jokerit Helsinki

Although around half of them will of course have to be cut. It'll be interesting to see which players people think will be participating.

Click to read more...

 

[Erikfromfin]

The earlier original February list had different players and later replaced due to injuries?
Leijonat - U18 Pikkuleijonien MM-valmistelut jatkuvat Peurungalla — Pelaajaluettelo – Päivitetty: 250 katsojaa halliin
These players were on the first list later removed:
G: Kokko, Vinni
D: Konidaris, Kärki, Vuorinen
F: Hakala, Hokkanen, Naukkarinen, Nyman, Sulku

also Kemell, Laakso and Lundell were missing from both lists and also Järventie, Nurmi etc

 

[Pardus]

This was my thought about lines:

Jani Nyman - Jere Lassila - Joakim Kemell
Aleksanteri Kaskimäki - Kasper Lundell - Lenni Hämeenaho
Emil Järventie - Topi Rönni - Kasper Halttunen
Santeri Sulku - Oskari Vuorio - Aaron Hakala

 

[ijuka]

I don't really have a lineup to suggest but that one seems off, Lundell seems to be too high and I think Rönni is better for the role. Naukkarinen should be on the team, his team was atrocious and he doubled the #2 on the team in scoring. Otto Hokkanen from the same team also played 30 Liiga games so leaving him out seems off to me.

Then a pick like Oskari Vuorio just doesn't cut it in my eyes. Role player? There are better options, tons of them.

 

[illone84]

Kiviharju Aron. Will he make the team?

 

[Erikfromfin]

First stage roster named
Joakim Kemell ja Aron Kiviharju tähdittävät Pikkuleijonien MM-leiriryhmää

welp I got only 18 right thou Jokerit trio Kulonummi, Halttunen and Sulku could be added later

missing from my projection: Vinni, (Kulonummi), Vuorinen, Grönlund, (Halttunen), (Sulku), Lundell

 

[JJTT]

Laakso, Kiviharju and Salin are obviously very talented on the offensive end but how is this defense on the defensive end overall? Some of the players have really bad point totals at the U20 level so I'd assume they can play defense then(Minkkinen, Junkkari, Vesala)?

 

[Erikfromfin]

Laakso, Kiviharju and Salin are obviously very talented on the offensive end but how is this defense on the defensive end overall? Some of the players have really bad point totals at the U20 level so I'd assume they can play defense then(Minkkinen, Junkkari, Vesala)?

Junkkari, Pieniniemi and Uronen were also added into U17 roster so I would presume they are just placeholders for that first stage unless guy like Pieniniemi really impress
Leijonat - U17 pelaa huhtikuussa neljän maan turnauksessa Ruotsissa – Tässä joukkue!

I would "presume" the defense will look like

Laakso - Salin
Kiviharju - (Kulonummi)
Kärki - Minkkinen
Heinonen - Vesala

I don't like the last pairing I would have preferred Vuorinen and Grönlund, Grönlund in particular is quite physical and good defensive defensman. Minkkinen and Vesala are quite solid defensivily but not a fan of Heinonen

 

[Stanleyjub]

Grönlund is still with Lukko U20 team so I'd imagine he will be a late addition to the camp like the Jokerit guys.

 

[FinPanda]

Excited for Kiviharju

 

[illone84]

so what do you guys feel about the team? Chances to compete for a medal?

 

[ijuka]

so what do you guys feel about the team? Chances to compete for a medal?

Finland will easily win gold. No chance for others. The team is pretty crazy good.

 

[illone84]

Finland will easily win gold. No chance for others. The team is pretty crazy good.

I'm pretty clueless about this crop of players but obviously well aware of who Kiviharju is.

 

[Pardus]

I'm pretty clueless about this crop of players but obviously well aware of who Kiviharju is.

I guess you know also Joakim Kemell at least?

 

[ijuka]

I'm pretty clueless about this crop of players but obviously well aware of who Kiviharju is.

Joakim Kemell for one should be pretty amazing for this level. The rest of the age group is also quite strong, 04s have a good amount of depth.

Kiviharju himself is probably not even preliminarily considered a 1st pairing defenseman or a difference maker, but I feel like at an u18 level he might become the best defenseman for team Finland. It's tough to say.

 

[illone84]

I guess you know also Joakim Kemell at least?

completely forgot he was there. Of course I know of him.

 

[illone84]

Joakim Kemell for one should be pretty amazing for this level. The rest of the age group is also quite strong, 04s have a good amount of depth.

Kiviharju himself is probably not even preliminarily considered a 1st pairing defenseman or a difference maker, but I feel like at an u18 level he might become the best defenseman for team Finland. It's tough to say.

Let's see how it goes!!!! How is Lundell? I don't know much about Kasper.

 

[ddlennon]

Maalivahdit:
1 Leinonen Topias, JYP Jyväskylä
30 Kokko Niklas, Kärpät Oulu
31 Vinni Eemil, HIFK Helsinki

Puolustajat:
2 Grönlund Thomas, Lukko Rauma
3 Kulonummi Kasper, Jokerit Helsinki
4 Laakso Elmeri, SaiPa Lappeenranta
6 Salin Otto, HIFK Helsinki
7 Minkkinen Niko, JYP Jyväskylä
25 Kärki Arttu, Tappara Tampere
29 Kiviharju Aron, TPS Turku
32 Heinonen Otto, Ilves Tampere

Hyökkääjät:
10 Hokkanen Otto, SaiPa Lappeenranta
12 Nyman Jani, Ilves Tampere
13 Kemell Joakim, JYP Jyväskylä
15 Uronen Tuomas, HIFK Helsinki
18 Männistö Tommi, Tappara Tampere
19 Lundell Kasper, HIFK Helsinki
20 Kaskimäki Aleksanteri, HIFK Helsinki
21 Bau Samu, HIFK Helsinki
22 Hämeenaho Lenni, Ässät Pori
23 Halttunen Kasper, Jokerit Helsinki
24 Vuorio Oskari, Jokerit Helsinki
27 Raiman Lauri, Pelicans Lahti
28 Lassila Jere, JYP Jyväskylä
34 Rönni Topi, Tappara Tampere

Roster announced.
Will be cool to see what kiviharju does at this level roster seems pretty expected outside of uronen making it seems like a slight surprise

 

[JJTT]

Any streams for the game vs Czechs? Starts in 15 minutes or so.

 

[Antiillafire]

4-3 SO loss to Czechs. This Czech team is gonna give some teams a lot of trouble. Kulich - Sapovaliv will be an underrated duo. I didn’t see the game so can’t comment on how Finnish team played

 

[Erikfromfin]

Stats
Leijonat Tulospalvelu

 

[JJTT]

Good to see Tappara let Rönni go afterall

Not really sure about Marttila coaching again, can't they really find somebody new instead of him every few years?

 

[Erikfromfin]

nice shootout goal be kemell

 

[SantosHalper]

Not really sure about Marttila coaching again, can't they really find somebody new instead of him every few years?

It's the system, a 3 year project. One coach, coaches one age group through out the first 3 years of the junior national teams. Lauri Merikivi is the U17 coach now and next year he's going to be the U18 coach. Marko Kauppinen is the U16 coach now and in 2 years he's the U18 coach. No idea who's the next U16 coach, but current trend seems to be former(short time) Liiga head coaches with junior national team experience.

So it's a long project and Marttila seems to be Finnish Ice Hockey Association's guy to call unless there's no suitable candidates. But apparently Marttila is going to Ilves for next year, as their next U20 head coach and Dir. of Player Development according to EP.

The system:
Jussi Ahokas
U16 2013-14
U17 2014-15
U18 2015-16

Juuso Nieminen
U16 2014-15
U17 2015-16
U18 2016-17

Tommi Niemelä
U16 2015-16
U17 2016-17
U18 2017-18

Mika Marttila
U16 2016-17 and 2019-20
U17 2017-18 and 2020-21
U18 2018-19 and 2021-22

Anssi Laine
U16 2017-18
U17 2018-19
U18 2019-20

Petri Karjalainen
U16 2018-19
U17 2019-20
U18 2020-21

 

[armyjoe]

how was that assist given to kiviharju