Olympics: Team Finland 2022

[Sanf]

On closer thought, and naturally assuming that Ristolainen himself is interested in playing these games, I'd say that him being invited has, in fact, become a little more likely than a month and a half ago. Because now, with the training camps winding to a close, we find that we don't have as many d-men in the league as we were perhaps hoping and projecting when that infamous coffee klatch took place.

All the high-profile youngsters like Vaakanainen and Heinola who were hoping to take a spot through the camp appear AHL bound. As is Lehtonen, who has already cleared the waivers. Vatanen famously returned to Europe. Of course, these moves don't suddenly make the aforementioned players worse than they are, but snubbing a league regular when there aren't that many available would still be far from a good look. (Which isn't to say Jalonen couldn't do it anyway - but then he'd better be prepared to field a ton of difficult questions.)

Certainly D situation in NHL isn´t as good as I and many others hoped few years ago. There has been ton of injury problems, but even if you count them our young D core hasn´t managed to take the next step. And from veterans Lehtonen (doubt that he is buried in minors), Nutivaara and Hakanpää (not good situation to start season with injury) might be in the limbo where they are spare D´s and do not get much playing time if at all. Same might go to Määttä when he returns. Does not make them worse players or options, but still far from ideal situation.

 

[THE JAM]

Let that pretty good FIN coaching staff do what they think is best in accomplishing a great TEAM and do not dwell on whether one guy (Ristolainen) should be there or not.

 

[Sanf]

And from veterans Lehtonen (doubt that he is buried in minors)

Well he wasn´t . Europe does seem to be more suitable to him and I do feel its good news for Team Finland.

 

[Husqvarna]

Ristolainen will hang around like a big bad evil hound dog to the Finland Olympic squad after killin'/hittin' it off in Philadelphia in his big bad style. And the same goes for that smooth-operator on ice Lehtonen - even if the idiots in NHL have dropped him of right about now.

 

[FiLe]

Europe does seem to be more suitable to him and I do feel its good news for Team Finland.

Well, at least it should be good news for the Team Finland playing in Tampere come the spring. Although I do agree that the flight overseas didn't suddenly completely wreck Lehtonen's chances of making the olympic team, just like it didn't do so in Vatanen's case. If the other options are fringe NHLers and Jalonen likes these guys more, they'll be the ones getting the invites.

It's hardly the end of debate on Ristolainen, though, as he's pretty far on the better side of the fringe. Unless his +/- stays as heavily in the red in Philly as it did in Buffalo, him not featuring on this team is going to generate a fair bit of noise.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

Ristolainen will hang around like a big bad evil hound dog to the Finland Olympic squad after killin'/hittin' it off in Philadelphia in his big bad style. And the same goes for that smooth-operator on ice Lehtonen - even if the idiots in NHL have dropped him of right about now.

 

[BusQuets]

Heiskanen is by far the best but after that it's Lindell and Ristolainen. Those three are the pillars of Finnish defense and are must for the team. Jalonen needs to get over himself. No one else is playing big minutes against the best players in the world constantly.

 

[jfc64]

Heiskanen is by far the best but after that it's Lindell and Ristolainen. Those three are the pillars of Finnish defense and are must for the team. Jalonen needs to get over himself. No one else is playing big minutes against the best players in the world constantly.

Which defender do you finns see as the perfect partner to Ristolainen?.

 

[FiLe]

Which defender do you finns see as the perfect partner to Ristolainen?

Hard to say if there's anyone "perfect", but out of the selection available, it's got to be Heiskanen. Him and Risto should make up that top pair that plays the biggest minutes, with Heiskanen being the more offensive one while Ristolainen hangs back more and handles the defensive, physical side of things.

Now, Lindell might make sense too as Heiskanen's pair, given the Dallas connection, but it's not like they're stapled together in the Stars. Also, they're both lefties, while RR is a righty. I'd rather see Lindell as the more defensive half to one of our puck-moving righties like Jokiharju, or perhaps Vatanen.

 

[illone84]

Im curious to see how Santeri Hatakka turns out this season. On the other hand, any chances Atte Ohtamaa makes the olympic team?

 

[Johno]

Hard to say if there's anyone "perfect", but out of the selection available, it's got to be Heiskanen. Him and Risto should make up that top pair that plays the biggest minutes, with Heiskanen being the more offensive one while Ristolainen hangs back more and handles the defensive, physical side of things.

Now, Lindell might make sense too as Heiskanen's pair, given the Dallas connection, but it's not like they're stapled together in the Stars. Also, they're both lefties, while RR is a righty. I'd rather see Lindell as the more defensive half to one of our puck-moving righties like Jokiharju, or perhaps Vatanen.

Lindell - Heiskanen will start out this year as a pairing so there will be plenty of time to see how they work together. If it works in the NHL, I'm sure they'll go with it in the Olympics as well. And if not, no reason to force it.

 

[Sanf]

Im curious to see how Santeri Hatakka turns out this season. On the other hand, any chances Atte Ohtamaa makes the olympic team?

I can see Ohtamaa having a chance. I like him very much. I would be more confident if he would be playing in stronger league than Liiga though. When it atleast currently seems that we aren´t having big breakthroughs... couple of injuries/declines... and he is in the team (and Jalonen getting criticism that he was selected in the team before prospect X ) .

Hatakka is interesting. Camps/pre-season often brings few surprises to the lineup. Hope to see him getting games and making it difficult to sent him down (still very likely). It´s rare that younf D get straght to the deep end. In olympic team I can´t really see him having chance.

 

[FiLe]

On the other hand, any chances Atte Ohtamaa makes the olympic team?

Hard to see him making it in an "everyone is healthy" situation, but Jalonen is Jalonen. At the very least, he might be higher on the list of backups than what could be considered the consensus estimate.

Regarding Hatakka and other possible names who haven't established themselves in the league yet - we have to keep in mind that it's only about two months from here until the selections are made. Even if the teams aren't announced until January, we can expect that they are more or less locked in by Christmas. That's not a lot of time for those who practically start from square one (read: no prior NHL or men's NT games) to work their way into this team.

 

[jfc64]

Lindell - Heiskanen will start out this year as a pairing so there will be plenty of time to see how they work together. If it works in the NHL, I'm sure they'll go with it in the Olympics as well. And if not, no reason to force it.

Miro will be used to RD from Dallas NHL games. Which leaves Ristolainen with...Määtä?

 

[Johno]

Miro will be used to RD from Dallas NHL games. Which leaves Ristolainen with...Määtä?

Valimaki, Lindbohm, Kivisto, Jokipakka.
There is 100% going to be players from the KHL as well.

 

[FiLe]

Valimaki, Lindbohm, Kivisto, Jokipakka.
There is 100% going to be players from the KHL as well.

Mikko Lehtonen and Sami Vatanen are on the top of the list for the d-men outside of the NHL. The former is probably our best puck-moving lefty behind Heiskanen.

Lindbohm is perhaps there in the bubble (but not for a puck-moving slot, he's more of a DD), while Kivistö and Jokipakka (another DD) won't crack this roster without a metric ton of injuries.

 

[Sanf]

I do not count KHL players totally out, but someone like Pokka probably would be top option. Especially if Ristolainen is out we are short of R shots.

Now I´m not a huge fan of Pokka, but he is playing in big minutes in one of the best teams in Europe. It´s strange that when he was selected to World Cup (yes gimmicky and pointless tournament, but the the team was selected to Best vs. Best) there weren´t many who questioned his selection. Now when he is somewhat more mature and established many consider him bad option.

Top three options are kind of crystal clear. After that I would have Hakanpää. He brings elements to the team that it needs and is R shot. Then Määttä if he can stay healthy. Reliable and has experience. Lehtonen would be in my team, but it interesting to see how current events affect. Jokiharju would not have sure spot in my team, but he is R and he has history in Jalonen team. Nutivaara, Välimäki, Mikkola, Vatanen, Pokka, Ohtamaa... That would be the battle from the eight spot.

 

[FiLe]

In an "everyone is healthy" scenario the eight d-men will almost certainly be picked from the following 11:

Heiskanen, Lindell, Ristolainen, Hakanpää, Jokiharju, Määttä, Nutivaara, Välimäki, Mikkola, Lehtonen, Vatanen.


In the case of severe injury trouble, the next call-ups on Jalonen's speed dial likely are:

Lindbohm, Pokka, Kaski, Ohtamaa, Koivisto.

Then there's Vaakanainen, Juolevi and Riikola, who were invited to the summer meet (along with the above 11 minus Risto). But since they don't have much history from the men's NT (at least not under the present coach) and their prospects of breaking into their NHL lineups in the near future look slim, I suspect Jalonen would prefer his euro familiars if forced to look for options outside the top 11.

 

[Sanf]

In an "everyone is healthy" scenario the eight d-men will almost certainly be picked from the following 11:

Heiskanen, Lindell, Ristolainen, Hakanpää, Jokiharju, Määttä, Nutivaara, Välimäki, Mikkola, Lehtonen, Vatanen.


In the case of severe injury trouble, the next call-ups on Jalonen's speed dial likely are:

Lindbohm, Pokka, Kaski, Ohtamaa, Koivisto.

Then there's Vaakanainen, Juolevi and Riikola, who were invited to the summer meet (along with the above 11 minus Risto). But since they don't have much history from the men's NT (at least not under the present coach) and their prospects of breaking into their NHL lineups in the near future look slim, I suspect Jalonen would prefer his euro familiars if forced to look for options outside the top 11.

Oh I see you edited your post. Yeah Riikola was in that last Marjamäki team. Had a decent tournament where he raised in ranks when the tournament got older. But I honestly did not remember him at all. Hasn´t played much hockey in past two seasons.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Mikko Lehtonen and Sami Vatanen are on the top of the list for the d-men outside of the NHL. The former is probably our best puck-moving lefty behind Heiskanen.

Lindbohm is perhaps there in the bubble (but not for a puck-moving slot, he's more of a DD), while Kivistö and Jokipakka (another DD) won't crack this roster without a metric ton of injuries.

Should not Miika Koivisto be in the bubble? Dude has been great for Finland last 2 WC.

 

[FiLe]

Should not Miika Koivisto be in the bubble? Dude has been great for Finland last 2 WC.

I gave my piece on this just a couple posts down, didn't I? IMO Lehtonen and Vatanen could make the lineup even in a situation where all our NHLers are healthy. Koivisto is not quite on that level. But if there's any injury trouble, he might be among the first replacements.

 

[David OSullivan]

Right now I'm here in the forward group

Laine Barkov Puliujarvi
Teravainen Aho Rantanen
Kapanen Hintz Granlund
Donskoi Haula Armia

Subject to change.

 

[Erikfromfin]

Mikael Granlund - Aleksander Barkov - Mikko Rantanen
Patrik Laine - Sebastian Aho - Jesse Puljujärvi
Teuvo Teräväinen - Roope Hintz - Joonas Donskoi
Erik Haula - Anton Lundell - Joel Armia
Kasperi Kapanen
Eeli Tolvanen

Esa Lindell - Miro Heiskanen
Juuso Välimäki - Rasmus Ristolainen
Markus Nutivaara - Jani Hakanpää
Olli Määttä - Henri Jokiharju

Juuse Saros
Antti Raanta
Kevin Lankinen

 

[David OSullivan]

Laine Barkov Puljujarvi
Teravainen Aho Rantanen
Kapanen Hintz Granlund
Donskoi Haula Armia
+ Lundell, Kakko

Heiskinen Hakanpaa
Lindell Ristolainen
Maata Jokiharju
Lehtonen Nuutivara

Saros
Rask
Lankinen

 

[karhukissa]

Mikael Granlund - Aleksander Barkov - Mikko Rantanen
Patrik Laine - Sebastian Aho - Jesse Puljujärvi
Teuvo Teräväinen - Roope Hintz - Joonas Donskoi
Erik Haula - Anton Lundell - Joel Armia
Kasperi Kapanen
Eeli Tolvanen

Esa Lindell - Miro Heiskanen
Juuso Välimäki - Rasmus Ristolainen
Markus Nutivaara - Jani Hakanpää
Olli Määttä - Henri Jokiharju

Juuse Saros
Antti Raanta
Kevin Lankinen

At the moment this is the roster i'd see aswell. That center core is just filthy, also Granlund has been the best Preds forward so far, so he'll be great supporting cast for the big boys.

Lundell is playing like a veteran and has to be on this team, i'm still hoping that Kakko would make it in to this team but he definetly have to show a lot, this forward core is so good.