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Team Finland 2023 U20 WJC roster talk

So how does our team for next year look like? I’m hoping a lot more skill on our back end.
 
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king89 said:
I don't know but it feels like a bad sign that they haven't decided on a captain yet. In the four nation tournament Koivunen was captain, in yesterday's practice game Kapanen was captain. It feels like in every successful Finnish WJC team there have been a clear cut captain. Teräväinen, Talvitie, Lundell, Hirvonen etc. I think we all remember Thomson in 19/20 lol.
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This. So true.

Kapanen was decent in this tournament.
But Koivunen? Complete ghost.
Heimosalmi? Worst finnish player together with Suomi, Malinen and Salin. Yeah, mostly D's. Followed by Lambert, Kemell, Miettinen and Ervasti.

Many players? A sign of that a loss in the quarters against a weak Sweden was expected.
 
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You appreciate guys like Viro and Rafkin after this kinda tournament. And i don't even need to mention Niemelä. This d-core was absolutely trash. Needless to say that Canada would've murdered that defense.

How's our next team going to look like? Should be better.
 
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I want to believe that Heimosalmi is just as good or a better prospect than Thomson. But in this tournament and the exhibitions before? He was sh*t in almost every game. Perhaps even worse than Thomson.
Imagine he had an A on his chest. Hope he bounces back in Liiga and in his career.
Kemell was better last year.
Lambert gets worse every year like some kind of Martin Frk.
Koskenvuo and Jimi Suomi have been really bad in the leijonat jersey ever since u18.
Malinen? Hasn't got any better these last 1-2 years. Again, what are JYP doing to their prospects?
 
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Some players that will be eligible for next year
Leinonen
Kokko
Vinni

Kiviharju
Salin
Kulonummi
Kärki
Laakso
Minkkinen

Kemell
Kaskimäki
Rönni
Nyman
Lassila
Halttunen
Hämeenaho
Helenius
Nurmi
Kiiskinen
Bau
Uronen
 
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Projection for next year:
Jani Nyman - Jere Lassila - Joakim Kemell
Konsta Helenius - Topi Rönni - Lenni Hämeenaho
X1 - Aleksanteri Kaskimäki - Kasper Halttunen
Samu Bau - Otto Hokkanen - X2
X3, X4

X= Tommi Männistö, Jesse Kiiskinen, Tuomas Uronen, Jesse Nurmi, Oskari Vuorio, Kasper Lundell, Emil Järventie, Aaron Hakala

Elmeri Laakso - Kasper Kulonummi
Aron Kiviharju - Niko Minkkinen
Arttu Kärki - Otto Salin
Thomas Grönlund
X5

X= Juuso Vesala, Otto Heinonen

Niklas Kokko
Topias Leinonen
Eemil Vinni

A lot more skill and center's are more experienced and readier. And finally d-men with size and physicality, Sweden scored 2 goals in front of our own net today and it was one of our biggest flaws this year.
 
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Hntz said:
So how does our team for next year look like? I’m hoping a lot more skill on our back end.
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At the moment not much better. Need guys like Kangas, Pieniniemi, Väisänen, Muhonen and Minkkinen to develop a lot if we want a solid defense.

04 age group is really weak on the defense. Kulonummi, Salin, Vesala, Heinonen and Laakso are the only realistic names from that age group the moment.

Centers look like crap again, not really any names from the younger age groups who could end up as the #1C other than Helenius.

Wingers are decent with Kemell, Nyman and Hämeenaho returning.

At least the goalies look good with Kokko, Leinonen and Vinni, all 3 should play in Liiga next season.
 
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JJTT said:
At the moment not much better. Need guys like Kangas, Pieniniemi, Väisänen, Muhonen and Minkkinen to develop a lot if we want a solid defense.

04 age group is really weak on the defense. Kulonummi, Salin, Vesala, Heinonen and Laakso are the only realistic names from that age group the moment.

Centers look like crap again, not really any names from the younger age groups who could end up as the #1C other than Helenius.

Wingers are decent with Kemell, Nyman and Hämeenaho returning.

At least the goalies look good with Kokko, Leinonen and Vinni, all 3 should play in Liiga next season.
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Basically the gold hopes are riding hard on great goaltending and Kiviharju, Kemell, Nyman running an elite powerplay. Even strength will be more of the same that we saw this year
 
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DoingItCoolKiwi said:
Basically the gold hopes are riding hard on great goaltending and Kiviharju, Kemell, Nyman running an elite powerplay. Even strength will be more of the same that we saw this year
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I think JJTT is underestimating the potential team for next year. It can be very strong team (by our standards ) if some players develop well.
 
DoingItCoolKiwi said:
Basically the gold hopes are riding hard on great goaltending and Kiviharju, Kemell, Nyman running an elite powerplay. Even strength will be more of the same that we saw this year
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Yeah, but I hope the rest of D's next year can actually defend. If Kiviharju can be our Heiskanen, Lidström, call it what your want, it could end up being quite interesting. We don't need flashy names, we need mobile D-men who can keep it simple when needed and fulfill different roles and deliver the basics in their own zone.
Also hope that someone of Lampinen, Kokko, Vinni, Vali, Vedenpää or Leinonen grows up to become a star goalie like Luukkonen, Saros and Rask were at the same age.

This team lacked those typical Finnish fundamentals we've been accustomed to these last years. Seeing this years team made me think we've almost gotten spoiled.

Because at the end of the day, the majority of these defenders were lacking in both individual quality as well as they were collectively.
I mean Suomi, Ruotsalainen and Ervasti didn't excite anyone before the tournament, then we had Malinen and he was pretty bad in most games. Then we hade one of the biggest letdowns in the whole tournament in Heimosalmi. He was considered to be our first or second D and were quite frankly the worst in almost every game. Only game he was barely okay in was against Slovakia, one irrelevant game.
All in all, this team lacked those fundamental things which have grown to become a well known Finnish identity this last decade. Those things making us a contender every single year.
The individuals lacked the most and that combined with the coaches obviously became sad to witness., We didn't have individuals like Atte Ohtamaa and others have been for the seniors. Players that are nothing to brag about but get the job done for the team and for the end result. Not a single D in this years roster was able to showcase something similar, not even Vilén.
 
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king89 said:
I think JJTT is underestimating the potential team for next year. It can be very strong team (by our standards ) if some players develop well.
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So it seems. We have to take into consideration that these young players can take surprisingly big leaps (but also decline like Lambert).

Konsta Helenius is a top tier talent for 2006 age group, and he might be the best forward talent since Kakko. I think he could take a big role as a star player. Then obviously Kiviharju and good goalies, there are definetly chances for a good tournament.
 
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How much of an improvement can Kulonummi represent? Kiviharju can be far better than this bad core. And if Heimosalmi is bad, then look here...





These are horrible things.
 
king89 said:
I think JJTT is underestimating the potential team for next year. It can be very strong team (by our standards ) if some players develop well.
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I hope you are right I really do. But I will lower my expectations because I do think too many of your prospects and their development stagnated or even regressed.
Lambert, Kemell, Malinen, i was high on all of them two years ago and thought both Kemell and Lambert had the potential to become superstars at junior level (at least) and they clearly haven't. Actually really disappointed in two of them.
Heimosalmi and Suomi haven't took any steps in their development, not compared to their opponents at least.
Koskenvuo still had the same problem as he had in u18.

But then again, you have Huuhtanen. He was actually always good, I remember him in fourth line for u18 or u17 but yeah, he got even better and that's really fun to witness. One year in NA made him real good.
I hope others who aren't ready for the physical level of Liiga, especially offensive talent, consider moving one year to NA like Heponiemi and a couple of others.
Talents like Lambert and Tuomaala would've probably benefitted from that. Perhaps even Tieksola and similar talents.
 
FinPanda said:
I'm just happy we don't see Lambert in a junior tournament anymore. He didn't have a single good tournament.. next year will hopefully be better. Not too upset we lost, excited to see how many of our 2024 draftees will make the 2024 team. Lets goo!
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Who cares of Brad '' the overhyped bust'' Lambert anymore.
Lambert was once again totally useless and i'm more than surprised if he plays even 1 NHL / AHL game.
 
Svedu said:
This is the first time I really feel we aren't the biggest contenders, more like good outsiders. But again, I will be happy to admit I was wrong later on.
Take a look at Czechia, better D's, Kulich and Sale. I don't believe we are that much better to be honest. The US are usually quite stacked at this level. Canada...
Are we better than Slovakia this year?
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From 16th December.
Well damn was I right or what. Hope Czechia wins the cup now that Finland are out. @Czechboy .
 
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karhukissa said:
You appreciate guys like Viro and Rafkin after this kinda tournament. And i don't even need to mention Niemelä. This d-core was absolutely trash. Needless to say that Canada would've murdered that defense.

How's our next team going to look like? Should be better.
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Obviously this is after the fact, but in doing some research on the USHL for players headed to college and/or eligible for the upcoming draft I saw a defenseman named Tomi Leppanen who is in his second year with Sioux City (the league champions last year).

It turns out he is from Heinola and played in Lahti so I was curious about him. Since the WJC is generally a tournament for 19-year-olds should he have been part of the team?

Seems more like a physical, defensive defender and may have fit in well.
 
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