Toggle sidebar

Team Finland 2023 U20 WJC roster talk

I wonder what's gonna happen with Kasper Kulonummi? He didn't play at U20 4 Nations tournament in Rovaniemi. He's playing with Tappara this season, so he's gonna have a hard time to get into Liiga games. NT coaches usually don't pick guys from U20 Sm-Sarja. I liked Kulonummi's play at U18s last season and I think he's a good young player, but the odds might be stacked against him to make the WJC team.
 
Jukurit said:
I wonder what's gonna happen with Kasper Kulonummi? He didn't play at U20 4 Nations tournament in Rovaniemi. He's playing with Tappara this season, so he's gonna have a hard time to get into Liiga games. NT coaches usually don't pick guys from U20 Sm-Sarja. I liked Kulonummi's play at U18s last season and I think he's a good young player, but the odds might be stacked against him to make the WJC team.
Click to expand...

I think Kulonummi has a decent chance of making the team. I don't think there are that many quality defensemen available, which increases Kulonummi's chances.
 
Official U20 Team Finland coaching and management staff has announced.
Here's whole staff..

Tomi Lämsä, päävalmentaja

Lauri Mikkola, valmentaja

Marko Ojanen, valmentaja

Esa Pirnes, valmentaja

Pekka Rinne, mv-valmentaja

Mikael Tolkki, videovalmentaja

Juha Nakari, fysioterapeutti

Mikko Tolvanen, fysioterapeutti

Rami Oravakangas, lääkäri

Niko Kuisma, huolto

Janne Pesonen, joukkueenjohtaja

Kimmo Oikarinen, GM
 
i hope lambert tells them to take a hike when they ask him to play.
 
Lenni Hämeenaho has been playing pretty good what I've seen of him. Could probably make this team as a draft eligible player.
 
  • Like
Reactions: illone84
Jukurit said:
Lenni Hämeenaho has been playing pretty good what I've seen of him. Could probably make this team as a draft eligible player.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't hold my breath to wait see Halttunen or Hämeenaho upcoming U20 WJC's.
It is all about Lämsä and what type players he wants in the team.

But if Halttunen and Hämeenaho are full-time liiga regulars before December
then both of those 2 young man should be at least in training camp.

As a HIFK fan i haven't forgiven for Lämsä that Ben-Amor Peltonen incident.
And it was in my opinion bad mistake to hire him U20 head coach.

Mika Marttila had good track record ( 5 U18 WJC tournaments 4 medals )
with U18 team so why Finnish hockey association didn't hire him to U2O teams head coach after Pennanen.

But if Lämsä can coach Finland at least in semifinals in upcoming U20 WJC's
i can consider to change my mind and opinion of him but if he fails in Moncton and Halifax
and Finland gets eliminated in quartrfinals thanks to weird / odd player selections
then Lämsä should be fired immediately.

Lämsä and his coaching staff ( not Pekka Rinne ) is weakest link for this U20 Team Finland
until Lämsä proves himself as a capable coach who can coach winning game and hockey.
 
ChicagoBullsFan said:
Mika Marttila had good track record ( 5 U18 WJC tournaments 4 medals )
with U18 team so why Finnish hockey association didn't hire him to U2O teams head coach after Pennanen.
Click to expand...
The game itself under Marttila was horrible in last tournament's. But maybe he was offered the job and he wasn't interested or he wanted to do something else for a change. Marttila seems to be working for the Ilves now, he did have a long career with the junior national teams.
ChicagoBullsFan said:
i can consider to change my mind and opinion of him but if he fails in Moncton and Halifax
and Finland gets eliminated in quartrfinals thanks to weird / odd player selections
then Lämsä should be fired immediately.
Click to expand...
Im quite sure Finland would have to relegate, in order to get Lämsä fired. I've been under the impression that when Rautakorpi got fired in the middle of the tournament, the hockey association faced lot of critisism from the coaches all over Finland. So if the hockey association wants to keep signing good coaches in the future instead of Raipe every other year, Lämsä gets to keep his job a after Q-Final loss.

Im not confident either thats why imo, Lämsä should select lots of younger player who could return next year. When the tournament returns to Europe, then he would have a team whose been together a long time and they will be more readyer and more experienced in 2024. Much better chance to win then.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jukurit
SantosHalper said:
The game itself under Marttila was horrible in last tournament's. But maybe he was offered the job and he wasn't interested or he wanted to do something else for a change. Marttila seems to be working for the Ilves now, he did have a long career with the junior national teams.

Im quite sure Finland would have to relegate, in order to get Lämsä fired. I've been under the impression that when Rautakorpi got fired in the middle of the tournament, the hockey association faced lot of critisism from the coaches all over Finland. So if the hockey association wants to keep signing good coaches in the future instead of Raipe every other year, Lämsä gets to keep his job a after Q-Final loss.

Im not confident either thats why imo, Lämsä should select lots of younger player who could return next year. When the tournament returns to Europe, then he would have a team whose been together a long time and they will be more readyer and more experienced in 2024. Much better chance to win then.
Click to expand...
Who younger ( 2004-2006 born ) players should be in the team?
Last spring's U18 WJC bronze medal winning team i would take
Nyman ( 2004)
Lassila ( 2004 )
Halttunen ( 2005 )
Hämeenaho ( 2004 )
Kiviharju ( 2006 )
Vinni ( 2005 )
Uronen ( 2005 )
Kemell ( 2004 )
Leinonen ( 2004 )
Kokko ( 2004 )
Kulonummi ( 2004 )
Salin ( 2004 )
But it is all about Lämsä so everything is possible.

Finland has been last 3 U20 WJC's which have held in Canada medals 3 times
streak is 1 gold ( 2019 ) 1 silver ( 2022 ) 1 bronze ( 2021 ) so that streak should keep up.
But once again i'm not sure what to expect because Lämsä is total mystery for me as a coach.
 
Last edited:
ChicagoBullsFan said:
Who younger ( 2004-2006 born ) players should be in the team?
Last spring's U18 WJC bronze medal winning team i would take
Nyman ( 2004)
Lassila ( 2004 )
Halttunen ( 2005 )
Hämeenaho ( 2005 )
Kiviharju ( 2006 )
Vinni ( 2005 )
Uronen ( 2005 )
Kemell ( 2004 )
Leinonen ( 2004 )
Kokko ( 2004 )
Kulonummi ( 2004 )
Salin ( 2004 )
But it is all about Lämsä so everything is possible.

Finland has been last 3 U20 WJC's which have held in Canada medals 3 times
streak is 1 gold ( 2019 ) 1 silver ( 2022 ) 1 bronze ( 2021 ) so that streak should keep up.
But once again i'm not sure what to expect because Lämsä is total mystery for me as a coach.
Click to expand...
That's a good core to start with, i would add Rönni and Kaskimäki. But without them that leaves us 8 open forward spots. Koivunen, Lambert, Tuomaala, Salminen, Matikka, Huuhtanen, Miettinen, Päivärinta, Knihti, Väisänen and Kapanen would be the '03 born fighting for those remaining spots.

Koivunen - Salminen - Tuomaala
Nyman - Lassila - Kemell
Halttunen - Lambert - Hämeenaho
Matikka - Rönni(X) - Huuhtanen
Uronen - Kaskimäki(X)

(X) + injury reserve= Kapanen, Väisänen, Päivärinta, Miettinen, Knihti

Defense is quite sad, not many options.
Vilen - Heimosalmi
Kiviharju - Kulonummi
Juusola - Salin
Malinen - Ervasti

I don't see a role for Jimi Suomi, too many similar defensemen.
Injury reserve: Suomi, Lehtonen

These goalies could actually be in the tournament.
Leinonen
Kokko
Vinni
-------------------------
So 14 players from this roster could return next year. And since Russia is out from this upcoming tournament, i could see this "underaged" team fighting for a spot in the medal round.
 
Koivunen - Kapanen - Kemell
Huuhtanen - Rönni - Nyman
Hämeenaho - Salminen - Lambert
Matikka - Päivärinta - Väisänen

Vilen - Heimosalmi
Malinen - Salin
Kiviharju - Ervasti

Leinonen
Kokko
Lampinen

Tuomaala has had disappointing past 2 seasons. Right now, I don't think he makes the team.
Kulonummi 0 Liiga games so far this season, so hard to see him make the team.
Halttunen question mark right now because of his injury.
 
I'd go with:

Brad Lambert - Verner Miettinen - Miko Matikka
Ville Koivunen - Jere Lassila - Joakim Kemell
Niko Huuhtanen - Topi Rönni - Jani Nyman
Oskar Komarov - Oliver Kapanen - Lenni Hämeenaho

Edit. Forgot Huuhtanen.
 
Last edited:
Any change of a longshot like Laakso making it? Playing in Liiga and seems to be doing well (offensively).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Top Bottom