Team Finland 2023 U20 WJC roster talk

[SantosHalper]

An energetic player having a good season and given that he's Leo's brother we'd get 100% attitude.

Ok, i take it that you have seen him play? I haven't and judging by his stats, he doesn't look very impressive. He's 19, he still plays in the U20 league and doesn't even dominate it. He haven't played a single pro game, but that's ok if he is planning to go to college. Also he hasn't played any junior national team games, so it definitely looks like that he's not that good.

It seems like you are looking for a heavy hitter in you're team, ain't Kalle Väisänen still eligible?

 

[Pardus]

Ok, i take it that you have seen him play?

Yes, I have.

 

[king89]

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.

Kapanen is our best centre and should definitely play in the top 6.

 

[Pardus]

Kapanen is our best centre and should definitely play in the top 6.

No he isn't. He's having an ok season in Liiga, but he hasn't ever been a first or second liner in national team.

Miettinen is the best Finnish -03 center, already doing well in a NA sized rink so first line with NA players Lambert and Matikka is an obvious choice. Lassila is also over Kapanen although he's still struggling against men + Rautakorpi doesn't usually give minutes to players that young.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Finland's team in Czech Rebuplic's U20 Tournament.
Maalivahdit:
30 Koskenvuo Aku, Harvard University NCAA
31 Lampinen Jani, Kiekko-Espoo

Puolustajat:
2 Suomi Jimi, TPS Turku
3 Salin Otto, HIFK Helsinki
4 Ruotsalainen Ville, KalPa Kuopio
6 Ervasti Kalle, Lukko Rauma
7 Malinen Aleksi, JYP Jyväskylä
9 Kiviharju Aron, TPS Turku
10 Vilén Topias, Pelicans Lahti
21 Heimosalmi Aleksi, Ässät Pori

Hyökkääjät:
11 Kapanen Oliver, KalPa Kuopio
12 Hämeenaho Lenni, Ässät Pori
16 Rönni Topi, Tappara Tampere
17 Kemell Joakim, JYP Jyväskylä
19 Miettinen Verner, Fargo Force USHL
22 Nyman Jani, Ilves Tampere
23 Väisänen Kalle, TPS Turku
24 Koivunen Ville, Kärpät Oulu
25 Kapanen Konsta, KalPa Kuopio
27 Knihti Feetu, Ässät Pori
28 Päivärinta Sami, Lukko Rauma
29 Huuhtanen Niko, Jukurit Mikkeli

U20 Challenger Team

Maalivahdit:
30 Kokko Niklas, Kärpät Oulu
31 Leinonen Topias, JYP Jyväskylä

Puolustajat:
2 Hellman Verneri, Ässät Pori
3 Kulonummi Kasper, Tappara Tampere
4 Juusola Viljami, IF Björkloven SWE
5 Kärki Arttu, Tappara Tampere
7 Lehtonen Sisu-Petteri, TPS Turku
8 Viirret Valtteri, Ässät Pori
21 Laakso Elmeri, SaiPa Lappeenranta

Hyökkääjät:
10 Bau Samu, Ilves Tampere
11 Halttunen Kasper, HIFK Helsinki
12 Hokkanen Otto, SaiPa Lappeenranta
13 Juhola Patrik, Ässät Pori
14 Korhonen Joona, Ilves Tampere
15 Marjala Viljami, TPS Turku
16 Matikka Miko, Madison Capitols USHL
17 Männistö Tommi, Tappara Tampere
18 Savolainen Valtteri, HPK Hämeenlinna
24 Kaskimäki Aleksanteri, HIFK Helsinki
27 Tuomaala Samu, Jukurit Mikkeli
28 Lassila Jere, JYP Jyväskylä
29 Ruusunen Rasmus, SaiPa Lappeenranta

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

No he isn't. He's having an ok season in Liiga, but he hasn't ever been a first or second liner in national team.

Miettinen is the best Finnish -03 center, already doing well in a NA sized rink so first line with NA players Lambert and Matikka is an obvious choice. Lassila is also over Kapanen although he's still struggling against men + Rautakorpi doesn't usually give minutes to players that young.

Wrong.
Salminen is best Finnish 2003 born center.
But why he isn't in the team.

Is it truly so Lämsä doesn't have any interest to take Salminen U20 team at all.
Finland's center depth isn't so good we would have afford leave Salminen out of U20 WJC's.

 

[Jukurit]

Salminen and Lambert have not played in any U20 tournaments this season. Other guys playing in NA have (Miettinen, Matikka, Koskenvuo). Not sure why.

 

[ES]

Challenger team is better than usually, coach Lämsä stated that players will be evaluated in the role they are planned. So two players competing for the spot may well be in different teams.

Kimmo Kuhta is the head coach of the challenger team.

 

[SantosHalper]

Matikka - Miettinen - Lambert
Nyman - Lassila - Kemell
Koivunen - Kapanen - Hämeenaho
Väisänen - Päivärinta - Huuhtanen
Rönni, X*

X*= Knihti, Savolainen, Tuomaala, Ruusunen, Korhonen

Vilen - Heimosalmi
Malinen - Salin
Juusola - Ervasti
Kiviharju - Suomi

Koskenvuo
Lampinen
Leinonen

This what i would expect to see, personally i would select the "underaged" team what i posted earlier. Offense is decent, 3 potential scoring lines and a rugged 4rth line. Hard to say who's the second extra forward, depends a lot what kind of hockey Lämsä wants to see.

Defense and goalies are weak, i see many mobile d-men who can move the puck but i also see lot goals scored in front of our own net. Unfornate Q-final loss looming in the future, that's why i would select the underaged team. Let them have a educational trip first and they will be ready to win the gold in 2024.

 

[Jukurit]

Does anybody have any idea what the deal with Salminen is? Seems quite strange he isn't playing.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Does anybody have any idea what the deal with Salminen is? Seems quite strange he isn't playing.

No idea.

But if i should guess why Salminen is once again out of U20 team
he has to be either injured or recovering from covid hard to believe
there's sport related or other issues behind of that.

Other option is that Lämsä truly is total idiot who doesn't even know who's Samu Salminen.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Matikka - Miettinen - Lambert
Nyman - Lassila - Kemell
Koivunen - Kapanen - Hämeenaho
Väisänen - Päivärinta - Huuhtanen
Rönni, X*

X*= Knihti, Savolainen, Tuomaala, Ruusunen, Korhonen

Vilen - Heimosalmi
Malinen - Salin
Juusola - Ervasti
Kiviharju - Suomi

Koskenvuo
Lampinen
Leinonen

This what i would expect to see, personally i would select the "underaged" team what i posted earlier. Offense is decent, 3 potential scoring lines and a rugged 4rth line. Hard to say who's the second extra forward, depends a lot what kind of hockey Lämsä wants to see.

Defense and goalies are weak, i see many mobile d-men who can move the puck but i also see lot goals scored in front of our own net. Unfornate Q-final loss looming in the future, that's why i would select the underaged team. Let them have a educational trip first and they will be ready to win the gold in 2024.

If that is Finland's final team i don't know what to say.
Looks much weaker than 3 last U20 WJC teams and even making quarterfinals is so and so.

Center depth also isn't greatest or even good so no medal expections for that team
hopefully that team is enough good to avoid relegation round games.

 

[moropanov]

If that is Finland's final team i don't know what to say.
Looks much weaker than 3 last U20 WJC teams and even making quarterfinals is so and so.

Center depth also isn't greatest or even good so no medal expections for that team
hopefully that team is enough good to avoid relegation round games.

Without Russia participating semi final's should be minimum everythink under that is weakish performance..

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Without Russia participating semi final's should be minimum everythink under that is weakish performance..

You're right.
But until it's proved otherwise i'm not huge fan of Tomi Lämsä as a U20 head coach.
Lämsä is total nobody as a hockey coach who hasn't won much in his coaching career.

So lets see how well our guys play and how good team we'll have but i have my doubts.
Of course i give fair chance for Lämsä to prove me wrong and still i'm not jumping
into walls for joy due to Tomi Lämsä signing.

 

[FinPanda]

I want to see what Lämsä can achieve before saying yay or nay.

 

[king89]

No he isn't. He's having an ok season in Liiga, but he hasn't ever been a first or second liner in national team.

Miettinen is the best Finnish -03 center, already doing well in a NA sized rink so first line with NA players Lambert and Matikka is an obvious choice. Lassila is also over Kapanen although he's still struggling against men + Rautakorpi doesn't usually give minutes to players that young.

What do you base this on? Just because Kapanen hasn't ever been a first or second liner in national team? And when was Miettinen a first or second liner in national team? U17?

Kapanen has better stats then Miettinen the last two years in U20 SM sarja, Kapanen got drafted, Miettinen did not, Kapanen played in WJC, Miettinen did not.

And this season Kapanen is playing full time in Liiga in a good Kalpa team, and are doing it well. While Miettinen is still playing against juniors although in a good junior league.

Lassila too? C'mon man.

 

[SantosHalper]

Samu Salminen was supposed to play in Denver this season but apparently he had some visa issues, so his move to USA was delayed and then he was released by Denver. Now he plays in the University of Connecticut and he played 1 in Jokerit U20 team. Salminen was probably trying to deal with his visa issues earlier this year, so could not attend the first practice game tournament. Now Salminen has played 1 game for the U Conn, so he is in the USA right now. So my guess is that he probably declined to attend this tournament, since it took lot of time to get over the big water.

Now it remains to be seen if Lämsä selects him, even if he hasn't played any practice games this year. I don't know how many games he get's to play before the U20 Worlds and is that enough time to shake the off-season rust away and impress Lämsä at the same time.

I had one open roster spot in my prediction and i would definitely select Salminen. Shame if he doesn't get selected and also a shame Tuomaala is having a bad season. I would have love to see Koivunen - Salminen - Tuomaala line again in action.

 

[Jukurit]

Kapanen is clearly the #1 center on this team.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

MSN

Is Finland gold medal favorite / contender in your papers?
In my papers they aren't and why here's few reasons.

1 Defence and goaltending
2 Center depth
3 Coaching ( is Lämsä winning coach or not )
4 Player selections and line chemistrys

If all clicks and goes perfect then a medal ( most likely Bronze ) is possible.
Canada and USA are gold favorites and one of those teams will win it.

 

[SantosHalper]

MSN

Is Finland gold medal favorite / contender in your papers?
In my papers they aren't and why here's few reasons.

1 Defence and goaltending
2 Center depth
3 Coaching ( is Lämsä winning coach or not )
4 Player selections and line chemistrys

If all clicks and goes perfect then a medal ( most likely Bronze ) is possible.
Canada and USA are gold favorites and one of those teams will win it.

Agreed. In a risk of sounding like a broken record, i again strongly advocate choosing the "underage" team. Sacrifice this tournament for the next tournament. The '04-'05 born players would be more readier, more experienced and much more united as a team next year. If they would have this experience as a team under their belts and Lämsä's system would also more familiar to them. They would know what to expect and would better prepared as well.

And since Russia is not in the tournament even with the underaged team, featuring the best of the '03 born's could play for the medal, if everything clicks. I would add Sweden as gold favorite as well, they seems to have a good group and judging by their recent U18 success their new coach Hävelid knows what he does.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Agreed. In a risk of sounding like a broken record, i again strongly advocate choosing the "underage" team. Sacrifice this tournament for the next tournament. The '04-'05 born players would be more readier, more experienced and much more united as a team next year. If they would have this experience as a team under their belts and Lämsä's system would also more familiar to them. They would know what to expect and would better prepared as well.

And since Russia is not in the tournament even with the underaged team, featuring the best of the '03 born's could play for the medal, if everything clicks. I would add Sweden as gold favorite as well, they seems to have a good group and judging by their recent U18 success their new coach Hävelid knows what he does.

It's not a broken record when you try be a realist.
Finland's team might be passable to make quarterfinals but that's it.

If Finland's defence truly will lack size and physicality ( you need those elements vs USA and Canada )
i don't see our team finishing higher than 3rd or 4th spot in our group and that probably means
Canada or Sweden game in quarterfinals.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Samu Salminen was supposed to play in Denver this season but apparently he had some visa issues, so his move to USA was delayed and then he was released by Denver. Now he plays in the University of Connecticut and he played 1 in Jokerit U20 team. Salminen was probably trying to deal with his visa issues earlier this year, so could not attend the first practice game tournament. Now Salminen has played 1 game for the U Conn, so he is in the USA right now. So my guess is that he probably declined to attend this tournament, since it took lot of time to get over the big water.

Now it remains to be seen if Lämsä selects him, even if he hasn't played any practice games this year. I don't know how many games he get's to play before the U20 Worlds and is that enough time to shake the off-season rust away and impress Lämsä at the same time.

I had one open roster spot in my prediction and i would definitely select Salminen. Shame if he doesn't get selected and also a shame Tuomaala is having a bad season. I would have love to see Koivunen - Salminen - Tuomaala line again in action.

Why Salminen even considered to go NCAA route.
He would have find a liiga team if he would've tried.
There has to be something behind of that Salminen is not in the team once again.

Salminen either has injury or covid ( i'm not sure but i think that )
or then Lämsä is so goddamn idiot he even don't know who's Samu Salminen.

 

[Lartsaman]

If that is Finland's final team i don't know what to say.
Looks much weaker than 3 last U20 WJC teams and even making quarterfinals is so and so.

Center depth also isn't greatest or even good so no medal expections for that team
hopefully that team is enough good to avoid relegation round games.

That team is enough for a semifinal spot. Maybe we´re not gonna take gold but I do believe in medal. It can also be quarterfinal exit, shit happens sometime.

 

[SantosHalper]

If Finland's defence truly will lack size and physicality

It does, this is the D-corps in my prediction.
Vilen(186 cm) - Heimosalmi(181 cm)
Malinen(183 cm) - Salin(180 cm)
Juusola(179 cm) - Ervasti(183 cm)
Kiviharju(178 cm) - Suomi(179 cm)

And these are the ones who got cut:
Verneri Hellman 190 cm/96 kg
Arttu Kärki 187 cm/80 kg
Sisu-Petteri Lehtonen 186 cm/83 kg
Elmeri Laakso 185 cm/84 kg
Kasper Kulonummi 185 cm/81 kg
Ville Ruotsalainen 176 cm/75 kg
Valtteri Viirret 173 cm/85 kg

The first problem here is that all the big d-men in this age class still plays in the U20 league and if the player ain't going to college, it would definitely indicate that the player ain't ready for higher level yet. Kärki, Kulonummi and Laakso are '04 born's, so it's understandable for them still being in the junior league most of the time.

The second problem here is that who could you cut from the team? Many of those who made it in the prediction team are 2nd or even 3rd year pro's already, it's hard cut a player from the team who's already competed against men. You could cut Kiviharju & Suomi and say we didn't find a role for them, but who you gonna replace them with Lehtonen & Hellman? D-pool just ain't deep enough.

Why Salminen even considered to go NCAA route.
He would have find a liiga team if he would've tried.
There has to be something behind of that Salminen is not in the team once again.

Salminen either has injury or covid ( i'm not sure but i think that )
or then Lämsä is so goddamn idiot he even don't know who's Samu Salminen.

I don't see the NCAA route as a bad move, hockey career could end in a blink of an eye and im quite sure no one wants to end up like Jantunen. College degree is nice insurence policy to have. And it looks like that they train and practice a lot over there, so it must be a good place to work on you're weaknesses as well.

But why he is not on the team is bizarre but i gave two of my best guesses, maybe it's one of those and maybe it's not. Salminen is the best center in this age class, he could get selected even without any practice tournaments.

 

[king89]

1 Defence and goaltending
2 Center depth
3 Coaching ( is Lämsä winning coach or not )
4 Player selections and line chemistrys

If all clicks and goes perfect then a medal ( most likely Bronze ) is possible.
Canada and USA are gold favorites and one of those teams will win it.

Yeah this is probably the weakest team we have had in a while for the reasons you mentioned. Defence is thin and while guys like Vilen, Heimosalmi and Salin are solid it gets bad really quick after that. Centre depth might be even worse if someone doesn't step up behind Kapanen. Wingers looks good tho and hopefully Lambert decides to play. All in all a team with some good players but that lacks depth in important positions. But we'll see how it goes.