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Team Finland 2023 U20 WJC roster talk

Decent first period, but a bit too many penalties. We are skating hard and finishing our checks, i like that. Transition game looks decent already. Every line has looked decent exept the second i would say. Lambert has made some bad decisions when trying to enter the zone but looks swift as usual.

I don't like how they are lining up the powerplay tho, think the main unit should look something like this:

Netfront: Maybe Huuhtanen? I'm not sure who is best suited for this position.
Left wall: Kemell
Bumper: O Kapanen
Right wall: Koivunen
Point: Heimosalmi
 
There is actually one guy so far that seems to have something extra in him besides Huuhtanen and that is Nyman. Hope he can show his potential when tournament begins.
Rönni, hard working. Is it our big bodied guys who are the important ones in this roster after all? Could be.

2-1 US.

I honestly believe Matikka could've and would've made this team even stronger.
I remember a intern game for Leijonat a year or two years ago, him and Huuhtanen had something special in them back then.
Just a wrong decision and selection from the coaches there in my opinion. Top9 forward in a roster like this without a doubt.
 
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So Päivärinta and Väisänen has been on the ice in two goals. One goal in BP and one 5 on 5.
Is Päivärinta better than others? Even if he's a center. Especially if Lambert is considered as a center in this years team.

Tuomaala has been on fire in Ketterä. Wouldn't have minded him and Matikka in a second PP-unit at all.
Perhaps even Halttunen.
Marjala?

No, Matikka is a no brainer. Used to smaller ice, producing etc. Just laughable to exclude that kind of talent.
 
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In this 2nd period Finland has looked like I expected them to look in this tournament. Not good.
 
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What is Koskenvuos problem? He always leaves his far post too much. Looks like half of the net or more is always open. That's nothing new either, he usually does this since way back and when he has a bad game it's pretty easy to recognize.

Yep, this defense is questionable and the goalies could be even worse.
Thin depth at center position and not only that, Lambert and Kapanen can't manage to create anything worth mentioning. So that leaves me believing that we are worse than Sweden, Canada and the US in every matchup between centers. And it's not like we have any Kulich, Kasper or Dvorsky type of talent either, not even close.
Even if wingers are the strength in this roster it's nothing but a disgrace that Matikka is left out of this tournament.
Toumaala and Marjala depends on what you prefer etc, but yeah, Matikka is not even for debate after witnessing these two periods.
I don't think Väisänen uses his body that well either, perhaps he needs time to grow in to it. But he doesn't have the grit and heavy body to him like Huuhtanen and Nyman.

The biggest letdown is that a bit too many players players born 2003 and somewhat later seem to have reached stagnation, that is if they don't show something else further on.
Both in this roster and outside. Väisänen, Koivunen, Kapanen, Kemell, Lambert, Salminen, Hokkanen, Miettinen.
Perhaps even Kuusla, Nurmi, Ylitalo, Yliniemi, Emil Järventie and younger talents as well.
 
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Jukurit said:
In this 2nd period Finland has looked like I expected them to look in this tournament. Not good.
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Yeah that was ugly. Can't be making so many mistakes against a talanted USA team. We got very passive when defending and just let USA skate around and look for good scoring chances. Didn't stop them in the neutral zone either so they just ran us over.
 
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Svedu said:
What is Koskenvuos problem? He always leaves his far post too much. Looks like half of the net or more is always open. That's nothing new either, he usually does this since way back and when he has a bad game it's pretty easy to recognize.

Yep, this defense is questionable and the goalies could be even worse.
Thin depth at center and not only that, Lambert and Kapanen can't manage to create anything worth mentioning.
Even if wingers are the strength this roster it's nothing but a disgrace that Matikka is left out of this tournament.
Toumaala and Marjala depends on what you prefer etc, but yeah, Matikka is not even for debate after witnessing these two periods.
I don't think Väisänen uses his body that well either, perhaps he needs time to grow in to it. But he doesn't have the grit and heavy body to him like Huuhtanen and Nyman.

The biggest letdown is that too many players players born 2003 and somewhat later seem to have reached stagnation, that is if they don't show something else further on.
Both in this roster and outside. Väisänen, Koivunen, Kapanen, Kemell, Lambert, Salminen, Hokkanen, Miettinen etc.
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Kapanen has taken a step forward this season, it's pretty obvious when you watch him play. But I agree that several others haven't
 
king89 said:
Kapanen has taken a step forward this season, it's pretty obvious when you watch him play. But I agree that several others haven't
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Well if so, he's the only one. But I haven't seen that in this game, not enough.
I mean he's always been a good skater like all Kapanens are, but I haven't seen anything in his vision and playmaking so far stating that he's a good first center against other top 3-4 teams in this upcoming tournament. Perhaps not a disadvantage, but not an advantage either?

But let's hope you're right, he scored. I hope he will be able to create more when the tournament starts.
 
koivunen kapananen huuhtanen
kaskimäki rönni nyman
lambert miettinen kemell
kapanen päivärinta väisänen
lassila
lines mixing
 
Why is Konsta Kapanen chosen before Matikka? Tuomaala or Marjala? Numbers? Don't think so. Talent or potential? Don't think so. Former stars son? Perhaps.

Kasperi was another level of talent and cousin Oliver has something in him. There isn't much speaking in favor for Konsta to be chosen before others in all honesty.
 
illone84 said:
Any of you guys have an idea of what Tomi Lämsä's coaching style is like? Is it akin to that of Pennanen or perhaps a bit more offensively oriented? Just watched an interview with Kokko and from his comments I gather the team is built as a fast, counter-attack team built with smaller Dmen but quick moving the puck. Kind of reminds me of the u18 team that was coached by Petri Karjalainen in 2021 (makes sense, a lot of the same players between that roster and this one).
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Lämsä was there with Tapola, Jalonen & Westerlund etc. when "Meidän Peli" was created and developed. He knows that by the book and i'm guessing he's playing with very similar style than Pennanen. Not sure though how he coached in the KHL but apparently he did well since he was there for quite a while. When i watch that team, d-men are good with moving the puck and indeed it seems like a counter-attack team. PP will be very strong, there are lot of good players for that.

My concern with Lämsä is quite the same than it's with Marjamäki, he knows the game well and all the structures but he's too mechanical and his teams every stride is by the book. Players will choke to that tactics book.

Apprently he's developed a lot socially during his years in Russia. He didn't have any charisma before but now he's a guy who had to handle team full of Russians and big stars from other countries and apparently he did well.
 
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karhukissa said:
Lämsä was there with Tapola, Jalonen & Westerlund etc. when "Meidän Peli" was created and developed. He knows that by the book and i'm guessing he's playing with very similar style than Pennanen. Not sure though how he coached in the KHL but apparently he did well since he was there for quite a while. When i watch that team, d-men are good with moving the puck and indeed it seems like a counter-attack team. PP will be very strong, there are lot of good players for that.

My concern with Lämsä is quite the same than it's with Marjamäki, he knows the game well and all the structures but he's too mechanical and his teams every stride is by the book. Players will choke to that tactics book.

Apprently he's developed a lot socially during his years in Russia. He didn't have any charisma before but now he's a guy who had to handle team full of Russians and big stars from other countries and apparently he did well.
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Thanks for your input......I really hope he's not overzealous regarding tactics or this is going to be painful hockey to watch. On the other hand, I was aware he did some coaching in Russia but never contemplated his character building, pretty interesting and while I might be going out on a limb here, I think one must be emotional and charismatic to coach a KHL team with mostly Russians, I personally don't think they respond well to the inscrutable/dispassionate type -just my opionion. Anyways, let's see how the tournie goes. Finally, I'm not sure what his plan is with Kiviharju but hope he plays at least on the second PP unit. I'm assuming he'll insert Topias Vilén and Kiviharju against Canada on Friday.
 
king89 said:
I like it. If this works it will strengthen our team team by quite a lot.

Vilen resting? Or did they decide he was too big and sent him home lol.
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Vilen was one of the players I was hoping to see. I'm assuming he is a known commodity to the coaching staff and they were using last night's game to focus on others.
 
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ORRFForever said:
Good? Bad? Somewhere in between?
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Only bad.

Luckily it was an exhibition game. I actually feel bad for him because of the earlier hype.
Either it's only his decision making and hockey-IQ, or it's lack of confidence and he's overthinking things in every situation. You never know fully with youngsters.
But yeah, if this keeps on, he's no center at any pro level. Then I can only see him as a counterattacking winger or something.
 
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"he knows the game well and all the structures but he's too mechanical and his teams every stride is by the book. Players will choke to that tactics book."

This worries me because this can be extra harmful when it comes to younger players.

The mens team under Marjamäki and the u20 under Rautakorpi are the most horrifying Finnish teams I've witnessed.
No fire, shat in their pants and were clueless without any courage on ice. Dark times.
 
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Svedu said:
Only bad.

Luckily it was an exhibition game. I actually feel bad for him because of the earlier hype.
Either it's only his decision making and hockey-IQ, or it's lack of confidence and he's overthinking things in every situation. You never know fully with youngsters.
But yeah, if this keeps on, he's no center at any pro level. Then I can only see him as a counterattacking winger or something.
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Wow. Considering where he was (as a prospect) just a few years ago, he's had quite a drop.

Thanks!
 
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