WJC: Team Finland 2024 U20 WJC roster Talk.

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Time to make new U20 WJC roster thread for Finland.
Here my first roster speculations with Joakim Kemell

1st line Kaskimäki Lassila Kemell* ( *= if Nashville / Milwaukee release Kemell to U20 WJC's )
Kiviharju Minkkinen

Hämeenaho Kumpulainen Halttunen
Kulonummi Kangas

Kiiskinen Rönni Nyman
Salin Väisänen

Lundell Leppä Eliseev.
13th Forward Emil Hemming
7th Defenceman Thomas Grönlund

Goalies
Leinonen
Kokko
Vinni

Finland's roster without Joakim Kemell

1st line Kaskimäki Lassila Hämeenaho
Kiviharju Minkkinen

2nd line
Kiiskinen Rönni Nyman
Kulonummi Kangas.

3rd line Uronen Kumpulainen Halttunen
Salin Väisänen

4th line Lundell Leppä Eliseev.
13th forward Emil Hemming / Konsta Helenius
7th Defenceman Thomas Grönlund

Goalies
Leinonen
Kokko
Vinni.

Kangas, Väisänen and Minkkinen selected to bring size, grit, toughness and physicality on defence.

Click to read more...

 

[SantosHalper]

Jani Nyman - Jere Lassila(C) - Joakim Kemell(A)
Konsta Helenius - Topi Rönni - Lenni Hämeenaho
X1 - Aleksanteri Kaskimäki - Kasper Halttunen
Samu Bau - Otto Hokkanen - X2
X3,

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

Elmeri Laakso - Kasper Kulonummi(A)
Aron Kiviharju - Niko Minkkinen
Arttu Kärki - Otto Salin
Thomas Grönlund
X4

X= Juuso Vesala, Otto Heinonen

Niklas Kokko
Topias Leinonen
Eemil Vinni

 

[22Brad Park]

delete

 

[Erikfromfin]

Jani Nyman - Jere Lassila - Joakim Kemell
Lenni Hämeenaho - Aleksanteri Kaskimäki - Kasper Halttunen
Topias Hynninen - Konsta Helenius - Jesse Kiiskinen
Tommi Männistö - Topi Rönni - Tuomas Uronen
Rasmus Kumpulainen
Emil Järventie

Aron Kiviharju - Otto Salin
Elmeri Laakso - Kasper Kulonummi
Arttu Kärki - Niko Minkkinen
Emil Pieniniemi
Veeti Väisänen

Topias Leinonen
Niklas Kokko
Eemil Vinni

 

[Eye of Ra]

Should there not be many finns on the stands since its in Sweden? Many finns living in Sweden. Will feel like home.

 

[scholl]

Team still coached by Tomi 'poika' Lämsä.
- Älä esitä, se ei kannata,

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

MM-kisoissa pettyneen Nuorten Leijonien päävalmentaja Tomi Lämsä vaatii nuorille enemmän vastuuta SM-liigassa

Lämsän mukaan Suomessa pitäisi kiristää pelaajien vaatimustasoa merkittävästi, sillä nuorten arvokisat ovat entistä kovatasoisempia.

yle.fi

Smart and brutally honest talk for Lämsä

 

[karhukissa]

MM-kisoissa pettyneen Nuorten Leijonien päävalmentaja Tomi Lämsä vaatii nuorille enemmän vastuuta SM-liigassa

Lämsän mukaan Suomessa pitäisi kiristää pelaajien vaatimustasoa merkittävästi, sillä nuorten arvokisat ovat entistä kovatasoisempia.

yle.fi

Smart and brutally honest talk for Lämsä

He has a point but the fact is that Lämsä was terrible. He was the worst part of Team Finland. It's quite ironic how many people are against "Meidän Peli", and now we saw what happens when we are not playing it. D-men had no idea what to do, Salin for example isn't as bad as we saw. It lead to a situation where Heimosalmi and Vilen were totally overused.

Lämsä did well in KHL because it isn't very tactical league. Marjamäki also did pretty well and he's terrible. Lämsä should never coach juniors again.

 

[Lartsaman]

Should there not be many finns on the stands since its in Sweden? Many finns living in Sweden. Will feel like home.

I bet there will be a lot of finns on the stands. For me Sweden feels like home(its so near and so much like Finland) although I´ve never lived there. A lot of my relatives do though. Also keep in mind that many of the finns living in Sweden have lived there so long that they consider themselves as swedes already.

 

[SantosHalper]

Lukko hired Tomi Lämsä
Lukko pisti valmentajan vaihtoon − Tomi Lämsä korvaa syksyllä jatkon tehneen Marko Virtasen

Who to replace him? Ahokas is available, but is he intrested and same thing for Kivi. Myrrä? Virtanen? Raipe? Manner is interesting option.

 

[Jukurit]

Lukko hired Tomi Lämsä
Lukko pisti valmentajan vaihtoon − Tomi Lämsä korvaa syksyllä jatkon tehneen Marko Virtasen

Who to replace him? Ahokas is available, but is he intrested and same thing for Kivi. Myrrä? Virtanen? Raipe? Manner is interesting option.

Lämsä was Kari Jalonen's replacement. Now we need a replacement for our replacement. Replacementception.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Lukko hired Tomi Lämsä
Lukko pisti valmentajan vaihtoon − Tomi Lämsä korvaa syksyllä jatkon tehneen Marko Virtasen

Who to replace him? Ahokas is available, but is he intrested and same thing for Kivi. Myrrä? Virtanen? Raipe? Manner is interesting option.

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes.
This wasn't the result what i hoped for but it take this.
Lämsä is gone which is f***ing good if the goal is win something next U20 WJC's.

Now Liitto should get head coach who's won international tournaments and medals.
Bring in one of the guys like Jussi Ahokas, Tommi Niemelä and Karri Kivi.

But don't bring in any of these guys.
Lauri Mikkola
Marko Virtanen
Jouko Myrrä
Lauri Merikivi
Jarno Pikkarainen
Raimo Helminen.

If Ahokas, Niemelä and Kivi aren't available or interested then try one of these guys.
Olli Jokinen ( Coached juniors many years in south Florida hockey academy )
Mikko Manner ( Sm liiga championship, 2 IIHF worlds gold, 1 IIHF worlds silver, 1 Olympic gold )

 

[FinPanda]

I'm happy Lämsä is gone if I'm being honest.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Manner is one of the worst coaches ever in SHL. But his coaching style probaly works better in NT. Maybe Jukka Jalonen wanna coach U20 again....or Errka Westerlund,

 

[SantosHalper]

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes.
This wasn't the result what i hoped for but it take this.
Lämsä is gone which is f***ing good if the goal is win something next U20 WJC's.

Now Liitto should get head coach who's won international tournaments and medals.
Bring in one of the guys like Jussi Ahokas, Tommi Niemelä and Karri Kivi.

But don't bring in any of these guys.
Lauri Mikkola
Marko Virtanen
Jouko Myrrä
Lauri Merikivi
Jarno Pikkarainen
Raimo Helminen.

If Ahokas, Niemelä and Kivi aren't available or interested then try one of these guys.
Olli Jokinen ( Coached juniors many years in south Florida hockey academy )
Mikko Manner ( Sm liiga championship, 2 IIHF worlds gold, 1 IIHF worlds silver, 1 Olympic gold )

Manner is without contract, he is a strong contender for the job. Except techically he has a contract with the finnish ice hockey association as assistant coach of men's national team, but how often they play at the same time? I could see a douple role being possible.

Ahokas doesn't have a contract either but he already coached the U20 team for years and won gold, and before that in the U18, U17 and U16 levels. I don't see him being interested.

Kivi might be the 2nd strongest candidate after Manner, he has the gold but he only coached them for 1 year. Kivi had a 2 year deal back then but then got the offer from Traktor.

Niemelä and Jokinen has a contract for next year, so no chance that either one leaves their job. Niemelä is rumoured to Switzerland also and new Jokerit boss man Saarni is interested bringing his buddy OJ to Jokerit soon.

Manner is one of the worst coaches ever in SHL. But his coaching style probaly works better in NT. Maybe Jukka Jalonen wanna coach U20 again....or Errka Westerlund,

Maybe, Manner has been Jukka's righthand man since 2019, Jukka is not going to be U20 head coach. It's men's team for him until 2024 and then short club stint before retirement. Erkka W has also retired from coaching, he is TPS board member now a days.

 

[Jukurit]

Would be cool if it was Ahokas but it's probably Manner.

 

[SantosHalper]

Junior national teams GM Kimmo Oikarinen revealed to YLE that new head coach will be announced in few weeks.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Junior national teams GM Kimmo Oikarinen revealed to YLE that new head coach will be announced in few weeks.

Did Oikarinen mention any names?
Hopefully it truly is one of Ahokas, Kivi and Manner.

But i'm afraid it is one of these.
Merikivi
Virtanen
Mikkola
Helminen
Myrrä
Pikkarainen
which would be even worse downgrade what Lämsä was.

Junior national teams GM Kimmo Oikarinen revealed to YLE that new head coach will be announced in few weeks.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Call me crazy to mention this but how about Toni Söderholm next U20 head coach.
Söderholm did very good job in Germany men's national team so would be ''söde'' worth of try?

 

[SantosHalper]

Did Oikarinen mention any names?

No but since the announcement is going to happen soon, im quite sure that the next coach is already hired. They are probably waiting for a press conference where to announce, i would guess that they announce it at the same event where the men's WHC team is announced. If Manner is the coach, it's quite fitting time to do it.

Im very sure that Merikivi is not the U20 head coach, the rumour is that Pennanen has asked him to be his assistant coach next year in Ilves.

Call me crazy to mention this but how about Toni Söderholm next U20 head coach.
Söderholm did very good job in Germany men's national team so would be ''söde'' worth of try?

Not a bad pick but Söderholm is rumoured to go back in Germany, he had a deal with Bern but then he resigned. Next head coach of Munchen if im not mistaken.
-----------------------------------

I would throw in Pekka Virta as a wildcard. Virta has "played" Liiga through, 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze and 2 x coach of the year. Main reason why Virta took a coaching job in HockeyEttan was that his wife works in Stockholm and Virta wanted to spend more time with her.

National team coaching is not 24/7 job, so Virta could spend more time with his wife in Sweden and still coach at the high level. Virta is a good coach for long term projects im, not so sure how his style would work in tournament coaching but he's been succesful.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

No but since the announcement is going to happen soon, im quite sure that the next coach is already hired. They are probably waiting for a press conference where to announce, i would guess that they announce it at the same event where the men's WHC team is announced. If Manner is the coach, it's quite fitting time to do it.

Im very sure that Merikivi is not the U20 head coach, the rumour is that Pennanen has asked him to be his assistant coach next year in Ilves.

Not a bad pick but Söderholm is rumoured to go back in Germany, he had a deal with Bern but then he resigned. Next head coach of Munchen if im not mistaken.
-----------------------------------

I would throw in Pekka Virta as a wildcard. Virta has "played" Liiga through, 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze and 2 x coach of the year. Main reason why Virta took a coaching job in HockeyEttan was that his wife works in Stockholm and Virta wanted to spend more time with her.

National team coaching is not 24/7 job, so Virta could spend more time with his wife in Sweden and still coach at the high level. Virta is a good coach for long term projects im, not so sure how his style would work in tournament coaching but he's been succesful.

Was that a joke or bad trolling.
Absolutely massive NO for Pekka Virta next U20 head coach.
Team U20 Finland needs merited NATIONAL TEAM coach not liiga merited coach like Virta.

Why in the hell liitto should again go there where the fence is the lowest.
If Ahokas, Niemelä and Kivi aren't insterest U20 head coaching position then hire Manner.

The level of Finnish hockey coaches cannot be so freaking shitty and lousy
at only Jalonen ( both ) Niemelä, Pennanen and Ahokas knows how to win U20 and U18 WJC's.

 

[SantosHalper]

Was that a joke or bad trolling.
Absolutely massive NO for Pekka Virta next U20 head coach.
Team U20 Finland needs merited NATIONAL TEAM coach not liiga merited coach like Virta.

Why in the hell liitto should again go there where the fence is the lowest.
If Ahokas, Niemelä and Kivi aren't insterest U20 head coaching position then hire Manner.

The level of Finnish hockey coaches cannot be so freaking shitty and lousy
at only Jalonen ( both ) Niemelä, Pennanen and Ahokas knows how to win U20 and U18 WJC's.

No, not a joke. Ahokas is the only one who's available and i can't see him being intrested, he had in total a 7 year run with the junior national teams and won everything. +4 years in the women's national team.

Manner and Kivi are available and they are my number 1 and 2 options but if they both decline, who else is there? Raipe? Myrrä? Pikkarainen? Virtanen? Mikkola? Marttila? Jortikka? Rindell? Elomo? Virta is best of the rest, better hope that Manner or Kivi accepts the offer.

And Jalonen, Ahokas, Niemelä, Pennanen weren't merited national team coaches until they became merited national team coaches.

 

[SantosHalper]

If we wind back 10 years after the 2013 WJC, representative of finnish ice hockey association probably Kummola said that the next U20 coach is going to be signed longer than 1 year deal. Because they wanted more continuity and most of the coaches before only coached 1 tournament, very few coached B2B tournaments and Jortikka in the 80s is the only coach who was in for 3 straights tournaments.

Karri Kivi signed a 2+1 deal in 22.3.2013, that's a month before he won gold in Liiga and was named coach of the year. So the finnish hockey association signed him before he even became merited Liiga coach, and it only took 1 tournament for him to become merited national team coach. After the victory Kivi left to Russia.
Leijonat - Karri Kivi alle 20-vuotiaiden maajoukkueen päävalmentajaksi

17.6.2014 Hannu Jortikka was selected to replace Kivi, again with a 2-year deal and after the 2015 WJC 19.1.2015 Jortikka resigned. Later that evening it was announced that Jukka Jalonen will replace Jortikka and Jalonen only signed 1-year deal.
https://www.suomikiekko.com/2014/06/nuorten-leijonien-perasimeen-tuttu-hahmo/
Jortikka erosi Pikkuleijonista
Nuoret Leijonat Jukka Jalosen komentoon
Im 110% sure that Jalonen would have not taken the U20 national team coaching job, if Finland wasn't going to host the the 2016 tournament. As his comments above and 1-year deal indicates.

1.10.2015 was announced that Jukka Rautakorpi is going to replace Jalonen after the 2016 WJC. Rautakorpi also signed 1-year deal, because he already had a deal with Tappara from 2017.
Rautakorpi Nuorten Leijonien päävalmentajaksi
11.6.2016 was announced that Jussi Ahokas has a 1+1 deal and will replace Rautakorpi, everyone remembers what happened at the 2017 WJC. Ahokas was finally the first coach for a long time who actually coached the U20 team longer than 1 tournament.
Pikkuleijonat kultaan luotsannut Jussi Ahokas on Nuorten Leijonien seuraava päävalmentaja

11.2.2019 was announced that Raimo Helminen will be the coach in 2020 tournament and Pennanen will replace Raipe after tournament. Pennanen had a 2-year deal and just like Ahokas he stayed in his position through his contract. Raipe placeholder until Pendo's contract with HPK ends.
https://www.jatkoaika.com/Uutiset/N...nen-ottaa-vetovastuun-Helmisen-jälkeen/208944

12.11.2021 was announced that Kari Jalonen will replace Pennanen after the tournament and KJ's deal is a 2-year deal. But everyone remember how that turned out, KJ bolted before he even ran one practice and took Czechia's men's national team job 10.3.2022
https://www.jatkoaika.com/Uutiset/K...–-aloittaa-tehtävässä-ensi-toukokuussa/236974
https://www.jatkoaika.com/Uutiset/Kari-Jalonen-Tšekin-maajoukkueen-penkin-taakse/239721
7.6.2022 was announced that Tomi Lämsä replaces Kari Jalonen as a U20, again a 2-year deal. And then 29.4.2024, less than a year later even Tomi "friggin" Lämsä calls it quits and takes another job.
https://www.jatkoaika.com/Uutiset/Tomi-Lämsä-Nuorten-Leijonien-päävalmentajaksi/241884
https://www.jatkoaika.com/Uutiset/L...syksyllä-jatkon-tehneen-Marko-Virtasen/249568
---------------------------------
Clearly the U20 national team head coaching position is not the most coveted job. Only 2 coaches in last 10 years has coached 2 tournaments straight. And the other coaches before Ahokas and Pennanen are:
Jukka Rautakorpi 2008 & 2009 (+1999, 2017)
Erkka Westerlund 2002 & 2003 (+1989)
Harri Rindell 1995 & 1996 (+2013)
Jarmo Tolvanen 1992 & 1993 (+2007)
Hannu Jortikka 1986 & 1987 & 1988 (+1990, 1997, 2010, 2015)
Pentti Matikainen 1984 & 1985
Olli Hietanen 1980 & 1981
Matti Väisänen 1977 & 1978

Other multi tournament coaches are:
Hannu Kapanen 1998 & 2000
Hannu Aravirta 2004 & 2006
Raimo Helminen 2012 & 2020

 

[FinPanda]

Give us Karri Kiv!

 

[Jussi]

Looks like Karri Kivi is going to take over the team.