WJC: Team Finland 2025 U20 WJC roster talk

[king89]

I kind of like that. Like let's see if he's the real deal kind of thing. We know he has that confidence within him at least.

 

[Erikfromfin]

Finland lineup vs Slovakia practice game

Goalie:
30 Petteri Rimpinen
Backup:
31 Noa Vali
1:
12 Joona Saarelainen – 21 Topias Hynninen – 8 Jesse Kiiskinen
10 Emil Pieniniemi – 5 Aron Kiviharju
2:
17 Benjamin Rautiainen – 29 Arttu Alasiurua – 22 Kasper Halttunen
7 Daniel Nieminen – 2 Mitja Jokinen
3:
23 Roope Vesterinen – 27 Julius Miettinen – 14 Emil Hemming
13 Veeti Väisänen – 6 Sebastian Soini
4:
24 Jesse Nurmi – 20 Tom Leppä – 15 Tuomas Uronen
3 Kalle Kangas – 11 Arttu Tuhkala
13. forward:
18 Rasmus Kumpulainen

Kim Saarinen and Heikki Ruohonen not dressed. I read somewhere Konsta Helenius will join team on 23rd

 

[JJTT]

6-0 win vs Slovakia.

Interesting that Hynninen and Alasiurua played the top2 center spots. Both have been wingers in Liiga all season. Interesting to see who ends up at center when Helenius joins. I'd inagine Kumpulainen will be in the lineup as well.

 

[Jukurit]

6-0 win vs Slovakia.

Interesting that Hynninen and Alasiurua played the top2 center spots. Both have been wingers in Liiga all season. Interesting to see who ends up at center when Helenius joins. I'd inagine Kumpulainen will be in the lineup as well.

Hynninen has been center in Liiga all season.

 

[Svedu]

Prelim- results don't mean a thing. I hope they have a difficult game against the US. I' ll take a close loss as a good thing going in to the tournament. Even more than a win.

Alasiurua will absolutely not play as center in the end. Kumpulainen more likely to play wing than say Hynninen. They tried him on the wing in a game last month or something.
As Jukurit mentioned. Of these three Hynninen is most likely getting a center spot no matter what. The question is rather if it's a top6 or top9 role in the end.

 

[Svedu]

In the end I think it's between Leppä, Nurmi, Alasiurua and Saarelainen being the 13th forward during the tournament but everything can happen and their actual performances should matter the most.
Also, even if we don't have the biggest stars the depth should be quite impressive. Therefor there is a possibility to rotate a bit more than usual. Depending on opponent, fatigue and which players and styles could suit one game more than another. Shouldn't be a bad thing.
Very rarely I feel good about all forward options like this year. With Hemming actually worrying me the most pre tournament. A first rounder, I' ll take that

There is a reason Kumpulainen probably got "benched" first. His equipment were missing after the flight if I got it right. I'm going to find a link for you guys.

Leijonat - Kumpulaisen kadonneet varusteet löytyivät – Liian pitkäksi venynyt jatkokertomus sai onnellisen lopun

Nuorten Leijonien MM-leirillä on seurattu mielenkiinnolla jatkokertomusta, jonka pääosassa on ollut hyökkääjä Rasmus Kumpulaisen varustekassi. Lukuisia jatko-osia saanut kertomus tuli päätökseensä perjantaina, kun Kumpulainen osallistui ensimm&a...

www.leijonat.fi

 

[JJTT]

Hynninen has been center in Liiga all season.

For some reason I thought Abbandonato was the center on that line but seems like not.

 

[Wheatens]

I hope Hynninen has a strong tournament, I think he is a really good candidate to be drafted as an over-ager.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

I hope Hynninen has a strong tournament, I think he is a really good candidate to be drafted as an over-ager.

Petteri Rimpinen is the other overage 2025 draft candidate.
Rimpinen has been SM liigas best goaltender whole autumn
and he's the reason why Kiekko-Espoo has exceeded all expectations
already because before the September most hockey analytics in Finland

ranked Kiekko-Espoo bottom 5 team and now they are TOP4 team.
If Rimpinen will not get drafted next june something is terribly wrong.

I kind of like that. Like let's see if he's the real deal kind of thing. We know he has that confidence within him at least.

Yeah Kiviharju has a confidence and no questions of that.
But that's a question how he'll survive vs Canada and USA.
Kiviharju lacks physicality and he's a ''midget'' dman so good luck with Canada's and USA's big boys.

 

[Mestaruus]

I haven't been paying that close attention this time. Will there be any more practice games for Finland before the tournament starts?

 

[illone84]

I haven't been paying that close attention this time. Will there be any more practice games for Finland before the tournament starts?

One more tomorrow vs USA me thinks

 

[king89]

Did anybody watch the exhibition game vs US? I see we lost by 2-5. No Helenius and Kiiskinen in the lineup as far as I can tell. And Vali in net instead of Rimpinen. So not the best possible line up.

 

[Svedu]

Did anybody watch the exhibition game vs US? I see we lost by 2-5. No Helenius and Kiiskinen in the lineup as far as I can tell. And Vali in net instead of Rimpinen. So not the best possible line up.

Missed the game but even if Helenius will be very important for this team and better our chances he's no Hagens and not even what Anton Lundell was for me, nor Sebastian Aho nor Teräväinen back in the days. He's more like Aatu Räty or well, perhaps a bit better than that hopefully.
This makes me think about 2016, insane that a prospect of Hintz caliber was like what? Third center, or was Aho considered the second? No matter what, one of the offensively most stacked rosters in WJC ever, no matter the country. Imagine having Aho, Laine, Rantanen, Hintz, Kapanen, Puljujärvi, Lammikko, Kalapudas, Saarela, Nättinen...
Those who did not become NHL stars still had very impressive careers so far.

Even if Helenius wouldn't or if he can't reach Lundell heights, or even if Kiviharju won't reach Heinola and Niemeläs heights this roster should have a lot more depth and be somewhat competitive.

Also regarding Rimpinen who will be the clear number one. He hasn't been that impressive so far in his years when wearing a Leijonat jersey. So I will not expect too much before I see him against Canada and- or the US. Vali has experience from last year as well and Saarinen/ Vali should be considered as one of the best third goalies we've had in this tournament, or for any team this year. Let's hope Rimpinen is good, he wasn't when I saw him for the u18 and a short tournament isn't the same as Liiga or Espoo. And the pace and intensity from the NA teams and smaller rinks changes circumstances.
With that said, these goalies have played more in Liiga than what Piiroinen and Taponen had back in the days so someone should have a good tournament and step up at least

So pumped for this! Tsemppiä jätkille!

 

[king89]

Missed the game but even if Helenius will be very important for this team and better our chances he's no Hagens and not even what Anton Lundell was for me, nor Sebastian Aho nor Teräväinen back in the days. He's more like Aatu Räty or well, perhaps a bit better than that hopefully.
This makes me think about 2016, insane that a prospect of Hintz caliber was like what? Third center, or was Aho considered the second? No matter what, one of the offensively most stacked rosters in WJC ever, no matter the country. Imagine having Aho, Laine, Rantanen, Hintz, Kapanen, Puljujärvi, Lammikko, Kalapudas, Saarela, Nättinen...
Those who did not become NHL stars still had very impressive careers so far.

Even if Helenius wouldn't or if he can't reach Lundell heights, or even if Kiviharju won't reach Heinola and Niemeläs heights this roster should have a lot more depth and be somewhat competitive.

Also regarding Rimpinen who will be the clear number one. He hasn't been that impressive so far in his years when wearing a Leijonat jersey. So I will not expect too much before I see him against Canada and- or the US. Vali has experience from last year as well and Saarinen/ Vali should be considered as one of the best third goalies we've had in this tournament, or for any team this year. Let's hope Rimpinen is good, he wasn't when I saw him for the u18 and a short tournament isn't the same as Liiga or Espoo. And the pace and intensity from the NA teams and smaller rinks changes circumstances.
With that said, these goalies have played more in Liiga than what Piiroinen and Taponen had back in the days so someone should have a good tournament and step up at least

So pumped for this! Tsemppiä jätkille!

Yeah that team was crazy just scored for fun. And that game winner by Kapanen in OT chef's kiss.

It's confirmed now that Tom Leppä is the final cut. Don't have any complaints with that. So this is the final team

Maalivahdit:
Rimpinen Petteri, Kiekko-Espoo
Saarinen Kim, HPK Hämeenlinna
Vali Noa, TPS Turku

Puolustajat:
Jokinen Mitja, TPS Turku
Kangas Kalle, HPK Hämeenlinna
Kiviharju Aron, HIFK Helsinki
Nieminen Daniel, Pelicans Lahti
Pieniniemi Emil, Kingston Frontenacs
Soini Sebastian, Ilves Tampere
Tuhkala Arttu, Luleå HF
Väisänen Veeti, Medicine Hat Tigers

Hyökkääjät:
Alasiurua Arttu, Kärpät
Halttunen Kasper, London Knights
Helenius Konsta, Rochester Americans
Hemming Emil, Barrie Colts
Hynninen Topias, Jukurit Mikkeli
Kiiskinen Jesse, HPK Hämeenlinna
Kumpulainen Rasmus, Pelicans Lahti
Miettinen Julius, Everett Silvertips
Nurmi Jesse, London Knights
Rautiainen Benjamin, Tappara Tampere
Ruohonen Heikki, Dubuque Fighting S
Saarelainen Joona, KalPa Kuopio
Uronen Tuomas, Kingston Frontenacs
Vesterinen Roope, HPK Hämeenlinna

This group have some of the things the teams from the past two three years have missed but it's also got som very glaring weaknesses so it's a bit irritating. I don't think we can compete with Canada and the US this year either unfortunately.