WC: Team Finland

[illone84]

Huge news!! Leijonille hyviä uutisia: Kasperi Kapanen tulee mukaan MM-kisoihin!

 

[BusQuets]

Shaping to be very fast team in every position.

 

[FinPanda]

Great news!

 

[Mestaruus]

My guesses would be Granlund,Rantanen and some veteran.

Agreed. Peltola (C), Granny (A), Rantanen (A). In 4-6 years Rantanen will be one of the captain candidates so need to start setting it up. Nutivaara might get one (A) actually.

Looks like he isn't coming over anytime soon.

Suddenly excited for this team. Actually the best team in years considering the amount of NHL'ers and the quality of them.

Donskoi will be a nice consolation prize. Hopefully he's healthy. He still has contract for next season so that isn't an issue either.

Kaps speed would be a threat, and fun to watch.

With Laine missing practises I'd be very surprised if we saw him at the Worlds this year if Jets get eliminated, I really hope they don't though.

I got the impression that it was nothing. Media's overreaction. He could have had cold or something small. Ehlers missed some practices as well right and they hang out together a lot so probably infected each other.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Kapanen has nothing to prove in AHL, this shouldn't be surprising.

 

[Mestaruus]

Manitoba - Grand Rapids Griffins 2-2.

It's BO5 so next game decides it. Then if Jets loses to Nashville, there's Niku.

 

[FiLe]

Yesss! MiG now has his Zucker substitute!

Goshdarnit, with all these additions pouring in, my roster projections are barely surviving half a day. Stop giving us these quality forwards, NHL! (If I ever say that with a serious face, smack me over the head.)


Lines with Kapanen, but without Koivu:

Teräväinen - Aho - Rantanen
Savinainen - Granlund - Kapanen
Peltola* - Suomela - Junttila*
Enlund - Niemi - Anttila

*Or Pesonen/Kiiskinen/Jormakka/Manninen/Palola/Rajala, etc, etc.


Also, by now, I can say one thing: This may not be the strongest WHC Team Finland ever, neither on paper or on the ice, but it will be the most interesting to watch. By a mile.

 

[Mestaruus]

^
Isn't LW more suitable for Kapanen because he shoots from the right side.

Kapanen-Granlund-Rantanen
Junttila-Aho-Teräväinen
Peltola-Suomela-Savinainen
Rajala-Niemi-Anttila

Junttila and Aho have some Kärpät history together right?

Rajala is a placeholder for winger. Armia/Laine/Donskoi/Salomäki/Tolvanen. One of them is very likely to join, two is less likely but still possible. I would shuffle some lines after of course.

I wonder if they asked Hännikäinen? Or simply not big enough improvement in this case?

 

[Mestaruus]

The fact that Marjamäki put both Aho and MiG to center could be a sign that he is quite sure that there will be one more NHL winger coming after next PO round. If he didn't feel it, he should've kept Granlund at wing and have Suomela centering #2 line.

 

[Loffer]

The team is not that interesting as regards the forward lines, the names of interest there being mainly the usual and familiar ones out of the top of the NHL cream de la cream Finlandese: TT, MiG, Aho, Rants. After that big four only this Suomelainen dude gets a second look of curiosity from my curious central nervous system and its unspecified subsystems. Not that we had not an interesting team in the making here but it is no no and noway the forward ranks this time which should get our unshared interest and attention but, of course, that magnificently mobile defense pool that encompasses all the intriguing new prospects of the bunch.

We might witness some really nice and nifty hockey from this lean and agile team, ceteris paribus. And the defining characteristic of their on ice execution will be the way the game is generated and kept flowing through these new generation quarter backs with an unprecentedly creative contribution to the scoring department. Some easy goals allowed, for sure. But it is the name of the game this time as these new kids n the block are getting their feet wet and ear backs dry/red.

 

[FiLe]

Isn't LW more suitable for Kapanen because he shoots from the right side.

Kapanen-Granlund-Rantanen
Junttila-Aho-Teräväinen
Peltola-Suomela-Savinainen
Rajala-Niemi-Anttila

Junttila and Aho have some Kärpät history together right?

Rajala is a placeholder for winger. Armia/Laine/Donskoi/Salomäki/Tolvanen. One of them is very likely to join, two is less likely but still possible. I would shuffle some lines after of course.

I wonder if they asked Hännikäinen? Or simply not big enough improvement in this case?

Kapanen prefers the right wing. As does Rantanen. Besides, J.Jalonen started the 2016 WJC with Kapanen and Rantanen in the same line, but they didn't click at all. Sure, they both may be more mature players now, but I'd still prefer to keep them in separate lines, so they both can play their preferred wing.

Junttila-Aho-TT isn't a line that's well roled internally. As career NHLers, Teuvo and Aho are certainly no pushovers, but all forwards here are under six feet tall and not particularly physical. I know you didn't suggest it, but I should comment that the same holds true for the Rajala-Granlund-Pulkkinen -line some were speculating with. Lines like that, dubbed "Mickey Mouse Clubs", may be all right in junior hockey, but not in men.

Marjamäki should be looking some grit and size to complement these units. Rantanen will provide it for one of the top lines, and in the earlier projections Koivu was providing it for the other. But in the Captain's absence, we need to look for an euro substitute. Claywoman and Peltola are the best matches, so one shouldn't be surprised if one of them ends up grabbing that open spot in the top-six.

The news about Nutivaara coming broke when Kekäläinen had a presser yesterday and listed all the players Columbus is sending to the Worlds. He didn't mention Heineken, so I guess he's not coming.

 

[MMANumminen]

Those who have followed him, please tell me what kind of a player Suomela is

 

[Mestaruus]

Kapanen prefers the right wing. As does Rantanen. Besides, J.Jalonen started the 2016 WJC with Kapanen and Rantanen in the same line, but they didn't click at all. Sure, they both may be more mature players now, but I'd still prefer to keep them in separate lines, so they both can play their preferred wing.

Yeah separate Rantanen and Kapanen then. That line in U20 was disappointing excluding the OT winner by Kapanen.

 

[FiLe]

Ohtamaa declined. Bummer.

Yeah separate Rantanen and Kapanen then. That line in U20 was disappointing excluding the OT winner by Kapanen.

It should be noted that by that OT winner, the line had already been separated several games ago. By then, Kapanen was in a line with Joonas Nättinen and Aleksi Saarela, who set up that goal.

 

[Loffer]

Koivu (ja tahti) is not coming? Well, don't shoot the messenger. Someone always has to be the one who breaks it up and down and finally to the go to guy. The truth, the bad news, the reality. Not a grateful position to be in, have and man. But a noble and fine one.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

i'm glad Kapanen made the team. Best of luck to him

 

[illone84]

Hopefully Koivu still comes. I mean, he is getting older, running out of opportunities to win another skoda gold medal. Besides, the team is starting to look really good now, so his chances of winning another gold are looking pretty decent.

 

[LOFIN]

Hopefully Koivu still comes. I mean, he is getting older, running out of opportunities to win skoda gold. Besides, the team is starting to look really good now, so his chances of winning another gold are looking pretty decent.

He already has one gold, from 2011. But I do hope he comes, just to clear all this fog surrounding the captaincy issue.

 

[Mestaruus]

Like others said, it's pretty clear that Koivu isn't coming because Marjamäki is moving Granlund and Aho to center. Lehtinen & Marjamäki must already know. Why aren't they already annoucning it, I dunno. Maybe they let Koivu announce it himself out of respect to him or something.

 

[FiLe]

Those who have followed him, please tell me what kind of a player Suomela is

Classic offensive center. Good playmaking ability, PPG player in Liiga. Has been really impressive in the o-zone in these preliminary games. Two-way game could use some work, though, and he's not particularly physical either. But he's still young, '94 born, so there's still plenty of room for improvement. I doubt he will ever be an NHLer, but he has every tool to be a high caliber Euro reliable we can call up for many Worlds to come. Basically, a younger version of Petri Kontiola.

Hopefully Koivu still comes. I mean, he is getting older, running out of opportunities to win skoda gold. Besides, the team is starting to look really good now, so his chances of winning another gold are looking pretty decent.

The offense looks pretty damn good, but the back end could still use some additions. Sadly, there aren't many in sight.

Defense definitely took another blow with Ohtamaa out of contention. That means five locks ATM - Nutivaara, Honka, Pokka, Heiskanen, and Kivistö. And then probably three of Riikola/Lehtonen/Juolevi/Jokiharju. Or maybe just two, since there are reports that Hakanpää actually hasn't thrown in the towel yet. He will have his hand checked up on Monday, and the final decision will be made only after that. Of course, even if he somehow could play, would he be 100%...

The sad fact is that our D could definitely use some size and physicality. Kivistö will have to be the go-to-guy in that department. Nuti isn't particularly big, but he will also provide some. Pokka is a solid all-around defenseman, but lacks the right kind of mean streak. Same can be said for Lehtonen and Riikola, though both would probably do in a pinch. I wonder if Ohtamaa declining is doing favors for Juolevi, since despite not being known as a gritty and overly physical, he does have a decent frame.

Any wild cards? Well, with Lasse and Ohtamaa out of contention and Hakanpää a massive question mark, the next "luuta" type player in line is Niko Mikkola. But I doubt his merits will be enough for a direct bye to the WHC.

As for goalies... well, we won our latest title with Petri Vehanen (who, by the way, just retired), so there's no reason to say we can't do it with Säteri. But I certainly wouldn't mind a more merited goalie. This offense of ours would kinda deserve a backstopper of similar caliber. Unlikely we get one unless Nashville bows out, though. But if they did, we'd get one for almost certain. If not Rinne, Saros too would be a noticeable upgrade.

But hey, we already had a defenseman pretty much rise from the dead, so maybe next we will get news about Raanta joining... (For the record, I don't really think anyone should cross their fingers here.)

 

[Mestaruus]

^
Joonas Järvinen. His season ended 2 months ago with Kunlun Red Stars right. I never heard anything of him regarding WHC, but he would bring in some size. I know that usually they don't enter the picture out of nowhere like that, but would be interesting to know why wasn't he asked or was he.

 

[santeri]

If Koivu decides to join:

Teräväinen - Aho - Rantanen
Granlund - Koivu - Kapanen
Savinainen - Suomela - Rajala
Enlund - Niemi - Anttila
extras: Palola, Kuusela

Heiskanen - Nutivaara
Honka - Pokka
Jokiharju - Kivistö
Riikola - Juolevi

Säteri
Husso
Vehviläinen


If Koivu doesn't join:

Teräväinen - Aho - Rantanen
Pesonen - Granlund - Kapanen
Savinainen - Suomela - Rajala
Enlund - Niemi - Anttila
extras: Lajunen, Palola


If everything goes perfectly and all good players that have not declined yet join:

Aho - Lehterä - Teräväinen
Granlund - Koivu - Rantanen
Savinainen - Kemppainen - Kapanen
Hännikäinen - Koskiranta - Anttila
extras: Suomela, Palola

Lepistö - Nutivaara
Heiskanen - Kivistö
Pokka - Honka
Jokiharju - Juolevi

 

[FiLe]

Joonas Järvinen. His season ended 2 months ago with Kunlun Red Stars right. I never heard anything of him regarding WHC, but he would bring in some size. I know that usually they don't enter the picture out of nowhere like that, but would be interesting to know why wasn't he asked or was he.

I think the answer may be found in his stats. 53 games in Kunlun, 0+5, -5. Naturally, you'll never get me on the record saying that the stats tell the full story about a player's worth - especially when we talk about a pure stay-at-home d-man - but in this case they offer enough hints that his general form this season simply hasn't been good enough to warrant a look.

---

And um, someone seriously suggesting Kristian Kuusela would be part of our best-case lineup, even as an extra? He's featured in zero EHTs this season, and his playoff performance didn't raise any special praise (that's not to say he was bad), so the chances of Marjamäki giving him a direct invite to the Worlds are pretty close to nil, especially since it would mean cutting another player way more familiar to him.

That being said, our best-case lineup probably does feature a forward from Tappara, but his name is Peltola.

 

[santeri]

I think the answer may be found in his stats. 53 games in Kunlun, 0+5, -5. Naturally, you'll never get me on the record saying that the stats tell the full story about a player's worth - especially when we talk about a pure stay-at-home d-man - but in this case they offer enough hints that his general form this season simply hasn't been good enough to warrant a look.

---

And um, someone seriously suggesting Kristian Kuusela would be part of our best-case lineup, even as an extra? He's featured in zero EHTs this season, and his playoff performance didn't raise any special praise (that's not to say he was bad), so the chances of Marjamäki giving him a direct invite to the Worlds are pretty close to nil, especially since it would mean cutting another player way more familiar to him.

That being said, our best-case lineup probably does feature a forward from Tappara, but his name is Peltola.

You are right on Kuusela although the extras on the lineup would not matter much, as marjamäki will wait for extra players coming from the second round of playoffs and not give extras a stamp

 

[FiLe]

You are right on Kuusela although the extras on the lineup would not matter much, as marjamäki will wait for extra players coming from the second round of playoffs and not give extras a stamp

Even the extras matter, since injuries may always happen. In such a case, the extra should be someone who's left a good impression on the camp and is familiar with the system. That's why the extras are invariably selected from within the camp roster.