Well he also called Haula dumb on and off the ice. That's pretty much 180 degrees off target.
It's always been like that between Barkov and Jokinen. Get used to it unless the coach decides to change the lines.Jokinen is awful with Barkov and Laine. I don't think he made a single good play today. Bench TT and put Aho in.
Just a curious question.
Did Jesse Puljujärvi not make the team because of his knee surgery recovery or is his career now in decline because he was drafted by the Oilers?...lol
Jk on the Oilers drafting him part. Seriously though did Jesse decline on the tourney because of the surgery? Or was he not invited period?
Just a curious question.
Did Jesse Puljujärvi not make the team because of his knee surgery recovery or is his career now in decline because he was drafted by the Oilers?...lol
Jk on the Oilers drafting him part. Seriously though did Jesse decline on the tourney because of the surgery? Or was he not invited period?
Is this lineup the best possible for Finland, or are you missing any obvious roster players due to injuries etc?
With Jokinens form I think even Pakarinen could be an upgrade...I think Laine-Barkov-Puljujärvi would be better line than Laine-Barkov-Jokinen.
3rd line is a problem. I would put Filppula to Koivu-line, Lehterä to C (too slow as a winger), Donskoi with Teräväinen as speedy wingers (like Tarasenko and Schwartz). Laine isn't a problem. Korpikoski could be chanced for Aho.
He didn't make it to the World Hockey Championships team in the last spring, which I would think would have been an absolute prerequisite for appearing in the best-on-best team of WC. WHC is Important Business in Finland.
The reason why he didn't make that team then was possibly that he was at the time considered to be more raw than Aho and Laine, though many has been (mistakenly I think) attributing it to his minor injuries. Aho and Laine both making it was a bit of surprise really because right after the WJC's the NT coach was hinting of (only) one of them making it to the WHC team.
He might be good in WC, but alas, he got caught on the wrong NT railtrack going to the U18 instead of WHC, while Laine and Aho got to prove themselves on a men's tournament.
As for the Oilers part, in Finland we associate a smiling guy in an Oilers jersey to good several SCs hockey, so it's not that.