Olympics: Finland Roster Discussion (Roster in post 1)

[David OSullivan]

Like I said before, I'd have Palmu in all day long but based on what I think is more realistic:

Tolvanen-Kontiola-Peltola
Juntilla-Kempainnen-Hartikinen
Osala-Koskiranta-Pyorala
Philstrom-Niemi-Antilla
+Lajunen, Manninen

Lepistö - Hietanen
Heiskanen - Jokipakka
Lehtonen - V.Lajunen
Virtanen - Ohtamaa

Koskinen

I think the Karjala went really really well. Agree above that the third line just never got going.

Major pluses:
The system works with these players
Tolvanen + Heiskanan pass test with flying colours
4th line is going to cause damage.

Minus:
The main one is lack of backup for Koskinen. Lets get the cotton wool out now.

3rd line. Its, just not ironed out yet like the other lines. Its not so much a minus as something to work on.

Saivenanen - terrible tournament. Poor fella. Needs to light up at club level now. Hope he finds some form.

Wilcard: Korpikoski-Be interesting to see how he goes but he will certainly need to perform to make the team. No shoe in my mind.

 

[jasonr90]

I hope Jarkko Immonen gets a chance.

Probably wouldn't hurt to give Henrik Borgstrom a good look either

 

[illone84]

When is the deadline for Olympic hockey team rosters? Also, wondering if Jarkko Immonen has any chance? What about Korpikoski? Salmela?

 

[FiLe]

When is the deadline for Olympic hockey team rosters?

January 15th.

Also, wondering if Jarkko Immonen has any chance? What about Korpikoski? Salmela?

I guess we'll know a month from now. I don't think any name we don't see in either of these two EHT legs will make it. Well, exceptions may be no-brainers like Hietanen or Osala if they for some reason or another have to decline Channel One Cup. But if Korpikoski, Immonen and Salmela don't feature by then, then I'd guess they're out of contention.

I fully expect to see at least a couple of them in Moscow, though.

 

[illone84]

January 15th.

I guess we'll know a month from now. I don't think any name we don't see in either of these two EHT legs will make it. Well, exceptions may be no-brainers like Hietanen or Osala if they for some reason or another have to decline Channel One Cup. But if Korpikoski, Immonen and Salmela don't feature by then, then I'd guess they're out of contention.

I fully expect to see at least a couple of them in Moscow, though.

Thanks File!

Let's see who ends up going to the Channel One cup.

 

[FiLe]

Channel One Cup roster:

Mikko Koskinen, SKA St Petersburg
Juha Metsola, Amur Khabarovsk
Karri Rämö, Jokerit

Jani Hakanpää, Kärpät
Jyrki Jokipakka, HK Sochi
Miika Koivisto, Kärpät
Ville Lajunen, Spartak Moscow
Mikko Lehtonen, Tappara
Niko Mikkola, Tappara
Atte Ohtamaa, AK Bars Kazan
Juuso Riikola, KalPa
Jesse Virtanen, Färjestad BK

Marko Anttila, Jokerit
Teemu Hartikainen, Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Juuso Ikonen, Brynäs IF
Julius Junttila, Kärpät
Joonas Kemppainen, Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Petri Kontiola, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Lauri Korpikoski, ZSC Lions
Jarno Koskiranta, SKA St Petersburg
Jani Lajunen, HC Lugano
Sakari Manninen, Örebro HK
Jukka Peltola, Tappara
Antti Pihlström, Jokerit
Juuso Puustinen, JYP
Mikael Ruohomaa, Kärpät
Veli-Matti Savinainen, Yugra Hanty-Mansiysk

Notable omissions who won't play here and didn't play in the Karjala Cup: Hietanen, Osala, Immonen, Salmela.


Hietanen's absence doesn't mean much, he'll no doubt be in the final squad. Osala would be a surprising cut too, though he's not a piece that can't be easily replaced. Immonen and Salmela not featuring here however is a sign that they're not olympic contenders.

 

[QnebO]

How can Anttila-Pihlstörm be in this tournament too? Just rest them, they should be cemented and locked to the team unleses KHL doesnt appear at all in the olympics.


Or is it that they just want to train with locks too.

 

[FiLe]

Or is it that they just want to train with locks too.

This is exactly why. Marjamäki said immediately after the Karjala Cup that they intend to bring back for the Moscow tournament as many players as they can.

 

[Eye of Ra]

If no KHLers..

Erkinjuntti - Lajunen - Korpikoski
Manninen - Immonen - J.Ikonen
Juntilla - T.Sallinen - Keränen
Tuppurainen - I.Filppula - Kallio (epic veteran line)

Virtanen - Näkyvä
M.Lehtonen - M.Koivisto
Melart - Heiskanen
Juolevi

Ortio
Kilpeläinen

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Junttila-Borgstöm-Peltola
Korpikoski-Immonen-Aaltonen
Manninen-Lajunen-Keränen
Pesonen-Sallinen-Sallinen

Koivisto-Jaakola
Heiskanen-Näkyvä
Virtanen-Lehtonen

Ortio

 

[amoboko]

Really curious to see the team announcement. Any news on the female team?

 

[FiLe]

Both EHT legs are now behind us. Here's my updated prediction (but not necessarily what I'd prefer).

Koskinen
Rämö
Kilpeläinen

Lepistö
Hietanen
Ohtamaa
Jokipakka
Lehtonen
Heiskanen
V.Lajunen
Kukkonen

Kontiola
Kemppainen
Koskiranta
J.Lajunen
Niemi
Tolvanen
Hartikainen
Junttila
Korpikoski
Manninen
Savinainen
Pihlström
Anttila
Pyörälä
Osala

 

[David OSullivan]

Almost what I would take but I would leave out korpikoski, Savinainen and take Osala and Ikonen. Koivisto for Kukkonen.

I'd split Kempainen and Hartikainen and put Hartikainen in the first line.

From past Kempainen and Osala have chemistry. As does Kempainen and Juntilla.

Lajunen and Manninen have chemistry and Pyorola will not let you down. Never has for Finland.

Philstrom-Niemi-Antilla picks itself.

So here I go with my latest selection:

Tolvanen-Kontiola-Hartikainen
Juntilla-Kempainen-Osala
Manninen-Lajunen-Pyorala
Philstrom-Niemi-Antilla

++Koskiranta, Ikonen

Leipisto-Heitenan
Heiskenan-Ohtamaa
Koivisto-Lehtonen
Jokipakka-Lajunen

Koskinen

Prediction: Gold Medal
Worst Case: Gold Medal

 

[JJTT]

Would like to see Ruohomaa at center ahead some of the grinders like Niemi or Lajunen but doubt it will happen.

 

[FiLe]

Would like to see Ruohomaa at center ahead some of the grinders like Niemi or Lajunen but doubt it will happen.

Ruohomaa looked good against South Korea, but he didn't do any favors for himself vs. Russia.

Though I must say SK was quite a bit better than expected and - to be fair - almost no one in the squad dazzled against the bear, but given we have no past intel on Ruohomaa from this level, it would still make picking him a huge stab in the dark.

 

[ES]

Pihlström injured, going to miss 3 months - no Olympics for him this time.

 

[FiLe]

Well, that's one lock off the final roster. And opens a door for someone bubbling under. If Marjamäki just picks the next in line of the EHT participants, I'd say there's now a roster spot for Peltola. But if we're to think rolewise, Osala might be the closest replacement.

 

[QnebO]

Heres my selections. Sad that Hietanen probably wont be out no matter what, he's just type of guy who doesnt seem to get anything done when it matters. Will score against north korea though and look like effective player on charts again though. Heres how it could be without him.

Almost left Korpikoski out but realized there 13th forward spot. I mean Korpikoski could play but just somehow my gut feeling says he might be bit "done".

 

[SantosHalper]

Julius Junttila-Joonas Kemppainen-Teemu Hartikainen
Eeli Tolvanen-Petri Kontiola-Lauri Korpikoski
Sakari Manninen-Jani Lajunen-Oskar Osala
Veli-Matti Savinainen-Mika Niemi-Marko Anttila
Mika Pyörälä

Sami Lepistö-Miro Heiskanen
Atte Ohtamaa-Juuso Hietanen
Jesse Virtanen-Ville Lajunen
Mikko Lehtonen-Lasse Kukkonen

Mikko Koskinen
Juha Metsola
Karri Rämö

 

[jasonr90]

Is there an announcement date set?

 

[ES]

Is there an announcement date set?

I assume January 22.

 

[FiLe]

The women's team will be released on Jan 20th, so probably the men will be somewhere around that same time.

22nd is a good guess. The deadline was supposed to be Jan 15th, but it was extended a week because of the Russia debacle.

 

[jasonr90]

Is Borgstrom in consideration at all anyone know? I know they have more than enough very good Euro league players but the kid's having a hell of a year again

He barely did touch the ice at last years WJC though

 

[ES]

Is Borgstrom in consideration at all anyone know? I know they have more than enough very good Euro league players but the kid's having a hell of a year again

He barely did touch the ice at last years WJC though

He did play usual minutes. He was average there - lot of good passing but no one was converting them into goals and therefore he ended with 0+0. Quite similar to Puljujärvi in his first WJC in 2015, although Pulju probably had more chances himself.

He should have been selected to the EHT team for Moscow tournament just to evaluate him with the team. If he had played well there - to the Olympics, not well - out. Simple.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

I know this haves zero chance to happen
but we should pull rabbit out of the hat for the Olympics
and go full veteran mode .

I made this of half a joke,but if this would be for real
how would you rate this?


Forwards:

Immonen,Kontiola,Filppula,Koskiranta,Hytönen,
Pesonen,Aaltonen,Hartikainen,Tuppurainen,
Savinainen,Pyörälä,Peltola,Korpikoski,Osala

D-men:

Lepistö,Heikkinen,Hietanen,Lajunen,Mäenpää,Jaakola,Mäntylä,Kukkonen

Goalies: Koskinen,Vehanen,Hovinen

--

Korpikoski-Kontiola-Aaltonen
Pesonen-Immonen-Tuppurainen
Pyörälä-Filppula-Hartikainen
Savinainen-Koskiranta-Peltola
Hytönen,Osala

Lepistö-Hietanen
Heikkinen-Lajunen
Jaakola-Mäenpää
Mäntylä-Kukkonen

Koskinen
Vehanen
Hovinen