Yeah, I'm not going. Prices are ridiculous. On the other hand, it's just basic supply and demand. Hype around hockey, especially the NT is at an all-time high. And it's a good place to make some money. While I myself won't be going to any games (just can't afford it right now) which bums me off like crazy, this will make a lot of money which hopefully will be used wisely to boost our junior system. We need money to pay for more professional coaches for younger juniors, and the infrastructure needs to be improved.
WC: General Talk '12 — Finland
- Thread starter Needles
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I find hard time believing most run-of-the-mill hockey enthusiasts would just happily cough up prices like that. Some always will of course, but enough to fill a house? Hardly. Of course, there will be several companies buying tickets and dealing them out to associates - that will help with the attendance, but that's absolutely no way to create a party.
But yeah, I hope some of that income will truly trickle down to the grassroots level after they've covered Kummola's meal ticket.
When Jalonen said little while ago that he will pick some new players to this tournament, I was very excited. Could Pulkkinen get his chance? How about Armia or Eronen? Of course not. The new interesting players were JP Hytönen and 40-year-olds Kapanen & Nummelin. Can't say I'm surprised though...
I don't understand why the same guys get selected every year, when they are completely useless at WHC level. And if one interesting youngster has a monster year, Jalonen can snub him from WHC discussion by saying that "he hasn't showed what he can do at EHT level". No ****?
I'm happy with that team. Only really questionable pick is Anttila but he's an entertaining player to follow so I'm not complaining.
It's not like there's too much room for variation anyway, at least if the purpose is to prepare for the WHC.
We already pretty much know the general composition of the team. On offence, Top-six will be Granlund, Immonen and whatever NHLers are available. Bottom six will possibly consist of a leftover NHLer or two plus some Jalonen familiars like N.Kapanen and Komarov.
Add Vatanen, and the D-core from Europe is pretty much what we see here. No need to complain of snubs, save for an odd case for Karalahti.
In total, that leaves maybe one or two slots to fill, and they will be for utility roles. If Jalonen wishes to cycle through a teamful of old familiars to make up his mind on those, we shouldn't really complain too much.
We already pretty much know the general composition of the team. On offence, Top-six will be Granlund, Immonen and whatever NHLers are available. Bottom six will possibly consist of a leftover NHLer or two plus some Jalonen familiars like N.Kapanen and Komarov.
Add Vatanen, and the D-core from Europe is pretty much what we see here. No need to complain of snubs, save for an odd case for Karalahti.
In total, that leaves maybe one or two slots to fill, and they will be for utility roles. If Jalonen wishes to cycle through a teamful of old familiars to make up his mind on those, we shouldn't really complain too much.
Well, at least the people at Jatkoaika seem to disagree with Boss Nass. 155 euros per ticket and moving the tournamet to cable network... Nice way to kill the hockey boom, Finnish hockey executives.
So people who critisize the ticket prices are the ones who had no intent to come and see the games, huh?
Here's a newsflash for you Kale: I was. Also, I'm old enough to recall that the last time they played the world stage hockey in Finland, I paid roughly 50 euros of my ticket - to Finland's game no less.
Sure, I can understand the prices going up somewhat, but 200%? Up yours.
Maybe we should just pool up our saved funds and hire a hitman. Or at least one of those cake-tossers.
http://areena.yle.fi/video/1327942459770
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So they are really comparing Finald-France and Finland-Kazakhstan games to the NHL Premiere? Really? Three cheapest seats to the Sabres-Ducks game: 297€. Two cheapest seats to Finland vs France: 310€.
9.20 ->
So they are really comparing Finald-France and Finland-Kazakhstan games to the NHL Premiere? Really? Three cheapest seats to the Sabres-Ducks game: 297€. Two cheapest seats to Finland vs France: 310€.
Bakayoko Ono
Registered User
... Those ticket prices are ABSOLUTELY ridiculous.
Jussi
Registered User
they should at least lower the prices for the "less interesting" games. Nobody wants to pay 155 or 200 to see Finland - Mongolia. It's going to suck if every FIN game isn't sold out.
Well, I agree on Armia. I wasn't really expecting him to be in the squad. But Eronen and Pulkkinen aren't at EHT level?
First of all, both of them are better players now than Granlund & Vatanen two years ago: http://www.jatkoaika.com/maajoukkue.php?sivu=uutiset&id=10787 And as a 2nd/3rd best young SM-Liiga defenseman Eronen deserves his chance already. Just compare his numbers to Kousa & Vatanen, not too shabby: http://www.sm-liiga.fi/tilastot/kokonaan.html?s=11-12&t=&type=rp&l=k_pisteet Thirdly, I'm sure everyone here agrees that Pulkkinen is a better player than Tommi Huhtala, Harri Pesonen or Max Wärn. And IIRC, everyone of them as played at least one EHT game this year in a top6 role. When it comes to possible top6 wingers from SM-Liiga, I don't see many better alternatives than Pulkkinen at the moment. (Mi. Granlund), Pesonen, Lahti and after that it's debatable.
Eronen is powerplay specialist with a weak shot (although he has improved that). He's +/- stat is only +1 (Ossi Väänänen on the same team +15). No use for the national team.
Jussi
Registered User
I meant their form right now. Eronen is far too error prone on defense and Pulu was in better form a year ago.
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Karalahti's probably right in his evaluation that making the final WHC team is a tall order for him, but it's useless to demonize Jalonen for it either. Jere only has himself to blame for falling out of the group of NT staple players. A shame, but still...
Hopefully the next coaching staff doesn't share this attitude. Otherwise our WHC teams will look pretty nasty in couple of years. If we don't select our young guys to EHT, how can they develop into WHC calibre players? EHT should be considered as a part of Leijonapolku, IMO.
This guy certainly benefited from his EHT experience:
http://www.urheilulehti.fi/jaakiekko/nyt-puhuu-mikael-granlund-harmittaa-tosi-paljon
That is just one of the stupidest thing i have ever seen someone post on this forum. You should educate yourself by watching this clip from two of the most dominant modern day hockey players.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0CrARZLocc#t=02m23s
It's disgusting that the sabres - Ducks game costed 99 € (in the upper seats) and a Finland - France 150€ no matter what seat you take.
I had an intention going to watch some game, but with those prices? I think I'l pass and take the "Anssi Salmela - ticket package" as suggested in the jatkoaika and go see the games at the local bar
I had an intention going to watch some game, but with those prices? I think I'l pass and take the "Anssi Salmela - ticket package" as suggested in the jatkoaika and go see the games at the local bar
There was a nice notion at Jatkoaika. Skip those overpriced home team games, but buy tickets to some genuinely cheap (or "cheap") game such as France - Kazakhstan and fill up the lecters.
It'd be a truly ingenious "take that". Two lesser countries playing hockey with the audience full of fanatic fans dressed in Lion-clad gear, equally cheering for every goal they see.
And then, when Finland plays? Tumbleweed.
It'd be a truly ingenious "take that". Two lesser countries playing hockey with the audience full of fanatic fans dressed in Lion-clad gear, equally cheering for every goal they see.
And then, when Finland plays? Tumbleweed.
In his form right now Armia is at EHT level, easily.
On the other hand, Pulkkinen is in a slump at the moment. No question.
Armia and JP Haataja are maybe the hottest (Finnish) players in the whole league right now and both were passed by Jalonen.
It's worth pointing out that while this would be a good time to start seeing what those youngsters can do, our top U20 agers have sort of had a busy autumn with all those U20 preparation tournaments and the real deal at New Year. This is pretty much the only point they can be given a decent rest.
I fully expect some of those lads who are available from SM-liiga playoffs to make it in the exhibition games before the WHC. In case you have forgotten, Jalonen did do that in 2010 and last year as well. Of course, they likely have to be at least two if not three times better than those Santalas and Vahalahtis to even make it into final consideration, but still...
I fully expect some of those lads who are available from SM-liiga playoffs to make it in the exhibition games before the WHC. In case you have forgotten, Jalonen did do that in 2010 and last year as well. Of course, they likely have to be at least two if not three times better than those Santalas and Vahalahtis to even make it into final consideration, but still...
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