GDT: Group B • Dec. 30 • Finland 10, Denmark 1

[Dominus]

I have to admit my ignorance but I don't know anything about Denmark. Who are the Danish players to watch?

Finland should win this one easily but I don't expect a blowout score. 4-1.

 

[gib]

I don`t know where the Granlund is better than Koivu started, but I myself was originally speaking about playmaking.

People saying, how he is a better playmaker than Koivu, in a sense it might be true. If the playmaker was untouchable and he was stationary, I think Granlund might give better passes. But since that's not the case I think Koivu is the better playmaker. Koivu is ten times the skater Granlund is and if you watched Koivu in his prime, he was an excellent player along the boards. He knew how to sort of twist away from the opponent. Don't really know how to explain it.

This is exactly how is see this situation. It almost feels like you have been reading my mind.

Playmaking is so much more than just passing. Playmaking is all the aspects of hockey put together. This is the reason why I think Granlund still has something to prove before one can say he is a better playmaker than Koivu. Of course everyone are entitled to their opinnion.

It`s says lot about Granlund that he is compared to S.Koivu. Not many players get that kind of comparison.

 

[Levi]

I have to admit my ignorance but I don't know anything about Denmark. Who are the Danish players to watch?

Finland should win this one easily but I don't expect a blowout score. 4-1.

Nicklas Jensen is probably the player to watch for Denmark.
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=32422

 

[tuozzi]

Interesting.. How did Saku fair in international tournies at this age?

Hmm.. My first recollection of him in team Finland is from those olympics that never actually took place in Norway or anywhere else. Anyway, if they had, Koivu would have been 20 years old and awesome.

edit: Oops! Did a bit of fact checking.. Koivu is born in November, so he was actually 19. That kinda craps on my earlier post as well since MG is born in Feb. There should be a set date for people to be born so I wouldn't get confused!

 

[MaNNe]

If you think we're underestimating Koivu by comparing him with Granlund you're wrong. Granlund has achieved almost everything that a Finnish player in his age is able to. I have to agree that Koivu was better skater but it's immature to say that Granlund would lack in puck protection or vision compared to Koivu. Or that MG hasn't shown anything similar to Koivu's dominance on the international ice. Koivu wasn't a world champion in the same age and he didn't play as good in WC as young as Granlund. People seem to forget how young Granlund really is. For example Koivu and Selänne have made their breakthroughs as pretty much older.

People here are overhyping Granlund so much it isn't even funny anymore. He hasn't accomplished anything here in WJC, where he should be dominating the competition. Don't get me wrong he is an amazing player, but comparing him to Koivu...


I saw Koivu play tens of times in TPS live back in Finland and he was REALLY dominant in a league that was far better than the FEL is currently. He also dominated in international competition. He jumped straight into NHL and did really good until he busted his knee and lost a step in speed, which was one of his strong points. I don't think Granlund can adjust to the North American game as well as Koivu did cause he is slower than Koivu was and I think Granlund benefits more from the extra time he gets in the bigger rinks than Koivu did.

I quess you can prove me wrong later, but from the games that I've seen Granlund play in the small rink his game isn't nearly as dominant as it is in the bigger rinks. For me he seems to be struggling in the smaller rinks. In 2010 WJC he couldn't really do much, people put it on the injury, but i don't know. He has been dominant here at times, but not at the level of dominance you'd expect from him having seen him play in Europe.

At this point it's not a fair comparison for Granlund to say that he is better than Koivu was at that stage. Let's atleast wait 5 years or so before making comparisons like that, ok? Koivu is one of the best Finnish players all time, especially internationally. Granlund is well on his way to similar level of dominance, but there are too many question marks yet and it's way too early to make predictions like this... Why can't we just be happy that we have a darn good prospect for once and not overhype them to be the reincarnation of Jesus?

 

[Zamuz]

I think Saku is overrated, he is a good leader okay but he hasn't done any miracles on his career except beating cancer. His best years are gone, he had max. 70 point seasons.

If Granlund keeps improving, he will be easily better overall than Saku Koivu, maybe not in leading skills but in playing skills.

 

[cenas*]

People here are overhyping Granlund so much it isn't even funny anymore. He hasn't accomplished anything here in WJC, where he should be dominating the competition.

WHC > WJC

Ryan Nugent Hopkins couldn't make team Canada due to being too small and weak last year, but still he is over PPG in NHL today..

 

[FinRuutu]

.. Why can't we just be happy that we have a darn good prospect for once and not overhype them to be the reincarnation of Jesus?

Still we are talking about how Granlund is comparable to Koivu at the same age (skill, achievements), not that Granlund is already better.

I'll say this with great confidence and with the danger of being totally wrong. At the end of the tournament; Including every team; Mikael Granlund will be considered the best forward of the whole tournament.

And he will start proving it tonight with dominance that hasn't been seen for awhile from a Finn, and the drive will continue as the games go by.

 

[MaNNe]

I think Saku is overrated, he is a good leader okay but he hasn't done any miracles on his career except beating cancer. His best years are gone, he had max. 70 point seasons.

If Granlund keeps improving, he will be easily better overall than Saku Koivu, maybe not in leading skills but in playing skills.

I doubt you watched Koivu play before he busted his knee in Montreal or his last year in Finland ? He could become a better a player, but EASILY better I don't think so...

 

[ChadS]

Gibson starts for Finland. Riikola not playing, Kuronen marked as a d-man.

Link: www.leijonat.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4779&Itemid=125

 

[dfk711*]

It's hard to say what Saku could have been without all of the injuries but he still had a great NHL and international career.

I hope Granlund can become just as good if not better than Saku.

 

[Zamuz]

I doubt you watched Koivu play before he busted his knee in Montreal or his last year in Finland ? He could become a better a player, but EASILY better I don't think so...

Yeah, it was easier for good players to produce in FEL in the 90's. The game has improved from that and scoring is not that high anymore in every single game.

 

[MaNNe]

Yeah, it was easier for good players to produce in FEL in the 90's. The game has improved from that and scoring is not that high anymore in every single game.

Not really, without KHL and the NHL not being nearly as popular for Europeans, the level of play was ALOT higher thus it was harder for people to produce. Or why do you think that FEL suddenly has so much young players in their teams now ? Not all of them are THAT good.


Anyway let's hope Finland can keep their tempo for this game and go in it with a proper attitude and it should be easy enough. Denmark can still surprise us tho, if their goalie gets hot and Finland goes in with 50% effort.

 

[Hagged]

Here are Saku Koivu's stats. http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/k/koivusa01.html

as 18-years-old
FEL: 46gp 3g+7a=10p
WJC: 7gp 1+8=9p
WHC: 6gp 0+1=1p

as 19-years-old
FEL: 47gp 23g+30a=53p
WJC: 7gp 3+6=9
WHC: 8gp 5+6=11

So clearly Granlunds 18 year-old season in FEL (43gp 13+27=40) was far better than that of Koivu's. Also WHC as an 18-years-old was far better for Granlund. Granlund didn't play in WJC last year due to injury but a year before that (6gp 1+6=7p).

Granlund's 19-year-old season in FEL seems to be somewhat similar as Koivus, but with a bit better point per game average (granlund 1.27PPG, Koivu 1.13PPG). World Juniors might be a flop for him, but we'll see his level of play compared to Koivu better in WHC since Koivu's WJC was played Gävle, Sweden (international ice).

I feel it's quite safe to say that Koivu and Granlund both were exceptional prospects from Finland. They are hard to compare but when years pass by, we'll know more about Granlund's abilities compared to Koivu.

 

[Jere26]

Gibson starts for Finland. Riikola not playing, Kuronen marked as a d-man.

Link: www.leijonat.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4779&Itemid=125

That's ok, now Gibson gets a fair chance. Good to have a rested Aittokallio against the Czechs in net.

 

[Loffer]

I'll say this with great confidence and with the danger of being totally wrong. At the end of the tournament; Including every team; Mikael Granlund will be considered the best forward of the whole tournament.

And he will start proving it tonight with dominance that hasn't been seen for awhile from a Finn, and the drive will continue as the games go by.

Ridiculous. Ofc he can or he should, at least, dominate against the Danes. But against the NA teams he didn't show much, especially against USA. He was and will be shut down in the games of importance.

 

[Pajicz]

That's ok, now Gibson gets a fair chance. Good to have a rested Aittokallio against the Czechs in net.

Why isn't Ullberg starting? Although our defense was horrible against Canada, so was Gibson, and he did nothing to deserve to start this game.

 

[ToBBa]

People here are overhyping Granlund so much it isn't even funny anymore. He hasn't accomplished anything here in WJC, where he should be dominating the competition. Don't get me wrong he is an amazing player, but comparing him to Koivu...


I saw Koivu play tens of times in TPS live back in Finland and he was REALLY dominant in a league that was far better than the FEL is currently. He also dominated in international competition. He jumped straight into NHL and did really good until he busted his knee and lost a step in speed, which was one of his strong points. I don't think Granlund can adjust to the North American game as well as Koivu did cause he is slower than Koivu was and I think Granlund benefits more from the extra time he gets in the bigger rinks than Koivu did.

I quess you can prove me wrong later, but from the games that I've seen Granlund play in the small rink his game isn't nearly as dominant as it is in the bigger rinks. For me he seems to be struggling in the smaller rinks. In 2010 WJC he couldn't really do much, people put it on the injury, but i don't know. He has been dominant here at times, but not at the level of dominance you'd expect from him having seen him play in Europe.

At this point it's not a fair comparison for Granlund to say that he is better than Koivu was at that stage. Let's atleast wait 5 years or so before making comparisons like that, ok? Koivu is one of the best Finnish players all time, especially internationally. Granlund is well on his way to similar level of dominance, but there are too many question marks yet and it's way too early to make predictions like this... Why can't we just be happy that we have a darn good prospect for once and not overhype them to be the reincarnation of Jesus?

Granlund hasn't played against NA teams before. It's different kind of game. Maybe that explains it a little, maybe not. I think he will still play a great tournament. But I'm sure he will be dominant in WC next spring. Is that nothing then?

Why, WHY, should I wait 5 years to compare 19-year-old Granlund with 19-year-old Koivu? After 5 years MG is 24 years old and we can maybe already say if he 'is' / 'is going to be' better or worse player than Koivu. But now is the best time to make this comparison between 19-year-olds'. That's just pure idiotic to tell we should wait and watch. I hope you understand I'm really not saying that Granlund will be better than Koivu but right now Granlund's probably at least as good as Koivu at the same age. But I know that Koivu still developed a lot after that. I hope that Granlund will develop a lot too.

And I'm hyping Granlund just because I am happy we have prospect like this. I don't think I'm overhyping him at all by comparing him with Koivu. It'd be overhyping if I said he's going to be a new Crosby or Gretzky. But Koivu, no. Still I'm not disappointed either if it appears that Granlund is not a new Koivu. I would also probably be glad about some Jiri Hudler kind of player which I think is also possible for Granlund. Granlund still has all the potential to be even better than Koivu.

 

[Latex*]

Yeah, it was easier for good players to produce in FEL in the 90's. The game has improved from that and scoring is not that high anymore in every single game.

No... Dear lord, the homerism around here

Not really, without KHL and the NHL not being nearly as popular for Europeans, the level of play was ALOT higher thus it was harder for people to produce. Or why do you think that FEL suddenly has so much young players in their teams now ? Not all of them are THAT good.

This. I alway like your posts MaNNe. Very reasonable.

 

[Latex*]

Granlund hasn't played against NA teams before.

Well, this is his third WJC tournament.

 

[Canada4Gold]

This is Finland. This is Denmark. Finland wins 8-2, pretty simple

 

[Keke]

I have to admit my ignorance but I don't know anything about Denmark. Who are the Danish players to watch

Nicklas Jensen (1st round pick last summer) and I'm gonna follow Oliver Björkstrand who is 16 years old (1995).

 

[PJM]

Let's hope Riikola is out due to something minor. If he has a more serious injury, and if Määttä cannot play either, we are down to five defencemen, which is not good at all. I don't think we have anyone there who can play high minutes without it affecting too much. Perhaps a forward (apparently Kuronen) can help a bit, but I would not count on that. Against Denmark this should not make so much difference, but every game after that is another case. There are only 20 hours between the start of this game and the next one, and losing against the Czechs could send us to the relegation round.

 

[FinRuutu]

Ridiculous. Ofc he can or he should, at least, dominate against the Danes. But against the NA teams he didn't show much, especially against USA. He was and will be shut down in the games of importance.

I said that; "he STARTS... and drive goes on to the other games..." Ridiculous? How?

"Will be shut down in the games of importance" ... We will see about that. I think that is the ridiculous assumption for now for a player that always elevates his game when it matters the most. But time will tell and I'll might stand corrected after few days but I hope not for Finland's sake.

 

[FiLe]

Let's hope Riikola is out due to something minor.

Apparently he has caught some bug and is a little feverish. Hopefully okay in a day or two.