Team Finland @ 2014 WJC
- Thread starter bebl
- Start date
So now that we know our three NHL gems wount be available heres the team I would choose.
Offense:
Artturi Lehkonen - Teuvo Teräväinen - Kasperi Kapanen
Teräväinen is a lock for 1st C and Lehkonen will be a lock for LW
RW is really hard to choose since Kapanen, J.Ikonen and Haapala can all take that spot so we will see after that next tournament in Russia who earns that spot.
Henri Ikonen - Aleksi Saarela - Juuso Ikonen
Saarela had an injury (though training already with LukkoU20) and maybe thats why hes not going to Russia? Dont know but anyway would take him to WJC might be a risk to put him to top 6 already at 16 but I would take that risk. Hope J.Ikonen gets a new team quickly so he can keep up his game. H.Ikonen playing almost 2ppg in OHL and would bring a good grid to this line too.
Jonatan Tanus - Saku Kinnunen - Henrik Haapala
Tanus is also playing good in the OHL so I would take him, probably still have good chemistry with Haapala. Kinnunen has taken a spot in KalPa roster and if he keeps up that good game he will take a spot in this roster too, if not then Coolmala will.
Joni Nikko - Saku Salminen - Aleksi Rutanen
A shut down line that can also score points. I would like to move Nikko higher because of his great rookie season in Lüga but top 6 is stacked and I would like to check that Tanus-Haapala chemistry before I move Nikko or Haapala up.
Rasmus Kulmala
So 3 offensive lines and one shutdown line. If Saarela is not redy to 2nd line H.Ikonen could take that spot that would move Haapala up.
defense:
Mikko Vainonen - Ville Pokka
Pokka showing his full offensive potential this year, close to the NHL next season. Vainonen is the best stay at home D of this team.
Mikke Levo/Esa Lindell - Juuso Vaino
Too hard to choose between Levo and Lindell time will show. Vainio would be good pairing for each of them.
Santeri Saari - Julius Honka
Honka over 1ppg in WHL so there must be some real offensive skills. Never seen this kid play but he could be real useful in powerplay. Saari will be a safe option in 3rd pair.
Mikke Levo/ Esa Lindell
Left and Right in every pair. So much depth in D it was really hard to choose the players.
Goalies:
Juuse Saros
Number one goalie of HPK and also this team. My bet for a rookie of the year in Lüga. Also best goalie in last years WJC-18.
Ville Husso
Starter of HIFK at this point. Have gone pass Korpisalo in goalie hierarchy IMO.
Janne Juvonen/Joonas Korpisalo/Oskari Setänen
Offense:
Artturi Lehkonen - Teuvo Teräväinen - Kasperi Kapanen
Teräväinen is a lock for 1st C and Lehkonen will be a lock for LW
RW is really hard to choose since Kapanen, J.Ikonen and Haapala can all take that spot so we will see after that next tournament in Russia who earns that spot.
Henri Ikonen - Aleksi Saarela - Juuso Ikonen
Saarela had an injury (though training already with LukkoU20) and maybe thats why hes not going to Russia? Dont know but anyway would take him to WJC might be a risk to put him to top 6 already at 16 but I would take that risk. Hope J.Ikonen gets a new team quickly so he can keep up his game. H.Ikonen playing almost 2ppg in OHL and would bring a good grid to this line too.
Jonatan Tanus - Saku Kinnunen - Henrik Haapala
Tanus is also playing good in the OHL so I would take him, probably still have good chemistry with Haapala. Kinnunen has taken a spot in KalPa roster and if he keeps up that good game he will take a spot in this roster too, if not then Coolmala will.
Joni Nikko - Saku Salminen - Aleksi Rutanen
A shut down line that can also score points. I would like to move Nikko higher because of his great rookie season in Lüga but top 6 is stacked and I would like to check that Tanus-Haapala chemistry before I move Nikko or Haapala up.
Rasmus Kulmala
So 3 offensive lines and one shutdown line. If Saarela is not redy to 2nd line H.Ikonen could take that spot that would move Haapala up.
defense:
Mikko Vainonen - Ville Pokka
Pokka showing his full offensive potential this year, close to the NHL next season. Vainonen is the best stay at home D of this team.
Mikke Levo/Esa Lindell - Juuso Vaino
Too hard to choose between Levo and Lindell time will show. Vainio would be good pairing for each of them.
Santeri Saari - Julius Honka
Honka over 1ppg in WHL so there must be some real offensive skills. Never seen this kid play but he could be real useful in powerplay. Saari will be a safe option in 3rd pair.
Mikke Levo/ Esa Lindell
Left and Right in every pair. So much depth in D it was really hard to choose the players.
Goalies:
Juuse Saros
Number one goalie of HPK and also this team. My bet for a rookie of the year in Lüga. Also best goalie in last years WJC-18.
Ville Husso
Starter of HIFK at this point. Have gone pass Korpisalo in goalie hierarchy IMO.
Janne Juvonen/Joonas Korpisalo/Oskari Setänen
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Saku Salminen had a shoulder surgery just recently, I guess it's possible that he won't be available? Tanus seems like an unlikely candidate at this point, especially since Kivi didn't mention him when asked about players in North America.
I'm not that well educated about some of the canditates, but at the moment I'd probably make my lottery from the following players;
Forwards(18):
Teuvo Teräväinen
Artturi Lehkonen
Henri Ikonen
Aleksi Mustonen
Kasperi Kapanen
Saku Mäenalanen
Topi Nättinen
Joni Nikko
Ville Leskinen
Juuso Ikonen
Aleksi Rutanen
Saku Kinnunen
Henrik Haapala
Saku Salminen
Aleksi Saarela
Rasmus Kulmala
Otto Rauhala
Kasperi Ojantakanen
Defensemen(11):
Ville Pokka
Mikko Lehtonen
Mikko Vainonen
Juuso Vainio
Esa Lindell
Santeri Saari
Julius Honka
Niklas Tikkinen
Atte Mäkinen
Valtteri Parikka
Vilho Virmavirta
Goalies(5):
Juuse Saros
Ville Husso
Janne Juvonen
Joonas Korpisalo
Oskari Setänen
Maybe something like this:
Lehkonen - Teräväinen - Leskinen
H.Ikonen - Nättinen - Kapanen
Mäenalanen - Mustonen - Nikko
Rutanen - Salminen/Kinnunen - Haapala/J.Ikonen
Kulmala/Saarela
Vainonen - Pokka
Lindell - Vainio
Lehtonen - Honka/Mäkinen
Saari/Tikkinen
Saros
Husso/Juvonen/Korpisalo
Lehkonen - Teräväinen - Leskinen
H.Ikonen - Nättinen - Kapanen
Mäenalanen - Mustonen - Nikko
Rutanen - Salminen/Kinnunen - Haapala/J.Ikonen
Kulmala/Saarela
Vainonen - Pokka
Lindell - Vainio
Lehtonen - Honka/Mäkinen
Saari/Tikkinen
Saros
Husso/Juvonen/Korpisalo
Well if Salminen is not available I would choose Topi Nättinen or Aleksi Mustonen. And that was only what kind of team I would make, I would choose Tanus but im confident Kivi chooses the best team available and some of the players in my list wont make it.
edd1e
Registered User
Barkov would certainly be a very nice addition to that line-up. Mustonen and Nättinen are regularly playing 2nd line C in Mestis, they might be our best bets at the moment. Rauhala, Ojantakanen and Saarela would probably be the next options.
I was under the impression that J.Ikonen can play C.
As a matter of fact, both Ikonens can IIRC, but Juuso comes in mind as the more prominent one.
Rasmus Kulmala, Jonatan Tanus, Henri Ikonen and Niklas Tikkinen(!) have played centre forward for the national team at some point in the past, but I'd be surprised if we see one of them as our 2nd line C at the WJC's.
I don't remember the last time Juuso has played centre forward full time, must be quite a while? Anyways, it's questionable whether his two-way play and ability of taking defensive zone face-offs is anywhere near the required level. Kivi would certainly want to see him play C first before even entertaining the thought of utilizing him in a critical role like that at the WJC's.
Ikonen is listed as a centre forward in most databases, and I recall seeing him in the role in U18 at least, multiple times. You're right of course that him being a centre on paper doesn't tell a thing about his current adequacy. Still, for example MiG had his defensive shortcomings as well when playing as a youngling, which made HIFK utilize him as a winger, yet the U20 coaches had no qualms slotting him for center.
Another way to solve the 2C issue would be the same arrangement they had with the 93s between MaG and Salomäki. They switched in and out of the slot, often on the fly, depending on the situation, with arrangement mostly being that MaG was the centre in the offensive and Salomäki in the defensive end. So perhaps finding a sound two-way guy to play alongside Ikonen could be the solution here?
Loffer
Registered User
- Sep 22, 2011
- 3,929
- 417
So, you are implying Ikonen probably won't make the team even this time?! Even last year that was a debacle. The kid should be in the top6.
J.Ikonen is a pure winger, maybe playd some games as a center at juniors? Never on pro level though. I think Saarela,Kinnunen,Nättinen and Mustonen have a chance to take that 2nd line C spot. H.Ikonen can play C but personally I would like to see him at wing.
J. Ikonen has played center in juniors, but chances are he will be used as a winger. Mustonen was ok playing between Ikonen and Lehkonen in the U18's, so Kivi might use him. He may not produce much offensively, but he did not hold back his wingers, has good work ethic and IIRC, he also did quite well in the faceoffs.
For the record, Saarela is with the U18 team so for now he seems to be a candidate for the U18 WJC rather than the U20.
For the record, Saarela is with the U18 team so for now he seems to be a candidate for the U18 WJC rather than the U20.
My memory isn't perfect, but personally I don’t remember seeing Juuso play C with the Lions. He has played wing for guys like Barkov, Teräväinen, Tanus and Mustonen though, that I'm sure of.
It might be best that we wait till next week before we continue our speculation. Seeing who play C at 4-nations in Russia should reveal more about Kivi’s intentions.
Kivi seemed to prefer Kapanen and Leskinen as his 1st and 2nd line RW’s in Lake Placid. Juuso started the 1st game as a 2nd line RW, but was scratched for the 2nd game. 3rd, 4th and 5th game he was a 4th line RW.
I wrote earlier that I’m not that well educated about some of the candidates, I’m just guessing what the roster could look like. Leskinen is injured, so that might open the door for Juuso to top-6. On the other hand Mäenalanen didn’t play in Lake Placid and he’s a good alternative at LW, this could open the possibility of moving Lehkonen to his natural position; RW.
Ok now that I think about it that might be better for Saarela since he needs to be in top6 and in U18 he will be there for sure. So our centers could be Teräväinen,Mustonen,Kinnunen,Nättinen/Salminen?
Lehkonen hasn't been that bad. Both him and Kapanen are negatively affected by playing on an awful team though.
edd1e
Registered User
Lehkonen and Kapanen can keep up with the pace of their peers.
Wingers dont look bad at all.. Lehkonen, Kapanen, H. Ikonen, J. Ikonen and J. Nikko all are quite good.
I'd even be happy with:
1st line Lehkonen - Teräväinen - Kapanen
2nd line J. Nikko - H. Ikonen - J. Ikonen
Lineup in Four Nations Cup
Juvonen
Husso
Mäenalainen-Teräväinen(C)-Lehkonen(A)
Nikko-Mustonen-J.Ikonen
Haapala-Kinnunen-T.Nättinen
Rutanen-Rauhala-Kulmala
Lindell-Lehtonen(A)
Parikka-Vainio
Saari-Mäkinen
Tikkinen-Vilmavirta
Looks like Lehtonen is pretty much a lock for the final team as he was wearing A.
Juvonen
Husso
Mäenalainen-Teräväinen(C)-Lehkonen(A)
Nikko-Mustonen-J.Ikonen
Haapala-Kinnunen-T.Nättinen
Rutanen-Rauhala-Kulmala
Lindell-Lehtonen(A)
Parikka-Vainio
Saari-Mäkinen
Tikkinen-Vilmavirta
Looks like Lehtonen is pretty much a lock for the final team as he was wearing A.
Killerinstinct
Registered User
- Dec 19, 2012
- 335
- 2
A.Lehkonen-T.Teräväinen-J.Ikonen
J.Nikko-H.Ikonen-K.Kapanen
V.V.Leskinen-S.Salminen-H.Haapala
S.Kinnunen-A.Saarela-S.Mäenalainen
M.Vainonen-V.Pokka
M.Levo-J.Honka
S.Saari-E.Lindell
J.Saros
V.Husso
J.Nikko-H.Ikonen-K.Kapanen
V.V.Leskinen-S.Salminen-H.Haapala
S.Kinnunen-A.Saarela-S.Mäenalainen
M.Vainonen-V.Pokka
M.Levo-J.Honka
S.Saari-E.Lindell
J.Saros
V.Husso
I think it's safe to say that we are not going to have any problems in net. Both Saros and Husso have been outstanding. At this point, I would give Husso the edge. He's simply kept the god-awful HIFK in games every time he's played. I can't believe this kid went undrafted.
