U18 team

[Mahonkinen]

So, what kind of team do you guys think is going in to Switzerland?
Emh, is the coach been decided yet? Is Mika Marttila still in charge then?

Not going to give my own team, since I rly dont know enough to give it a shot.. But I would think that guys like Puljujärvi, Aho, Saarela(?), Kalapudas, Nättinen and Laine is at the offence atleast?

At the blueline were going to see guys like Vaakanainen, Juolevi and Välimäki?

If this should be at Finnish top prospects thread, then all by means mods can move it to there..

Click to read more...

 

[rduck1]

I think Saarela is injured(don't know how long-term), Kalapudas is already over 18 and Laine might not be selected to NT at all this season. If Saarela and Laine make it, it looks like it'll be a pretty good lineup.

 

[JJTT]

Yeah Marttila is coaching this year. Saarela is only out for few weeks, not sure what the deal is with Laine.

Assuming OHL players Jarkko Parikka and Petrus Palmu will not be there, not sure about Vili Saarijärvi. Ville Järvinen is also out for the season with an injury.

There are lots of guys who could be on the 3rd/4th line, just threw some names out there:

Sebastian Aho-Aleksi Saarela-Jesse Puljujärvi
Jonne Tammela-Julius Nättinen-Patrik Laine(?)
Kasper Björkqvist-Joonas Niemelä-Sami Tavernier
Jimi Nylund-Arttu Ruotsalainen-Topi Piipponen
Otto Mäkinen

Olli Juolevi - Vili Saarijärvi(?)
Markus Niemeläinen - Veeti Vainio
Otto Leskinen - Juuso Välimäki
Tarmo Reunanen / Jesper Mattila

Veini Vehviläinen
Christian Heljanko

Vaakanainen could also be there if he has an impressive showing in the training camp & practice games.

 

[master4071]

OHL regular season will finish in march and Kingston and Owen Sound aren't top teams there, so looks like Palmu and Parikka could be on this team, but we will see

 

[fr9dd9]

Who will be the absolute best/most important players for team finland this year? Besides from puljujärvi, aho and saarela maybe?

 

[JJTT]

Who will be the absolute best/most important players for team finland this year? Besides from puljujärvi, aho and saarela maybe?

Julius Nättinen, Jonne Tammela, Vili Saarijärvi, Veini Vehviläinen and Olli Juolevi + Puljujärvi, Aho and Saarela if they play.

 

[JJTT]

U18 team for the 5 Nations Tournament 4.-8.2 in Czech Rebublic


G:

Veini Vehviläinen, JYP
Nico Viksten, Ilves

D:

Olli Juolevi, Jokerit
Otto Leskinen, KalPa
Jesper Mattila, Ilves
Markus Niemeläinen, HPK
Juho Rautanen, HIFK
Veeti Vainio, Blues
Juuso Välimäki, Ilves

F:

Sebastian Aho, Kärpät
Kasper Björkqvist, Blues
Jouka Juhola, Ässät
Julius Mattila, Ilves
Joonas Niemelä, Blues
Julius Nättinen, JYP
Topi Piipponen, KalPa
Jesse Puljujärvi, Kärpät
Arttu Ruotsalainen, Kärpät
Aleksi Saarela, Ässät
Eetu Selänne Los Angeles jr. Kings USA
Jonne Tammela, KalPa
Sami Tavernier, HIFK

New names compared to last tournament in bold

Selänne

 

[FiLe]

Thought Selänne wasn't eligible. He hasn't played for a Finnish club.

Guess they can bend the rules a bit when your dad's a legend.

 

[Quethas]

Well he can in this tournament because it is not IIHF-tournament. He is not eligible in U18 world champs so that is an odd choice.

Don't know if Selänne would even make that stronger anyway.

 

[ChadS]

Having Puljujärvi, Nättinen, Aho and Saarela is huge, they are all pretty much superstars at the U18 level. Add in Palmu and Finland's offense should be among the best in the tournament come April.

 

[FiLe]

Well he can in this tournament because it is not IIHF-tournament. He is not eligible in U18 world champs so that is an odd choice.

Maybe he intends to come to Finland this fall? Then he'll be eligible for U20 in two years.

Also, there's supposed to be some kind of backdoor allowing the IIHF to evaluate special cases separately. William Nylander was a year short, after all. They could be banking on that. After all, it would look a little weird if you're Teemu's son and not getting to play for Finland.

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

will b einteresting to see if Selänne is any good - you cant really tell from the minute snippets from eliteprospects

 

[rduck1]

Maybe he intends to come to Finland this fall? Then he'll be eligible for U20 in two years.

Also, there's supposed to be some kind of backdoor allowing the IIHF to evaluate special cases separately. William Nylander was a year short, after all. They could be banking on that. After all, it would look a little weird if you're Teemu's son and not getting to play for Finland.

The federations can petition the IIHF for a special permit. I think it would be granted in this case, simply due to the alternative being a media disaster.

On a related note, does anyone know if he's actually national-team caliber at this point, or is this selection just based on his name? It seems that he's playing in an amateur league and hasn't been producing too well in previous years.

 

[FiLe]

On a related note, does anyone know if he's actually national-team caliber at this point, or is this selection just based on his name? It seems that he's playing in an amateur league and hasn't been producing too well in previous years.

I'm guessing that's what they're hoping to find out here. Call him in, see if he's any good - to figure out if petitioning for him is worth it.

He may not be NT caliber player right now. But if there's even a small chance that he does develop into one and said NT isn't Finland... it's going to be another media field day.

 

[FinPanda]

http://yle.fi/urheilu/selanteen_poj..._ole_tehty_tallaisia_tapauksia_varten/7760983

So he might have chance to play in the tournament if he is good enough.

 

[Erikfromfin]

I quess if this was only place to scout Eetu then let it be. Teemu has always said the middle one of his kids shoved promise. If his good enough the PR campaign Selänne/Kale etc would launch surely would beat the rules. His propably going to be 7th round Anaheim pick in the draft aswell.. seen the likes of Brodeur son picked etc in same style.

 

[FiLe]

The truth is, he's in the squad because he's a Selänne. If he was the son of an expat Matti Möttönen, a professional beach bum, he wouldn't get a second look.

But like I said, it's perfectly understandable. If he does end up becoming worth something and they ignored him, it'd be extremely embarrassing for FIHA. Lock him down as a Finnish player, if only just in case.

 

[teddy83]

If Eetu has even 1% of Teemu's goal scoring abilty then he is a upgrade over 99% of our current u-20 players

 

[Tormentor]

Marttila says that they are turning every stone and stump to find the best players. Nothing wrong with that, but if they select Selänne without seeing him, why didn't they do the same with Konsta Jäske for example?

 

[rduck1]

Marttila says that they are turning every stone and stump to find the best players. Nothing wrong with that, but if they select Selänne without seeing him, why didn't they do the same with Konsta Jäske for example?

Probably because they have no idea he exists . It's pretty obvious that they just want to eliminate the chance of having a Selänne playing for the US at some point.

 

[fr9dd9]

Well, I dont know what kind of league eetu plays in but they bearley keep track of scoring there so he is probably pretty far behind hes father in developement.. At 17 selänne debuted for jokerit playing 5 games with one point and like 33 games and 66 points in u20 jr-a. But he might turn out fine.. who knows! After all he is a selänne!

Btw in hes documentary he says that the youngest of them is the one who is locking up to hes dad the most? Anyone who knows how old he is and if he plays hockey?

 

[teddy83]

I don't know how i feel about this Eetu Selanne thing, at other hand i'm somewhat pissed, because this is clearly a name thing,and i was left out of a junior team because of a case of nepotism, but other hand whats the harm testing him if he's a player or not?

 

[FiLe]

but other hand whats the harm testing him if he's a player or not?

There sure is less harm than having him (or one of his brothers) develop into a player first, then come calling and find out that Hockey USA beat you to the punch.

Also, could be they're not even seeing all that much in him, but if one of his bros is becoming worth something, it's far easier to lock HIM down if the elder one(s) are with Finland too.

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

Probably because they have no idea he exists . It's pretty obvious that they just want to eliminate the chance of having a Selänne playing for the US at some point.

No worries with that.
In Finland we have dis thing called Reilu Meininki, SA-Int, Reilu Meininki.

 

[FiLe]

In Finland we have dis thing called Reilu Meininki, SA-Int, Reilu Meininki.

Two months of camping in the great outdoors, four months of state-sponsored hockey.

That is, in all honesty, an excellent deal.