WJC: 2015 — Finland Roster Talk

[Lapa]

December 26 – January 5 in Montréal and Toronto. Who's going to make the roster? How do you feel about our potential in that tournament?

Discuss.

Head Coach: Hannu Jortikka
Assistant Coach: Mikko Haapakoski
Assistant Coach: Petri Karjalainen
Goalie Coach: Miikka Kiprusoff
Team Leader: VP Ketola

Official roster:

Goalies:
Ville Husso, HIFK
Juuse Saros, HPK

Defenders:
Erik Autio, Penn State University NCAA
Julius Honka, Texas Stars AHL
Mika Ilvonen, ST. Cloud State University NCAA
Mikke Levo, Ilves
Alex Lintuniemi, Ottawa 67´s CHL
Joonas Lyytinen, KalPa
Aleksi Mäkelä, Ilves
Atte Mäkinen, Tappara
Sami Niku, JYP
Teemu Vuorisalo, Ässät
Also in training camp:
Elmeri Eronen, TPS
Jere Rouhiainen, Tappara

Forwards:
Sebastian Aho, Kärpät
Hannes Björninen, Pelicans
Roope Hintz, Ilves
Juuso Ikonen, JYP
Antti Kalapudas, Kärpät
Kasperi Kapanen, KalPa
Juho Lammikko, Kingston Frontenacs OHL
Artturi Lehkonen, Frölunda, SWE
Aleksi Mustonen, Ilves
Niko Ojamäki, Ässät
Jesse Puljujärvi, Kärpät
Mikko Rantanen, TPS
Otto Rauhala, Tappara
Aleksi Saarela, Ässät
Julius Vähätalo, TPS

Click to read more...

 

[Gaps]

Hopefully Saarela will be able to play a healthy fall season and make the team. I also want to see Puljujärvi and Laine tested at some point. Use them in one tournament and see if both/one shows signs of being useful on this level.

 

[JJTT]

Lehkonen-Kinnunen-Puljujärvi
Ikonen-Saarela-Kapanen
Rantanen-Mustonen-Laine
Vähätalo-Rauhala-Ojamäki
Lammikko, Westermarck

Lintuniemi-Honka
Lyytinen-Mäkinen
Autio-Levo
Ilvonen

Saros
Husso
Lankinen

Of course it's unlikely for Laine/Puljujärvi to be there but let's hope they will.

Also defence behind top 4 guys is a complete questionmark. Goalies look decent

 

[JJTT]

Full team staff:

Head Coach: Hannu Jortikka
Assistant Coach: Mikko Haapakoski
Assistant Coach: Petri Karjalainen
Goalie Coach: Miikka Kiprusoff
Team Leader: VP Ketola

http://www.suomikiekko.com/2014/06/kova-kaappauksia-mukaan-nuorten-leijonien-johtoryhmaan/

 

[Gaps]

Roster for Lake Placid tournament:

Goalkeepers:
Ville Husso, HIFK
Juuse Saros, HPK

Defense:
Erik Autio, Penn State ,NCAA
Julius Honka, Swift Current, WHL
Mika Ilvonen, St. Cloud State, NCAA
Miro Keskitalo, TPS
Aleksi Mäkelä, Ilves
Atte Mäkinen, Tappara
Sami Niku, JYP
Teemu Vuorisalo, Ässät

Forwards:
Hannes Björninen, Pelicans
Waltteri Hopponen, USHL
Juuso Ikonen, JYP
Joel Janatuinen, Blues
Kasperi Kapanen, KalPa
Saku Kinnunen, KalPa
Juho Lammikko, Ässät
Artturi Lehkonen, Frölunda
Aleksi Mustonen, Ilves
Niko Ojamäki, Ässät
Mikko Rantanen, TPS
Otto Rauhala, Tappara
Aleksi Saarela, Ässät
Julius Vähätalo, TPS

http://www.leijonat.fi/uutiset/tuor...t-elokuussa-lake-placidiin-tassa-joukkue.html

 

[Lapa]

Can someone give me a brief scouting report about Autio and Ilvonen?

 

[FinPanda]

Forwards looks really good.

 

[FiLe]

Forwards looks really good.

Otherwise it looks good, but with Teräväinen gone and Barkov not available, it's missing that leading centerman who can be the go-to-guy in most situations. Mustonen and Kinnunen are solid players, but not quite there. Saarela will be a big name no doubt, but he's still a bit raw for this level. Might take another year for him to be the man.

 

[JJTT]

Roster for Lake Placid tournament:

Defense:
Erik Autio, Penn State ,NCAA
Julius Honka, Swift Current, WHL
Mika Ilvonen, St. Cloud State, NCAA
Miro Keskitalo, TPS
Aleksi Mäkelä, Ilves
Atte Mäkinen, Tappara
Sami Niku, JYP
Teemu Vuorisalo, Ässät

Some weird choices there. 5 defenceman under 183cm isn't a very good idea. Leaving Levo and Lintuniemi out in favour of Niku and Vuorisalo is just dumb(unless they are injured). Autio and Ilvonen are both small offensively skilled defenceman. Ilvonen is tad more skilled but smaller.

And I don't think we have a realistic change for gold this year. 96's are a weak group and defence of 95's is just not good enough. Well of course we have Saros so anything can happen.

 

[bebl]

IMO Lyytinen, Tuulola and Levo should be there.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Any chance for Julius Vähätalo?

 

[Gaps]

Some weird choices there. 5 defenceman under 183cm isn't a very good idea. Leaving Levo and Lintuniemi out in favour of Niku and Vuorisalo is just dumb(unless they are injured). Autio and Ilvonen are both small offensively skilled defenceman. Ilvonen is tad more skilled but smaller.

And I don't think we have a realistic change for gold this year. 96's are a weak group and defence of 95's is just not good enough. Well of course we have Saros so anything can happen.

I am going to assume Jortsu won't take all of them to the WJC. Maybe he's just testing them, like I hope he will test the younger snipers later on.

 

[JJTT]

Any chance for Julius Vähätalo?

Yes, I'd be surprised if he doesn't make it, as our LW depth is pretty bad.

 

[JJTT]

Updated camp roster prediction

Goalies:

Juuse Saros, NSH
Ville Husso, STL
Kaapo Kähkönen, MIN
Kevin Lankinen

Defense:

Julius Honka, DAL
Alex Lintuniemi, LA
Atte Mäkinen
Joni Tuulola
Aleksi Mäkelä, DAL
Joonas Lyytinen, NSH
Sami Niku, 2015
Mikke Levo
Erik Autio
Mika Ilvonen

Forwards:

Roope Hintz 2015
Aleksi Mustonen
Juuso Ikonen
Artturi Lehkonen MTL
Kasperi Kapanen PIT
Antti Kalapudas
Jesse Puljujärvi 2016
Sebastian Aho 2015
Mikko Rantanen 2015
Juho Lammikko FLO
Aleksi Saarela 2015
Otto Rauhala
Niko Ojamäki
Julius Vähätalo DET
Saku Kinnunen
Hannes Björninen

 

[ulvvf]

Sebastian Aho will have a busy tournament, playing for 2 teams.

 

[Past Considerations]

I wonder what kind of a backup plan Jortikka was, after Kivi went to KHL. He has done this previously, but last time wasn't with a great success (2010, QF loss to USA), but considering the player material back then... and rest of the years he was coaching are now ancient history (especially the gold from 1980s).

Ironically, Kivi is again "available" since he got fired (he was offered a contract extension last summer and he took it at first).

 

[ecemleafs]

autio looks really good tonight for psu against wiscy (who arent a good team so far this year). hes been skating well and looks pretty good with the puck in all zones.

 

[JJTT]

Team will be announced tomorrow

Camp starts 15.12. at Vierumäki

Practice games vs Czech Republic(19.12.) and Russia(21.12.) in Canada.

 

[JJTT]

http://www.katsomo.fi/?progId=420313

Team will be out at 11.55, Katsomo will show the event again.

 

[Quethas]

Official roster:

Goalies:
Ville Husso, HIFK
Juuse Saros, HPK

Defenders:
Erik Autio, Penn State University NCAA
Julius Honka, Texas Stars AHL
Mika Ilvonen, ST. Cloud State University NCAA
Mikke Levo, Ilves
Alex Lintuniemi, Ottawa 67´s CHL
Joonas Lyytinen, KalPa
Aleksi Mäkelä, Ilves
Atte Mäkinen, Tappara
Sami Niku, JYP
Teemu Vuorisalo, Ässät
Also in training camp:
Elmeri Eronen, TPS
Jere Rouhiainen, Tappara

Forwards:
Sebastian Aho, Kärpät
Hannes Björninen, Pelicans
Roope Hintz, Ilves
Juuso Ikonen, JYP
Antti Kalapudas, Kärpät
Kasperi Kapanen, KalPa
Juho Lammikko, Kingston Frontenacs OHL
Artturi Lehkonen, Frölunda, SWE
Aleksi Mustonen, Ilves
Niko Ojamäki, Ässät
Jesse Puljujärvi, Kärpät
Mikko Rantanen, TPS
Otto Rauhala, Tappara
Aleksi Saarela, Ässät
Julius Vähätalo, TPS

Third goalie will be decided later. Joni Tuulola is out due to injury and even though Julius Honka is on the list, his appearance in WJC is still uncertain.

No real surprises in the roster.

 

[JJTT]

Roster looks good. Battle for the final spots is a good idea, instead of giving them before the tournament like sometimes before.

Lehkonen-Vähätalo/Saarela-Kapanen

Hintz-Mustonen-Ikonen

Rantanen/Aho-Kalapudas-Puljujärvi

Lammikko-Björninen/Rauhala-Ojamäki

Niku-Mäkinen
Lintuniemi-Honka
Mäkelä-Lyytinen

Autio/Levo/Ilvonen

Saros
Husso

 

[FiLe]

Roster looks good. Battle for the final spots is a good idea, instead of giving them before the tournament like sometimes before.

Umm... what? That's a regular camp roster, with cuts to be made, the same we've seen every year. No matter how they dress it.

 

[SoupyFIN]

Kipper responsible for the goalie starting strategy.

So, Saros is going to play the whole tournament?

 

[JJTT]

Umm... what? That's a regular camp roster, with cuts to be made, the same we've seen every year. No matter how they dress it.

Yes but in the previous years the top9 forwards and top4 defense has been pretty much set before the tournament started. Now there are many open spots.

Look at last year: http://yle.fi/urheilu/sm-liigan_sensaatiovahdit_pikkuleijonien_mm-leiriryhmaan/6975256

2 defense man battling for 7th d-man spot and 3-4 guys(Parikka, Mäkinen, Vainio) battling for the final 4th line winger spot(Rutanen, Nättinen, Kulmala).

Or the year before:

http://www.leijonat.fi/uutiset/tuor...t-leijonat-mm-leirille-tällä-joukkueella.html

Only question was was 3-4th line forwards and bottom 2 defenseman.

 

[FiLe]

Yes but in the previous years the top9 forwards and top4 defense has been pretty much set before the tournament started. Now there are many open spots.

And if there were enough established players, same would hold true this year as well.

So I still don't get how you can call a force of circumstance "a good idea", as if it were some kind of voluntary thing. It's not like they just decided to have a more open competition this time around.