WJC: 2017 Finland Roster Talk

[vaiski]

Yes right! But i think U-Champion titles aren t so important.

Looking! Sweden has produced much more and better talents in last 15 Years.
Sweden has mostly over 70 Players in NHL. This is the real benchmark!

I think the argument is that Finland has risen to the same ballpark with Sweden in the last few years. Your junior system was revamped in 2002, we did the same in 2009. So you have a 7 year head start. We are only starting to reap the fruits.

 

[Lataba76]

I think the argument is that Finland has risen to the same ballpark with Sweden in the last few years. Your junior system was revamped in 2002, we did the same in 2009. So you have a 7 year head start. We are only starting to reap the fruits.

Maybe! I hope the Finns have the right attitude and much talents call up their abilities.

 

[Scouter]

There were a lot of problems for them, perhaps one of the main ones was not playing their only NHL drafted goalie Ruusu.

 

[JJTT]

Could Luukkonen already have been on this team?

Without his pneumonia(keuhkokuume), he would've been imo. He didn't get to play in any of the practice tournaments because of that.

 

[Loffer]

This is just great, just great guys. Ahokas is a great junior coach and a great hockey guy.

Then you have these stubborn old guard coaches tulipredrose praises due to some private agenda most likely. Otherwise it is only incompherensible.

One great great day. A new year's eve!

Join the ranks, S... I mean Tulipredrose and forget the old and senile rubes of the redneck past!

You should be able to think clearly and independently, freshly and "radically" on this issue also - why to regress to that "äijä" mind set and attitude? - Jortikka! Gimme a ****ing break. Lol.

 

[Tuoppi]

Jortikka is in Spain on retirement leave him alone [MOD] etc.

Everybody talks about Laine-Pulju and Aho but not must questioning on Saarelas decision which was rare. Would have been an important player. Did he saw what was coming? Maybe it would have been good to come if he is dreaming of NHL.

Edit bad pita.

 

[FiLe]

Everybody talks about Laine-Pulju and Aho but not must questioning on Saarelas decision which was rare. Would have been an important player. Did he saw what was coming? Maybe it would have been good to come if he is dreaming of NHL.

Saarela didn't play a single U20 NT game this season. The reason was injuries, at least as far as we know. His last one with this class was last year's WJC final. What you suggest is possible, but it's hard to see him drawing those kind of conclusions when he didn't spend a single minute under the tutelage of Rautakorpi and his cohorts.

 

[Joe McGrath]

I noticed Kukkonen is playing pretty much a 4th line role while he's tearing up the OHL this season. Anyone have insight as to why he isn't playing a more prominent role on this team? Seems like goal scoring is the biggest issue thus far.

I fully realize I have no idea about the roster of the team so he may just not be as good as the players in the top 9.

 

[FiLe]

I noticed Kukkonen is playing pretty much a 4th line role while he's tearing up the OHL this season. Anyone have insight as to why he isn't playing a more prominent role on this team? Seems like goal scoring is the biggest issue thus far.

I fully realize I have no idea about the roster of the team so he may just not be as good as the players in the top 9.

Kuokkanen (I take it you mean him) actually had a pretty prominent role as the tournament began. He was definitely expected to be one of the heavy hitters and was given the opportunity to be one. He just couldn't bring the best out of himself.

Well, no one has, really. But as the coaches mix things up, there are always winners and losers.

 

[Opak]

I noticed Kukkonen is playing pretty much a 4th line role while he's tearing up the OHL this season. Anyone have insight as to why he isn't playing a more prominent role on this team? Seems like goal scoring is the biggest issue thus far.

I fully realize I have no idea about the roster of the team so he may just not be as good as the players in the top 9.

Kuokkanen has been one of the most useless players on the roster for team Finland so far. He was put in a pretty prominent role to start the tournament, but he's been a massive disappointment. We'll see whether the new coach can get anything out of him, but I'm not too optimistic based on what I've seen so far.

 

[Loffer]

Jortikka is in Spain on retirement leave him alone pitaa pahaa etc.

Everybody talks about Laine-Pulju and Aho but not must questioning on Saarelas decision which was rare. Would have been an important player. Did he saw what was coming? Maybe it would have been good to come if he is dreaming of NHL.

Sorry to bring up names like Jortikka but a) Tulipredrose alludes to Jortikka's "wise words and warning" about the new player generations "individualism", "proness to reckless disrespect of the old generation coaches" and "gloryhunting" or some ****.
And b) Jortikka just hapoens to be the embodinent of this authoritarian leadership style and okd guard values which just does NOT click with current youngsters mindset or general culture abd societal atmosphere.

It is as outdated as the management and organisation culture of Finnish Soccer Association epitomized by its head and chairman Pertti Alaja everybody wants out on the field. Yet there he is gripping to power and priviledges until the bitter end, doing only harm to the sport as you cab witness from the recebt results.

Kummola at least stepped aside finally even though who knows what strings he is still pulling behind the scenes. One can also say he had a positive net effect on Finnish hockey and got things done. No denying. Yet, his dictatorial leadership and its legacy like the "nepotism" prevailing in the Federation are not ways of this day which is today and let Reino Nordin et co. remind us about this all once again: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PHJ_1HCsTdc

 

[Mestaruus]

Yes right! But i think U-Champion titles aren t so important.

Looking! Sweden has produced much more and better talents in last 15 Years.
Sweden has mostly over 70 Players in NHL. This is the real benchmark!

I value U20 gold a lot too. I guess we just differ in that one. Men's world championship is pretty much on par with U20 gold to me. Olympic gold is way above both of course.

 

[Mestaruus]

Saarela didn't play a single U20 NT game this season. The reason was injuries, at least as far as we know. His last one with this class was last year's WJC final. What you suggest is possible, but it's hard to see him drawing those kind of conclusions when he didn't spend a single minute under the tutelage of Rautakorpi and his cohorts.

Urama being in the coaching staff was probably a small reason not to go as well since Saarela was there during the 10-0 vs Sweden fiasco.

 

[ulvvf]

The positive is that you get 2-3 games against latvia for your players to boost the stats, could look good when you look back.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Nah, U18 gold is where its at. WJC is all about players who are not good enough for the NHL.

 

[Jussi]

YLE will televise the relegation games vs Latvia.

 

[docbenton]

For the draft-eligibles, players who raised their stocks:

Valimaki (really solid, showed only hints of offense but a probable top 10 pick)
Vaakanainen (solid as well, went from ~3rd rounder to top 2 round pick)

Players who met expectations:

Vesalainen (top 20 pick)

Players who lowered their stock:

Tolvanen (slightly, still top 20 pick)
Heiskanen (quite a bit, falls from 1st round to 2nd round or worse)

 

[BB88]

For the draft-eligibles, players who raised their stocks:

Valimaki (really solid, showed only hints of offense but a probable top 10 pick)
Vaakanainen (solid as well, went from ~3rd rounder to top 2 round pick)

Players who met expectations:

Vesalainen (top 20 pick)

Players who lowered their stock:

Tolvanen (slightly, still top 20 pick)
Heiskanen (quite a bit, falls from 1st round to 2nd round or worse)

How many 17y defenseman are there on this tourney and how are they doing?

It's rare to see 17y defenseman dominate in these games, I doubt Heiskanen drops that much for the draft.

 

[Tuoppi]

Sorry to bring up names like Jortikka but a) Tulipredrose alludes to Jortikka's "wise words and warning" about the new player generations "individualism", "proness to reckless disrespect of the old generation coaches" and "gloryhunting" or some ****.
And b) Jortikka just hapoens to be the embodinent of this authoritarian leadership style and okd guard values which just does NOT click with current youngsters mindset or general culture abd societal atmosphere.

It is as outdated as the management and organisation culture of Finnish Soccer Association epitomized by its head and chairman Pertti Alaja everybody wants out on the field. Yet there he is gripping to power and priviledges until the bitter end, doing only harm to the sport as you cab witness from the recebt results.

Kummola at least stepped aside finally even though who knows what strings he is still pulling behind the scenes. One can also say he had a positive net effect on Finnish hockey and got things done. No denying. Yet, his dictatorial leadership and its legacy like the "nepotism" prevailing in the Federation are not ways of this day which is today and let Reino Nordin et co. remind us about this all once again: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PHJ_1HCsTdc

Six championships, hey!

 

[QnebO]

Never understood what was problem with Kale Kummola, never criticized him that much. There is nothing wrong in strong way of leading.

Edit: forgot, i criticizef the 2012 whc ticket price farce

 

[QnebO]

A nightmare for finnish hockey fans. Bad World Cup of Hockey, bad Euro Hockey Tour and now a bad U20 tournament.

Why couldn t Finland to be constant like Sweden? Hockey is Sport No. 1 in Finland!

Why couldt finland be constant? Please dude, wtf. Constansy has been our strongest strenght. Medaling in best on best tourneys more frequently than others - even Canada - medaling regullary in other tournaments. One bad junior tournament and you say that.. do you even know whay youre talking about?

Ps. [MOD] is constant, but we have been fairly good and constant

About draft picks
I think only Tolvanen looks legit semi high 1st rounder. Vesalainen needs to show more still, rest 2nd round or worse.

 

[RageQuit77]

Ps. [MOD] is constant, but we have been fairly good and constant

Nicely put. I think a lot of rising hockey nations would take our fairly constant [MOD] any day.

[MOD] inconsistent Medal record

Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1988 Calgary
Silver medal – second place 2006 Torino
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Lillehammer
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Nagano
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Vancouver
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Sochi

World Cup
Silver medal - second place 2004 Toronto

World Championship
Gold medal – first place 1995 Sweden
Gold medal – first place 2011 Slovakia
Silver medal – second place 1992 Czechoslovakia
Silver medal – second place 1994 Italy
Silver medal – second place 1998 Switzerland
Silver medal – second place 1999 Norway
Silver medal – second place 2001 Germany
Silver medal – second place 2007 Russia
Silver medal – second place 2014 Belarus
Silver medal – second place 2016 Russia
Bronze medal – third place 2000 Russia
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Latvia
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Canada

...and It's pretty constant [MOD] also for boys...

 

[QnebO]

Nicely put. I think a lot of rising hockey nations would take our fairly constant paska any day.



...and It's pretty constant [MOD] also for boys...

This is what i meant. My whole message argued we have been very consistant medaling. We havent been bad, fairly good and consistent. But i guess you just wanted to back me up with this.

 

[RageQuit77]

This is what i meant. My whole message argued we have been very consistant medaling. We havent been bad, fairly good and consistent. But i guess you just wanted to back me up with this.

Yes. I backed up you. And It was damn easy to do.

 

[FiLe]

Never understood what was problem with Kale Kummola, never criticized him that much. There is nothing wrong in strong way of leading.

Edit: forgot, i criticizef the 2012 whc ticket price farce

Kummola actually was an excellent cabinet player. Many thought him self-serving, but he made a ton of backroom deals that chiefly benefited Finnish hockey first and foremost, not himself. Also, Liitto's financials are exemplary. Even that ticket price farce ended up being beneficial in the long run. They made a poo-ton of money out of that. While again, people spoke derisively about saunas worth of million euros and such, Lion's share of those monies actually went straight into junior development. So while they spoiled those games' atmosphere, they, ironically enough, made many a junior's day far brighter with it in the end.

Yet it has to be said that Der Kanzler also meddled with the actual hockey operations too much at times, leaving a ton of what ifs in his wake. Though I must say, when you look at the medal table posted above, it's hard to say if seemingly more competent people could have done much better. But regardless, if Kale had stuck to doing stuff he was proven to be good at, many people would remember him much more fondly.