WC: 2021 Finland Roster Talk

[SantosHalper]

Is Melart out of the picture? He had a very good season. Top stay-at home d in best team in SHL.

Another name: Olli Palola, veteran with grit. Had a good season and playoffs with Rögle.

Palola haven't played in national team in 3 years, and the SHL finals are most likely going to be tough series. I don't see Palola having any energy after that.

Melart would be nice but there's similar d-men on board already. I don't expect many changes happening, 2-4 players from Liiga and possibly Ruotsalainen and Kaski in and thats it. Let the games begin, operation defend the den.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Kakko and Ruotsalainen would be huge.

 

[Sanf]

Palola haven't played in national team in 3 years, and the SHL finals are most likely going to be tough series. I don't see Palola having any energy after that.

Melart would be nice but there's similar d-men on board already. I don't expect many changes happening, 2-4 players from Liiga and possibly Ruotsalainen and Kaski in and thats it. Let the games begin, operation defend the den.

Yeah looking at how many players that seems fairly certain to the final team. And the long camp and current situation. 6-7 additional players probably is most that can be expected.

Agree also with Melart. But yes the team already has Lindbohm, Ohtamaa and Kivistö. And all can be really counted to final team. Sallinen and Peltola probably from the Liiga are fairly strong candidates. Koivistoinen did not impress me in the NT, but is having strong season. I would not count Kemiläinen out either. Kaski also seems likely. Don´t know about Saarijärvi.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Yeah looking at how many players that seems fairly certain to the final team. And the long camp and current situation. 6-7 additional players probably is most that can be expected.

Agree also with Melart. But yes the team already has Lindbohm, Ohtamaa and Kivistö. And all can be really counted to final team. Sallinen and Peltola probably from the Liiga are fairly strong candidates. Koivistoinen did not impress me in the NT, but is having strong season. I would not count Kemiläinen out either. Kaski also seems likely. Don´t know about Saarijärvi.

Not Lundell and Borgström?

 

[Sanf]

Not Lundell and Borgström?

Lundell is possibility I guess. His season has been rough. And he haven´t been in the form yet that he was before Covid. Borgström I dont see.

 

[JabbaJabba]

@David OSullivan Good job listing everyone! We could of course look at AHL player but usually those haven't been invited to the tournament. Ruotsalainen, Kakko and Lankinen would be amazing additions to the roster. I am also a bit more optimistic that Lindell would join the team. Just a bit though. I think we'll be smarter in a week.

 

[David OSullivan]

Thanks Jabba Jabba. I wonder what Hintz is carrying injury wise. He seems to be playing lots of games in a row now. He might be over it or the more likely reason that dallas needs him. It's crazy to think he'd could be injured playing the way he is. He would be a super long shot but he is contracted. Now that would be a superstar forward that would really make this team jump.

If Lindell join I would be loving the defence.

I think they would be very low chance personally but perhaps a little chance.

All the nashville boys have contract discussions so come on Saros. Drag that team kicking and screaming to the playoffs.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

None play-offs teams players that are available:

Dallas : Heiskanen, Lindell, Vatanen, Hintz, Kiviranta
Chicago : Lankinen
Columbus : Laine, Lehtonen
Arizona : Raanta
Los Angeles : Määttä
Calgary : Välimäki
Vancouver : Juolevi
New York R : Kakko
New Jersey : Kuokkanen
Buffalo : Ristolainen, Jokiharju, Ruotsalainen

Possible AHL players :

Reunanen
Laaksonen
Leskinen
Heinola
Thomson
Kupari

 

[Artorius Horus T]

From the Sm-Liiga i'd consider these :

Björninen
Pärssinen
Lundell
Börgström
Pajuniemi
Nurmi
Suomi
Maccelli
Oksanen
Rindell

From the KHL i'd consider these :

Hartikainen
Granlund
Manninen
Lehterä
Ruohomaa
Kaski
Pokka
Savinainen
Joensuu
Anttila
Pesonen
Pihlström
Olkinuora
Säteri
Metsola

From the SHL probably just Leino and Salo

 

[SantosHalper]

From the Sm-Liiga i'd consider these :

Björninen
Pärssinen
Lundell
Börgström
Pajuniemi
Nurmi
Suomi
Maccelli
Oksanen
Rindell

From the KHL i'd consider these :

Hartikainen
Granlund
Manninen
Lehterä
Ruohomaa
Kaski
Pokka
Savinainen
Joensuu
Anttila
Pesonen
Pihlström
Olkinuora
Säteri
Metsola

From the SHL probably just Leino and Salo

Jalonen said in interview that ain't going to pick anyone anymore, who's season has already ended. So none of the bolded players ain't going to play in Riga

 

[Mestaruus]

Lundell has to start producing points or Jalonen/Lehtinen won't select him. I'm hoping that Lundell gets that ketchup bottle opened soon and perhaps a Lundell-Kakko line reunion could happen.

Jukka Jalonen seems to love Lundell but he has underlined that one factor they are always looking at is who is on fire and who is not and at this point Lundell isn't producing well enough offensively but that may change.

 

[Mestaruus]

NHL Regular season end date - May 8.
Announcement of next group of players joining the camp - May 10.

Those dates align pretty well, so we may hear about few NHL players announced then hopefully. So we don't have to wait too much longer untill we may hear something.

 

[Mestaruus]

What about Teemu Pulkkinen? Though I guess he would've joined the first camp already if he was going to join. Same thing with those Salavat UFA players. We won't be getting any of them I guess.

Another thing. I wouldn't be shocked if Jalonen chooses one of Mika Pyörälä or Jukka Peltola in the team for some veterans leadership. Jukka Peltola is also producing offensively in the playoffs now. If they aren't injured and have interest, Jalonen will pick at least 1 of them.

 

[JabbaJabba]

Thanks Jabba Jabba. I wonder what Hintz is carrying injury wise. He seems to be playing lots of games in a row now. He might be over it or the more likely reason that dallas needs him. It's crazy to think he'd could be injured playing the way he is. He would be a super long shot but he is contracted. Now that would be a superstar forward that would really make this team jump.

If Lindell join I would be loving the defence.

I think they would be very low chance personally but perhaps a little chance.

All the nashville boys have contract discussions so come on Saros. Drag that team kicking and screaming to the playoffs.

Nashville has basically secured their playoff spot. Hintz has probably played a lot because they tried their best to get to the playoffs, but it wasn't enough. They should just send him to the surgery already.

Lundell has to start producing points or Jalonen/Lehtinen won't select him. I'm hoping that Lundell gets that ketchup bottle opened soon and perhaps a Lundell-Kakko line reunion could happen.

Jukka Jalonen seems to love Lundell but he has underlined that one factor they are always looking at is who is on fire and who is not and at this point Lundell isn't producing well enough offensively but that may change.

I think it might be for the best if Lundell focuses on getting healthy after the Liiga season. COVID cleary took a toll on him and he hasn't been the same. It sucks because I was really looking forward to seeing him in this tournament as I was expecting him to be the 2nd line center and playing very well. Now I think the best thing for him is to take it easy after the playoffs are done.

Saarela would be a great addition to the roster. The forward group needs goalscoring and Saarela has it.

 

[Mestaruus]

I think it might be for the best if Lundell focuses on getting healthy after the Liiga season. COVID cleary took a toll on him and he hasn't been the same. It sucks because I was really looking forward to seeing him in this tournament as I was expecting him to be the 2nd line center and playing very well. Now I think the best thing for him is to take it easy after the playoffs are done.

Saarela would be a great addition to the roster. The forward group needs goalscoring and Saarela has it.

Yes it's a shame that Covid completely killed Lundell's momentum. Lundell has a long career ahead of him in Florida and after the summer it's time to light it up in the NHL. In normal conditions Lundell is too good for Liiga.

I love Aleksi Saarela and I have marked him in my current realistic version what the team could be.

Of other younger players, Maccelli is a guy that I really want to see in this team.

 

[Sanf]

What about Teemu Pulkkinen? Though I guess he would've joined the first camp already if he was going to join. Same thing with those Salavat UFA players. We won't be getting any of them I guess.

Another thing. I wouldn't be shocked if Jalonen chooses one of Mika Pyörälä or Jukka Peltola in the team for some veterans leadership. Jukka Peltola is also producing offensively in the playoffs now. If they aren't injured and have interest, Jalonen will pick at least 1 of them.

Yeah Peltola seems one of likeliest additions. He was with NT already this season. And Jalonen approach this as project. You are either in it or not.

I would believe that Pyörälä retired in NT after Olympics. Would be huge surprise if he is in the team.

Rasmus Kupari is someone who I would like to see in camp. Chance to show if he can make it to the team. But seriously I have no idea what is happening at the AHL at the moment and when he would be available. Currently Ontario has game scheduled for 16, of May.

 

[Eye of Ra]

I thought Rajala, J.Nättinen and J.Lajunen would get invited. Maybe they declined.

 

[Mestaruus]

Rasmus Kupari is someone who I would like to see in camp. Chance to show if he can make it to the team. But seriously I have no idea what is happening at the AHL at the moment and when he would be available. Currently Ontario has game scheduled for 16, of May.

I actually wrote about Kupari earlier in this thread. I believe it was yesterday. His AHL team is last in it's division, thus won't be making AHL playoffs to my understanding, so we should have a good shot in getting him but it's another question if Jalonen and Lehtinen want him without having him at the camp. Three weeks to the tournament so time is very limited.

It's an interesting thing because some players who are now in Finland can join the camp right away while some NA players would have to be chosen pretty much directly to the final team without any camps because of the covid quarantine before arriving to Finland.

 

[Mestaruus]

New York Rangers is officially out of the playoffs now, so hopefully we'll get Kakko.

Tarmo Reunanen's AHL team is second in it's division. That division has only 3 teams lol... Anyways he's probably locked to be there then instead of WHC.

 

[JabbaJabba]

New York Rangers is officially out of the playoffs now, so hopefully we'll get Kakko.

Tarmo Reunanen's AHL team is second in it's division. That division has only 3 teams lol... Anyways he's probably locked to be there then instead of WHC.

Would be huge if he joined. Just what the doctor ordered.

 

[mattihp]

It would be interesting to see this "new" Kakko play for Finland. He looks so much better rounded now. Add that to his shot...

 

[David OSullivan]

Lankinen, Kakko, Ruotsilainen, Saarijarvi, Saarela and maybe just maybe Lindell would be realistic and fantastic haul here.

Lindell being the longest shot.

 

[serp]

Hintz is going to have surgery once the season is over. He's not coming. Heiskanen is upcoming RFA so he might not come because of that either as is Kiviranta , same with UFA Vatanen .

Of the Stars Finns i think only Lindell would be available .

 

[Puck Dogg]

None play-offs teams players that are available:
Columbus : Laine, Lehtonen
Arizona : Raanta
Calgary : Välimäki
Vancouver : Juolevi
New Jersey : Kuokkanen
Buffalo : Ristolainen, Jokiharju, Ruotsalainen

Lehtonen and Raanta are UFA's. Välimäki, Juolevi, Kuokkanen and Jokiharju are all RFA's. Ristolainen has never shown any interest towards World Championships.

 

[JabbaJabba]

Lankinen, Kakko, Ruotsilainen, Saarijarvi, Saarela and maybe just maybe Lindell would be realistic and fantastic haul here.

Lindell being the longest shot.

I would also give Lauri Pajuniemi a shot at making the team. He was 7th in goal scoring as a 21-year old. And to be honest, I would give Filppula a shot if he's interested. Put him on the 3rd line and let him bring veteran presence and I am sure he would be still be a better option than a lot of the guys on the training camp roster still today.