WJC: Finland 2020 Roster Talk

king89

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Dec 4, 2018
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What are your'e thoughts on Henri Nikkanen? Has he regressed this year?
 

Eidyia

Registered User
Jan 5, 2011
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Oulu
It would be awesome to see either Pennanen or Manner.
Manner's contract with Kärpät only ends after 19-20 Liiga-season. I'm also pretty sure both he himself and the hockey federation see him as the next coach for the senior team after Jukka Jalonen.

Pennanen would be a perfect choice. How's his contract with HPK?

I really, really hope the tabloid-rumours of Helminen are false. What would be the point?
 
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scud9

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Jun 2, 2006
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I would think that if you have Puutio on your list, you would defianately have to have Kalle Loponen also there. Apparently he is having a great season in Hermes in Mestis, maybe next year he could be ready for few games in Kärpät.
 

Stoat

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Jan 5, 2014
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Oulu
I really, really hope the tabloid-rumours of Helminen are false. What would be the point?
Same here. We saw it once, and it was a disaster. You don't go to WJC to learn how to coach.

I really don't think that either Pennanen or Manner will be the next coach for Finland U20. Finnish Hockey Federation has stated that it's a full-time job, and both Pennanen and Manner will continue with their teams in 2019-2020.
 
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FinPanda

Team Finland 2022 WHC champions
Mar 13, 2014
7,924
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Vaasa, Finland
I would think that if you have Puutio on your list, you would defianately have to have Kalle Loponen also there. Apparently he is having a great season in Hermes in Mestis, maybe next year he could be ready for few games in Kärpät.
Loponen is a very good player yes, I've been bumping his tires on the prospects board. I'll add him.
 

ChicagoBullsFan

Registered User
Jun 6, 2015
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Finland
I know it's early to say this but that group A ( Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Switzerland and Kazakstan) where Finland plays next year doesn't look so bad.

Just hope that next U20 head coach isn't Raimo Helminen or someone else Kummola's old sauna buddy.
 
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ChicagoBullsFan

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Jun 6, 2015
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Same here. We saw it once, and it was a disaster. You don't go to WJC to learn how to coach.

I really don't think that either Pennanen or Manner will be the next coach for Finland U20. Finnish Hockey Federation has stated that it's a full-time job, and both Pennanen and Manner will continue with their teams in 2019-2020.

If / when Pennanen and Manner are out of the next U20 head coach speculations who's gonna get that job then.
Marko Virtanen and Tuomas Takkola has got some mentions too with Raipe Helminen.

But if the situation really is that there's no much candidates then it's not so good.
Only former men's national team assistant coach who's coming available after this season is Ari-Pekka Selin.

And i don't see Selin next U20 head coach.
When situation is this it wouldn't surprise if someone Kummola's old sauna buddy is next U20 head coach.
 

Noma

Registered User
A roster for Team Finland for next year's U20 selected by a Mestis GM and a hockey writer:

Sampo Ranta - Rasmus Kupari - Niklas Nordgren
Matias Maccelli - Anton Lundell - Lenni Killinen
Patrik Puistola - Kristian Tanus - Kasper Simontaival
Henri Nikkanen - Juuso Pärssinen - Ville/Mikko Petman

Ville Heinola - Antti Tuomisto
Toni Utunen - Lassi Thomson
Mikko Kokkonen - Anttoni Honka

Justus Annunen
Kari Piiroinen
Jasper Patrikainen

There are reasonings behind that also in the podcast here but it's in Finnish.
 

Mestaruus

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Apr 11, 2011
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Let's take next U20 seriously and hire Erkka Westerlund tbh. Yesterday Erkka said that he is having a one year break from coaching and hinted that he might not be done with coaching. I don't care if he is a little bit expensive, pay the man.
 

DoingItCoolKiwi

Registered User
May 23, 2017
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A roster for Team Finland for next year's U20 selected by a Mestis GM and a hockey writer:

Sampo Ranta - Rasmus Kupari - Niklas Nordgren
Matias Maccelli - Anton Lundell - Lenni Killinen
Patrik Puistola - Kristian Tanus - Kasper Simontaival
Henri Nikkanen - Juuso Pärssinen - Ville/Mikko Petman

Ville Heinola - Antti Tuomisto
Toni Utunen - Lassi Thomson
Mikko Kokkonen - Anttoni Honka

Justus Annunen
Kari Piiroinen
Jasper Patrikainen

There are reasonings behind that also in the podcast here but it's in Finnish.
Thanks for linking. Loved the podcast
 
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Mestaruus

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Apr 11, 2011
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Iltalehti saying it's 100% sure that Raimo Helminen is the next coach.

Just read about it as well. We're so lucky I guess...

Raipe needs an amazing coaching staff and hopefully one of those assistant coaches will be the real head coach because I don't see Raipe as the head coach with zero achievements in that role.

Is the point here to save money in salary or what? I don't get it. They should've had a bit more ambition and gun for some big coaching name like Westerlund even if he costs a lot.
 

Perratrooper

Registered User
May 26, 2016
5,427
4,052
Alberta
A roster for Team Finland for next year's U20 selected by a Mestis GM and a hockey writer:

Sampo Ranta - Rasmus Kupari - Niklas Nordgren
Matias Maccelli - Anton Lundell - Lenni Killinen
Patrik Puistola - Kristian Tanus - Kasper Simontaival
Henri Nikkanen - Juuso Pärssinen - Ville/Mikko Petman

Ville Heinola - Antti Tuomisto
Toni Utunen - Lassi Thomson
Mikko Kokkonen - Anttoni Honka

Justus Annunen
Kari Piiroinen
Jasper Patrikainen

There are reasonings behind that also in the podcast here but it's in Finnish.

Is Sampo Ranta viewed that highly that he'd be on the first line?
 

Mestaruus

Registered User
Apr 11, 2011
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#PlayerTeamGPGATPPPGPIM+/-
1.
2.png
Mikael Granlund (C/RW)
Finland U20 7 2 9 11 1.57 0 4
2.
2.png
Teemu Pulkkinen (RW)
Finland U20 7 6 4 10 1.43 2 4
3.
2.png
Joel Armia (RW)
Finland U20 7 5 2 7 1.00 16 2
4.
2.png
Markus Granlund (C/W)
Finland U20 7 2 5 7 1.00 6 5
5.
2.png
Miikka Salomäki (W/C)
Finland U20 7 3 3 6 0.86 4 1
6.
2.png
Joonas Donskoi (RW/LW)
Finland U20 7 2 3 5 0.71 0 1
7.
2.png
Aleksander Barkov (C)
Finland U20 7 1 3 4 0.57 0 0
8.
2.png
Miro Aaltonen (C/LW)
Finland U20 7 1 3 4 0.57 0 0
9.
2.png
Ville Pokka (D)
Finland U20 7 1 3 4 0.57 4 3
10.
2.png
Alexander Ruuttu (C/W)
Finland U20 7 3 0 3 0.43 0 0
11.
2.png
Jani Hakanpää (D)
Finland U20 7 1 2 3 0.43 6 3
12.
2.png
Rasmus Ristolainen (D)
Finland U20 7 0 3 3 0.43 0 1
13.
2.png
Mikael Kuronen (RW/C)
Finland U20 7 1 1 2 0.29 4 1
14.
2.png
Roope Hämäläinen (C)
Finland U20 7 1 0 1 0.14 0 1
15.
2.png
Markus Hännikäinen (LW/RW)
Finland U20 7 0 1 1 0.14 0 1
16.
2.png
Otto Paajanen (C)
Finland U20 7 0 1 1 0.14 0 1
17.
2.png
Olli Määttä (D)
Finland U20 1 0 0 0 0.00 0 -2
18.
2.png
Simo-Pekka Riikola (D)
Finland U20 6 0 0 0 0.00 8 -2
19.
2.png
Miro Hovinen (D)
Finland U20 7 0 0 0 0.00 2 5
20.
2.png
Konsta Mäkinen (D)
Finland U20 7 0 0 0 0.00 6 -1
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
#PlayerTeamGPGAASVS%
1.
2.png
Sami Aittokallio
Finland U20 5 2.52 .937
2.
2.png
Christopher Gibson
Finland U20 2 4.50 .865
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
 

Jussi

Registered User
Feb 28, 2002
91,019
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Mojo Dojo Casa House
Just read about it as well. We're so lucky I guess...

Raipe needs an amazing coaching staff and hopefully one of those assistant coaches will be the real head coach because I don't see Raipe as the head coach with zero achievements in that role.

Is the point here to save money in salary or what? I don't get it. They should've had a bit more ambition and gun for some big coaching name like Westerlund even if he costs a lot.

As Vesa Rantanen brought up, Tapola getting sacked by Kunlun, even though he was only going to coach there one year, seems to have caught Finnish hockey circles by surprise. If the federation hasn't thought of him in the coaching staff, then it's just embarrassing.
 
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Mestaruus

Registered User
Apr 11, 2011
4,825
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As Vesa Rantanen brought up, Tapola getting sacked by Kunlun, even though he was only going to coach there one year, seems to have caught Finnish hockey circles by surprise. If the federation hasn't thought of him in the coaching staff, then it's just embarrassing.

Someone like Tapola in the staff would indeed make me more hopeful about this Raipe head coaching thing. Any merited SM-Liiga coach in his staff would do for me (exluding Rautakorpi), because they all have done more than Raipe in their coaching careers. Give me Sami Kapanen or Selin even.

Raipe's best role at the moment would be same as Tuomo Ruutu's role in the last U20 team, former top player's point of view & a spiritual role more than a tactical role.

I thought that the U20 head coach role is valued as one of the most important roles in the country, thus the salary should be matching that and that should lure some bigger names like Erkka. It doesn't make sense to hire Raipe whose coaching record says "Asst. Coach" way too many times in his coaching resume:

STeamLeagueRole on TeamNotes
2009-10
2.png
Ilves
Liiga Asst. Coach From 2010-03-09
31.png
Finland U20
WJC-20 Asst. Coach
2010-11
2.png
Ilves
Liiga Asst. Coach
31.png
Finland U20
WJC-20 Asst. Coach
31.png
Finland U20 (all)
International Asst. Coach
2011-12
2.png
Ilves
Liiga Asst. Coach
31.png
Finland U20
WJC-20 Head Coach
31.png
Finland U20 (all)
International-Jr Head Coach
2012-13
2.png
Ilves
Liiga Head Coach Replaced by Tuomas Tuokkola midseason
2013-14
36.png
Barys Astana
KHL Asst. Coach
31.png
Kazakhstan
WC Asst. Coach
2014-15
31.png
Finland U20 (all)
International-Jr Asst. Coach
2015-16
36.png
Barys Astana
KHL Asst. Coach Fired on 2015-09-23
11.png
Dinamo Riga
KHL Asst. Coach Since 2015-10-15 until 2016-01-07
2016-17
2.png
Jokerit
KHL Asst. Coach
2017-18
2.png
Jokerit
KHL Asst. Coach
2018-19
2.png
Jokerit
KHL Asst. Coach
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
 

kelsier

Registered User
Aug 17, 2013
4,280
1,741
After the disastrous 2012 how the heck is it possible for Helminen to get even a consideration, let alone almost being guaranteed for the position? Do these people have THIS short of a memory? Looks like he might have participated just the right night of sauna festivities, or at least that's pretty much the best guess I can come up with. Why not hire an actual coach with actual (head coaching) experience? Starting to look like the Finish hockey federation doesn't really give much crap about this tournament and only focused on the men's WHC. If Raipe couldn't even get a medal with one of the best rosters ever, we might not even make it past the QF this time around.
 
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Jussi

Registered User
Feb 28, 2002
91,019
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Mojo Dojo Casa House
After the disastrous 2012 how the heck is it possible for Helminen to get even a consideration, let alone almost being guaranteed for the position? Do these people have THIS short of a memory? Looks like he might have participated just the right night of sauna festivities, or at least that's pretty much the best guess I can come up with. Why not hire an actual coach with actual (head coaching) experience? Starting to look like the Finish hockey federation doesn't really give much crap about this tournament and only focused on the men's WHC. If Raipe couldn't even get a medal with one of the best rosters ever, we might not even make it past the QF this time around.

They must've read your posts about Ahokas during the tournament and thought "How can we annoy this guy even more? Let's pick Raipe as the new head coach!". You'll probably whine about him all tournament and poof, we're suddenly in the final again.
 
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SpinninRodIntoArmpit

Registered User
Apr 8, 2015
199
53
This site never fails to amaze me with how much most coaches get hate here. I don't have too high hopes for Raipe, but there has to be something. Why else would Selin, Jalonen and Marjamäki have wanted him on his coaching team?

Besides, that 2012 team wasn't that stacked, and Ilves was garbage back then. And Raipe has coached half.a decade since then.
 

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