WJC: Finland 2020 Roster Talk

[Svedu]

----------------NHL/AHL-----------------
Kaapo Kakko (-01) - Jesperi Kotkaniemi (-00) - Rasmus Kupari (-00)
Ville Heinola (-01)

-----------Top Candidates---------------
Matias Maccelli (-00) - Anton Lundell (-01) - Niklas Nordgren (-00)
Sampo Ranta (-00) - Kristian Tanus (-00) - Joonas Oden (-00)
Patrik Puistola (-01) - Aatu Räty (-02) - Samuel Salonen (-00)
Lenni Killinen (-00) - Antti Saarela (-01) - Aku Räty (-01)
Roni Hirvonen (-02) - Ville Petman (-00) - Eemil Erholtz (-00)

Kim Nousiainen (-00) - Lassi Thomson (-00)
Toni Utunen (-00) - Anttoni Honka (-00)
Peetro Seppälä (-00) - Topi Niemelä (-02)
Santeri Hatakka (-01) - Axel Rindell (-00)

Justus Annunen (-00)
Jasper Patrikainen (-00)
Roope Taponen (-01)

-----------Other Candidates-------------
Leevi Aaltonen (-01) - Otto Kivenmäki (-00) - Aleks Haatanen (-00)
Veeti Miettinen (-01) - Aarne Intonen (-01) - Tuukka Tieksola (-01)
Konsta Hirvonen (-00) - Juuso Pärssinen (-01) - Mikko Petman (-01)
Kristjan Kombe (-00) - Patrik Siikanen (-00) - Kasper Simontaival (-02)


Marcus Kallionkieli (-01) - Henri Nikkanen (-01) - Brad Lambert (-03)

Mikko Kokkonen (-01) - Miska Kukkonen (-00)
Elias Laitamäki (-00) - Antti Tuomisto (-01)
Samuel Kemppainen (-00) - Aleksi Matinmikko (-00)
Santeri Salmela (-00) - Santeri Airola (-00)

Kari Piiroinen (-01)
Eetu Randelin (-01)
Joel Blomqvist (-02)

I hope Leevi Aaltonen makes it, even if his season has been meh. Believe he could be an asset on a third or even a fourth line, just because of his great skating. Oden on the same line with Aaltonen could be interesting. I love to see some speed in the lower lines, it makes it possible to hurt the opponents with counterattacking.
Sad to see the injuries on both Nordgren and Nikkanen, been some tough years for those talents. Does Nikkanen even stand a chance to make it this year?
I´ve never seen Mäntykivi or Kivenmäki, can they play on a third or fourth line? What kind of players are we talking about. Sampo Ranta is hard to scout as well, any chances for him to take a spot?
Saarela didn´t impress me at all in last years WJC-18. If he´s not good enough for a first or a second line, should he even be picked? And what about Espoo products Hirvonen and Miettinen? Miettinen looked a bit too soft for a lower role at latest WJC-18 tournament and i´m not convinced he should play on a top6 role. Same with the other guy, can Roni Hirvonen play as a third center or is he all about skill? What about Puistola then? I´m not convinced he is good enough for a top6 role and if he isn´t, i´m not sure i want to see him in the lower lines because of his playing style and strengths/weaknesses.

Has Mikko Kokkonens development frozen completely? Pretty insane if he would not take a spot on this years roster. Considering his early Liiga-debut etc.
Loponen has a decent year in Sudbury, any chances for him to make the team? Rindells numbers are surprising for me, has anyone seen him play this year? I hope Thomson can have a big tournament and i hope Honka can shut down my doubts on him. Pretty astonishing that Finlands right handed defenders are much more exciting prospects if Heinola won´t play. Will Tuomisto even take a spot on this years roster? Was not impressed when he played WJC-18 but damn, he´s a second round pick. Astonishing if a Finnish second round D won´t make it , that´s something new.

Blomqvist should be better than both goalies born 2001. Annunen is the clear starter at this point.

Any chance Heinola or Kakko will play? Kakko has looked really heavy and slow to be honest, i was expecting more from him because he is a special kind of beast. Would love to see Kupari this tournament, him or Lundell with Maccelli could be special.

 

[FinPanda]

Any chance Heinola or Kakko will play? Kakko has looked really heavy and slow to be honest, i was expecting more from him because he is a special kind of beast. Would love to see Kupari this tournament, him or Lundell with Maccelli could be special.

No chance for Kakko. Heinola is a maybe.

 

[Isola]

Any chance Heinola or Kakko will play? Kakko has looked really heavy and slow to be honest, i was expecting more from him because he is a special kind of beast. Would love to see Kupari this tournament, him or Lundell with Maccelli could be special.

Ville Heinola is now back in Liiga. Surely he will now play in WJC.

 

[king89]

Any chance for Sampo Ranta to make the team?

I don't have high expectations for this year's team. If we play in the semi finals i will be more then happy.

 

[MattiasSnall]

Any chance for Sampo Ranta to make the team?

I don't have high expectations for this year's team. If we play in the semi finals i will be more then happy.

Why shouldn’t we have high expectations? Gold should be the aim every year even though we may not win every time, we have a good enough team to compete for gold again.

 

[FinPanda]

I always have high expectations. Hard to believe we will win gold, but we definitely can compete for it.

 

[fr9dd9]

The depth of this years roster is actually deep isnt it? I havent looked it up but this year u20 players have a combined 460 ish games played in Liiga(dont know how its been recent years at this stage of the season) where as the player with most games played have only played 20 at this stage of the season. I think its all up to the coach to find a great team with the right chemistry, teamplay and roles and it should not be a problem to have a team fight for gold, Just look at wc.

 

[king89]

Why shouldn’t we have high expectations? Gold should be the aim every year even though we may not win every time, we have a good enough team to compete for gold again.

I wrote that I had no high expectations. I try to live without expectations, life is easier that way


Prospect Ramblings: Updated WJC Projection for Team Finland

 

[LiamMac]

Names are clickable and linked to their eliteprospects page.

 

[PastaBergyMarchy]

Lundell is injured. He is out 6 weeks.

 

[FinPanda]

Hopefully this means that Aatu Räty will have a bigger role.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Kupari if available should mean they can survive losing Lundell. Bigger role for Räty and others.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Hopefully this means that Aatu Räty will have a bigger role.

Excuse me what?
Are you really thinking that it was good Lundell got injured?
Because Aatu Räty needs bigger role in U20 WJC team.

You can't be serious if you really think that way.

 

[king89]

Big loss. We lose experience and a first/second line center. Hopefully Kupari will come and can center a first line well. The bigger ice surface should benefit him. Who would you like to see center the second line?

A player i want to see is Sampo Ranta. He's off to a good start in NCAA, 9 pts in 13 games now. He has 35 SOG in 13 games, he had 55 in 36 games last season. So a big improvement in shooting volume. I think his combination of size and goalscoring ability is much needed.

 

[FinPanda]

Excuse me what?
Are you really thinking that it was good Lundell got injured?
Because Aatu Räty needs bigger role in U20 WJC team.

You can't be serious if you really think that way.

What? Definitely not. It is a terrible loss for our team. Don't assume things, please. Why on earth would I say something like that being a good thing? Please.

We need others guys to step up and I think Aatu is a good one.

 

[iginlafan77]

Excuse me what?
Are you really thinking that it was good Lundell got injured?
Because Aatu Räty needs bigger role in U20 WJC team.

You can't be serious if you really think that way.

Chill out. They didn't say anything about it being a good thing that lundell is hurt, just pointing out a good element of a bad thing.

 

[FinPanda]

Chill out. They didn't say anything about it being a good thing that lundell is hurt, just pointing out a good element of a bad thing.

Exactly.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I wouldn't rule him out yet. If it takes longer than 6 weeks, then you rule him out. Until then, Lundell should still be on the team. You don't even need to register a full roster for the tournament right away. If Lundell misses 6 weeks from yesterday's news, he'll be back no later than the last few days of the year. The elimination games won't have started, and we all know Finland will get to those games. You'd rather have one of your best players available for those games, even if he misses other games than having an extra player suit up for a game that you don't even need that player for.

Obviously if it takes 8 weeks instead of 6, you'll have to rule him out at some point, but it could also take 5 weeks instead of 6. These are only estimates. I wouldn't count out Lundell. I think if Finland's doing so, they are being very dumb.

 

[PastaBergyMarchy]

More worries to team Finland. Defenseman Topi Niemelä have injury and there are black clouds above his tournament trip.

 

[JJTT]

Peetro Seppälä is also out with a long term injury, but might be healthy in time for the WJC. Quietly had a great start to the season, averaging over 18 minutes per game with KooKoo.

Topi Niemelä is also out but shouldn't be anything serious.

 

[ETTHAKING67]

Will Annunen be the starter in net ?

Also, do you guys think there is a small chance Jesperi Kotkaniemie go ? He has been bad for the Habs, it would probably help his confidence.

 

[PastaBergyMarchy]

Will Annunen be the starter in net ?

Also, do you guys think there is a small chance Jesperi Kotkaniemie go ? He has been bad for the Habs, it would probably help his confidence.

Annunen will be starter. He has been amazing in Liiga this season so far.

Kotkaniemi maybe have little change to go. But let's see.

 

[JabbaJabba]

Will Annunen be the starter in net ?

Also, do you guys think there is a small chance Jesperi Kotkaniemie go ? He has been bad for the Habs, it would probably help his confidence.

I don't think Kotkaniemi can gain anything gamewise from going to the WJC. Yes, he could dominate against less experienced players but he should be learning how to play against men in the toughest hockey league. Going to the AHL would be better option as it is closer to NHL level than WJC.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Macceli - Lundell - Kupari
Nordgren - R.Hirvonen - Pustiola
Oden - Räty - Räty
Saarela - Kivenmäki - Tanus
Killinen

Heniola - Honka
Seppälä - Niemelä
Kokkonen - Rindell
Thomson

Anntunen
Patrikainen
Taponen

Not counting in Kotkanimi/Kakko, not realistic that they will be
released. Kupari i think will come. Lundell/Seppälä/Niemelä hopefully not injured when WJC is on.

I dont see why this team would not challenge for gold, its a deep team.

 

[karhukissa]

Macceli - Lundell - Kupari
Nordgren - R.Hirvonen - Pustiola
Oden - Räty - Räty
Saarela - Kivenmäki - Tanus
Killinen

Heniola - Honka
Seppälä - Niemelä
Kokkonen - Rindell
Thomson

Anntunen
Patrikainen
Taponen

Not counting in Kotkanimi/Kakko, not realistic that they will be
released. Kupari i think will come. Lundell/Seppälä/Niemelä hopefully not injured when WJC is on.

I dont see why this team would not challenge for gold, its a deep team.

This team absolutely plays for gold. My only doubts are related to coaching, Raipe shouldn't be coaching this team.