WJC: Finland WJC Discussion

[Mestaruus]

Oh now come on... Still few years ago we were known of producing big athletic grinders, but not small and skilled players. Finland is one of the "tallest countries" in the world. It's not about genetics, It can't be.

Hmm. Well with Swedes the teams are about same size usually and I dunno if Finland really is 1 of the tallest nations in the world or not, but what the other guy meant was probably that Finnish players develop slower in growth compared to NA/Russians/Czech/Slovaks. Meaning that Finns grow to their actual size as late as 19-20 years old, so we have a disadvantage when they haven't fully grown yet and especially when we have a habbit of choosing a lot of 17-18 year olds in to our WJC teams.

 

[Mestaruus]

One could imagine how much more registered hockey players we'd have, if kids could actually see hockey in television...

Swedish MTV3's conspiracy plan for sure .

 

[Mestaruus]

There are many experienced coaches available at the moment but it all comes down to Kalervo Kummola. Don't be surprised if Raimo Helminen or Jere Lehtinen is behind the bench next year...

Lehtinen head coach with Teppo Numminen as assistant coach and Juti creating some team spirit as the team leader or what you call that position he had in men's team .

 

[Pellegrino]

I think many of you are underrating Finnish junior hockey. Sweden have had some "golden generations" due to excellent work and a few "baby booms" in the early 90's, but Finland have still been rather competitive.

If you compare Finland to Czech, Slovakia etc, then they are doing a much better job in Finland. Regarding WJC; I don't think Finland will be any worse than Sweden in 3-4 years time.

Genetics? Oh, please. Peter Forsberg also developed late physically and he scored more points than anybody in WJC. Gretzky and several other good players weren't exactly the biggest guys either. Surely it helps to be strong, but the modern game is more about game intelligence, skill and skating.

 

[Jussi]

It's pretty likely that any SM-Liiga/KHL/etc head coach isn't available. Westerlund would be my first choice, but he will retire from coaching. Urama will take Rautakorpi's current job so he will be available. Jarno Pikkarainen has been very successful at Mestis and his contract will expire next summer. Jukka Koivu isn't coaching anywhere at the moment. Juha Pajuoja is unemployed and has coached national junior teams before. Ari-Pekka Selin's future is wide open etc.

There are many experienced coaches available at the moment but it all comes down to Kalervo Kummola. Don't be surprised if Raimo Helminen or Jere Lehtinen is behind the bench next year...

I'd take anyone of Pikkarainen, Pajuoja, maybe even Selin, as long as to the contract is for 3 years.

 

[Jussi]

Hmm. Well with Swedes the teams are about same size usually and I dunno if Finland really is 1 of the tallest nations in the world or not, but what the other guy meant was probably that Finnish players develop slower in growth compared to NA/Russians/Czech/Slovaks. Meaning that Finns grow to their actual size as late as 19-20 years old, so we have a disadvantage when they haven't fully grown yet and especially when we have a habbit of choosing a lot of 17-18 year olds in to our WJC teams.

Not these days. Their star offensive prospects are frequently at least 185 cm/90 kilos, where as ours are barely 180 cm/80 kilos.

 

[FiLe]

I'm guessing Aittokallio is too old for next year?

Zat's right, as stated earlier in this thread. Ullberg however is eligible. If he gets a year as SaiPa's starter, he should be more than able to handle it.

But once more, for posterity:

Ullberg

Määttä
Ristolainen
Pokka

Salomäki
Armia
MaG
Barkov
Aaltonen
Hännikäinen

are the players eligible next year as well. It's a nice core already.


And as far the coaching question goes, well... for simple fantasy, I'd love to see what Tuomas Tuokkola could do. Even if that means pulling double duty.

 

[SoupyFIN]

Ullberg however is eligible. If he gets a year as SaiPa's starter, he should be more than able to handle it.

But... If the starting job is a sure thing already for Ullberg, he can't steal it from somebody.

Does anyone know if Perhonen has been injured this year or something? He has only played 9 games in Mestis.

 

[FiLe]

Does anyone know if Perhonen has been injured this year or something? He has only played 9 games in Mestis.

Some kind of knee injury, per Jatkoaika message boards.

 

[17Kurri]

Heck of an effort this, Finland! Well done!

I'm guessing you guys will have a bunch of returnees next year, so good chance you might be a frontrunner in next year's tourney!

Cheers!

 

[Muuri]

I'm guessing the new coach will be either Pikkarainen or some recently retired ex-player.

 

[FiLe]

I'm guessing the new coach will be either Pikkarainen or some recently retired ex-player.

For someone "suitable", I might throw Tomek Valtonen into the mix. He was already coaching the "challenger" team this year.

 

[Needles]

For someone "suitable", I might throw Tomek Valtonen into the mix. He was already coaching the "challenger" team this year.

IIRC, he will be coaching the U16 or U17 team next year.

 

[SChan*]

why was gibson the nr1 goalie going into wjc? he looked pretty bad.

 

[SoupyFIN]

why was gibson the nr1 goalie going into wjc? he looked pretty bad.

Umm, because he wasn't? Aittokallio got injured during game number 1 in pregame warm-up and that forced Gibson to play.

 

[SChan*]

Umm, because he wasn't? Aittokallio got injured during game number 1 in pregame warm-up and that forced Gibson to play.

ah I see, makes sense.

 

[Past Considerations]

or what you call that position he had in men's team .

The guy who forgets to order bus tickets.

 

[Jussi]

The guy who forgets to order bus tickets.

It was plane tickets...

 

[Past Considerations]

Typo

 

[The Saw Is the Law]

Pikkarainen could be great. Mestis style hockey fits WJC

But I don't believe he is sauna buddy with Boss Nass

 

[FiLe]

The guy who forgets to order bus tickets.

The guy who messes up meal orders.

The guy who gets separate seats for a player's wife and his four-year-old son.

The guy who loads up snus next to his country's president and gets caught in the act.

Apparently, the only man on Earth who gets ankle inflammation from too much booze.

 

[The Saw Is the Law]

The guy who messes up meal orders.

The guy who gets separate seats for a player's wife and his four-year-old son.

The guy who loads up snus next to his country's president and gets caught in the act.

Apparently, the only man on Earth who gets ankle inflammation from too much booze.

You mean this guy?

He is the best friend of Sausage, Sauna and Boss Nass

And sadly this is finnish ice hockey federation

 

[FiLe]

I actually have this theory that Juti is merely an elaborate fall guy. When a player Foxtrot Uniforms royally, like beats up a prostitute, wrecks a hotel room or drunkenly gropes Fasel's wife (or all three at the same time)... you know, they just send Porky out there to do something inherently stupid to divert media's attention so that they can cover up the REAL mess in relative peace.

 

[Haite]

 

[The Saw Is the Law]