WJC: Finland WJC Discussion

[Jussi]

when will Finland release preliminary roster? Russia and Canada did it already.

We've usually released two camp rosters, the first one probably in a week or two. The final camp roster is usually released just before the first/last exhibition game.

 

[Zamuz]

I can see no reason to do that, since they do so in HIFK. They have a special awareness of each other on the ice, it's like sixth sense. Granlund-Granlund-Pesonen dominates almost every shift against FEL teams, and that's not because of Janne Pesonen. Keep the brothers together.



Since EHT break: Mikael Granlund (6. 4+5=9), Markus Granlund (6. 4+2=6)

Maybe but still players like Armia & Pulkkinen needs a decent playmaker. Salomäki isn't one and Mustonen is not even close to same level as Granlund. I know Granlunds are going to play together though, but atleast game or two should try to separate them.

 

[MarkovtoSubban]

I think we should not put MiG and MaG in the same line, both are very intelligent players with great vision, great playmakers and when putting Barkov to 3rd line we have a very good depth. And yeah, i'd put MaG as center.

Pulkkinen - MiG - Salomäki
Donskoi - MaG - Armia
Hännikäinen - Barkov - Ruuttu
Teräväinen - Mustonen - Partanen
Ikonen

Hakanpää - Määttä
Pokka - Ristolainen
Auvinen - Riikola

I kept the brothers Granlund apart as well so that they would each have a grinder to go get the puck in the corners. If the top line is two Granlunds and a Pulkkinen then who does the dirty work down low?

 

[Muuri]

Mikael actually is pretty decent in the corners for a guy of his size. And Donskoi is no grinder.

 

[Jussi]

I kept the brothers Granlund apart as well so that they would each have a grinder to go get the puck in the corners. If the top line is two Granlunds and a Pulkkinen then who does the dirty work down low?

No one. Hence why Donskoi's name is in many line suggestions alongside The Stamp and Pulkkinen.

 

[Needles]

If the top line is two Granlunds and a Pulkkinen then who does the dirty work down low?

Granlunds can do that too.

 

[HockeyThoughts]

I think this Finnish team will surprise many.

 

[Muuri]

I'm guessing that the first roster will be announced tomorrow.

 

[Rimbe]

I'm guessing that the first roster will be announced tomorrow.

Me too because the roster of Finland for the EHT - tournament, which is held in Russia, will be announced tomorrow and usually they announce quite many National Team rosters aswell (U16, U17, U18 etc.)

 

[Eye of Ra]

Patrik Parkkonen?

 

[Tormentor]

Patrik Parkkonen?

Won't be on the team.

 

[smokersarejokers]

Oilers fan here.

Is there a chance that Samu Perhonen will make the team? I'm curious to know how he's playing this year. It's kind of hard to find information on him.

Thanks! Finland will have a very good team this year. I'm looking forward to watching Granlund tear it up (just not against Canada).

 

[Needles]

Is there a chance that Samu Perhonen will make the team? I'm curious to know how he's playing this year. It's kind of hard to find information on him.

It's not very likely. He hasn't made his FEL debut yet. He isn't a clear #1 in his team. His stats aren't that great. There are just too many better alternatives.

But we'll get a confirmation tomorrow when the first camp roster is announced.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Absolutely the best wjc team for us in many years. Maybe even the most talented group ever, our players have already established themselves as top players for their respective FEL teams and thats not very common for finnish players nowdays.

Just a few question marks..

Even though our defense is bigger and probably better than in a long time, there are many young D's. Maatta, Ristolainen and Pokka are all 17 years old.. I think they are all physically fit, so thats not the problem, but still.

As for goaltending, i dont like Aittokallio that much, but he is probably the best bet right now. That being said, Finland wont have the best goalie in the tournament.

We have very good offense, but how will the chemistry work? We have many players that like to hold on to the puck, is that going to be a problem or not? Lots of offensive firepower but how will the defensive side of the game look like?

I hope our team dont acknowledge that we have the best team in a long time, the underdog position works better for us.

 

[theIceWookie]

Absolutely the best wjc team for us in many years. Maybe even the most talented group ever, our players have already established themselves as top players for their respective FEL teams and thats not very common for finnish players nowdays.

Just a few question marks..

Even though our defense is bigger and probably better than in a long time, there are many young D's. Maatta, Ristolainen and Pokka are all 17 years old.. I think they are all physically fit, so thats not the problem, but still.

As for goaltending, i dont like Aittokallio that much, but he is probably the best bet right now. That being said, Finland wont have the best goalie in the tournament.

We have very good offense, but how will the chemistry work? We have many players that like to hold on to the puck, is that going to be a problem or not? Lots of offensive firepower but how will the defensive side of the game look like?

I hope our team dont acknowledge that we have the best team in a long time, the underdog position works better for us.

Having Maatta play for London should really help I think. He's been developing nicely there and having played the North American game on North American ice, he should be a nice add.

 

[MaNNe]

Absolutely the best wjc team for us in many years. Maybe even the most talented group ever, our players have already established themselves as top players for their respective FEL teams and thats not very common for finnish players nowdays.

Just a few question marks..

Even though our defense is bigger and probably better than in a long time, there are many young D's. Maatta, Ristolainen and Pokka are all 17 years old.. I think they are all physically fit, so thats not the problem, but still.

As for goaltending, i dont like Aittokallio that much, but he is probably the best bet right now. That being said, Finland wont have the best goalie in the tournament.

We have very good offense, but how will the chemistry work? We have many players that like to hold on to the puck, is that going to be a problem or not? Lots of offensive firepower but how will the defensive side of the game look like?

I hope our team dont acknowledge that we have the best team in a long time, the underdog position works better for us.

This. I'd also like to add the fact that having a rookie coach namely Raimo Helminen in charge is a HUUGE question mark and in my opinion an idiotic decision. I have nothing against Helminen as a person and he was one of my favorite players back in the day, but why would someone do that? Why can't even the highest tier of our junior players have a proper coach ?

That being said this is one of the most offensively gifted Finnish WJC teams ever and I can't wait to watch Granlund & Pulkkinen do their thing.

 

[HighLifeMan]

I kept the brothers Granlund apart as well so that they would each have a grinder to go get the puck in the corners. If the top line is two Granlunds and a Pulkkinen then who does the dirty work down low?

Would they even need to work down low? That trio could potentially be the best line in the entire tournament.

 

[cheerupmurray]

Finland is looking great, your top-6 will be fantastic! (assuming it is Granlunds, Donskoi, Salomäki, Armia and Pulkkinen)

 

[Tormentor]

Preliminary roster

Goalies:

P.|Name|Year|H.|lbs.|L/R|SM-liiga|GPI|GAA|Pct|Min|\|Mestis|GPI|GAA|Pct|Min|\|Jr.|GPI|GAA|Pct|Min
GK|Richard Ullberg|-93|6.03|185|L|SaiPa|9|1.98|0.913|545|\|-|-|-|-|-|\|SaiPa|11|4.42|0.892|652|
GK|Sami Aittokallio|-92|6.01|172|L|Ilves|7|2.85|0.912|400|\|LeKi|4|4.07|0.878|236|\|Ilves|3|2.60|0.914|185|
GK|Jonathan Iilahti|-92|6.01|174|L|Blues|2|3.12|0.911|77|\|Sport|10|1.96|0.932|613|\|Sport/Blues|6|3.52|0.889|358|
GK|Christopher Gibson|-92|6.01|187|L|-|-|-|-|-|\|-|-|-|-|-|\|Chicoutimi (QMJHL)|21|3.15|0.886|1179|

Defensemen:

P.|Name|Year|H.|lbs.|L/R|SM-liiga|GP|G|A|Pts|+/-|\|Mestis|GP|G|A|Pts|+/-|\|Jr.|GP|G|A|Pts|+/-
D|Jani Hakanpää|-92|6.05|218|R|Blues|23|2|4|6|+4|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|\|Blues|5|0|4|4|+3|
D|Rasmus Ristolainen|-94|6.03|198|R|TPS|21|2|2|4|-9|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|\|TPS|4|0|2|2|+4|
D|Ville Pokka|-94|6.00|198|R|Kärpät|15|0|2|2|-2|\|K-Laser|9|1|7|8|+4|\|Kärpät|4|3|4|7|+2|
D|Simo-Pekka Riikola|-92|6.01|176|R|KalPa|12|0|2|2|-1|\|SaPKo|6|0|2|2|-4|\|KalPa|8|5|5|10|+2|
D|Konsta Mäkinen|-92|5.09|170|L|Ilves|5|1|0|1|+2|\|LeKi|17|0|1|1|+1|\|Ilves|3|1|1|2|-2|
D|Joonas Valkonen|-93|6.01|187|L|Blues|2|1|1|2|+3|\|KooKoo|18|2|1|3|+4|\|Blues|2|0|0|0|-1|
D|Julius Nyqvist|-92|5.11|183|R|-|-|-|-|-|-|\|K-Vantaa|22|1|3|4|-2|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|
D|Miro Hovinen|-92|6.02|187|L|-|-|-|-|-|-|\|K-Vantaa|13|2|4|6|+1|\|Jokerit|13|2|3|5|+3|
D|Olli Määttä|-94|6.02|198|L|-|-|-|-|-|-|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|\|London (OHL)|28|1|12|13|+16|

Forwards:

P.|Name|Year|H.|lbs.|L/R|SM-liiga|GP|G|A|Pts|+/-|\|Mestis|GP|G|A|Pts|+/-|\|Jr.|GP|G|A|Pts|+/-
CE|Mikael Granlund|-92|5.10|183|L|HIFK|27|12|22|34|+15|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|
RW|Teemu Pulkkinen|-92|5.10|185|R|Jokerit|28|9|9|18|-1|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|
C/W|Miikka Salomäki|-93|5.11|205|L|Kärpät|25|8|9|17|+9|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|
RW|Joel Armia|-93|6.03|192|R|Ässät|28|7|8|15|+2|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|
W/C|Markus Granlund|-93|5.11|166|L|HIFK|23|6|9|15|+10|\|K-Vantaa|1|0|0|0|+0|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|
LW|Joonas Donskoi|-92|6.00|183|R|Kärpät|26|3|7|10|+2|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|
CE|Aleksandr Barkov|-95|6.02|194|L|Tappara|19|5|4|9|+5|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|\|Tappara|5|2|3|5|+2|
C/W|Otto Paajanen|-92|5.10|176|L|HPK|18|1|1|2|-1|\|KooKoo|4|0|0|0|-2|\|HPK|6|7|1|8|-4|
C/W|Alexander Ruuttu|-92|6.01|181|R|Jokerit|10|1|0|1|-1|\|K-Vantaa|11|2|6|8|-2|\|Jokerit|10|6|8|14|+12|
C/W|Mikael Kuronen|-92|5.11|172|R|Ilves|15|0|1|1|-2|\|LeKi|7|1|2|3|-2|\|Ilves|4|1|1|2|+2|
C/W|Miro Aaltonen|-93|5.10|165|L|Blues|13|0|0|0|-1|\|Jokipojat|5|2|3|5|+3|\|Blues|9|7|13|20|+11|
W|Markus Hännikäinen|-93|6.02|187|L|Jokerit|11|0|0|0|+0|\|K-Vantaa|5|2|0|2|+3|\|Jokerit|14|6|7|13|+1|
C/W|Petteri Halinen|-92|6.04|200|L|-|-|-|-|-|-|\|JYP Ak.|24|1|9|10|-5|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|
C/W|Roope Hämäläinen|-92|5.10|167|L|-|-|-|-|-|-|\|Jukurit|23|3|3|6|+0|\|-|-|-|-|-|-|

 

[Needles]

I have nothing against Helminen as a person and he was one of my favorite players back in the day, but why would someone do that?

That's the way Kummola runs things. He usually hires ex-players around himself to be his yes men (Jutila, Kurri etc) so he can have all the power. That's why he can act as a dictator in Finnish hockey and alone decide who will be the next coach (Shedden) or fire a succesful coach 'cause the players didn't like him (Summanen).

Kummola has done great things for Finnish hockey but he really should step down and let someone else take the helm. Kummola's current term will end in 2014 when he'll be 69 years old. Hopefully Kekäläinen or Westerlund were available to bring some professionalism to the hockey federation.

 

[Needles]

Preliminary roster

[rant]
Well, I like that Raipe gave Ullberg a chance. I have no idea why Nyqvist was chosen over guys like Vainonen and Räty. And what Roope Hämäläinen has done to be in this team? Rautiainen has been on fire lately in FEL and Teräväinen could be an impact player. Halinen, Kuronen and Paajanen, come on....

And no Mustonen, really
[/rant]

 

[ChadS]

Too bad Teräväinen did not even make the pre-tournament camp. This could and probably will be a big hit on his draft status. He's centering Jokerit's first line against HIFK tonight.

Well, he'll get to play tough European games at the European Trophy finals.

 

[bebl]

Raipe WTF? Roope Hämäläinen?

 

[Needles]

Markus Granlund - Mikael Granlund - Teemu Pulkkinen
Joonas Donskoi - Miikka Salomäki - Joel Armia
Aleksander Ruuttu - Aleksander Barkov - Miro Aaltonen

I can live with that.

 

[WayneBruce]

So the players outside the preliminary roster have no chance of making the team? Was hoping for my fellow Skellefteåan Mustonen to make it.