Finnish National Team 2014-2015 season.

[JJTT]

I don't think there is any point scouting AHL this early of the season. When they have better understanding which players might be available for the WC, then plan the trip, watch some games, interview players etc.
Watching 3-4 games from Teräväinen,Pokka or Armia now doesn't really help with anything.

 

[FiLe]

I don't think there is any point scouting AHL this early of the season. When they have better understanding which players might be available for the WC, then plan the trip, watch some games, interview players etc.
Watching 3-4 games from Teräväinen,Pokka or Armia now doesn't really help with anything.

Indeed. What the Nose and Lehtinen are currently doing is establish relations with those possible no-brainer picks. To put it in corporate language, they're the new bosses in the house, getting themselves known among the existing workforce. The time for further recruitment becomes later. Unless they get complacent. Which they shouldn't.

 

[ES]

It's funny how in 2008's World Championships Shedden & Kurri were raving about Pihlström. "He's a good young player, he scored 27 goals in AHL this year." Well, last year Markus Granlund scored 25 and Pulkkinen scored 30. And both were left out even from preliminary camp rosters. No one seemed to care.

Granlund was tied to AHL playoffs until May 2 (that was Friday of Sweden Hockey Games) and Pulkkinen until May 18. So it was "choose them without having NT games before WC" or don't choose them at all.

Salomäki was selected from AHL though.

 

[Needles]

Salomäki was selected from AHL though.

Totally forgot about that.

 

[FiLe]

Salomäki was selected from AHL though.

Which is still puzzling as heck. Since of all the available player types, he was one the team least needed at that point.

 

[Erikfromfin]

People were also excited about Haula since he was producing in NHL playoffs but didnt deliver at the world champs.

 

[Needles]

People were also excited about Haula since he was producing in NHL playoffs but didnt deliver at the world champs.

Unfamiliar role (played as top6 winger), bigger rink (Haula has played in NA for years), new coach, new system, limited time to practice, letlag etc. No wonder he was a bit underwhelming.

 

[wings5]

Unfamiliar role (played as top6 winger), bigger rink (Haula has played in NA for years), new coach, new system, limited time to practice, letlag etc. No wonder he was a bit underwhelming.

Just to correct one point, the U of Minnesota plays on an International sized ice surface.

 

[mattihp]

He seemed to be told to play a defensive role and did that VERY well. He played PK and not PP and was the defensive conscious of his line.

 

[Gaps]

People were expecting way too much from Haula (see also: A. Mäkinen's expectations of Jori Lehterä for this season). NHL 3rd liner = not a messiah in the WHC.

As far as the scouting trips go, I'm sure they will be back in NA later this season. They haven't even been to Minnesota yet. If they don't start scouting the AHL after Christmas, then there's reason to worry. For now I'm going to trust that Lehtinen will do as he's promised.

 

[FiLe]

The Nose has picked his troops for the Karjala Tournament:


Atte Engren, Atlant Mytischy
Juha Metsola, Tappara

Juuso Hietanen, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
Tommi Kivistö, Ilves
Ville Koistinen, HC Davos
Mikko Kousa, Lukko
Lasse Kukkonen, Kärpät
Ville Lajunen, Jokerit
Esa Lindell, Ässät
Tuukka Mäntylä, Tappara
Kristian Näkyvä, Luleå HF
Atte Ohtamaa, Jokerit

Ilari Filppula, HC Lugano
Teemu Hartikainen, Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Juha-Pekka Hytönen, Lausanne
Jarkko Immonen, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
Julius Junttila, Kärpät
Joonas Kemppainen, Kärpät
Tuomas Kiiskinen, Vaxjö Lakers
Oskar Osala, Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Olli Palola, Tappara
Janne Pesonen, Ak Bars Kazan
Lennart Petrell, Luleå HF
Antti Pihlström, Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Sakari Salminen, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
Jani Tuppurainen, JYP
Petteri Wirtanen, Fribourg-Gotteron


Interesting squad. Contains most of the usual suspects from Europe, with one or two exceptions, but also a fair handful of fresh names. It's a bit curious to see this many NLA players in there. Not that they don't deserve it, but... it's almost like 2007 all over again. Actually, with 10 players from Liiga, 9 from KHL, 5 from NLA and 3 from Elitserien, it's quite pan-European group. They sure aren't taking pauses at least what comes to home continent scouting.

 

[Gaps]

Petrell and Koistinen Where's Mittens?

A no longer developing player who makes the NT but then ends up not making it for several years is rarely worth another chance.

 

[rduck1]

Petrell and Koistinen Where's Mittens?

A no longer developing player who makes the NT but then ends up not making it for several years is rarely worth another chance.

KJ was the one who turned Petrell into the unstoppable monster he was in 2010-2011. If there's a chance to get him back on that kind of form, it should be thoroughly investigated. I think it's a good mix of safe and experimental picks, and pretty well balanced overall.

 

[bebl]

I like this team. Too many offensive D's though.

 

[FiLe]

A no longer developing player who makes the NT but then ends up not making it for several years is rarely worth another chance.

I think our (hopefully temporary) shortage of left-hooked ODs prompted Jalonen to give Koistinen another shot. Save for the two most established ones, Lepistö and Mäenpää, that group contains most of the even slightly potential ones. Eronen and Heikkinen are missing.

Another point of curiosity is how Jalonen assesses the loss of centres with top line potential after Lehterä and Kontiola crossed the pond. Kemppainen was an expected addition, Filppula less so... but an understandable one nonetheless.

To me, this is a promising group. It shows signs that Jalonen understands where our weaknesses lie and has set on to strengthen them. Of course, only the future squads will show if he really is trying to leave no stone unturned or just quickly establishing a ring of favorites he ends up picking no matter what.

 

[FinPanda]

"Pohjois-Amerikassa valmennusjohto kävi kuuden ottelun kiertueella, jonka aikana se tapasi kaikkiaan 14 NHL:n suomalaispelaajaa. Lehtinen on halunnut panostaa enemmän myös AHL-pelaajien tarkkailuun.

– AHL:n suunnitelma on se, että tekisimme siellä kierroksen nuorten MM-kisoihin mentäessä. Sitä emme ole vielä itse asiassa rakentaneet lainkaan, mutta se on tässä työn alla seuraavaksi, Jalonen kertoi."

Sounds good. Maybe we'll see AHL players in the WHC.

 

[ES]

Something like this could be a good schedule for AHL tour. With most of AHL games taking place at weekend I think two weekends is good way to go.

Nov 14th
Adirondack @ Lake Erie (Granlund, Ortio, Aittokallio)
Nov 15th
Rockford @ Milwaukee (Pokka, Teräväinen, Salomäki)
Nov 16th
Rochester @ Hamilton (Armia)
Nov 18th
Toronto @ St. John's (Kontiola, Gibson)
Nov 21th
Grand Rapids @ Lake Erie (Pulkkinen, Aittokallio)
Nov 22th
Iowa @ Chicago (Keränen, Hakanpää, Lindbohm)
Nov 23th
Texas @ San Antonio (Honka, Rynnäs)

Charlotte, Oklahoma City and Syracuse would be missing from Finnish players' teams but it's difficult to add all.

 

[master4071]

Good to see Lindell and Kivistö, moreover I have nothing against giving Ville Koistinen another look. I don't understand Ilkka Heikkinen absence. He was overlooked last season in NLA and now when he is very effective in KHL he is still outside. Jarno Koskiranta should be there, if we are looking for top six center, not guy like Filppula. Would be interesting to see Metsola in action.

 

[FiLe]

I don't understand Ilkka Heikkinen absence. He was overlooked last season in NLA and now when he is very effective in KHL he is still outside. Jarno Koskiranta should be there, if we are looking for top six center, not guy like Filppula. Would be interesting to see Metsola in action.

And I don't really understand these "why is player X absent" wails. Let's keep in mind that it's only the first of many squads to play NT games this season, and even as it is, there are limited slots in any given team. Even this one is slightly overcrowded, given how it's got 15 forwards and 10 d-men - enough material for five full units.

Jalonen said when he revealed the team that he wishes to check out every potential NT player over the season and that the batch heading to the Russian tournament will largely different. I suggest we at least wait for the release of that squad as well before we start calling Jalonen out for ignoring some players.

 

[master4071]

And I don't really understand these "why is player X absent" wails. Let's keep in mind that it's only the first of many squads to play NT games this season, and even as it is, there are limited slots in any given team. Even this one is slightly overcrowded, given how it's got 15 forwards and 10 d-men - enough material for five full units.

Jalonen said when he revealed the team that he wishes to check out every potential NT player over the season and that the batch heading to the Russian tournament will largely different. I suggest we at least wait for the release of that squad as well before we start calling Jalonen out for ignoring some players.

I do believe in Jalonen's job, but traditionally Karjala Cup squad was the strongest one, with almost all of our best "european" guys, other parts of EHT was time to experiment, so...Also seems logical to give a chance to player when he is in good shape and Heikkinen lokks really good right now. Welll we will see, maybe in Russia tournament we will see all others KHL players...

 

[FiLe]

I wonder how many people actually care about the result of the Karjala Cup? Not very many, I presume. I know I don't, really.

Perhaps Jalonen doesn't either. After all, apart from "not taking the best players", he also took an overcrowded squad, which is another indicator that checking out as many players as he can is primary and looking good is secondary. The time to look good comes at the WHC.

If this is the case, it makes him even more awesome in my eyes. We've seen too little to judge them completely, but this combo of Lehtinen & KJ feels like an incredible breath of fresh air after the stagnation that was Kurri & Erkka - at least what comes to player selection.

 

[Needles]

Lennart Petrell -> Markus Hännikäinen. Donskoi should have been picked also.

Otherwise I like the squad.

 

[FiLe]

Lennart Petrell -> Markus Hännikäinen. Donskoi should have been picked also.

Otherwise I like the squad.

You are aware that there are more NT games to come in this season? And that Jalonen does not intend to take this same squad into all of 'em?

 

[Needles]

You are aware that there are more NT games to come in this season? And that Jalonen does not intend to take this same squad into all of 'em?

No I wasn't. Not at all. Hännikäinen has been probably the biggest surprise in FEL this year and I would have liked to see him get rewarded.

Sometimes people will have different opinions than you. You just have to learn to accept that.

 

[QnebO]

Jokerit D > NT D in this tournament.

No wonder that team that was stated as "basicly Jokerit" even by haters won World Championship silver last WC.