I think this was real chance for Finland...

[chewmeister]

Do you really think it's matters???

Did you even watch these games at all???

What kind a post is this we just lose Olympic final. Sure it matters i watched all Finland's games except against czech Republic. I am just worried about Finland's future of hockey. Maybe to players silver might feel better in time but as a spectator silvers doesnt feel to me so good maybe that all so effects which country we lost the championship. I have feeling that part of me died yesterday

And this Aftonbladets arrogant attitude just makes me angry:
http://img.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/0602/25/finlandvit.jpg

They posted this earlier before match

 

[Rob]

It is really too early predict anything. You never know who Finland's star player will be 4 years from now. After Nagano many people said the future of Canadian hockey was bleak. New players emerged.

 

[An Ape called Yoko]

On the contrary, I think Finland is one of the up-and-coming teams in hockey. They have a great stable of goaltenders and they don't need flashy offensive prospects to run their system.

I also think Sweden's impending demise is greatly exagerrated. Sure they are going to drop off from the level of play provided by guys like Lidstrom and Forsberg but with Lundqvist, Zetterberg, the Sedins, Kronwall, and new talent down the line (Backstrom, Bergfors, etc.), they will still be competitive.

Actually i think your quite right. Bäckström will be a real real goodie... but behind him there´s even someone better in Mikael Backlund who looks even better... I´d say the future looks bright, although no one will be as good as foppa.

 

[hifk88]

Sorry but u gave names that arent gonna be top players in NHL. And Tuomo Ruutu might end his career soon because of injuries. Joensuu,Nokelainen,Tukonen will not be players who will lead us to Olympic gold in future.Goalie situation looks better but our forwards in future might not be level of Selänne or S.Koivu. Pitkänen is very good offensive defender. And i trust we will have good defenders but out attack will not be good enough not so much potential.Shame that we didnt win Sweden already got so many Olympic wins before :/

What kind a post is this we just lose Olympic final.

I ment that it doesn't really matter are they TOP players
on their NHL teams when they are playing for Olympic gold!

 

[Trottier]

silver medalists = 1st place out of all the losers

 

[doom2]

Yes, this was THE chance of a lifetime. I still have high hopes for a finnish gold medal in olympic hockey sometime in the future. But I'm not so sure if we'll ever see a FIN-SWE olympic final again... I hope. And I hope we catch the gold then.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

On the contrary, I think Finland is one of the up-and-coming teams in hockey. They have a great stable of goaltenders and they don't need flashy offensive prospects to run their system.

Agreed, they were missing their two best players under the age of 25 (Ruutu & Pitkanen).

Pitkanen is arguably their best skater and he's only 22.

 

[Archijerej]

Lehtonen, Nittymaeki, Toivonen, Pitkanen, Vaananen, Laakso, Korhonen, O.Jokinen, J.Jokinen, T.Ruutu, Tukonen, Korpikoski, Filppula, Joenssu, Nokelainen, M.Koivu, good enough group to be optimistic, especially when you consider that not all of current player are gonna retire.

 

[007]

I think the overall skill level of the Finnish team is going to go up, but we're going to lose our top-end talent. I don't see any Selänne or Koivu replacements to fill up the first line other than Ruutu. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[mattihp]

I think the overall skill level of the Finnish team is going to go up, but we're going to lose our top-end talent. I don't see any Selänne or Koivu replacements to fill up the first line other than Ruutu. I hope I'm wrong.

Give Olli a talented youngster and some chemistry between the those, and I wouldn't say Tuomo is without top-end linemates

 

[Jussi]

Give Olli a talented youngster and some chemistry between the those, and I wouldn't say Tuomo is without top-end linemates

Tuomo will never be a goal scorer the in the calibre Selänne is, no matter who he plays with.

 

[mattihp]

Tuomo will never be a goal scorer the in the calibre Selänne is, no matter who he plays with.

On international ice, I doubt we'll see a such pure goal scorer anyway...

 

[BIG GIFS]

To Finland, always like them because of Saku at first, but now I'm always taking them in any video game . I love the Jokinens, Tuomo Ruutu, Pitkanen, Lethinen and Lehtonen.

I definitely think that they will win a gold medal soon, 2010 will be their year again.

 

[AgentNaslund*]

To Finland, always like them because of Saku at first, but now I'm always taking them in any video game . I love the Jokinens, Tuomo Ruutu, Pitkanen, Lethinen and Lehtonen.

I definitely think that they will win a gold medal soon, 2010 will be their year again.

Sorry, I dont think, SElanna will be around for much longer, he will be 40 by then, Koivu will be like 35, and those guys are the top end talents.

Sorry to say, I think Canada will have a real shot at gold in 2010. They are gonna ice the best team together, rather then build a team based on Loyalty.

 

[LannysStach]

nobody's mentioned that Saku Koivu was elected as one of the only 2 Athlete Representatives to the Olympic Executive committee – meaning a hockey player will have a key voice in making the next hockey round even better in 2010.

it's a testiment to the quality of his character, and a nice tribute to the Finns.

and i'll tell ya, when i look back at these Olympics, i'll think of the Finns. (am i spelling that right?) they were The Team of these Games. five freakin shut-outs! when has That ever happened since the Olympics became competitive?

 

[Slime]

Sorry but u gave names that arent gonna be top players in NHL. And Tuomo Ruutu might end his career soon because of injuries. Joensuu,Nokelainen,Tukonen will not be players who will lead us to Olympic gold in future.Goalie situation looks better but our forwards in future might not be level of Selänne or S.Koivu. Pitkänen is very good offensive defender. And i trust we will have good defenders but out attack will not be good enough not so much potential.Shame that we didnt win Sweden already got so many Olympic wins before :/

I gave you a bunch of names to convince you that the talent of Selanne, Lehtinen and Numminen will be replaced by 2010. Of course some of the young finnish prospects will fail, but some of them will surprise us instead.

Thru the last few years so many finns have said Selänne is washed out and almost worthless as a top-scorer, but now all of a sudden he is an unreplaceable God again! And everyone said Olli Jokinen is a pathetic loser but he silenced them all!
I can't guarantee that Finland will have a superb top-line like Selänne-Koivu-Lehtinen in 2010, and we probably won't, but what if the combination of the 1st and 2nd line in 2010 will be at least as good as the 1st and 2nd in Turin?

2006:
Selänne - S. Koivu - Lehtinen
J Jokinen - OJ - Peltonen

Three of those will be available in 2010 (Koivu, JJ and OJ), so only Selänne, Lehtinen and Peltonen will have to be replaced. And you don't think that will be possible by picking three guys out of:
Tuomo Ruutu
Lauri Tukonen
Mikko Koivu
Jesse Joensuu
P Nokelainen
Perttu Lindgren
Valtteri Filppula

Plus it's quite safe to say that there will be a lot more players to choose from in 2010 for the defensive lines. It's amazing if people can't see that Finland's overall skill and depth on offense clearly will be improved.

 

[soso]

Finns

Definitively, Finns deserved this gold medal, they're No. 1 in this moment,

Best wishes from Macedonia

 

[Moon Man*]

Definitively, Finns deserved this gold medal, they're No. 1 in this moment,

Best wishes from Macedonia

Congratulations to TEAM FINLAND... GOLD MEDAL CHAMPIONS!!!

 

[Bloggins]

Congratulations to TEAM FINLAND... GOLD MEDAL CHAMPIONS!!!

WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gold for the Finns. And about time too

 

[Susanna]

I like the post but I have to feel for Niitymaki here. He just won MVP of the Olympics, stood on his head many times and was just a great player for a team he wasn't even invited to and he gets snubbed on the list of good returning players!

I know it could have just been a slip or you think Lehtonen will be that much better by then... but the man just got you a medal! Show him some love.

Ditto! Niitty came out of nowhere and blindsided the world. Way to go!