If team Finland would be a NHL team, would they win the cup?

[KoozNetsOff 92]

No way. That D is absolute junk and I highly doubt Rinne would come to the rescue every game, especially without Josi/Subban/Ekholm/Ellis in front of him. Top 6 ain't bad though.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Man, is that really how their defense looks these days? Wow. Gone are the days of Timonen and Numminen, I guess.

Just looked it up... those are literally all of Finland's NHL defensemen. Just enough of them to fill one team. I feel like they've usually had a deeper defense than that. Am I remembering incorrectly?

To answer the question, I think they're a team that would make the playoffs, probably, but I wouldn't call them favorites with that defense.

We have Juolevi, Heiskanen, Välimäki, Julius Honka, Jokiharju and Vaakanainen in the pipeline. Anttoni Honka is looking like a great prospect in the league. In a few years the D core will look a lot different.

 

[trick9]

Surprised me that team Finland has such a bad defense

They are absolutely loaded in D prospects though.

Give it a year or two and the defense they are icing for the WJC might already be better than that group.

 

[McGenerational]

No, but they'd instantly become the most overrated team, that's for sure.

 

[tony d]

Probably not but would make the playoffs and might win a round.

 

[These Are The Days]

No, they'd get beaten by team Sweden

Savage!!!!!!

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

Ristolainen-Määttä is a passable 1st pairing, Lindell-Vatanen a good 2nd pairing and Nutivaara-Honka a good 3rd pairing. Overall, I'd say it would be about average in the league. Very offense-oriented, though. The forward group is pretty good. A great 1st line, basically 2 2nd lines and a good 4th line. Goalies are solid.

Definitely a playoff team, but I don't think they would be my cup-favourite.

 

[flamesforcup]

No, but they'd instantly become the most overrated team, that's for sure.

Leafs are still in the league in this scenario

 

[RageQuit77]

Team Finland vs Toronto Maple Leafs Winter Classics in the Hakametsä, hell yes!

Team Finland would need only few lines of NHL players... uh hmmm.... not necessarily. :p

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Pretty solid and would win 1-2 rounds.

Don't think they'd win the cup with that D though. Pretty average backend until some of the younger Finnish defencemen come through the ranks in 2-3 years.

 

[BlueBaron]

Leafs are still in the league in this scenario

No thread is immune to petty cheap shots against the Leafs I see. Hope you feel special. The obsession some Westerners have with Toronto never stops surprising me.

I agree that they would not be a cup favorite but they would certainly be a playoff team. It's kind of a funny topic because their obvious solution is to trade some Goalie depth for D but that doesn't work here.

Who would their head office and coaching staff be? All the national team guys?

 

[Arwin]

Team Finland would be a perennial shootout dynasty with players like Barkov, Laine, Donskoi, Aho & Granlund.

 

[Jugitsu]

Team Finland would be a perennial shootout dynasty with players like Barkov, Laine, Donskoi, Aho & Granlund.

Don't forget Koivu, who may posses only 2 moves in his arsenal but has been very effective throughout his career. Same can be said about Jokinen, who was considered a shootout specialist and possible the best shootout specialist in the NHL for a while.

 

[MaxV]

Beauty about hockey is that it can be very unpredictable.

We have seen underdogs making deep playoff runs.

Sure, I think it's possible, especially with a good coach who can figure out how to hide defensive weaknesses.

 

[Roshi]

Not this year, but if they add good pieces by drafting well and doing couple big UFA-signings I can see them have a chance in few years.

 

[end]

Finland is in a rebuild after their franchise legends aged out and retired.

Sweden, too, honestly.

 

[Damisoph]

No thread is immune to petty cheap shots against the Leafs I see. Hope you feel special. The obsession some Westerners have with Toronto never stops surprising me.

I agree that they would not be a cup favorite but they would certainly be a playoff team. It's kind of a funny topic because their obvious solution is to trade some Goalie depth for D but that doesn't work here.

Who would their head office and coaching staff be? All the national team guys?

and it's cute when Flames and Oilers fans can unite with their irrational hatred.

As for the thread, there is no way in hell that roster challenges for a Cup. Defense is real bad.

 

[CenturionOne]

No, top heavy

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

On paper team Finland looks better than in years, at least forwards do. Defense is still lackluster to say the least. Damn shame we don't get to see any NHL players in the Olympics.

Could have been to soon for defenders.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

Not quite yet, let’s see how Tolvanen, Puljujarvi and Heiskanen(and some other prospects) develop and Then we shall talk.

At which time Koivu, Filppula, Rinne etc. will be gone.

 

[McClelland]

Perhaps gets true the first round depending on the division! The D killing them, though they have very good two way forwards!
Rinne isnt elite, probably between 12- 15 in the Nhl and let in to much in a strong Nash Defense! Finland has some prospects to hope for as someone mention, but so have Sweden in pettersson and Dahlin!

 

[FVM]

Perhaps gets true the first round depending on the division! The D killing them, though they have very good two way forwards!
Rinne isnt elite, probably between 12- 15 in the Nhl and let in to much in a strong Nash Defense! Finland has some prospects to hope for as someone mention, but so have Sweden in pettersson and Dahlin!

OK!

 

[McClelland]

OK!

The good thing for your team, no cap hell!

 

[MMANumminen]

Quite easily they would. Probably wouldn't lose a game

 

[NoOffense]

Well almost all of their forwards are very defense oriented or at least responsibles and like already someone mentioned with the right coach like Jukka Jalonen (who I think could do very well in NHL) they would be tough to beat.

And BTW Joonas Donskoi is extremely underrated. He has been Sharks second best forward this season. I'd put him in the second line and drop Haula to the fourth otherwise the lines look good. Definitely a contender in my mind.