Team Finland @ 2014 U18 WHC

[kelsier]

Gah, that injury didn't look good for Rantanen who seems to be our best forward for the tournament. Wonder what the heck is going on with Saarela or did he perform bad on the pre-tournee games or something? Maybe he has unintensional habit of pissing off the coaches and be benched

 

[fr9dd9]

Gah, that injury didn't look good for Rantanen who seems to be our best forward for the tournament. Wonder what the heck is going on with Saarela or did he perform bad on the pre-tournee games or something? Maybe he has unintensional habit of pissing off the coaches and be benched

Any updates on rantanen? Is the tourney over for him?

 

[JJTT]

Any updates on rantanen? Is the tourney over for him?

He will likely to be able to continue playing. Nothing confirmed yet though.

I didn't like Lämsä as 2c, hoping to see Saarela there but with Sopanen likely out for the tournament, that seems unlikely.

 

[Yakushev72]

As far as I know, this is the only thread on HF Boards for the World U18. Are there any streams?

 

[FiLe]

As far as I know, this is the only thread on HF Boards for the World U18.

Daily threads seem to appear on the main int'l forum: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1649069

 

[Jussi]

He will likely to be able to continue playing. Nothing confirmed yet though.

I didn't like Lämsä as 2c, hoping to see Saarela there but with Sopanen likely out for the tournament, that seems unlikely.

http://keskustelu.jatkoaika.com/showpost.php?p=5332464&postcount=111

 

[VictorLustig]

Any highlights?

 

[Suurikelmi]

Any highlights?

There you go: http://www.mtv.fi/sport/mm2014/uuti...tanskan---loukkaantumiset-varjostivat-voittoa

 

[Keke]

Any confirmed news about Rantanen and/or Sopanen?

 

[FinPanda]

Any confirmed news about Rantanen and/or Sopanen?

Rantanen has been on ice tonight. If something suprising don't happen, Sopanen is out.

http:///www.mtv.fi/sport/mm2014/uutiset.shtml/2014/04/1883483/pikkuleijonien-kokoonpanoon-tulossa-muutoksia

 

[Gaps]

Which is why I said "apparently".

Here's more on it. If the candid wording is to go by, he indeed appears to be out of the lineup, but not the team altogether. No illness or injury though, so wonder what's the reason.

I can only think of 2 alternatives:

1) Urama thinks his showings are insufficient (the pre-tournament game against Canada is the only U18 game he's been able to play this season) and despite the skill Saarela has, the coach is afraid he will mess up the chemistry of the team that's played together quite a few games already.

2) Disciplinary reasons. Saarela is quite the character IIRC, although Dufva has said his character is good for a hockey player as long as it's controlled.

 

[Periwinkle]

I have to say reason #2 crossed my mind as well, it's not like we have an abundance of touted young players so the benching seems odd. I know absolutely nothing about his character and haven't heard any stories, though.

 

[Suurikelmi]

According to MTV3 reporter Rantanen not at the morning practice. Saarela is at top power play unit.
https://twitter.com/Trajamaki11/status/457428376056504320

 

[FiLe]

According to MTV3 reporter Rantanen not at the morning practice. Saarela is at top power play unit.

The official lineup, however...

It's pretty clear now that Saarela is in Urama's doghouse. It must be discipline concerning his attitude, no other explanation.

 

[kelsier]

Man that's just crazy. Saarela has all the skill in the world to play this. Too bad there's no way to know what's happening behind the curtain. Some insight would be nice though.

Well I suppose I'd be rather pissed too, to be kind of added on the roster and on the same day dropped out of it. What kind of coach is Urama anyway?

 

[Tormentor]

It's pretty clear now that Saarela is in Urama's doghouse. It must be discipline concerning his attitude, no other explanation.

We can still register Mattsson to this tournament in case another D goes down in addition to Sopanen. We would loose that possibility if Saarela takes that last open roster spot. This might partly be the reason why Urama is keeping Saarela on a leash for now.

 

[Periwinkle]

if indeed this is a discipline issue, maybe the tactic is to have Saarela "learn the lesson" with sitting him in games against easier opponents (which we should win anyway, all the while acknowleging Switzerland's upset potential) and then have him back for the games where his contribution is more needed.

 

[Gaps]

It would be a very risky strategy to sit your 2nd line center (who has barely played with this team this season) for several games just to teach him a lesson. If he's really in Urama's doghouse, he ought to be at home and not in the press box but I don't think Urama had the guts to send him home because he knows he needs all the talent he can get. Nevertheless, I don't believe Saarela will play a single game unless a forward gets badly injured or Urama presses the panic button.

 

[Suurikelmi]

Saarela centering 2nd line instead of Lämsä during practice today.
https://twitter.com/Trajamaki11/status/457841527168184320

 

[Gaps]

... But he sure isn't playing today.

http://leijonat.fi/uutiset/tuoreimm...ikkuleijonien-kentalliset-tshekki-peliin.html

 

[JJTT]

... But he sure isn't playing today.

http://leijonat.fi/uutiset/tuoreimm...ikkuleijonien-kentalliset-tshekki-peliin.html

Weird. I quess Urama is worried of another d-man getting injured and won't play Saarela unless it's absoletely necessary.

 

[kelsier]

After the game against Czech it's more than obvious that the first line is lacking playmaking. Kapanen seems to be the only spotlight there. Will Urama get up his arse and personal issues (which they seem to be) and give this kid his chance remains to be seen I suppose. The competition is getting only tougher and we're not winning gold with current team, that atleast is a fact unless we're having punch of lottery wins of which I wouldn't count on too much.

 

[JJTT]

The first and 3rd line are just not working. Hoping to see something like tomorrow:

Hopponen-Saarela-Kapanen
Rantanen-Lämsä-Lammikko
Aho-Kalapudas-Honkanen
Mäkinen-Mäkinen-Kauppinen
Kiviranta

Well because it's Urama he isn't going to do **** and this will be a very short tournament for us.

 

[Gaps]

I would very much like to know what it is about Saarela that Urama doesn't like. If he truly is like Dufva's said he is, then he is a very potential game changer and given a chance, he should come out playing with a chip on his shoulder.

The 1st line is struggling because it has no creativity, the only solution they have is giving the puck to Kapanen, who doesn't give it back. Throwing Saarela in there couldn't possibly make things any worse. Kapanen has been quite selfish with the puck and he needs a linemate who doesn't feel like he needs to hand over the puck to him all the time.

 

[fr9dd9]

I would very much like to know what it is about Saarela that Urama doesn't like. If he truly is like Dufva's said he is, then he is a very potential game changer and given a chance, he should come out playing with a chip on his shoulder.

The 1st line is struggling because it has no creativity, the only solution they have is giving the puck to Kapanen, who doesn't give it back. Throwing Saarela in there couldn't possibly make things any worse. Kapanen has been quite selfish with the puck and he needs a linemate who doesn't feel like he needs to hand over the puck to him all the time.

100% with you on that