WC: Team Finland 2019 men's World Championships roster talk

[king89]

Is Rasmus Kupari a name for the mens world championship? I think his style of play will suit the international hockey perfectly. I see that he is getting a shot to showcase himself in the upcoming Beijer hockey games.

 

[FinPanda]

Is Rasmus Kupari a name for the mens world championship? I think his style of play will suit the international hockey perfectly. I see that he is getting a shot to showcase himself in the upcoming Beijer hockey games.

Too bad he got injured. I don't think he will make the WHC team though.

 

[Lartsaman]

Maybe it will be different with Jalonen.

I believe when I see. When Jalonen last time coached lions, nhl-players weren´t so eager to represent national team either.

 

[Jussi]

I believe when I see. When Jalonen last time coached lions, nhl-players weren´t so eager to represent national team either.

At first, but things we're much better towards the end of his tenure. 2011 gold and 2016 WJC gold with several of our key NHL players means there's few players who'll say no to him as opposed to Marjamäki.

 

[Lepardi]

I believe when I see. When Jalonen last time coached lions, nhl-players weren´t so eager to represent national team either.

At first, but things we're much better towards the end of his tenure.

I checked the number of NHL players in Jalonen's WHC teams (not counting players who came into the tournament from the AHL):

2009: 5
2010: 4
2011: 5
2012: 4
2013: 1 (the NHL regular season ended on April 28th due to the lockout)

After the 2010 Olympics Vesa Rantanen and Tuomas Nyholm had some very interesting things to say about the problems Jalonen allegedly had with the NHL players.

 

[Jussi]

I checked the number of NHL players in Jalonen's WHC teams (not counting players who came into the tournament from the AHL):

2009: 5
2010: 4
2011: 5
2012: 4
2013: 1 (the NHL regular season ended on April 28th due to the lockout)

After the 2010 Olympics Vesa Rantanen and Tuomas Nyholm had some very interesting things to say about the problems Jalonen allegedly had with the NHL players.

That was known and that was then. It's public knowledge he's on good terms with them now. Several of the old guard were done with the national team or banged up or in contract negotiations.

 

[JabbaJabba]

Also, there are like 50 Finnish NHL players now, most who have not played under Jalonen so there's more supply than there was last time Jalonen was the coach.

 

[Mestaruus]

Way too early to do this but for the fun of it and little bit those contract situations in mind. We could get something like:

Hartikainen-Barkov-Granny
Teräväinen-Kotkaniemi-Kakko
Rajala-Borgström-Vesalainen
Pyörälä-M.Aaltonen-Heponiemi

Kontiola
Pyörälä (A lock in Jalonen's team. Let's be real.)
Miro Aaltonen (Not sure I want him as 4th like center and same goes for Kontiola. Planted him there anyways for now.)
Vesalainen (Actually might be called back to NHL/AHL after Jokerit is done. Oh well.)

Jokiharju (hopefully he will be free from AHL duties as well)
Vatanen (hard time with injuries this season but I'm feeling he'll come anyways)
Hakanpää
Ohtamaa
Oliwer Kaski

I don't want to think about the Euro players that much yet, but I mentioned some of them anyways.

Most of those NHL names sound quite realistic to me and we will get a lot more players from the first playoff round exit teams.

I'm aware that Montreal, Minnesota and Carolina are either close to or on wild card spots but even if they make it to the playoffs they might not go that far.

ChicagoBullsFan, you can add Iiro Pakarinen to the list of KHL players as well. We know that he's a valuable grinder with a scoring touch. 18 goals, 5 assists in 55 games this season is all right considering points aren't his main thing.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Tolvanen-Barkov-Granlund
Teräväinen-Kotkaniemi-Kakko
Aaltonen-Borgström-Vesalainen
Pesonen-Koivula-Anttila

Heiskanen-Vatanen
Nutivaara-Jokiharju
Ohtamaa-Hakanpää

Koskinen

 

[Mestaruus]

Tolvanen-Barkov-Granlund
Teräväinen-Kotkaniemi-Kakko
Aaltonen-Borgström-Vesalainen
Pesonen-Koivula-Anttila

Heiskanen-Vatanen
Nutivaara-Jokiharju
Ohtamaa-Hakanpää

Koskinen

Not bad.

However, Tolvanen over some KHL vet like Hartikainen would make the team worse maybe. We can expect Nashville to go far in the playoffs though so I didn't even mention him for that reason and perhaps he'll be in AHL playoffs as well. Last year Nashville let him go anyways, but maybe they won't this time as Tolvanen is now older and more accustomed to the NA sized rink. He could be more valuable as a backup for Nashville if someone gets injured compared to last year.

 

[king89]

Not bad.

However, Tolvanen over some KHL vet like Hartikainen would make the team worse maybe. We can expect Nashville to go far in the playoffs though so I didn't even mention him for that reason and perhaps he'll be in AHL playoffs as well. Last year Nashville let him go anyways, but maybe they won't this time as Tolvanen is now older and more accustomed to the NA sized rink. He could be more valuable as a backup for Nashville if someone gets injured compared to last year.

Hartikainen is so slooow, i don't want him in the team.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Kauhea uutinen: Kärppien ja Leijonien luottohyökkääjän koko kausi on ohi | Leijonat
Without season ending and surgery required injury Pyörälä would have been in the world championships team

 

[Mestaruus]

Kauhea uutinen: Kärppien ja Leijonien luottohyökkääjän koko kausi on ohi | Leijonat
Without season ending and surgery required injury Pyörälä would have been in the world championships team

Yeah he would've been in Jalonen's team. I wasn't against him nor for him as we got some similar guys like that. Antti Pihlström is one of those and I forgot to mention him in my roster post.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

No idea how realistic even this lineup would be but i could see Finland's team something like this.

1st Line Teräväinen Barkov Kakko
Heiskanen Jokiharju

2nd Line Vesalainen Kotkaniemi Tolvanen.
Vaakanainen Ristolainen

3rd Line Mi Aaltonen Borgström Jormakka
Lepistö Hietanen

4th Line Pakarinen Koskiranta Osala
7th Dman Ohtamaa / Hakanpää / Eronen / Laaksonen / Kaski ( depending injuries etc)
13th Forward Pihlström / Ruotsalainen / Heponiemi / Kupari / Björkqvist ( Depending injuries etc)

Goalies
Koskinen
Vehviläinen
Metsola

Karuja uutisia Leijonille! Useat NHL-tähdet sivuun MM-kisoista – näiden suomalaispelaajien sopimukset ovat katkolla | SuomiKiekko
All Finnish players who's contract in NHL / AHL expires this summer.
Sebastian Aho
Jesse Puljujärvi
Mikko Rantanen
Esa Lindell
Julius Honka
Kasperi Kapanen
Patrik Laine
Joel Armia
Artturi Lehkonen
Joonas Korpisalo
Markus Granlund
Joonas Donskoi
Valtteri Filppula
Juuso Riikola
Harri Säteri ( AHL)
Ville Husso ( AHL)
Antti Niemi
Kalle Kossila ( AHL)
Jori Lehterä ( AHL)
Juho Lammikko ( AHL)
Markus Hännikäinen
Antti Suomela ( AHL)
Saku Mäenalanen

 

[JabbaJabba]

I doubt that Tolvanen and Kotkaniemi are available. Montreal is going to the playoffs and even if they get eliminated early, I think Kotkaniemi skips the tournament because the season has been pretty long for him already. Nashville likely goes far in the playoffs and should keep Tolvanen with the team as a backup player if injuries happen.

I'm interested in seeing if Vesalainen makes the team or if he even wants to play. That guy does what he wants and maybe he doesn't want to play. I doubt he even makes the team that easily based on his play this year, he hasn't been that impressive.

Very difficult trying to predict the lineup, Barkov-Teräväinen-Heiskanen would be a solid basis to build on. I would like to see young guys make the team like Jokiharju, Vaakanainen etc. but often the national team will put older veterans ahead of these guys even though the team would be more exiting with young talent. Hartikainen, Manninen etc. will find their way into the roster. At least Kakko should be there. I'm interested to see, which start players from Liiga make it, guys like Kaski, Turunen, Palve and Hakanpää should have a good shot.

 

[mattihp]

I don't think we'll ever see Ristolainen in a Lions jersey again.

 

[Mestaruus]

I don't think we'll ever see Ristolainen in a Lions jersey again.

Let's say that if Buffalo won't make it to playoffs this year or they make it to playoffs and they exit after first round is done and he declines, then I agree, he will never come for anything else except best on best tournaments. So I think what his decision is this year will tell a lot. He probably still has an issue with GM Jere Lehtinen due to the incident 2-3 years ago when Kari Jalonen & Lehtinen treated him badly at the player camp.

I wish we had enough NHL defenders with good frame and size to decline Risto for best on best, but we dont have. Lindell is similar in frame and quite a bit better than Ristolainen in my opinion. We need couple more prospects to become next Lindells in order to decline Risto from best on best. I mean Ristolainen was all healthy bragging about golfing at the Bahamas on instagram while studs like Rantanen, Aho, Teräväinen, MiG and many others came to help last year. That was almost more annoying than anything.

 

[Mestaruus]

I doubt that Tolvanen and Kotkaniemi are available. Montreal is going to the playoffs and even if they get eliminated early, I think Kotkaniemi skips the tournament because the season has been pretty long for him already. Nashville likely goes far in the playoffs and should keep Tolvanen with the team as a backup player if injuries happen.

I'm interested in seeing if Vesalainen makes the team or if he even wants to play. That guy does what he wants and maybe he doesn't want to play. I doubt he even makes the team that easily based on his play this year, he hasn't been that impressive.

Very difficult trying to predict the lineup, Barkov-Teräväinen-Heiskanen would be a solid basis to build on. I would like to see young guys make the team like Jokiharju, Vaakanainen etc. but often the national team will put older veterans ahead of these guys even though the team would be more exiting with young talent. Hartikainen, Manninen etc. will find their way into the roster. At least Kakko should be there. I'm interested to see, which start players from Liiga make it, guys like Kaski, Turunen, Palve and Hakanpää should have a good shot.

I'm a bit more optimistic about Vesalainen coming since Jokerit's season is over then. Regarding the U20 invitation decline, he just didn't want any overlapping games going on to mess him up even more. What I mean by that is to get used to different systems and reset over and over again. He just wanted to focus on one thing at a time since Winnipeg moved him enough between AHL and NHL and he made a wise decision for staying in one place for a little bit longer. I fully understand why Vesalainen declined and I don't see any "Ristolainen thing" in him. Vesalainen probably won't continue in Jokerit next season so it's a good time for him to get some WHC games going and to get some more experience against NHL level players as well.

About Kotkaniemi I feel optimistic as he hasn't showed any signs of getting tired yet. I don't think that Montreal will go far in the playoffs if they make it there at all. I feel like only a deep playoff round could make him tired, but I don't believe enough in Montreal unfortunately.

Carolina on the other hand is looking pretty good now and they might even take some team out in playoff round one, so not so sure about Teuvo anymore.

I don't see Tolvanen as a too important piece. Similar case as Vesalainen except I see a little bit more potential in Vesalainen currently. Too many things going on in NHL playoffs & AHL for Tolvanen this year. So I don't see him joining and it doesn't really matter.

 

[Eye of Ra]

pillu is a good canidate for the 4th line.

 

[Lepardi]

I would like to see young guys make the team like Jokiharju, Vaakanainen etc. but often the national team will put older veterans ahead of these guys even though the team would be more exiting with young talent.

I don't see how Jokiharju would not be on the team if he wants to be there and his season in North America is over.

 

[JabbaJabba]

I don't see how Jokiharju would not be on the team if he wants to be there and his season in North America is over.

I hope he makes it, I'm just feeling a bit pessimistic. Like the management will pick some veteran guy over him like Jokipakka etc. player who everyone will blame and hate. I just doubt that men's team is full of 20 year olds.

 

[Akustiikka]

I expect Finland will struggle the next two tournaments. After then the talent pool in NHL will catch up, so that its impossible for them to not get a good team.

Now because of contract negotiations, lot of the team will be the same old euro/KHL players that will struggle against lesser nations. The last time Finland has finnished outside top 8 was 1955. You want to bet on it, bet on it now. It has been coming for some time now.

 

[BennsGonnaGetYou]

I don't think Finland will ever finnish outside of top 8 again tbh. No matter what players the team will consist of.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Anyone want to see Jussi Jokinen one last time in a Lions jersey?

 

[BennsGonnaGetYou]

Anyone want to see Jussi Jokinen one last time in a Lions jersey?

I would but I don't know if he feels that his NT days are over.