WJC: Team Finland 2019 U20 WJC Roster Talk

[JJTT]

If indeed both Vesalainen and Tolvanen are in I'd go with:

Heponiemi-Kupari-Tolvanen
Vesalainen-Kakko-Nordgren
Talvitie-Lundell-Ylönen(/Pajuniemi if healthy)
Ranta-Vainionpää-Virtanen
Engberg

Vaakanainen - Laaksonen
Kokkonen - Latvala
Utunen - Honka
Kaskinen - Thomson

Luukkonen
Lehtinen

PP1:

Kupari(netfront)
Heponiemi(left side)-Vesalainen(middle)-Tolvanen(right side)
Laaksonen(blueline)

PP2

Lundell
Ylönen-Nordgren-Kakko
Honka

 

[kelsier]

If indeed both Vesalainen and Tolvanen are in I'd go with:

Heponiemi-Kupari-Tolvanen
Vesalainen-Kakko-Nordgren
Talvitie-Lundell-Ylönen(/Pajuniemi if healthy)
Ranta-Vainionpää-Virtanen
Engberg

Vaakanainen - Laaksonen
Kokkonen - Latvala
Utunen - Honka
Kaskinen - Thomson

Luukkonen
Lehtinen

PP1:

Kupari(netfront)
Heponiemi(left side)-Vesalainen(middle)-Tolvanen(right side)
Laaksonen(blueline)

PP2

Lundell
Ylönen-Nordgren-Kakko
Honka

I actually like those lines. I'd maybe consider switching Tolvanen and Nordgren however because of the history between Tolvanen and Vesalainen. With Kakko in between that'd be a super line. Another option would be to promote Lundgren in the middle and switch Kupari on the wing if we wanted to tighten things up and ensure that the two first lines had the best players (not that I think Nordgren isn't good). But like I said, it looks good as it is. Nothing short of the gold medal would satisfy me from the tournament, especially if we get both Eeli and Kristian on board.

 

[ookhaab]

My personal take on our lineup, would love to see these lines/pairings.

Heponiemi - Kupari - Tolvanen
Vesalainen - Talvitie - Kakko
Puistola - Lundell - Nordgren
Killinen - Virtanen - Ylönen

Vaakanainen - Thomson
Kokkonen - Laaksonen
Utunen - Honka

Tho I personally doubt youngsters like Thomson, Kokkonen, Puistola, maybe even Lundell will be given this much responsibility, even though I think they would thrive when given the chance.

 

[thomast]

My personal take on our lineup, would love to see these lines/pairings.

Heponiemi - Kupari - Tolvanen
Vesalainen - Talvitie - Kakko
Puistola - Lundell - Nordgren
Killinen - Virtanen - Ylönen

Vaakanainen - Thomson
Kokkonen - Laaksonen
Utunen - Honka

Tho I personally doubt youngsters like Thomson, Kokkonen, Puistola, maybe even Lundell will be given this much responsibility, even though I think they would thrive when given the chance.

Tolvanen and Vesalainen have good chemistry. I would put them into same line.

 

[Trilliann]

Tolvanen was just called up

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

My personal take on our lineup, would love to see these lines/pairings.

Heponiemi - Kupari - Tolvanen
Vesalainen - Talvitie - Kakko
Puistola - Lundell - Nordgren
Killinen - Virtanen - Ylönen

Vaakanainen - Thomson
Kokkonen - Laaksonen
Utunen - Honka

Tho I personally doubt youngsters like Thomson, Kokkonen, Puistola, maybe even Lundell will be given this much responsibility, even though I think they would thrive when given the chance.

Vaakanainen is still recovering of concussion.
Last update was this '' he isn't even close to return'' source Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Tolvanen was just called up

So what if preds called Tolvanen to NHL.
It doesn't necessarily mean that he's staying to NHL lineup and will miss U20 WJC's.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

So what if preds called Tolvanen to NHL.
It doesn't necessarily mean that he's staying to NHL lineup and will miss U20 WJC's.

It does put it in more doubt then if he was still in the AHL obviously.

 

[ookhaab]

Vaakanainen is still recovering of concussion.
Last update was this '' he isn't even close to return'' source Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy.

f*** Borowiecki

 

[ES]

Lassi Lehtinen (likely one of the goalies) scored a goal today.

 

[RamjakSports]

Has anyone heard any info on if they are doing any sort of training camp yet?

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Has anyone heard any info on if they are doing any sort of training camp yet?

Finland travels to Canada 15th December and they'll play 2 practice games vs Canada and Denmark.

 

[FiLe]

Tolvanen's performance last night means he's probably a long-shot now.

I'm not saying he just bought his seat on the big team for good - no single game does that - but it probably did give him a pretty firm standing in the elevator. Meaning that if they send him back down, he'll still be the first or second guy they're looking to call up whenever the need arises. It's unlikely for clubs to release players like that. Not unheard of, but still quite unusual.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Getting used to the idea without Kotkaniemi, Heiskanen, Jokiharju, Vaakanainen and Tolvanen. Vesalainen is the best bet.

 

[FinPanda]

Getting used to the idea without Kotkaniemi, Heiskanen, Jokiharju, Vaakanainen and Tolvanen. Vesalainen is the best bet.

We might play without our 1st line winger, 1st line center and top 3 defensemen and we still don't look bad. Good times.

I still think Tolvanen is coming though.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

We might play without our 1st line winger, 1st line center and top 3 defensemen and we still don't look bad. Good times.

I still think Tolvanen is coming though.

Yeah, Vaakanainen would have been nice on defense. If the team gels anything is possible even without one coming from NHL/AHL.

 

[iginlafan77]

Any chance Waltteri Ignatjew makes it?

 

[JJTT]

Any chance Waltteri Ignatjew makes it?

Luukkonen and Lehtinen are the #1 and #2 goalies unless something crazy happens, lots of options for the third goalie.

 

[ProspectsFanatic]

Finland might very well have the best top6 of the tournament, with Tolvanen and Vesalainen being two players you wouldn't necessarily expect to be on the team at the start of the season.

Vesalainen-Heponiemi-Tolvanen
Kakko-Kupari-Nordgren

 

[Nate070]

Doesn´t Preds have many injuries right now? I think we can forget about Tolvanen...

 

[HockeyHistorian]

The WJC camp roster has been announced. They will add three forwards to the group at some point.
Source: Jukka Jalonen valitsi peräti kahdeksan ensikertalaista Moskovan turnaukseen, Nuorten Leijonien MM-leiriryhmä nimetty

Camp roster:
G:
Lehtinen Lassi (Lukko)
Lindberg Filip (Massachusetts NCAA)
Luukkonen Ukko-Pekka (Sudbury Wolves OHL)

D:
Anttalainen Aleksi (Blaineville QMJHL)
Heinola Ville (Lukko)
Honka Anttoni (JYP)
Kaskinen Olli (TPS)
Kokkonen Mikko (Jukurit)
Laaksonen Oskari (Ilves)
Latvala Otto (HPK)
Riekkinen Joona (KalPa)
Thomson Lassi (Kelowna Rockets WHL)
Utunen Toni (Tappara)

F:
Engberg Teemu (HIFK)
Heponiemi Aleksi (Kärpät)
Kakko Kaapo (TPS)
Kupari Rasmus (Kärpät)
Anton Lundell (HIFK)
Nordgren Niklas (HIFK)
Nyman Linus (Lukko)
Ranta Sampo (Minnesota NCAA)
Talvitie Aarne (Penn State NCAA)
Vainionpää Samuli (Ilves)
Virtanen Santeri (SaiPa)
Ylönen Jesse (Pelicans)

 

[FinPanda]

Great team. Will be interesting to see who the three forwards are. I think this means we won't get Vaakanainen but I still like the D group a lot.

 

[Trilliann]

Doesn´t Preds have many injuries right now? I think we can forget about Tolvanen...

Yeah, it's not looking good. Forsberg & Arvidsson are out for a month and Turris probably for several weeks too, that's a lot of forwards

 

[HockeyHistorian]

My projection based on the camp roster. I added Vesalainen and Tanus, although I don't think Tanus will make the team since he is not on the camp roster.

Heponiemi - Kupari - Kakko
Vesalainen - Lundell - Nordgren
Ranta - Talvitie - Ylönen
Nyman - Virtanen - Tanus
Engberg

Kokkonen - Laaksonen
Utunen - Honka
Anttalainen - Thomson
Latvala

Luukkonen
Lehtinen
Lindberg

 

[Artorius Horus T]

My projection based on the camp roster. I added Vesalainen and Tanus, although I don't think Tanus will make the team since he is not on the camp roster.

Heponiemi - Kupari - Kakko
Vesalainen - Lundell - Nordgren
Ranta - Talvitie - Ylönen
Nyman - Virtanen - Tanus
Engberg

Kokkonen - Laaksonen
Utunen - Honka
Anttalainen - Thomson
Latvala

Luukkonen
Lehtinen
Lindberg

Looks good to me.

- I hope one (or both) of the 2 great u20's that are playing in the USHL gets picked
Maccaelli (18) Kallionkieli (17)