Team Finland announced!

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clefty

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Aww shoot, Lasse missed out. I would have thought he'd be there instead of Hahl, but what can you do?

I'm surprised they went with both Nieminen and Ruutu. I figured they would take one of them (probably Nieminen) as opposed to both.
 

Teemu

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Burke's Evil Spirit said:
Nieminen and Jarkko Ruutu on the same team? That'll be entertaining...
AND Tuomo Ruutu. image all three on the same line :D
 

Jacob

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psycho_dad said:
Yeah but Karalahti drank alcohol. I say drive him out of town with pitchforks and burn him!

:eek:
I thought Karalahti was a coke head?
 

Tuggy

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Bergeron47 said:
Aki Berg over Janne Niinimaa is a joke.

Niinimaa was the Oilers #1 defenceman for years, and Berg has never been more than a 5th or 6th D-man.

That makes no difference. If you saw both those players play this season, you would understand the decision.
 

SwisshockeyAcademy

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I saw both them play and as a Leaf fan i can say that Berg looks to be included because he will make an easy healthy scratch. Niininmaa was no hell this year but the upside with Berg is not there. He is not fast or quick, he is half-assed with the puck, his size/balls ratio is awful and he has a propensity to pinch at the strangest times. Sadly he's still in the Leaf top 6 because there are worse. Berg is OK if he can be hidden but he's inconsistent. I just don't see how he helps Finland much. In the end it may not matter, they have what they need.
 

Pekka Lampinen

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Jacobv2 said:
I thought Karalahti was a coke head?

nomorekids said:
he was, but that's not why he was suspended. he had quit coke and was no longer using, but was drinking with teammates while playing for nashville and was suspended for it.

SergeiK said:

Like I said, this subject has its own thread. Here's a link. Moving individual posts is so tedious that if someones ignores this second request as well, I'll just delete the posts. Discussion in threads does tend to go to many different directions and generally that's okay, but this subject has proven to spawn loads of comments of questionable quality in the past.
 

Fincan

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IFK said:
Finally someone who have seen Niinimaa´s playing NHL. I agree you that he´s been terrible also NHL not only Finlands team.

Well Ive seen Niinimaa play in the NHL lots, likely more than 90% of you commenting as I had the pleasure of watching him for many years in Edmonton. Granted I have not got to see him much this season and maybe he did have a bad year. So what? Lidstrom had a bad year and is still expected to anchor the Swedish blueline. I'd expect Lidstrom will do well in that role. Now Niinimaa would never be Lidstrom, but my point is that even after a bad year Niinimaa has shown so much more at this level than so many of the Finnish defencemen named. IMO reputation does count for something and Niinimaa has done it at this level.

Here is a list of Finnish Defencemen I would take over Niinimaa when he is on his game..............................short list hey?

Back in his prime Numminen would have probably been on that list. In the Future Pitkanen will surely be on that list, but as for guys who are capable of being better than Niinimaa right now if he is on his game? None. Now some might say "you said it, IF he is on his game" well why not give him that chance? Even if he does not play up to his full capacity (something I think is due to injuires that have dogged him due to him always giving 100%) he is still as good as Berg, Kerelahti, Lydman, and Salo. Leaving Niinimaa off was a huge mistake.
 

TK79

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Askel said:
First of IFK about the Bertuzzi thing shut up. Moore wasnt even closed to beeing killed and Bertuzzi cant play in this event since hes suspended and the comment about Heatley is bad. His best friend was killed in a car accident god damn it. I dont think Danny planned it.

Karalahti is suspended from the NHL since he refused their substance abuse program and went home to finland to play, the NHL said then that he could never play in NHL again.

I think Moore was pretty close to being killed if he broke his neck.Anyway his career is probably over. Bertuzzi should consider himself very lucky if he doesn't go to prison for assault.
 

Sampe

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JaymzB said:
Since I am assuming that Koivu will wear the C, who do you guys think will be wearing the A's?

Numminen, Selänne, Jokinen and Timonen should be the main candidates. I'd give the A's to Numminen and Timonen, but they will likely go to Selänne and Jokinen.
 

Askel

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Moore did not have a broken neck, he had a cracked verberate. Thats a big diffrence. Isbister had a cracked verberate during this years NHL season and played 2 weeks later. The worst injury Moore gotr was the concussion (and it was a bad concussion). But enough about that Bertuzzi incident now. As people before me said lets talk hockey.

Finlands strenght is goaltending and goaltending (and a few timely goals) will get you far.
 

Raipe

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Askel said:
Moore did not have a broken neck, he had a cracked verberate. Thats a big diffrence. Isbister had a cracked verberate during this years NHL season and played 2 weeks later. The worst injury Moore gotr was the concussion (and it was a bad concussion). But enough about that Bertuzzi incident now. As people before me said lets talk hockey.

Finlands strenght is goaltending and goaltending (and a few timely goals) will get you far.
:lol:
 

TK79

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Overall strong selections by Summanen:

Goalies
I like the trio.The only suprise is maybe the fact that Nurminen isn't there.But I agree that Toskala fits the 3rd-string role better than Pasi. Great to see Lehtonen on the team.

Defense
Aside from the Karalahti fiasko, this groups looks good. The only selection I have a problem with is Berg. Here's hoping he doesn't get out of the press-box. If Karalahti can't play, I would like to see Niinimaa there.

Offense
Basically the same names I predicted. I would replace Jarkko Ruutu and Riku Hahl/Esa Pirnes with Tomi Kallio and Jari Viuhkola/Jarkko Immonen. Ville Nieminen can play the same role as Ruutu, only better. The only role Pirnes/Hahl are capable of filling is the 4th-line center role, and I would have liked to see a guy with more offensive potentional as the reserve.

Lines:

Lehtinen-Koivu-Selänne

Here's hoping these two guys can help Selanne find his old form again.

T. Ruutu-Jokinen-Peltonen

Peltonen is an playmaking forward who needs an offensive role to be effective.

S. Kapanen-N. Kapanen-Hentunen

The ultimate teletappi line.Might have some trouble in their own zone. You could replace Hentunen with Nieminen then.

Nieminen-Pirnes/Hahl-Laaksonen

Shutdown line. If Nieminen moves up to the 3rd-line then J. Ruutu takes his spot.

D

Timonen-Numminen

Salo-Väänänen

Karalahti-Pitkänen

Lydman

Just keep Berg as far away from the ice as possible...

G
1.Kipper
No contest

2.Lehtonen
Ready to step in if nessecary

3.Toskala
Waitng in the wings in case of injury
 

SwisshockeyAcademy

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TK79 said:
Overall strong selections by Summanen:

Goalies
I like the trio.The only suprise is maybe the fact that Nurminen isn't there.But I agree that Toskala fits the 3rd-string role better than Pasi. Great to see Lehtonen on the team.

Defense
Aside from the Karalahti fiasko, this groups looks good. The only selection I have a problem with is Berg. Here's hoping he doesn't get out of the press-box. If Karalahti can't play, I would like to see Niinimaa there.

Offense
Basically the same names I predicted. I would replace Jarkko Ruutu and Riku Hahl/Esa Pirnes with Tomi Kallio and Jari Viuhkola/Jarkko Immonen. Ville Nieminen can play the same role as Ruutu, only better. The only role Pirnes/Hahl are capable of filling is the 4th-line center role, and I would have liked to see a guy with more offensive potentional as the reserve.

Lines:

Lehtinen-Koivu-Selänne

Here's hoping these two guys can help Selanne find his old form again.

T. Ruutu-Jokinen-Peltonen

Peltonen is an playmaking forward who needs an offensive role to be effective.

S. Kapanen-N. Kapanen-Hentunen

The ultimate teletappi line.Might have some trouble in their own zone. You could replace Hentunen with Nieminen then.

Nieminen-Pirnes/Hahl-Laaksonen

Shutdown line. If Nieminen moves up to the 3rd-line then J. Ruutu takes his spot.

D

Timonen-Numminen

Salo-Väänänen

Karalahti-Pitkänen

Lydman

Just keep Berg as far away from the ice as possible...

G
1.Kipper
No contest

2.Lehtonen
Ready to step in if nessecary

3.Toskala
Waitng in the wings in case of injury
That seems to be a pretty accurate assessment of how things will shake down. Now.... What will it do? With the right game plan i would say anything is possible.
 

ShippinItDaily

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Laituri said:
The Karalahti situation has its own thread. Take the talk there, please.


No room for surprises up front, so I (almost) stand by my earlier choices:

Lehtinen - Koivu - Selänne
T Ruutu - Jokinen - Peltonen
Laaksonen - Pirnes - S Kapanen
Nieminen - Hahl - Eloranta/J Ruutu
N Kapanen (substitute for both checking lines), Hentunen (offensive reserve), Eloranta/J Ruutu (depending on whether the fourth line needs speed or, uhm, "special talent")

It is really a shame that Niinimaa wasn't picked, he benefits from a small rink more than any other Finnish defenseman. If we're lucky, he is offered Karalahti's spot, accepts it and looks impressive in camp. Unfortunately, that isn't likely. I would have ranked the defense corps ahead of their Czech counterparts, but not without Niinimaa. If Teppo is in decent shape, Pitkänen will probably be the one sitting, even though I would pick Berg.

No more decisions concerning goalies need to be made at this point, the coaching staff will learn all it needs to in training camp.


Why would they put Peltonen on a scoring line over Kapanen. Sami is one of the very few offensive weapons this team has up front and they would be wasting his talents to put him on a checking line. He has proven he can score in the best hockey league in the world and last time I checked Peltonen was little more than an NHL journeyman who has had success in Europe. If this team is to contend for a medal they need to force Kapanen into a scoring role.
 

Pekka Lampinen

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dangler19 said:
Why would they put Peltonen on a scoring line over Kapanen. Sami is one of the very few offensive weapons this team has up front and they would be wasting his talents to put him on a checking line. He has proven he can score in the best hockey league in the world and last time I checked Peltonen was little more than an NHL journeyman who has had success in Europe.

Then it's been too long since you last checked. Peltonen is more talented than Kapanen. He generates offense whereas Sami only makes use of it. Ruutu and Jokinen suffer from the same problem and they need Peltonen to feed them. Peltonen is the only playmaking the team has aside from Koivu, and that makes him their second most important forward. The hockey world isn't that NHL-centric.
 

dumpnchase

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psycho_dad said:
I am surprised that Toskala is in over Nurminen.

Toskala is very talented and out of the three goalies for team finland he could eaisly be the number this year. I still think he should be number 1 and Kripper number 3 with Lethonen the no 2. Since Kripper refused to play for team Finland in the Olympics because they wouldn't gurantee him the number 1 spot. Nothing against Kripper but having seen both guys play live several times Toskala is a better goalie, but out of the three goalies that team Finland selected it's like saying do I want a Red, Yellow, or Silver Ferrari. They are soo close to each other, down the road Lethonen should be the man.

As for Nurminen I have only seen him play live a few times and those times and when I have seen him play on tv just didn't show anything that could say that he is even close to Kripper, Toskala, & Lethonen.
 

Le Golie

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Fincan said:
Well Ive seen Niinimaa play in the NHL lots, likely more than 90% of you commenting as I had the pleasure of watching him for many years in Edmonton. Granted I have not got to see him much this season and maybe he did have a bad year. So what? Lidstrom had a bad year and is still expected to anchor the Swedish blueline. I'd expect Lidstrom will do well in that role. Now Niinimaa would never be Lidstrom, but my point is that even after a bad year Niinimaa has shown so much more at this level than so many of the Finnish defencemen named. IMO reputation does count for something and Niinimaa has done it at this level.

Here is a list of Finnish Defencemen I would take over Niinimaa when he is on his game..............................short list hey?

Back in his prime Numminen would have probably been on that list. In the Future Pitkanen will surely be on that list, but as for guys who are capable of being better than Niinimaa right now if he is on his game? None. Now some might say "you said it, IF he is on his game" well why not give him that chance? Even if he does not play up to his full capacity (something I think is due to injuires that have dogged him due to him always giving 100%) he is still as good as Berg, Kerelahti, Lydman, and Salo. Leaving Niinimaa off was a huge mistake.

This post makes no sense. You admit to not watching him much this past year but tell everyone how much you know about him. I don't care if he was Bobby Orr two years ago, he was no better than Sven Butenshon on the Islanders this year. He's lost it. He doesn't deserve to be on the team.

Think about it. He used to be considered one of the best Finnish defenders in the NHL. Think about how horrible you have to play to find your way off the national team. That's exactly what he has done.
 

teme

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With no Niinimaa or Nummelin, we lack skill on defence so Pitkanen better play. My line-up would be:
Lehtinen - Koivu - Selänne
Peltonen - Jokinen - Nieminen
Laaksonen - T Ruutu - S Kapanen
Hahl - N Kapanen - Hentunen
E: Eloranta, Pirnes, J Ruutu
I have my doubts about Nagano line, but maybe it still works. Peltonen and Jokinen are a good combo, and Nieminen brings grit and can score. That frees Tuomo Ruutu and Sami Kapanen for thid line, Laaksonen might be a good left-wing. At the fourth line, Hentunen and Niko Kapanen have chemistry, while Hahl brings toughness and a good shot.

Timonen - Lydman/Karalahti
Pitkänen - Salo
Numminen - Väänänen
E: Berg
Best I could come up with, Numminen and Väänänen would play against opponents top forwards.

Power play:
Selänne - T Ruutu - Koivu
Pitkänen - Timonen
Lehtinen - Jokinen - Peltonen
S Kapanen - Salo/Karalahti

Or something like that. Key here is having Pitkänen and Timonen in same pairing, and Tuomo or Jokinen in front of the net.

Penalty kill
Koivu - Lehtinen
Jokinen - Peltonen
Hahl - Laaksonen
N Kapanen - Hentunen (or T Ruutu - S Kapanen)
And normal d pairings. This shouldn't be a problem, we don't really need to use Koivu that much here and thus should not.
 

Le Golie

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Jul 4, 2002
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DarkHorse said:
You mean like Kenny Jonsson?

Kenny Jonsson was CLEARLY better than Niinimaa all season long. There's a lot more to that situation than meets the eye. Jonsson is a much more solid player than Niinimaa, there's a big internal issue that we fans don't know a whole lot about, but Kenny fell out of favour with some important people. He certainly did not play his way off the team, he had a very good season.
 

Kronblom

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I think he meant "Think about how horrible you have to play in the national team to find your way off the national team".

Kenny's problem is that he hasn´t (hardly) been playing in the national team, he refuses to go to the World Championships every year. Injured or not.
 
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