Team Finland (Official roster)

[Jussi]

That's cuz Gretzky never played in any WC games! He only played in the Canada Cups and the Olympics.

Gretzky played at the 1982 Worlds in Finland where he won the scoring title along with a bronze medal. Canada secured the medal in their last medal round game against Sweden when Gretzky scored 2+3 despite "not being good enough to tie Patrik Sundström's laces".

 

[Kyri]

Finland`s lines in practises:

Peltonen/Kuhta-O.Jokinen-Kallio
Pärssinen-N.Kapanen-Hentunen
Hagman-Hahl-Rita
J.Ruutu-Pirnes/Pirjetä-Eloranta

(Missing J.Jokinen,Viuhkola,Pakaslahti)

Niemi-Nummelin
Timonen-Karalahti
Söderholm-Mäntylä
Saravo

(Missing Väänänen,Kukkonen)

 

[mikkoz]

No he didn't. His place as the number one goalie in his team was occasionally even disputed.

And when was this? By Inka?

I'd say he was the 6th or 7th best in the league. In any event, he hasn't been good enough to make it to the team

Well lets compare then.
x - Bäckström - Tenth in reg. season but solid nr.1 in playoffs
x - Thomas - Nr. 1 in reg. season but shaky in some p-o games.
3 - Roloson - good reg season and great against HIFK and couple of bad games against Kärpät.
4 - i also see that Nurminen who played extremely well in Pelicants, the worst team in the league, is better goalie mentaly than Noronen, he played 17 games in reg season.
5. Noronen - Ok reg season, he was nr.1-2 goalie in the league staticly in his 15 first games. Couple of bad games against TPS in the p-os. Played very well against Jokerit, being one the best in the team.

Vehanen is also good goalie, but only 17 games in reg season and 57 minutes in the Bronze game dont convince me him being better
than Noronen.

Vokoun - Ok reg season and sucked in pos - Dissapointment of the year
Toskala - 3r & 6po games. Well havent seen his games this season but he was good in at least 6 games. But 9 games isnt a season, its a tournament.
Lassila wasnt better, ask anyone.

So the i dont see the season for Noronen as a dissapointment, you are only as good as your team.

 

[Padawan]

^
Don't forget Wallinheimo who played quite well in a weaker team overall. Six shutouts in 37 games while Bäckström played one more shutout and ten more games in a alot better team overall. Only Thomas needed less games for each shutout.

 

[Hassan]

I'd say that the goalies who were better than Noronen this season were Bäckström, Thomas, Roloson, Langkow, Wallinheimo and Vehanen.

 

[Hassan]

Finland`s lines in practises:

Peltonen/Kuhta-O.Jokinen-Kallio
Pärssinen-N.Kapanen-Hentunen
Hagman-Hahl-Rita
J.Ruutu-Pirnes/Pirjetä-Eloranta

(Missing J.Jokinen,Viuhkola,Pakaslahti)

Niemi-Nummelin
Timonen-Karalahti
Söderholm-Mäntylä
Saravo

(Missing Väänänen,Kukkonen)

What is your source?

 

[ThinMcWhistle]

re:

Gretzky played at the 1982 Worlds in Finland where he won the scoring title along with a bronze medal. Canada secured the medal in their last medal round game against Sweden when Gretzky scored 2+3 despite "not being good enough to tie Patrik Sundström's laces".

Don't you love the information age?

Too bad there are no longer players like Gretzky, well, maybe Tuomo Ruutu will be the next one.

 

[Kyri]

What is your source?

http://www.mtv3.fi/

 

[mazmin]

Finland`s lines in practises:

Peltonen/Kuhta-O.Jokinen-Kallio
Pärssinen-N.Kapanen-Hentunen
Hagman-Hahl-Rita
J.Ruutu-Pirnes/Pirjetä-Eloranta

(Missing J.Jokinen,Viuhkola,Pakaslahti)

Niemi-Nummelin
Timonen-Karalahti
Söderholm-Mäntylä
Saravo

(Missing Väänänen,Kukkonen)

looks weak to me... anyone else?

 

[RorschachWJK]

looks weak to me... anyone else?

It is weak. Six of our top ten forwards (Selänne, T. Ruutu, S. Koivu, Lehtinen, S. Kapanen, Nieminen) have declined due to injuries, family reasons etc. Five of our top eight defencemen (Salo, Niinimaa, Numminen, Lydman, Berg) have declined, and also our best goalie (Kiprusoff).

On the other hand, there is no pressure whatsoever and the role of the under dog suits Finland well.

 

[ThinMcWhistle]

re:

looks weak to me... anyone else?

It's definitely weak on paper, compared to the lineups of Canada, Russia, Sweden...even U.S. The only high quality players (within the NHL standard anyhow) IMO are Olli Jokinen, Kimmo Timonen, and possibly Jussi Markkanen if he plays. The rest are a group of players that are skilled, but just not well known to North American fans as standout players. If this team develops a good chemistry and leadership (in say Jokinen), I think they are a darkhorse team to watch.

 

[mikkoz]

looks weak to me... anyone else?

Well if the games were played in NA it would, but its Austria and big rinks so not really.

 

[Jussi]

The only high quality players (within the NHL standard anyhow) IMO are Olli Jokinen, Kimmo Timonen, and possibly Jussi Markkanen if he plays.

Markkanen's not considered. The goalies have been set Monday (?), Norrena and Bäckström, Nurminen reserve.

 

[Hassan]

Markkanen's not considered. The goalies have been set Monday (?), Norrena and Bäckström, Nurminen reserve.

The goalies are not final, though. Some changes might still be made.

 

[Hassan]

looks weak to me... anyone else?

It doesn't necessarily mean the team is weak if you've heard of only less than half of the team's players. You know, NHL and AHL aren't the only leagues with skilled players, as some Canadians seem to think.

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

Markkanen's not considered. The goalies have been set Monday (?), Norrena and Bäckström, Nurminen reserve.

To me, this suggests that in the tourney our net will be guarded by Nurminen, with Norrena and Bäckström now fighting over the #2 spot.

 

[Jussi]

To me, this suggests that in the tourney our net will be guarded by Nurminen, with Norrena and Bäckström now fighting over the #2 spot.

No, Nurminen is tha reserve that stays home. Pasi won't come to these tourneys unless he's guaranteed the Number 1 goalie position.

 

[Jussi]

The goalies are not final, though. Some changes might still be made.

Only possible change is Lehtonen, othewise the goalies are set.

 

[psycho_dad*]

I am not at all worried about our goalies. Bäckström was phenomenal against lukko and jokerit. I'm not even sure if we should bring in Lehtonen even if he drops out of the playoffs. Norrena is very good too, and has lots of experience.

But goalie is the only position I'm not worried about.

 

[Dominus]

1st EHT bronze medal game, Litvinov:

Czech Republic 3 - 3 Finland

6.36 1-0 Vrbata (Kotalik, Hlavac)
13.02 1-1 Niemi (Kallio, Peltonen) PP
14.10 1-2 J. Jokinen (Viuhkola)
15.52 1-3 Pakaslahti (Väänänen)
24.45 2-3 Vyborny (Straka) SH
45.15 3-3 Dvorak (Hemsky, Prospal)

Vokoun, 6+10+9=25 saves
Norrena, 18+13+10=41 saves

2nd game is played in Helsinki on Sunday.

 

[dawgbone]

Markkanen's not considered. The goalies have been set Monday (?), Norrena and Bäckström, Nurminen reserve.

Why wasn't Markkanen considered? He's usually played well internationally for Finland, and he had an excellent season in Russia...

 

[Hassan]

Why wasn't Markkanen considered? He's usually played well internationally for Finland, and he had an excellent season in Russia...

I actually haven't heard anything of him, when it comes to WCH.

 

[Streaker-man]

Hnilicka = Bäckström´s biatch

Niklas Bäckström

 

[wassup77]

what about that Pitkanen defenseman?

 

[ThinMcWhistle]

Re:

what about that Pitkanen defenseman?

He's in the playoffs with the Philadelphia Phantoms.