WJC 2015 - Roster Talk

fr9dd9

Registered User
Nov 18, 2010
797
257
Sweden
I've agreed that he's struggling, offensively. Are you saying he's struggling defensively too? Because I'm not seeing it.

Of course his +/- (which is a terrible statistic to judge a player anyway) looks like crap when his line hasn't put up a lot of points and gets played against the opposing team's top lines. If you want to look at stats, then corsi is a better way to evaluate him:

meHhizd.png


That's from about a week back.


Okey I get what you are saying. I give you that point
 

Quethas

Registered User
Jan 19, 2010
279
52
Tampere
Goalies:
Ville Husso, HIFK
Juuse Saros, HPK

Defenders:
Erik Autio, Penn State University NCAA
Julius Honka, Texas Stars AHL
Mika Ilvonen, ST. Cloud State University NCAA
Mikke Levo, Ilves
Alex Lintuniemi, Ottawa 67´s CHL
Joonas Lyytinen, KalPa
Aleksi Mäkelä, Ilves
Atte Mäkinen, Tappara
Sami Niku, JYP
Teemu Vuorisalo, Ässät
Also in training camp:
Elmeri Eronen, TPS
Jere Rouhiainen, Tappara

Forwards:
Sebastian Aho, Kärpät
Hannes Björninen, Pelicans
Roope Hintz, Ilves
Juuso Ikonen, JYP
Antti Kalapudas, Kärpät
Kasperi Kapanen, KalPa
Juho Lammikko, Kingston Frontenacs OHL
Artturi Lehkonen, Frölunda, SWE
Aleksi Mustonen, Ilves
Niko Ojamäki, Ässät
Jesse Puljujärvi, Kärpät
Mikko Rantanen, TPS
Otto Rauhala, Tappara
Aleksi Saarela, Ässät
Julius Vähätalo, TPS

Third goalie will be decided later. Joni Tuulola is out due to injury and even though Julius Honka is on the list, his appearance in WJC is still uncertain.

No real surprises in the roster.
 

fr9dd9

Registered User
Nov 18, 2010
797
257
Sweden
Anyone who knows where I can find all finlands exhibitions games before the turnament? Thanks in advance


Young team? How many 95 born?
 
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JJTT

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Jan 18, 2013
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Oulu
Anyone who knows where I can find all finlands exhibitions games before the turnament? Thanks in advance

I don't think there will be any streams, as the games are played in some small Canadian arenas. But you never know.

Young team? How many 95 born?

9 guys are 96-born or younger.

Only 11 skaters + goalies are 95' born if all the younger guys make it.
 
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kelsier

Registered User
Aug 17, 2013
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Saarela needs to get it going (that's if he even gets a chance other than bottom 6 wing). I'm not all too confident about how things are looking down the middle. Also don't know how Aho made it or if there just weren't enough good alternatives. Keeping fingers crossed for Honka as Tuulola's injury was a huge loss knowing we just lost an age group of quality defenders. Still looks very bright on the wings and that equals goals, eventhough some are quite young and small rink will provide new challenges.
 

JJTT

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Jan 18, 2013
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Oulu
Saarela needs to get it going (that's if he even gets a chance other than bottom 6 wing). I'm not all too confident about how things are looking down the middle. Also don't know how Aho made it or if there just weren't enough good alternatives. Keeping fingers crossed for Honka as Tuulola's injury was a huge loss knowing we just lost an age group of quality defenders. Still looks very bright on the wings and that equals goals, eventhough some are quite young and small rink will provide new challenges.

Aho has been improving steadily over the season and has been in the Kärpät's lineup every game for the past month. Plays good defensive game, creates some offense and skates well but misses too many scoring opportunities. Unless Jortikka expects him to put up points, he will do just fine.

What is Rantanen's role in the this team? 13th forward? If Kärpät guys are kept together / Hintz plays wing with Mustonen, there is just no room for him in top9.
 
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Tormentor

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Dec 27, 2007
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Too Far
What is Rantanen's role in the this team? 13th forward? If Kärpät guys are kept together / Hintz plays wing with Mustonen, there is just no room for him in top9.

Rantanen can play in any line and still be an asset, I think Jortikka will find him a role. And things rarely start working from the get-go, there's a good chance different line combos will be tried out as the tournament advances. Another thing is that it only takes one injury or big penalty and Jortikka is forced to make changes.

When thinking of our right wings, I'm a bit more curious about Juuso Ikonen. Does he finally have what it takes to be a true impact player at this level and how will he perform in a small rink against teams like Canada, USA and Sweden?
 

kelsier

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Aug 17, 2013
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Aho has been improving steadily over the season and has been in the Kärpät's lineup every game for the past month. Plays good defensive game, creates some offense and skates well but misses too many scoring opportunities. Unless Jortikka expects him to put up points, he will do just fine.

What is Rantanen's role in the this team? 13th forward? If Kärpät guys are kept together / Hintz plays wing with Mustonen, there is just no room for him in top9.

Haven't followed up on Aho these past few weeks. I suppose if Rantanen is able to play LW I'd have him with Pulju and Kalapudas, much rather than Aho anyway. For what I've seen he doesn't really create that much offense. Rantanen is much more physically developed and more crafty when comparing the two. However since he is RW I guess it's irrelevant anyway. Idea of wasting Rantanen on the 4th line, meh.. Something has to break.
 

fr9dd9

Registered User
Nov 18, 2010
797
257
Sweden
If puljujärvi dont end up playing with kalapudas and aho, who do you guys think he should play with? I think hintz and mustonen.

What do you guys think the pp1 and pp2 should be?
 

JJTT

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Jan 18, 2013
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Oulu
If puljujärvi dont end up playing with kalapudas and aho, who do you guys think he should play with? I think hintz and mustonen.

What do you guys think the pp1 and pp2 should be?

This seems to be more active thread now, might be better to post there (on World Juniors section, top of the page.)

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1691587

Anyway I think Kalapudas is a lock for the 3rd line center spot. Maybe Rantanen or Lammikko on left wing if Aho doesn't make it.

As for powerplays, using 4 forwards might be a good idea as we only have 2 good defenseman for the powerplay (Lyytinen and Honka)

PP1:
Kapanen-Lehkonen-Hintz
Honka-Mustonen

PP2:

Ikonen-Rantanen-Kalapudas
Puljujärvi-Lyytinen
 

Tormentor

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Dec 27, 2007
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Yesterday Team Finland's Entry List looked like this:

1 KAHKONEN Kaapo GK L 1.87 / 6'2'' 98 / 216 16 AUG 1996 TuTo Turku
30 HUSSO Ville GK L 1.90 / 6'3'' 94 / 207 6 FEB 1995 IFK Helsinki
31 SAROS Juuse GK L 1.80 / 5'11'' 80 / 176 19 APR 1995 HPK Hameenlinna
42 LANKINEN Kevin GK L 1.87 / 6'2'' 82 / 181 28 APR 1995 IFK Helsinki

2 NIKU Sami D L 1.83 / 6'0'' 80 / 176 10 OCT 1996 JYP Jyvaskyla
3 LEVO Mikke D L 1.83 / 6'0'' 82 / 181 28 MAR 1995 Ilves Tampere
4 ILVONEN Mika D L 1.73 / 5'8'' 74 / 163 27 FEB 1995 St. Cloud State
5 MAKELA Aleksi D L 1.88 / 6'2'' 94 / 207 8 FEB 1995 Ilves Tampere
6 LYYTINEN Joonas D L 1.85 / 6'1'' 70 / 154 4 APR 1995 KalPa Kuopio
7 MAKINEN Atte D R 1.91 / 6'3'' 92 / 203 17 MAY 1995 Tappara Tampere
8 AUTIO Erik D L 1.79 / 5'10'' 81 / 179 23 JUL 1995 United States
9 HONKA Julius D R 1.79 / 5'10'' 80 / 176 3 DEC 1995 Texas Stars
12 VUORISALO Teemu D R 1.80 / 5'11'' 75 / 165 4 JUN 1995 Assat Pori
23 LINTUNIEMI Alex D L 1.92 / 6'4'' 105 / 231 23 SEP 1995 Ottawa 67s
41 ERONEN Elmeri D R 1.76 / 5'9'' 79 / 174 27 JAN 1995 TPS Turku

10 IKONEN Juuso F R 1.75 / 5'9'' 80 / 176 3 JAN 1995 JYP Jyvaskyla
11 BJORNINEN Hannes F L 1.85 / 6'1'' 85 / 187 19 OCT 1995 Pelicans Lahti
13 PULJUJARVI Jesse F R 1.90 / 6'3'' 89 / 196 7 MAY 1998 Karpat Oulu
14 LAMMIKKO Juho F L 1.89 / 6'2'' 92 / 203 29 JAN 1996 Kingston Frontenacs
15 PUHAKKA Janne F L 1.83 / 6'0'' 79 / 174 24 FEB 1995 Chicoutimi Sagueneens
16 RANTANEN Mikko F L 1.93 / 6'4'' 95 / 209 29 OCT 1996 TPS Turku
18 KINNUNEN Saku F L 1.78 / 5'10'' 84 / 185 3 JAN 1995 KalPa Kuopio
19 KALAPUDAS Antti F L 1.82 / 6'0'' 73 / 161 22 JUL 1996 Karpat Oulu
20 OJAMAKI Niko F R 1.81 / 5'11'' 80 / 176 17 JUN 1995 Assat Pori
21 MUSTONEN Aleksi F L 1.75 / 5'9'' 75 / 165 28 MAR 1995 Ilves Tampere
22 HINTZ Roope F L 1.87 / 6'2'' 83 / 183 17 NOV 1996 Ilves Tampere
24 KAPANEN Kasperi F R 1.83 / 6'0'' 82 / 181 23 JUL 1996 KalPa Kuopio
25 SAARELA Aleksi F L 1.78 / 5'10'' 88 / 194 7 JAN 1997 Assat Pori
26 AHO Sebastian F L 1.81 / 5'11'' 78 / 172 26 JUL 1997 Karpat Oulu
27 VAHATALO Julius F L 1.97 / 6'6'' 90 / 198 23 MAR 1995 TPS Turku
28 LEHKONEN Artturi F L 1.81 / 5'11'' 74 / 163 4 JUL 1995 Frolunda Gothenburg
29 RAUHALA Otto F L 1.80 / 5'11'' 91 / 201 12 APR 1995 Tappara Tampere
40 TURUNEN Teemu F L 1.79 / 5'10'' 80 / 176 24 NOV 1995 Jukurit Mikkeli

It seems that Lankinen, Eronen, Puhakka, Kinnunen and Turunen are the players that Jortikka has in reserve in case something unexpected happens before the final team is named.

The more interesting story is that Joni Tuulola's name was added to the Entry List today. Not sure what to make of this, are they still keeping the back door open for him or could there possibly be some other explanation for this?
 
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JJTT

Registered User
Jan 18, 2013
7,711
1,251
Oulu
The more interesting story is that Joni Tuulola's name was added to the Entry List today. Not sure what to make of this, are they still keeping the back door open for him or could there possibly be some other reason for this?

He was expected to miss 4-6 weeks from start of November. Maybe it's possible that he could be healthy when the tournament starts in 2 weeks?
 

Arto Kilponen

Registered User
Oct 29, 2006
4,051
1,065
Helsinki, Finland
I think it is another great reminder that what an amazing _team_ Blues A-juniors are. They are not good enough to get players to WJC, they are not good enough to produce players to their SM-Liiga team, but they have been four times in finals in the last six years and are leading the regular season once again.
 

Stoat

Registered User
Jan 5, 2014
145
136
Oulu
Here are the players going to WJC

Goalies:

Ville Husso, HIFK
Kaapo Kähkönen, TUTO Hockey
Juuse Saros, HPK

D-men:

Julius Honka, Texas Stars AHL
Mika Ilvonen, ST. Cloud State University NCAA
Alex Lintuniemi, Ottawa 67´s CHL
Joonas Lyytinen, KalPa
Aleksi Mäkelä, Ilves
Atte Mäkinen, Tappara
Sami Niku, JYP

Forwards:

Sebastian Aho, Kärpät
Hannes Björninen, Pelicans
Roope Hintz, Ilves
Juuso Ikonen, JYP
Antti Kalapudas, Kärpät
Kasperi Kapanen, KalPa
Artturi Lehkonen, Frölunda SWE
Aleksi Mustonen, Ilves
Niko Ojamäki, Ässät
Jesse Puljujärvi, Kärpät
Mikko Rantanen, TPS
Otto Rauhala, Tappara
Julius Vähätalo, TPS


Told you guys like a year ago that Puljujärvi will make the team. Basically everyone thought I was crazy. However, not many here had seen him play before.

- Stoat
 

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