WJC: Dec 31 GDT - Russia vs. Finland

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Registered User
Dec 29, 2006
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Finland
And if only possible Vezina, Art Ross, Hart Trophy winners are considered more than decent talents, then Finland haven't produced much of talents ever.

Finland produce good teams, but rarely star players. Finland mainly prouduces grinders.
 

Joe MacMillan

Registered User
Aug 10, 2005
4,882
102
Helsinki
I just watched the TV games and noticed that he gets a lot of recognition from the Finnish TV announcers as well. They kept blaming him for everything, even Lehtivuori's mistakes when Laakso wasn't even on the ice.

And everyone elses penalties were bad calls or accidents and Laakso's penalties were stupid mistakes. I saw it a bit differently and that's why I noticed it and after I noticed it I just kept hearing more examples and I didn't understand why they had picked him as a target since 90% of the team is playing worse than him.

"Laakso especially needs to be a little sharper out there" after he received the puck poorly (didn't even lose it) and when that happens to anyone else "oh, bad luck for Team Finland"

"That was Seppänen's mistake, but Laakso should've known Seppänen would make it and cover for him"

That last one wasn't an exact quote, more like an exaggeration, but that's what it started sounding to me.

Not once was Mikko Lehtonen criticised for example, even though he was the death of most of our first lines attacks with his stupid blind passes and losing the puck. Lehtonen had a Joensuu quality game IMO.

Sami Sandell and Miika Lahti were the only forwards that played up to my expectations in the Russia game (I just hope that Lahti had a better finish, and he would've scored twice... might have to blame Varlamov for those saves as well), and Jonas Enlund to some extent. Out of the defense, Jalvanti has really surprised me since I thought he would be the weakest d-man on this team, but he's played much better than Lehtivuori and Leinonen for example.

Laakso has been put in a very tough situation in this tournament. He's clearly our #1 defenceman and actually the only defenceman who is capabale of playing against the top teams' top forwards. He has a lot of resposability in the defensive end and it is very easy to point him out when he makes mistakes or when he takes penalties (even though he has taken too many of them). I hope there would be a legit solid defenceman prospect on the same pairing with him so we could have a legit #1 pairing, which would improve a lot our overall defensive game. Seppänen just isn't good enough, he's awful.
 

ThinMcWhistle

Registered User
Mar 26, 2005
4,435
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Northern hemisphere
Do we have any star quality players (other than goalies) coming up the ladder in the coming years? For next year's draft the cupboard looks bare from a Finnish perspective. Is there anyone with potential who may be eligible for the NHL draft in the next say 2-3 years that you know of at this point?

I'm talking 1st round picks here.

:dunno:
 

Peter25

Registered User
Sep 20, 2003
8,491
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Do we have any star quality players (other than goalies) coming up the ladder in the coming years? For next year's draft the cupboard looks bare from a Finnish perspective. Is there anyone with potential who may be eligible for the NHL draft in the next say 2-3 years that you know of at this point?

I'm talking 1st round picks here.

:dunno:

Nope. There is nobody coming up. There will be no star Finnish players from 1988, 1989 and 1990 age groups.

But I have heard that there is a 1991-born talented kid named Rajala, who could be very good. He lacks size though.
 

Joretus

Guest
Nope. There is nobody coming up. There will be no star Finnish players from 1988, 1989 and 1990 age groups.

But I have heard that there is a 1991-born talented kid named Rajala, who could be very good. He lacks size though.

88's(or most of them anyway) have been drafted already. So answer for orginal question. There is coming some 91's for 09 draft, but not sooner. At least it doesn't seem like it now. You have to remember 15y old players can have huge leaps.

But atm it does seem as you are saying Rajala and some other 91's and maybe 92's might be next draftees from Finland who could make 1st round.
 

Chief Jokinen

Registered User
Dec 4, 2006
199
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HELSINKI, FINLAND
I really dont get the reason why Seppänen is bashed so much here. Hes been really fine in these games. Solid offensive game and good puck carrying. Only few hazards(none have cost a goal), but hes taking risks and taking risks is allways good to see. Risktaking can come out as a hazard or flashy play. "No risk, no fun" like Schumacher says.
 

Panopticon

Registered User
Apr 20, 2004
4,940
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Helsinki
I really dont get the reason why Seppänen is bashed so much here. Hes been really fine in these games. Solid offensive game and good puck carrying. Only few hazards(none have cost a goal), but hes taking risks and taking risks is allways good to see. Risktaking can come out as a hazard or flashy play. "No risk, no fun" like Schumacher says.

I think one of Seppänen's biggest mistake was one that did lead to a SH goal and was "credited" solely to Laakso (great reporting Urheiluruutu :shakehead ... blaming someone and not even showing what really happened). In the Belarus game, Laakso's shot from the point hit a defenseman and Seppänen had a chance to take the puck with little effort, but didn't react soon enough even though Laakso was clearly (but yes, wrongly... he should've already retreated) waiting for him to take it which led to a breakaway and a goal.

It was Laakso's mistake, yes, but I still think that Seppänen could've handled it better.

Seppänen also makes a lot of stupid passes in the defensive and neutral zones that often lead to turnovers even when there are better options available. Things like these are often overlooked, ignored completely or just left unnoticed from TV watchers (and sadly the commentators as well), but at least to me those were really obvious.

That's not the reason why I don't like him though. I don't like him because his soft and slow in the defensive zone and too selfish in the offensive zone (too eager to shoot the puck when there are players in better positions... and how many goals have resulted from his shots? Ever?). He hasn't always been like that though, he just seems to get jaelous whenever his teammates get a lot of points.
 

Joe MacMillan

Registered User
Aug 10, 2005
4,882
102
Helsinki
I really dont get the reason why Seppänen is bashed so much here. Hes been really fine in these games. Solid offensive game and good puck carrying. Only few hazards(none have cost a goal), but hes taking risks and taking risks is allways good to see. Risktaking can come out as a hazard or flashy play. "No risk, no fun" like Schumacher says.

I disagree. Seppänen is too inconsistent. He can have a few good shifts, but can also have some horrible shifts in the very same game. Offensively he's ok, but afwul in defence.

And I also disagree on the risktaking. Seppänen seems to make them too regularly..
 

Slitty

Registered User
Oct 23, 2005
3,875
8

My impressions:

-The ref called some very questionable slashing penalties on both teams and on the whole did not do a very good job.
-However, Russia skated circles around Finland - and in the end the Finnish players have nobody to blame but themselves for taking penalties because they were unable to keep up with the speed+skill of the Russians - and eventually getting frustrated.
-This was perhaps Russia's best game.
-Makarov was once again Russia's best player. An absolute monster defensively, he was all over the place and had effort flowing out from his ears. He once again ignored opposing defensemen for the most part and is capable of beating you with speed, skill, or even simply force+perseverence.
-Anisimov has quieted down as the tournament progressed. While he remains good defensively, he is but a mediocre player on this team.
-Vasyunov does not belong on this team, he is beyond useless. Blew another chance, this time a gift of a breakaway.
-Churilov continues to be one of Russia's best players: excellent defensively, nice passing, good effort. He is the driving force behind the 2nd line.
-Both of Zubov's goals were must-score backdoor plays mainly created by his teamates. On top of that, both times he celebrated like a little girl. He has, however, been rather solid.
-Kiryukhin is largely invisible.
-Cherepanov is using his smarts rather than skill or physical ability to rack up points. While his production is certainly impressive, I am still of the opinion that he is getting lucky - ie the deflection for his first goal.
-Krysanov probably has the best moves on the team and is flashier than Makarov, albeit less effective. He is also the team's best playmaker and is finally comming into his own in this tournament.
-Bumagin continues to be largely quiet and invisible on the 1st line despite getting the best player of the match award and racking up the points. But he seems to have great chemistry with his linemates, and if a different player was to take his spot, I think it would be a significant detriment to the effectiveness of the 1st line.
-The 4th line continues to be the 4th line, I am continually impressed with their ability to hold the puck in the offensive zone even though they don't generate many scoring chances.
-The defensive line remains solid - of note is the continued emergence Zubarev's impressive overall play: especially his goal-saving play in the 3rd, Anikeenko's great hit that sent the Finnish player over the boards, and Loginov mediocre play after the red hot start.
-Varlamov has been solid, but still hasn't had to shine yet.
 
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teddygmr

Registered User
Jul 7, 2006
1,719
91
Noronen won WJC gold in 1998.

Noronen had a far more better team in front of him back then.[/QUOTE]

How is Noronen playing in Europe this season.
I understand he will be a UFA if he comes back to nhl this summer
 

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