Choices for Finnish U20, U19 and U18 internationals

Finnish U20, U19 and U18 teams have been chosen for different tournaments

U20
GOALIES
31 Tuukka Rask, Ilves
32 Joonas Hallikainen, Jokerit

DEFENCE
2 Henrik Forsberg, JYP
4 Otto Honkaheimo, Lukko
5 Teemu Laakso, HIFK
7 Ville Mäntymaa, Tappara
26 Juuso Hietanen, Pelicans
28 Tero Konttinen, Jokerit
35 Risto Korhonen, Kärpät

FORWARDS
10 Matti Uusivirta, Blues
11 Teemu Nurmi, Tappara
16 Arsi Piispanen, JYP
22 Valtteri Tenkanen, JYP
23 Kim Nabb, Sport
24 Matias Keränen, Blues
27 Jesse Saarinen, Pelicans
38 Lauri Korpikoski, TPS
40 Lauri Tukonen, Blues
41 Petteri Nokelainen, SaiPa
43 Janne Kolehmainen, SaiPa
45 Jesse Joensuu, Ässät
46 Petteri Wirtanen, HPK

U19
GOALIES
1 Iiro Tarkki, Lukko
30 Karri Rämö, Pelicans

DEFENCE
6 Toni Niemi, Ilves
25 Juha Uotila, HIFK
36 Erkka Leppänen, JYP
49 Jani Forsström, Pelicans
53 Esa Lehikoinen, Jokipojat
54 Tuomas Gärdström, KooKoo
58 Mikko Haapanen, TPS
59 Matti Koistinen, Tappara

FORWARDS
18 Iivo Hokkanen, Jukurit
29 Jussi Makkonen, TuTo
34 Jarmo Jokila, TPS
39 Mikko Alikoski, Kärpät
47 Mikko Tuomainen, TuTo
48 Jesse Uronen, Jokerit
50 Ossipekka Lehtonen, TPS
51 Jerry Ahtola, TPS
52 Antti Jaatinen, Tappara
55 Henri Heino, Pelicans
56 Ossi Saarinen, Jokerit
57 Samu Vilkman, Pelicans

RESERVES
60 Aleksis Ahlqvist, JYP (g)
3 Rami Hovinen, HIFK (d)
37 Joni Flod, Blues (d)
13 Pauli Piippo, JYP (f)
42 Tuomas Kiiskinen, KalPa (f)

U18
GOALIES
1 Juha Toivonen, HPK
30 Jani Nieminen, HIFK

DEFENCE
3 Juho Mielonen, Ilves
4 Henrik Maunula, TPS
5 Timo Seppänen, HIFK
7 Mikael Kurki (A), Jokerit
8 Tommi Leinonen (C), Kärpät
9 Joni Haverinen, HIFK
25 Tomi Tuomainen, KalPa

FORWARDS
12 Perttu Lindgren (A), Ilves
13 Mikko Lehtonen, Blues
14 Jonas Enlund, HIFK
15 Ville Korhonen, Ilves
16 Jussi Peltomaa, Ässät
18 Joona Karevaara, HPK
20 Miika Lahti, JYP
21 Robert Nyholm, HIFK
22 Tommi Huhtala, Ilves
23 Joonas Riekkinen, KalPa
24 Teemu Mustaniemi, HIFK
27 Joonas Wedman, Kärpät
28 Max Wärn, HIFK

RESERVES
29 Antti Härmä, Blues (g)
2 Niko Hannula, Ilves (d)
6 Antti Jaatinen, JYP (d)
10 Teemu Ramstedt, HIFK (f)
17 Joonas Koskinen, Tappara (f)
26 Mika Halava, Ässät (f)

U17
GOALIES
1 Niko Hovinen, Jokerit
30 Mika Järvinen, HPK

DEFENCE
2 Markus Himanka, Kärpät
3 Joonas Jalvanti, K-Reipas
4 Joni Korhonen, Jokerit
5 Erik Lamberg, Jokerit
6 Henri Molin, Tappara
7 Veli-Petteri Purolinna, HIFK
8 Miko Malkamäki, Tappara
9 Joonas Lehtivuori, Ilves

FORWARDS
10 Nico Aaltonen, HIFK
11 Juuso Puustinen, KalPa
12 Ilkka Heikkilä, JYP
13 Taneli Jaatinen, Tappara
14 Jan-Mikael Juutilainen, Jokerit
15 Jaakko Pellinen, Ilves
16 Joonas Kemppainen, Ässät
18 Jani Savolainen, KalPa
19 Tomi Ståhlhammar, Blues
20 Pasi Tuominen, Ilves
21 Jiri Veistola, Jokerit
22 Timo Rinne, Jokerit

RESERVES
31 Riku Helenius, Ilves (g)
23 Atte Erkamo, Jokerit (d)
24 Petteri Friman, Ilves (d)
25 Antti Savolainen, Ilves (d)
26 Robert Tenhunen, HIFK (d)
27 Juuso Anttonen, Ilves (f)
28 Toni Hyvärinen, KalPa (f)
29 Markus Kankaanranta, Ässät (f)
Juho Pohjoismäki, Tappara (f)
Antti Reivonen, TPS (f)
Aapo Sepponen, Jokerit (f)
Henrik Skouen, Blues (f)

I wonder where is Junior A scoring leader Ville-Vesa Vainiola (1985 born)? Also I was quite sure that Petteri Tasku will finally get a chance to show his skills on this level. Averaging over point per game on quite poor team on junior A level should be enough to show. On U18 team I wonder why Mika Halava is just in reserve player.

Also I wonder a bit why Perttu Lindgren is in U18 team. I would have liked to see him in U19 or U20 team. He has been quite impressive this season.

There just aren't enough opportunities to test goalies. Faced with the problem, they've cut Juho Santanen and decided to go all the way with the guys proven in int'l games.
Rami Hovinen should be playing, let alone Eero Hyvärinen.
Hietanen and Konttinen in the line-up is suicide. Depth d-men with lacking solidity have been the weakest link in past WJCs.
The absence of the Jr A super duo Ville-Vesa Vainiola (U20) and Jarkko Hattunen (U18) is truly a mystery.
I don't like Nabb and Saarinen in U20. The final team will have strong depth of talent up front, so they might as well add muscle too.
Don't even get me started on Matias Keränen. His usefulness keeps eluding me.
Where's Juhamatti Aaltonen?
Here's hoping that Teemu Nurmi gets his game going in time. Good to see him still on the inside track.
As for the outside track, I'm glad to see Joensuu, Kolehmainen and Wirtanen make it.
U18 looks pretty solid.

Aaltonen should be there for sure!


Nabb! :bow:

Nabb! :bow:

Has anyone in recent history made the WJC from a level as low as the second Jr A tier?

Thoughts of the contrast between Nabb and his teammate Oskar Osala reminded me of Marko Anttila. Looks like they've given up on that option in U20.

Has anyone in recent history made the WJC from a level as low as the second Jr A tier?

Thoughts of the contrast between Nabb and his teammate Oskar Osala reminded me of Marko Anttila. Looks like they've given up on that option in U20.
Look at Nabb's technique... wow.

I wonder if someone has a clue... Is Petteri Wirtanen injured right now?

[list]
There just aren't enough opportunities to test goalies. Faced with the problem, they've cut Juho Santanen and decided to go all the way with the guys proven in int'l games.


Oh please. Hostikka has played for every junior national team. Where is he now?

Tasku showed again to the international coaches. 0+3 against Jokerit (last season was similar situation. He did 3+1 (I think) same day as the international team was announced). I really can't understand some of the choices.

Hallikainen was quite good in the front of Jokerit net. With some worse goalie Ässät would have made 6-8 goals.

Yes, I also wonder Matias Keränen. Does Dufva watch the games himself or is he picking some players randomly?

I wonder if someone has a clue... Is Petteri Wirtanen injured right now?

He was dressed for tonight's game in Jr A.

Oh please. Hostikka has played for every junior national team. Where is he now?

Having played well for every junior national team could've helped. His current shape is pretty nice (no, I'm not referring to him pushing his weight below 100 kg), but I can't make a case for him over any of the six guys mentioned.

Tasku showed again to the international coaches. 0+3 against Jokerit (last season was similar situation. He did 3+1 (I think) same day as the international team was announced). I really can't understand some of the choices.

Guys who dominate with decent talent and vast experience in Jr A are traditionally overlooked and so should they often be. I understand the value of Tasku getting a chance to you, but he's not the first guy in line. I don't fret about T-P Römpötti either.

Isn't Valtteri Tenkanen injured or has he recovered?

Isn't Valtteri Tenkanen injured or has he recovered?
He is still currently injured but he is expected back soon. Some rumors however say that his back injury could still be a problem. One wrong hit and he could be away for the entire season. We'll see about that later.

Having played well for every junior national team could've helped. His current shape is pretty nice (no, I'm not referring to him pushing his weight below 100 kg), but I can't make a case for him over any of the six guys mentioned.

:lol: It was a sarcastic comment from my part. I mean, he has a lot of experience with international games. Maybe he hasn't always shined, but he's filled his place. At least that's what I've understood from the scout reports on international junior tournaments.

Tasku showed again to the international coaches. 0+3 against Jokerit (last season was similar situation. He did 3+1 (I think) same day as the international team was announced). I really can't understand some of the choices.

At least he showed to Ässät coach Mika Toivola, because Tasku is making his SM-liiga debut tonight.

I'm just going to say that I was surprised to see Wärn making it there now. Good for him!

I'm just going to say that I was surprised to see Wärn making it there now. Good for him!

I didn't remember Max was an '88er. That leaves him and Robert Nyholm the only underaged players in the squad. I would've like to see them bring in younger defensemen, namely Joonas Jalvanti.

I added the U17 team to the first message.

I was a bit surprised to see that Mika Niemi (not the one in Ässät senior team, but same named boy in Ässät B) was not chosen.

What are Aki Seitsonen's chances of making Finlands WJC team?

I didn't remember Max was an '88er. That leaves him and Robert Nyholm the only underaged players in the squad. I would've like to see them bring in younger defensemen, namely Joonas Jalvanti.

Nyholm got a good review in the u18 Finland-Sweden game, he looks very impressive on paper, have you or somebody else seen him? What's his future like?

Here is the answer for Hattunens situation...
Juha Pajuoja (coach for U18) doesn´t like Jarkko a bit.
They had a pritty big fight on the last U18 tournament.
Pajuoja is not in a big favour among the U18 players...
This is hear talk from inside the walls...

--------------------------------
The absence of the Jr A super duo Ville-Vesa Vainiola (U20) and Jarkko Hattunen (U18) is truly a mystery.

Here is the answer for Hattunens situation...
Juha Pajuoja (coach for U18) doesn´t like Jarkko a bit.
They had a pritty big fight on the last U18 tournament.
Pajuoja is not in a big favour among the U18 players...
This is hear talk from inside the walls...

--------------------------------
The absence of the Jr A super duo Ville-Vesa Vainiola (U20) and Jarkko Hattunen (U18) is truly a mystery.

Well this sort of thing is becoming an ugly trend in Finnish hockey... :shakehead

Pajuoja is not in a big favour among the U18 players...

I have heard the same thing too... That is very sad in Finnish hockey at this level. And this is too common in junior coaching.

In this case it would be easy to refer to the immaturity of teenage boys, but this doesn't help dispel my feeling that our U18 national team coaches have been more or less incompetent deadbeats as of late.

The bottom line is, Finland is missing a scorer partially because of Pajuoja and a solution to this problem is to replace him. If a coach chooses not to use all the resources available due to personal chemistry, he has to achieve success - or go. Not until it's too late, unfortunately.

As for the essential...

U20 FIN-CZE 2-1

1-1 Iivo Hokkanen
2-1 Juha Uotila (Jesse Joensuu) PP

Tuukka Rask 28/29

U17 CZE-FIN 1-3

17.17 0-1 Juuso Puustinen (Jani Savolainen) SH
22.54 0-2 Joonas Kemppainen (Jiri Veistola)
44.44 0-3 Ilkka Heikkilä (Jaakko Pellinen, Joonas Kemppainen) SH

Niko Hovinen 22/23