93-born defenseman Niklas Friman (TPS) makes his SM-liiga debut against HPK tonight.
Might be a little too late for these games, but with these promising d-men popping out of woodwork this looks damn good for the upcoming years. With the class of '92 out of contention our offence probably won't be as beastlike as it's going to be for this year, but our squad should be far more balanced all around.
I agree with you 100%. Hännikäinen-Barkov-Ruuttu make it happen!
What line would that be? 4th? I don't see Barkov in the 4th. Yes he's big, but not too physical and I think we have better options for that place. That's good line but, if everyone stays healthy, IMO it doesn't fit in the team.
E: I mean, Barkov deserves to be in the team but I see him in the 2nd or 3rd line, not 4th.
Hännikäinen looks good but we're pretty stacked on forwards as it has been mentioned many times before. If all healthy, we have eight to nine guys who take preference for top-9 over him and there're at least three other contenders for the last spot. 13th forward maybe?
Teräväinen has come back quite well after a minor back injury. Yesterday he had three goals and an assist in the ASM against HIFK and tonight he had 2 primary assists and a +2 with Kiekko-Vantaa in Mestis. He's still not 100% but impressive production never the less.
Hännikäinen looks good but we're pretty stacked on forwards as it has been mentioned many times before. If all healthy, we have eight to nine guys who take preference for top-9 over him and there're at least three other contenders for the last spot. 13th forward maybe?
Is our 4th line locked already? Like ElHefe said: he's big, fast and works hard. I don't see any issues having Hännikäinen grinding in the 4th line.
Donskoi - Mi. Granlund - Pulkkinen
Ma. Granlund - Mustonen - Salomäki
Ruuttu - Barkov - Armia
X - X - Hännikäinen
Teräväinen
I have to take a rain check on judging Hännikäinen in the 4th. ToBBa here at least seems to think that despite being a big body, he ain't particularly physical and I certainly haven't seen him enough to draw any conclusions of his two-way game. To me he sounds more like a guy who'd be more useful in the upper lines.
Not that I'd have something against him making the final squad, I'm just noting that it's not looking so bright for him.
I have to take a rain check on judging Hännikäinen in the 4th. ToBBa here at least seems to think that despite being a big body, he ain't particularly physical and I certainly haven't seen him enough to draw any conclusions of his two-way game. To me he sounds more like a guy who'd be more useful in the upper lines.
Not that I'd have something against him making the final squad, I'm just noting that it's not looking so bright for him.
Why do people still keep on believing in Partanen, the guy obviously has got nothing done in the OHL, I'd much rather take a guy like Hännikäinen, who's stock is going upward, unlike Partanen.
I have to take a rain check on judging Hännikäinen in the 4th. ToBBa here at least seems to think that despite being a big body, he ain't particularly physical and I certainly haven't seen him enough to draw any conclusions of his two-way game. To me he sounds more like a guy who'd be more useful in the upper lines.
Well, I checked Mississauga's thread to find out how Partanen is doing.
Quote:
Partanen has been a mixed bag this year. Obviously, his offensive contributions have been disappointing. The big problem is that he has been getting quality minutes on the top two lines and is not producing. Some nights you get the impression he's going to start putting it together and then on other nights (or even later in the same game), you get the feeling he just hasn't got it at this level.
He has great size...he's an OK skater, has a hard, heavy shot, passes well and isn't useless defensively, but honestly, he has to do more.
He'll be the type that returns to Finland and puts up 20 goal seasons in SMLiga...but to be anything more than that now is doubtful.
He doesn't necessarily seem like a ideal 4th line player either, but it really doesn't matter. It's not like our 4th line has to play against opponent's first line the whole time. They are going to get very limited ice time and they should play simple dump&chase hockey with high energy, finish their checks and get out. That's why I'd prefer big guys who can skate and Hännikäinen has done well in the FEL. Unfortunately Patrik Moisio is injured, he would have been ideal 4th line player. On the other hand, if we have any smaller guys who really can skate, 4th line could be more of a energy line. Has Rautiainen good wheels and can he forecheck?
With 5-7mins of ice time, I'd be comfortable with Partanen & Hännikäinen on the wings. Who should center the 4th line? I have no idea.
He doesn't necessarily seem like a ideal 4th line player either, but it really doesn't matter.
Funny, he still does to me. Big, physical, and "not useless defensively". The fact that people are griping over him as made evident by that post there is because he's been utilized in a top-six role and hasn't been able to rack up the numbers. But that's something you need to blame the coach for, not the player. Nobody's complaining about those abilities that are rather useful for a 4th line winger.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Needles
Unfortunately Patrik Moisio is injured, he would have been ideal 4th line player.
Agree. But what makes Partanen any (or much) worse?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Needles
Has Rautiainen good wheels and can he forecheck?
He has the wheels all right. But he doesn't have the body. 171/73 won't do him much good, especially in a NA rink.
I have said earlier that size and physicality are things that shouldn't be sought after overly heavily, and true, those can be overlooked if the player has other capabilities that make him natural for a given role. We already have the forwards with skill and speed, heck, we have overabundance of them. Throwing one wrecking ball into that mix doesn't sound like a bad idea at all. At the moment, Partanen IS our top guy for the role.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Needles
Who should center the 4th line? I have no idea.
Otto Paajanen or Mikael Kuronen are the first to pop in mind, since both are given regular SM-liiga minutes in the very role. But since we have few extra upper echelon wingers, one option is to put a guy like Hännikäinen or Teräväinen into the 3rd line and put Ruuttu here.
I repeat what I said about Hännikäinen. Everybody's liking what they've seen of his offensive capabilities and overall game, yours truly included, but if we're to use him in a 4th line role... big body? Check. Physicality? Question mark. (Though this might be due to being in a upper-lines role in the club team, I don't know too many Finnish players who are afraid to bang the body when necessary.) Overall two-way game? Question mark. C'mon, somebody say he isn't a liability in these areas and sure, I'm all for giving him the job. (As if my opinion mattered... I'm not Raipe.)
I've seen Hännikäinen quite a few times over the years and especially by watching him now in Sm-liiga, he definitely seems to be more of a two-way guy than offensive. He has been productive in the juniors but I don't think he'll ever be a special force offensively. Then again, his game might be different in the WJC compared to Sm-liiga.
If you put him on the top lines, he's a energy guy who works hard and drives the net. IMO his place on Finland U20 is definitely in the bottom-6 and I kind of hope he makes it as well. He skates hard, finishes his checks and has some skill to make plays. 100% effort every single shift, a real coach's dream.
Funny, he still does to me. Big, physical, and "not useless defensively".
I don't have any idea how physical Partanen is. Yeah, he's big. That post didn't say anything about his physicality. And what stuck out to me was "you get the feeling he just hasn't got it at this level". But should he be in the 4th line? Well, I think so. I even had Partanen in my early fantasy rosters. At the moment, I don't see many better alternatives.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FiLe
Agree. But what makes Partanen any (or much) worse?
I wasn't making a comparison. That was more of an observation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FiLe
Otto Paajanen or Mikael Kuronen are the first to pop in mind, since both are given regular SM-liiga minutes in the very role. But since we have few extra upper echelon wingers, one option is to put a guy like Hännikäinen or Teräväinen into the 3rd line and put Ruuttu here.
I was thinking someone "expendable" and Kuronen could fit the bill. IIRC, Ruuttu-Barkov worked well in Vaasa so I'd keep them together.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FiLe
I repeat what I said about Hännikäinen. Everybody's liking what they've seen of his offensive capabilities and overall game, yours truly included, but if we're to use him in a 4th line role... big body? Check. Physicality? Question mark.
I wouldn't over-analyze the situation so I would just pick the best big winger available (Hännikäinen). That said, I'm not a professional hockey coach
I'm also starting to lean towards having both Granlunds in the the same line, since they do so in HIFK. They aren't the biggest guys around but they play fearlessly and definitely have some serious chemistry. I can see the first line working without any grinders:
Like I said earlier, I would like to keep Ruuttu and Barkov together. And I truly feel that Ruuttu's talents would be wasted in the 4th line. And our top9 really could use his size and grit.
For me Teräväinen would be the ideal 13th forward. He's not perhaps good enough to be a starter in top9 just yet, but he's definitely a potential impact player. Just like Salomäki last year. And he could play in every line in the top9 so guys like Armia, Ruuttu and Mustonen have to bring their A game every night.
I don't have any idea how physical Partanen is. Yeah, he's big. That post didn't say anything about his physicality. And what stuck out to me was "you get the feeling he just hasn't got it at this level". But should he be in the 4th line? Well, I think so. I even had Partanen in my early fantasy rosters. At the moment, I don't see many better alternatives.
My image of Partanen is that he's got the body, isn't afraid to put it on the line and isn't a slump defensively. That does indeed sum up as the best alternative right now, at least in my book.
I apologize if I appear to come across too hard, btw. I try to offer an educated opinion, but despite that, it is still just the opinion of one guy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Needles
I wouldn't over-analyze the situation so I would just pick the best big winger available (Hännikäinen). That said, I'm not a professional hockey coach
If Chad's evaluation of him is anything to go by, I'm all for Hännikäinen now, the guy seems to be making all the necessary ripples. It'd be nice to hear though how he fares on PK duty.
I don't think I'm over-analyzing, I'd just try to figure if player's general skillset is constant with the role considered.
When I'm building a fantasy lineup, I'm actually trying to emulate the mindset of the coach than going after my personal opinion. That way, it's always more fun to see how off the mark I was when the final roster is released.
would be my current prediction. I've seen some of both Kuronen and Paajanen, and while they're pretty interchangeable on even strength, I do think that Paajanen has the edge on PK. I don't actually know how highly Raipe thinks of a player's ability to contribute to the special teams, but there seems to be some convergence between the policies of U20 and the adult Lions, and Jalonen sure seems to make quite a fuss about it.
Also, no Teräväinen. Why, you must wonder. My current pick for 13th is even more versatile than him, a year older plus he's been far more visible in the U20 games already played.
Teräväinen is going to be back with the mens team tomorrow so hopefully he can keep himself there as long as Ben Eaves is injured. Obviously a better chance of making the WJC if he plays with Jokerit (most likely with Filppula) than in Kiekko-Vantaa / A-SM.
Teräväinen is going to be back with the mens team tomorrow so hopefully he can keep himself there as long as Ben Eaves is injured. Obviously a better chance of making the WJC if he plays with Jokerit (most likely with Filppula) than in Kiekko-Vantaa / A-SM.
Well he is playing with Filppula and as usual, nothing is happening for Filppula's line...
Richard Ullberg is looking good (minutes, goals against, saves, %):
I think he deserves a fair chance before the final squad is decided.
I don't think he'll get a spot, maybe as a third goalie. We got so many talented goalies available, but the thing is that we don't have a Nr.1 goalie desided yet.
Gibson, Aittokallio, Perhonen, Iilahti, Ullberg, Rajaniemi and Kolppanen. Very interesting...
Don't know how bad it is. If he weren't able to play we could replace him with Otto Räty (7g, 0+4 +4)
