Vainonen has been named as the captain, so it's a sure thing if he stays healthy. The players to watch from Team Finland if Määttä, Teräväinen and Pokka are unavailable because of play-offs:
2012 prospects: 1. D - Esa Lindell
2. GK - Joonas Korpisalo
3. D - Mikko Vainonen
4. D - Niklas Tikkinen
2013 prospects:
1. CE - Aleksander Barkov
2. D - Rasmus Ristolainen
3. RW - Artturi Lehkonen
4. RW - Juuso Ikonen
Apparently did not play in the last A-juniors final game due to injury.
Apparently did not play in the last A-juniors final game due to injury.
Are you sure he wasn’t a healthy scratch? He was -4 in his last two games and the coach clearly had an option to use more experienced defensemen instead. Lindell moves the puck pretty well and he’s an intriguing draft prospect due to his size and fast development, but at this point he’s not necessarily the guy you want to send out there when the stakes are high. His skating and defensive game still require quite a lot of work. It’ll be really interesting to see what his role will be like at the WU18C’s, especially if Vainonen, Pokka, Lehtonen and Ristolainen are all available offering the coaching staff more alternatives how to structure the defensive core.
Chris Driedger could definitely be one of the goalies that Canada turns to for the U-18:
Quote:
Driedger may be called to action for one of two goaltending positions for Canada’s entry at the World Under-18 Championship in Brno and Znojmo, Czech Republic, April 12-22, 2012.
“I think they’ve been talking to my agent,” Driedger said. “I’m not too sure if I’m on the team yet. They haven’t come out with the list yet.”
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Are you sure he wasn’t a healthy scratch? He was -4 in his last two games and the coach clearly had an option to use more experienced defensemen instead. Lindell moves the puck pretty well and he’s an intriguing draft prospect due to his size and fast development, but at this point he’s not necessarily the guy you want to send out there when the stakes are high. His skating and defensive game still require quite a lot of work. It’ll be really interesting to see what his role will be like at the WU18C’s, especially if Vainonen, Pokka, Lehtonen and Ristolainen are all available offering the coaching staff more alternatives how to structure the defensive core.
If he wanted to go and they simply chose not to bring him then they're idiots.
I bet he declined. I think he stabilized his draft position a bit with a decent showing at the end of the OHL season/playoffs and probably doesn't want a potentially poor performance in an international tourney damaging his draft stock. Or, USA Hockey could just be idiots....
If he wanted to go and they simply chose not to bring him then they're idiots.
Yep. If he wanted to go and they didn't ask, I can't even imagine how that decision was made. The futility would be mind boggling. But with USA Hockey, I wouldn't be surprised.
The only other thing I can think of is he was worried about re-injury and wants to continue to get stronger. But you'd think he'd be more worried about scout exposure.
