Is this normal in these kind of tourneys to rest certain people?
Yes, if said players are SM-liiga regulars already with enough game load as it is and have also participated in the U20 WJC.
They're locks to the U18 WC team anyway (as long as they're healthy) so there's really no need to add to the burden by dragging them into every possible practice tournament there is.
a 4-0 win over team USA today. Atte Tolvanen was awarded as the best player for Finland and Teräväinen scored twice on powerplay with a onetimer. Juutinen and Haapala scored the other two. Nobody really stood out positively, but I was very disappointed in team USA.
Also this was the second time this season I've seen Saku Salminen and I'm far from from impressed. He's skating is one of the most horrible things I've ever seen take place inside a hockey rink. Also his offensive decision making was very poor. Defensively he was pretty solid, but no coach in their right mind would choose a player like him to the U18 world championships.
Also this was the second time this season I've seen Saku Salminen and I'm far from from impressed. He's skating is one of the most horrible things I've ever seen take place inside a hockey rink. Also his offensive decision making was very poor. Defensively he was pretty solid, but no coach in their right mind would choose a player like him to the U18 world championships.
Salminen's skating looks rugged and somehow he seems a bit stiff, but I think that his agility and straight line speed have improved slightly from the beginning of the season. Perhaps there’s still some hope for things to improve. He's a big guy with decent hands and some willingness to play the physical game, so I would say that he’s at least a candidate for the WU18C’s team simply because there aren’t that many players like him available from the 94 age group. He's playing quite a lot on a strong Jokerit Jr.A team and has even seen some PP time lately, so at least someone is seeing some potential in him. Maybe the U18 coach just needs to find the right guys to play with him?
Pokka, Ristolainen, Vainonen, Tikkinen, Lindell and Lehtonen will probably be our top-6 defensemen if Määttä is unavailable, but forwards might be a bit harder to predict at this point. How do you see the forward line-up shaping up at the moment, any insight?
How do you see the forward line-up shaping up at the moment, any insight?
Top-six is pretty evident at this stage IMO with Barkov, Teräväinen, 2x Ikonen, Kulmala and Lehkonen but from there, well... it turns somewhat into crapshoot. It's always hard to figure out what the coaches see when it comes to defensive ability, especially with juniors.
Out of the guys who were in the team in this most recent tournament, Henrik Haapala, Nico Friman, Topi Nättinen and Joonas Huovinen have been guys who've caught my eye at one stage or another over the season.
is lineup I'd see at least plausible. Haapala was apparently in good form in the latest tour, Nättinen, Huovinen and Friman have been hanging 'round these games over all season with decent production. Juutinen has a big body which may be doing him some favors.
Lines can always be shifted and mixed, but I'd say at least ten guys from that lineup will make it to the final team. And it won't be a bad one.
What comes to goalies - I'd say Korpisalo and Tolvanen are the playing tandem.
I would like to hear if Ville-Valtteri Leskinen has a chance into this team? he has pretty good stats. Is he useful as a depth player? But this team is really strong team. 94's seems to be pretty good year for finland.
I would like to hear if Ville-Valtteri Leskinen has a chance into this team? he has pretty good stats. Is he useful as a depth player? But this team is really strong team. 94's seems to be pretty good year for finland.
Well, I wouldn't call 'em notably good. But not bad either. Decent. He's not a small fry, though so that's always a bonus. So... it's hard to say. Our depth is truly something else. We have one very good indication right here, considering how quite different vision of bottom-six we seem to have - though I would probably have inserted Markkula there somewhere if his name hadn't escaped me at that moment.
The 94-borns might just turn out to be the best class produced in Finland ever. Well, there are some that challenge with big names with big careers ahead & behind 'em, but overall.
I would like to hear if Ville-Valtteri Leskinen has a chance into this team? he has pretty good stats. Is he useful as a depth player?
I would say that Leskinen’s chances of making the team are almost nonexistent if most of the top guys stay healthy. He got his chance with the national team during the 5 nations tournament in Switzerland, but didn’t cash in like for example Joonas Huovinen did. In his club team he’s playing with one of the top centre forwards in Jr.A this season and it’s the biggest reason why his stats look good. He has some offensive upside and scoring touch, but in comparison to some other available wingers he’s more of a top-6 or nothing type of guy. He’s not a grinder or an elite penalty killer. Also he’s clearly not as tall as listed, he’s probably closer to 5’11’’ than 6’1’’.
I have a feeling that Barkov, J.Ikonen, Teräväinen, Kulmala and Lehkonen will be among the top-6 forwards, but I’m not quite sure who’s going to get the last remaining spot. It seems that Henri Ikonen hasn’t quite found his offensive game/chemistry in the national team, so it’s possible that he won’t have a primary role in this team. Huovinen’s overall game is slightly lacking, but his passing game and vision should be in sync with our top offensive guns so he could be one of the options. His centre game probably isn’t good enough for national team, so he either makes the team as a 2nd/3rd line winger or is out altogether.
Markkula has been a work horse for this age group since the U16 times, so it would require some cojones from the coaching staff to make changes now and leave him out. Rutanen didn’t play in Pori, but could easily be a 4th liner for this team. Antonen won't be a 4th line centre forward if he makes the team.
The 94-borns might just turn out to be the best class produced in Finland ever. Well, there are some that challenge with big names with big careers ahead & behind 'em, but overall.
When you look at defense and goaltenders, the depth is quite astonishing. On the other hand, Teräväinen might be the only future star forward in this age group. Time will tell.
Those 95-borns don't look too shabby either. Ikonen - Barkov - Lehkonen might do some serious damage next year. Depth doesn't always seem to be that important at U18 level, if you have one really good line + a goalie. And we have that in Husso.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tormentor
I have a feeling that Barkov, J.Ikonen, Teräväinen, Kulmala and Lehkonen will be among the top-6 forwards, but I’m not quite sure who’s going to get the last remaining spot.
Is Torniainen still injured? And it seems that Tanus needs to develop another year before he can be an offensive threat at this level.
At the moment London Knights leads the whole OHL and it's not very likely that Määttä will play in U18 WHC. Thank god we have so many great defencemen in this agegroup.
No need to worry about that. Per the agreement between FIHA and SM-liiga, they're obligated to release him.
The only eligible but highly questionable is Määttä.
The same question was raised two years ago with Mikael Granlund and I believe IFK's stance was then that he's going to play with them. And he did, but they were knocked out in the first round, which allowed Granlund to join the U-18 squad.
The same question was raised two years ago with Mikael Granlund and I believe IFK's stance was then that he's going to play with them. And he did, but they were knocked out in the first round, which allowed Granlund to join the U-18 squad.
And last year with Armia. Ässät also got knocked in the first round
Hmm. The U18 coach can naturally leave a player out voluntarily (if the club so requests), but if a player becomes contested, the NT wins.
In neither Armia nor Granlund's case it never got that far so we actually haven't seen such a contest yet - though if it is to happen, I don't really doubt the NT wouldn't back down.
Here's the roster for the 1st U18 WC camp. Some players are still playing with their club teams and will join the camp after they're finished with their playoffs. The first cuts will be made on the 30th of March and final cuts on April 4th.
Goalies:
Jean Aurén, Sport
Atte Tolvanen, Ässät
Joonas Korpisalo, Jokerit
Juuse Saros, HPK
Defensemen:
Markus Kojo, Ässät
Mikko Lehtonen, TPS
Esa Lindell, Jokerit
Atte Mäkinen, Tappara
Valtteri Parikka, KalPa
Ville Pokka, Kärpät
Rasmus Ristolainen, TPS
Santeri Saari, Jokerit
Niklas Tikkinen, Blues
Juuso Vainio, HPK
Mikko Vainonen, HIFK
Forwards:
Joose Antonen, Ilves
Aleksander Barkov, Tappara
Nico Friman, HIFK
Henrik Haapala, Tappara
Joonas Huovinen, Sport
Henri Ikonen, KalPa
Juuso Ikonen, Blues
Janne Juutinen, HIFK
Rasmus Kulmala, TPS
Artturi Lehkonen, TPS
Samu Markkula, JYP
Aleksi Mustonen, Jokerit
Topi Nättinen, JYP
Joni Nikko, Lukko
Eetu Patronen, KalPa
Aleksi Rutanen, Blues
Saku Salminen, Jokerit
Jonatan Tanus, Tappara
Teuvo Teräväinen, Jokerit
Hard to say what's Sasha's status based on a camp roster alone. For example, in previous-to-last WJC camp roster they did drag Granlund along as long as they could despite him having a pretty severe concussion.
Let's hope he is getting healthy and in form of course. It's our 1st line center we're talking about here after all.
Five days ago Barkov said on twitter, that he has no idea when he's able to play again. It could be possible that he's got past the mononucleosis, but isn't in playing shape, or something like that. I guess we'll find out eventually. I sure hope he's healthy, and not just because of the U-18's.
Saros, Tanus and Mustonen have been selected to team Finland's U17 Finkampen roster. Finkampen is held in 3.-5.4 so does this mean that these three won't be playing in U18 WJC? For example Barkov and Juuso Ikonen weren't in that list and these two are locks to U18 team.
How is it now? I dont understand finnish so its hard for me to look for information! Teräväinen? playing or not?(lets hope JYP winns tonight) I know Ill be cheering! but ikonen? importat player asswell! And anything new on barkov? know he is supposed to play, but thats the last I have heard,, inlight me! thank in advance
