Talented Finnish team eager to make amends after last year’s fiasco
After a disastrous showing in the 2017 WJC group stage that resulted in a mass firing of the coaching staff, Finland’s U-20 team is back for World Juniors (barely). With nine returning players hungry for redemption and several more 2017 draft picks eager to prove themselves, the Finns have assembled a roster to compete in the tough Group A.
Forwards
C: Janne Kuokkanen, Aapeli Räsänen, Joni Ikonen, Joona Kooppanen
LW: Kristian Vesalainen, Otto Koivula, Jere Innala, Markus Nurmi, Juha Jääskä
RW: Eeli Tolvanen, Aleksi Heponiemi, Rasmus Kupari, Eetu Tuulola
The forward group is potentially the weakest part of the Finnish lineup, especially compared to 2016’s roster, but their top six is solid, and their bottom six should be able to provide some support. Joni Ikonen has historically performed well for Finland on the international stage, and he has the potential to be an excellent anchor for the third line. Rasmus Kupari, a top prospect for the 2018 draft, could move up in the lineup if he continues to impress the coaching staff.
Wingers Otto Koivula and Aleksi Heponiemi may switch sides as the tournament goes on, but they’ll likely stay together on the second line, centered by Aapeli Räsänen. The first line looks to be a strong combination of Kristian Vesalainen, Janne Kuokkanen, and Eeli Tolvanen, all returning from last year’s team. Each member of the trio has been producing well for his regular season club, and Vesalainen and Tolvanen were both selected in the first round of the 2017 draft this past summer.
Defence
Miro Heiskanen, Robin Salo, Eemeli Räsänen, Jusso Välimäki, Olli Juolevi, Urho Vaakanainen, Henri Jokiharju, Kasper Kotkansalo
With five first-round draft picks on the blueline alone, Finland’s strength on the backend will make them difficult to contend with. Not only are their top defencemen able to jump in and contribute in the offensive zone (always an exciting part of any junior tournament), but guys like Miro Heiskanen and Henri Jokiharju have also demonstrated their ability to skate defensively and move the puck up ice.
Captain Jusso Välimäki and 6’7” Eemeli Räsänen will provide some additional size and strength to a team that’s already over an inch above the average size for the tournament (Finland’s roster averages 6’1”, while the rest of the teams come in at around 6 feet). The fact that Finland’s blueline is both large and skilled should give them an advantage in puck battles and, ultimately, exiting their own zone.
Goaltenders
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Lassi Lehtinen, Niilo Halonen
Although Finland has chosen to bring three goalies to the tournament, it’s likely that Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will be Finland’s number one throughout. Already experienced in international play (he was on the last two U-18 teams, winning a gold medal in 2016 and a silver in 2017), Luukkonen has put up a .914 SV% so far this season since being drafted 54th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the summer. Although he’s the youngest of the three goaltenders, Luukkonen has been starting for LeKi this season, and he could have a real breakout tournament, especially with some support up front.
Lassi Lehtinen and Niilo Halonen will probably trade off starts against Denmark and Slovakia in the group stage this week, and although the starter’s job may not be up for grabs, having two solid backups in net will be necessary for such a strenuous tournament against tough competition. Lehtinen plays in the same league with Luukkonen with a similar save percentage of .915, and while Halonen started the season with HIFK U20, posting a .914 SV% over 28 games, he’s only played two games on loan to SaPKo.
Thoughts
The main differences between last year’s relegation-round winners and this year’s squad will be seen in the well-rounded roster, from the loaded blueline to the proven scoring ability up front. Nine players from last year’s team will be back, and their experience and desire to improve on 2017’s performance will be a driving force for the current group. Returnee Eeli Tolvanen registered 16 points in 15 games last year, so look for him to progress even beyond that production, especially on Finland’s top line.
Unlike a few of the other top contenders, Finland’s roster only boasts seven players currently in North America. The rest have opted to play regular season hockey closer to home, which makes it tougher for North American fans to keep up with their careers. It will be exciting to have an opportunity to see some of these guys up close, especially for fans of the Boston Bruins and the Calgary Flames, who each have two draft picks suiting up.
It will be hard for Finland to best their impressive gold-medal performance from 2016, but this year’s squad is all but guaranteed to be a contender in the round robin and beyond. They face tough competition, especially from Canada and USA in the group stage, but this roster is set up well enough to make a run.