Team Finland's new Head Coach Jukka Jalonen released his first ever major tournament roster late last Sunday. A lot has been said, and probably will be said of the team Finland will ice for the 2009 World Championships, but something is certain even by now: It's definitely something no man, be they experts or laymen, could have predicted. A myriad of injuries and other miscellaneous reasons that caused nearly a dozen of talented players to drop out of the contention, it would seem that for the captain of the crew, this voyage will be no honeymoon.
Goaltending
Whereas one can always make educated guesses about the netminding talent other countries are going to bring to the games, the Finns are certainly used to being exceptions. Starting from the games in Riga 2006, three different goalkeepers have been leading Team Finland to three World Championship podium spots, and looking to continue that tradition in Switzerland 2009 is a fourth one. Pekka Rinne, the Nashville Predators rookie goalie will bear this year's starter mantle. Backing him up is Tampa's Karri Rämö who became the Lightning's no.1 after Mike Smith's head injury. These two solid NHL caliber goalies are looking to make sure that getting the puck between the pipes in Finland's end of the rink won't be an easy feat for anyone.
For the reserve, Jalonen chose SM-liiga's regular season MVP Juuso Riksman who is also a major tournament first timer.
Defense
While only two of Finnish blueliners are career NHLers, them being Nashville's Ville Koistinen and Atlanta's Anssi Salmela, the defensive end of the Finnish Lions' rink is still lined with NHL experience.
The leading defenseman, returning to World Championships after being sidelined last year in Canada due to injury, will once again be Petteri Nummelin whose skill with the puck should already be a familiarity.
Another player making a comeback to the Finnish national team is Janne Niinimaa who was last seen in the Finnish roster in World Cup 2004. Niinimaa, who played for Switzerland's SCL Tigers brings the experience from 741 NHL games to the Finnish lineup and will be one of the players coach Jalonen will trust shift in, shift out.
Three d-men from Swedish Elitserien, Janne Niskala, Mikko Lehtonen and Topi Jaakola round up Finland's top-seven in defense.
Forwards
Last year in Canada, Finland's lineup boasted with prime forward talent like Teemu Selänne, Saku Koivu and Tuomo Ruutu. This time around however, inexperienced is the first word that pops to mind when looking at Team Finland's offensive unit. Out of 14 men in the roster, six are in for their first major tournament.
Prior to the games, center talent is definitely the biggest question mark in Team Finland's roster. With no tournament familiars like either of the Koivu Brothers or Olli Jokinen in the lineup, the duties of the first line center will befall on Niko Kapanen. Kapanen, while not being a stranger in major tournaments with 7 appearances in World Championships prior to Switzerland, has usually been the 2nd or 3rd line center. Kapanen, who won the first ever Gagarin Cup with AK Bars Kazan this year, is a versatile two-way center but can he pick up his game and lead Team Finland offensively is one of the biggest questions present. Likely, he will be winged by two familiars from his days with Dallas in NHL, Niklas Hagman and Antti Miettinen who now play for Toronto and Minnesota, respectively.
Finland's remaining centers will be Tommi Santala of Kloten Flyers who starts the games in his home rink, and two fresh Finnish champions from JYP Jyväskylä, Jarkko Immonen and Juha-Pekka Hytönen. Their abilities to produce at this level are also key questions.
Missing the reigning Lion King Ville Peltonen for only the second time during the past 15 years, Finland's mental leader and captain in these games will be Sami Kapanen. Kapanen, who returned this season to his hometown club KalPa Kuopio, makes a return in major tournaments after seven years of absence, last representing Team Finland at 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Another player of note in the Finnish lineup is agitator Jarkko Ruutu, who dresses for his 7th World Championship. Hannes Hyvönen and Mika Pyörälä are also expected to take a big role in the Finnish offence this year.
Game analysis
While rather weak on paper, Finland will expectedly make up a lot with its solid game plan that will likely leave a little room for improvisation. One shouldn't still expect the Finnish Lions to try and make up the nondescript roster with shutdown total defense more familiar to lesser hockey countries, as coach Jalonen is known to be a friend of speedy, offensive ice hockey, based on strict roles within the team. If everything clinches, the absence of its biggest stars might just make Team Finland bond even more closely as a team than usual. If the Finns can reach the glorified 'zone' as a collective unit, there is no telling what one might consider them to be.
Yes, even a trophy contender.
 FINLAND'S 2009 IHWC ROSTER (players marked with an asterisk are playing in their first IHWC)
Goaltenders
31. Karri Rämö, Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL)
32. Juuso Riksman, Jokerit Helsinki*
35. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators (NHL)*
Defense
03. Petteri Nummelin, HC Lugano (SUI)
04. Ville Koistinen, Nashville Predators (NHL)
06. Topi Jaakola, Södertälje SK (SWE)*
21. Janne Niskala, HC Frölunda (SWE)
28. Anssi Salmela, Atlanta Thrashers (NHL)
38, Teemu Aalto, Linköpings HC (SWE)*
44. Janne Niinimaa, SCL Tigers (SUI)
Forwards
08. Hannes Hyvönen, Dynamo Minsk (KHL)
14. Niklas Hagman, Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL)
20. Antti Miettinen, Minnesota Wild (NHL)
22. Tommi Santala, Kloten Flyers (SUI)
26. Jarkko Immonen, JYP Jyväskylä*
29. Kalle Kerman, Jokerit Helsinki *
37. Mika Pyörälä, Timrå IK (SWE)
39. Niko Kapanen, Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)
41. Leo Komarov, Pelicans Lahti*
49. Tuomas Pihlman, JYP Jyväskylä*
51. Juha-Pekka Hytönen, JYP Jyväskylä*
73. Jarkko Ruutu, Ottawa Senators (NHL)
82. Ville Vahalahti, TPS Turku *
Head coach: Jukka Jalonen
Assistant coaches: Timo Lehkonen & Risto Dufva
General Manager: Jari Kurri
FOLLOW THESE PLAYERS
Something old...
One person in Team Finland's defensive unit is a familiar sight to everyone following this tournament. Petteri Nummelin's record in the World Championships is one to behold. 14 tournaments, 7 medals (1 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze). History will also be written with this year's IHWC entry, as only two players, Czechoslovakia's Jiri Holik and Sweden's Sven 'Tumba' Johansson, have represented their country 14 times in elite level World Championships before Nummelin.
The 36-year-old defenseman who returned from NHL's Minnesota Wild to his European home team HC Lugano for this season is still at the top of his game, constantly seeking to feed forwards with lengthy passes. So one might already look forward to him becoming the sole record-holder in Germany 2010.
...something new...
Pekka Rinne started his professional career as a backup goaltender in SM-liiga team Kärpät, and he was never able to rise from the shadow of Niklas Bäckström, the undisputable number one during his tenure at the club. After Rinne's departure to try his luck overseas in the organization of Nashville Predators, there probably aren't many hockey fans left in Finland who remember he even existed. This is about to change.
Once Rinne takes his post between the pipes in Finland's opening game against Norway, it will be his first time ever in a national team jersey. No starts, no dressing as a backup prior to that - not in adults, not in juniors.
...something borrowed...
Only two opinions of Jarkko Ruutu exist in this world. People either can't help but love him or hate him with passion. Leo Komarov, who played for SM-liiga's Pelicans Lahti this season is one of the former. In fact, Komarov adores Ruutu so much that he has adapted his whole play style after his idol. So one might expect to see not just one, but two agitators ready to make the opponent's life hell skating in Finland's lineup.
22-year-old Komarov's background is curious, as he is the first Estonian-born player to appear in the World Championships on the elite level. Born in Narva, Estonia in 1987, Komarov's family moved to Finland when Leo vas still an infant, as his father pursued a hockey career in Finnish minor leagues. Komarov's foreign roots are heavily visible, as he speaks better Swedish and Russian than Finnish.
Still there is no questioning where Komarov's loyalties lie, as he is the former captain of Finland's U20 team.
...and a whole lot of blue.
A thing worth of extra notion is the history of Team Finland's novice Head Coach. Before his instatement as the coach of the national team, Jukka Jalonen stood behind the bench of SM-liiga team HPK Hämeenlinna for six seasons. HPK, never considered one of the big players in the Finnish Elite league, medaled four times during those six years and finished out of the semifinals only once. The ultimate high note on Jalonen's tenure at HPK was the Finnish Championship in 2006.
So this man, if anyone, should know what it takes to win with a team of underdogs.
|
