February 8, 2024, 11:17 a.m.
When you’re the fourth-best team in an event with a “4” in the title, you obviously face a bumpy road to victory.
So who is a better underdog than the Finns?
The ever-favourite Lions have an absolute chance to win next February’s four-way competition. Because if you have a stud player in a key position in a short event, you always have a chance.
So, while the names you’ll see below in the form of the predicted Finnish roster won’t win the pre-tournament power rankings alongside Canada, the United States and Sweden, they’ll always be brave players, and now more than ever. Don’t sleep on experienced players. — Finns can do it.
forward
Sebastian Aho – Alexander Barkov – Mikko Rantanen
Matthias Macelli – Lupe Hinz – Teuvo Teravainen
Artturi Lehkonen – Anton Randell – Mikael Granlund
Eric Haula—Ietu Luostarinen—Joel Armia
Patrick Lane
Eli Tolvanen
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Jesse Puljujarvi
The wild card here is obviously Patrik Laine, who is currently enrolled in the NHLPA’s Player Assistance Program. For various reasons, we want to see the 25-year-old find the net in the NHL next year. In the context of Team Finland, having someone on the second line after Mikko Rantanen in the top unit would make a big difference, so having an extra gunner on the side would make a big difference.
You can probably debate whether Roupe Hintz or Sebastian Aho should replace him on the wing, but we like the idea of having them on the top two lines rather than all three in the middle. ing.
The bottom six offers versatility as Mikael Granlund and Erik Haula can alternate to play center if a change is needed. Artturi Lehkonen’s big-game pedigree would be an invaluable addition.
It would be a huge development for Finland if Anton Lundell makes a spectacular comeback in Florida next season. That way, you can keep Aho and Hintz in the top six while feeling pretty good about 3C.
It’s easy to make a case for putting a goal getter like Eeli Tolvanen on the roster before Joel Armia, but the latter before Joel Armia would be a great addition to all kinds of small players to help teams maintain control of the puck. He will do things for you. He hit a shot that increased his attack power to more than zero.
defense
Miro Heiskanen – Rasmus Ristolainen
Esa Lindell—Jani Hakanpaa
Nico Mikkola—Henri Jokiharju
Thirteen barimaki
Olli Mata
Perhaps half of the defense could be made up of the Dallas Stars, and it would probably make sense to keep Esa Lindell and Jani Hakanpaa as a pair.
Future Norris Trophy winner Miro Heiskanen will obviously be the team’s anchor, and while some may argue with Rasmus Ristolainen on the top pair, he’s still a monster player in the NHL. He’s a great guy who has played. He is also a right-handed player, which would allow Heiskanen, who can play on both sides of the ice, to play his natural left side. Ristolainen’s job will be to go back, absorb the hit and tip the puck over to Heiskanen.
Then again, if Finland are looking for a player who can drive the attack a little more, there may be a place for Juuso Valimäki in the top six.
goalkeeper
Jusse Saros
Ukko Pekka Lukkonen
Kaapo Kahkonen
Auntie Ranta
Achieve the equalizer at 5 feet 11 inches. Juuse Saros has sometimes seemed to single-handedly disprove the idea that smaller players can’t succeed at the crease, but he’s also seen the difference in overall talent that Finland has with the other three teams. It will help you fill it in a hurry.
At the other end of the size spectrum, the 6-foot-5 Ukko-Pekka Lukonen is currently playing the best hockey of his NHL career and actually has the best save percentage (.910) of any Finn in the league. ing. If his upward trend continues, he’ll definitely be the backup, and he could even fill in for Saros if Saros doesn’t hit his stride early on.