Every tournament has a favorite and an underdog that no one expected to win. Who’s better at being the underdog than the Finns? The ever-competitive Lions will always find a way to win, and I can’t wait to see them pull off some upsets in this tournament. I wouldn’t be surprised.
Alexander Barkov, Mikko Rantanen, Sebastian Aho (Hockey Writers)
Finland has the star talent to compete and keep every game close, but when it comes to the depth of talent that other teams have, they prove to be a bit of a problem.
Expected list of Finland national team
As a reminder, the Four Nations will be an in-season tournament that will run from February 12th to 20th, 2025. Remember, the 2023-2024 season is still underway and you still have to prepare for next season. Please come. A lot can change between now and then. Let’s take a look at what Finnish-born players could potentially join this first-ever roster.
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Finland has a great matchup of versatile centers and elite shooting wingers with a variety of lines. Reign and Rantanen’s cinematography and Barkov’s creativity will be remarkable. You could also talk about switching Hintz and Aho to another line, or swapping one of them to the top line. Ideally, we’d like the Carolina Hurricanes’ combination of Aho and Teravainen, but as mentioned earlier, moving Aho up a row could change things with Hintz in center with Reign. . The six below are versatile enough to be easily modified to suit different needs.
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The development Randell and Macelli will undergo will be huge for their young careers. Lehkonen proved to be a valuable asset, especially in key moments, with the support of experienced players.Granlund and Haula can both play center so they can be substituted if needed, while Tolvanen helps provide an additional shooting threat on the wing.
defense
Finland’s defensive core is probably the “weakest” in the tournament, but overall it is one of the best defensive groups. Half of that is made up of the Dallas Stars, who pair Lindell and Hankamper together very well, so keeping Lindell and Hankamper together is a smart move. Heiskanen is the leader of the group and he will help anchor everything and likely run the top power play. He will be paired with Ristolainen, who has extensive NHL experience, but he is a right-handed defenseman, allowing Heiskanen to play on both sides of the ice and not being able to play on his natural left side. , focused on defense, absorbing hits and passing the puck to Heiskanen.
goaltending
Saros has been one of the top goaltenders in the NHL for the past few seasons and is definitely the first choice. He is the type of goalkeeper who can make crucial saves when needed and lead his team to a big lead in the tournament. He also demonstrated his ability to win matches alone. Most importantly, he brings calmness and confidence to any team. Luukkonen got off to a rough start to his NHL career, but has improved greatly over the past two seasons and continues to play well for the Sabers this season, but Devon Levi has been inconsistent. He has the potential to be a franchise goaltender. By supporting Saros, the 24-year-old will gain valuable experience for future international tournaments. Raanta has had some notable accomplishments throughout his career, but has faced injuries in recent seasons. The 34-year-old brings veteran experience to the team and will be a great role model.
The last word
It’s easy to label a particular team as the “best” in a tournament, but harder to label it as the “worst.” When it comes to four-nation competition, there is no “worst” team as all teams are made up of NHL-level players and superstars, but in the case of Finland, he is the “worst” of the four teams. “is. That doesn’t mean they don’t fight. If Saros sets up the net and Barkov leads the attack, he will be hard to beat no matter what.
