[News] Team Finland Olympic team

[vilzeh]

Goaltenders

31 Niemi Antti (San Jose Sharks, NHL)
32 Lehtonen Kari (Dallas Stars, NHL)
40 Rask Tuukka (Boston Bruins, NHL)

Defense

3 Määttä Olli (Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL)
4 Väänänen Ossi (Jokerit, Helsinki)
5 Kukkonen Lasse (Kärpät, Oulu)
6 Salo Sami (Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL)
18 Lepistö Sami (Avtomobilist Jekaterinburg, KHL)
38 Hietanen Juuso (Torpedo Nizhni Novgorod, KHL)
44 Timonen Kimmo (Philadelphia Flyers, NHL)
45 Vatanen Sami (Anaheim Ducks, NHL)

Forwards

8 Selänne Teemu (Anaheim Ducks, NHL)
9 Koivu Mikko (Minnesota Wild, NHL)
12 Jokinen Olli (Winnipeg Jets, NHL)
15 Ruutu Tuomo (Carolina Hurricanes, NHL)
16 Barkov Aleksander (Florida Panthers, NHL)
21 Lehterä Jori (Sibir Novosibirsk, KHL)
27 Kontiola Petri (Traktor Tsheljabinsk, KHL)
28 Korpikoski Lauri (Phoenix Coyotes, NHL)
36 Jokinen Jussi (Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL)
41 Pihlström Antti (Salavat Julajev Ufa, KHL)
50 Aaltonen Juha-Matti (Kärpät, Oulu)
51 Filppula Valtteri (Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL)
64 Granlund Mikael (Minnesota Wild, NHL)
71 Komarov Leo (Dynamo Moscow, KHL)

*Saku Koivu said personally he is not fit to play, his own decision.

No Bergenheim is a big surprise for me.

[jlh2640]

Other then Bergenheim and koivu. Any other omissions ?

[Heavy Jack]

Kinda hard for them to go with anyone other than Rask, at least early, even though that is a spectacular trio.

[Coach]

Dat goaltending.

[vilzeh]

Originally Posted by jlh2640

Other then Bergenheim and koivu. Any other omissions ?

Not really, no big ones anyways, but Aaltonen is a big question mark for me and I don't understand how they had Bergenheim (Who is having a good streak going on while playing with Barkov who is in the team) behind Aaltonen at this point.

Lehterä & Kontiola I do understand, they are skilled and kinda big players also and they are doing good in KHL and the tournament is in Europe.

That defense though, I'm so scared. It's a mobile defense, but there's not much physicality there. Bigger nations will probably out-hit them pretty hard.

[19Yzerman19]

Oh dear. That blueline is not going to cut it.

[icarus]

Originally Posted by vilzeh

That defense though, I'm so scared. It's a mobile defense, but there's not much physicality there. Bigger nations will probably out-hit them pretty hard.

Yeah, I was going to say that D looks a bit suspect. How's the L/R shooting balance?

[vilzeh]

Originally Posted by icarus

Yeah, I was going to say that D looks a bit suspect. How's the L/R shooting balance?

5 lefts, 3 rights.

The most important is probably Timonen (L) and Salo (R) on the 1PP.

2nd PP is a question mark for me too: Could be Vatanen (R), Hietanen (R), Määttä (L), Lepistö (L). A combination of those. I'd probably go first with Vatanen & Määttä, though then I don't know what Hietanen is doing there, so probably Hietanen & Määttä.

[undercoverbrother]

Teemu, that is awesome.


What a quality athlete.

[CofR]

That goaltending is awesome, I assume Rask will be getting the majority of the starts.

And so awesome to see what Selanne is still performing at, at his age... One of my favourite players

[vilzeh]

Selänne was picked almost only for the PP. Won't probably see much ice on 5on5's.

oh, and to add: Niemi was a surprise for me aswell, because I've heard him say earlier in the season that he won't be going if he's not the starter, "The 2 weeks would help me a lot if I'm not playing", but I guess he will be getting some starts then. Lehtonen probably the 3rd goalie then.

[flambers]

I would think Mikko Koivu is a long shot to be healthy in time for the games.... Last I heard its best case he would return in 4 weeks.

[The Swedish Flame]

Where the hell is Myllys?

[vilzeh]

yeah, the first game is in 5 weeks, if the prediction is accurate, he won't be at his best when the tournament starts, and he's pretty much the soul of this team.

[killer_carlson]

I am pleased Oli Jokinen made it as well.

I still cheer for that guy.

[The Swedish Flame]

Is it a surprise that Barkov is in the team?

[vilzeh]

For some it can be, not for me though, been watching him this season and the last couple of weeks (month), he's been really upping his game. He's the best player in the Florida right now. That being said: Barkov wasn't even in the first list Finland announced way back where they will be choosing the players from (Neither was Määttä btw).

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Originally Posted by The Swedish Flame

Is it a surprise that Barkov is in the team?

Not if you've seen him play for Florida.

[Resolute 14]

That's six Olympics for Selanne. Not bad for a guy who announced he was retiring more than Brett Favre

[Huntingwhale]

Best goaltending in the tournament IMO