World Championship Thread

[Ashasx]

Have to wonder how much ice time Monahan will be given now.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Henry Fool

You're misrepresenting him. He did not step away from the national team because of his minutes. What he and other older players (including Selänne and Koivu) said right after the bronze game was that they'd made a decision to let the next generation step forward.

At that time there was also some talk that some of the older players were somewhat fed up with Finnish media etc, OJ, especially. And I totally get it.

The general Finnish hockey crowd is rather terrible honestly, they always pile on the team before every tournament. Plus you wouldn't believe how many Finnish hockey fans just have no clue about anything outside the Finnish league. Makes the critique especially annoying. It's the same this year. "Where's Koivu?!?" "Where's Ristolainen?!" (still playing, sheesh...)

Still, I think it's not as bad as it used to be.

(Teräväinen btw tried out for the team, but apparently didn't look ready enough for a top 6 spot. Which doesn't surprise me. Great kid, but very much a kid.)

Well Selänne kept playing and people forgot about that decision, apart from maybe Koivu I suppose who didn't come to this year's olympics.

Saku Koivu didn't make the cut to Sochi, Mikko was injured.

As to the Vancouver announcement, I think none of them expected to be even playing anymore Heck, Saku and Teemu kind of expected that Turin might have been their last olympics eight years ago.

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by Itse

[...]

(Teräväinen btw tried out for the team, but apparently didn't look ready enough for a top 6 spot. Which doesn't surprise me. Great kid, but very much a kid.)



Saku Koivu didn't make the cut to Sochi, Mikko was injured.

As to the Vancouver announcement, I think none of them expected to be even playing anymore Heck, Saku and Teemu kind of expected that Turin might have been their last olympics eight years ago.

Saku Koivu most definitely declined to come. The coach said so and he even wrote a public letter explaining that he didn't feel like he could help team enough.

As for Finnish perceptions, Olli Jokinen is a good example. Before Sochi, one prominent commentator (Tamminen) for example said that he could cause problems if he didn't get a big offensive role on the team. Totally wrong. Any Flames fan knows Olli better than most Finnish hockey people. Whatever one might think of his abilities at this point, he was never off message about being a defensive forward under Brent. They're still thinking of the young Jokinen they used to know.

[Henry Fool]

Finnish link on Saku Koivu: http://www.uusisuomi.fi/urheilu/6544...sin-saku-koivu

Westerlund oli seuraamassa NHL-pelejä viime viikolla Floridassa, kun Koivu soitti hänelle.
–Kun Saku otti yhteyttä, aavistin, että tällainen uutinen voi tulla. Totta kai se oli pettymys. Kun Sakua kaavailtiin joukkueeseen, kaavailtiin hänelle samalla aika isoa roolia, Westerlund kertoi.

[vilzeh]

Yeah, Saku declined, that's true, yet I remember Jokinen being fed up of the role of the Vancouver team and that's why he said what he said.

[sureLoss]

Brent Wallace @tsn_wally
Canada Lines:
Huberdeau Turris Burrows
Kadri Hodgson Brouwer
Chimera Scheifele Ward
Monahan Reinhart

Oh please hockey gods let that be a sign of what is going to happen at the draft.

Brent Wallace @tsn_wally
MacKinnon, Schenn and Read not skating today.



Brent Wallace @tsn_wally
@HC_Men Dpairs:
Garrison Bieksa
Gudbranson Myers
Rielly Ellis
Methot not skating

[getbak]

In addition to Baertschi, Berra was also added to the Swiss roster yesterday.

[4oh3]

Burrows on line one? Wow.

[4oh3]

Wow burrows got paid 900k a goal last season.

[MissTeeks]

Backlund confirmed on the prelimary Swedish roster:

Aaron Vickers‏@AAVickers4 mins
As expected, #Flames Mikael Backlund among names on Sweden's preliminary roster for 2014 IIHF World Championship.

And:

Aaron Vickers‏@AAVickers3 mins
Also named to Sweden's preliminary roster? Former #Flames first round pick Tim Erixon.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

Aaron Vickers‏@AAVickers3 mins
Also named to Sweden's preliminary roster? Former #Flames first round pick Tim Erixon.

So Sweden is no good.

Looking forward to seeing Gaudreau school him.

[Boo Radley]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Have to wonder how much ice time Monahan will be given now.

The correct answer...
He is a Calgary Flame. He will earn his ice time

[djsFlames]

Gotta be honest here. USA will still top my list of must watch teams. Followed closely by Canada. Monahan - Reinhart? I bet Burke and Treliving will be keeping an eye on those two.

[HighLifeMan]

Originally Posted by Itse

Official now. (Quick copypaste.) Probably does not say much to anyone here

Lot of guys I can't really comment on.

Defense:
Juuso Hietanen, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
Jere Karalahti, Jokerit Helsinki
Tommi Kivistö, Ilves Tampere
Oskari Korpikari, Pelicans Lahti
Ville Lajunen, Färjestads BK (SHL)
Jyri Marttinen, Ässät Pori
Tuukka Mäntylä, Metallurg Novokuznetsk (KHL)
Atte Ohtamaa, Kärpät Oulu

Offense:
Juhamatti Aaltonen, Kärpät Oulu
Tommi Huhtala, Blues Espoo
Jarkko Immonen, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
Olli Jokinen, Winnipeg Jets (NHL)
Pekka Jormakka, Tappara Tampere
Leo Komarov, Dynamo Moskova (KHL)
Petri Kontiola, Traktor Chelyabinsk (KHL)
Jori Lehterä, Sibir Novosibirsk (KHL)
Iiro Pakarinen, HIFK Helsinki
Jere Sallinen, Örebro (SHL)
Tomi Sallinen, Blues Espoo
Miikka Salomäki, Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)
Veli-Matti Savinainen, Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (KHL)
Petteri Wirtanen, HC Donbass Donetsk (KHL)

Salomäki and Pakarinen over Granlund? Not sure I agree with that, but as you stated it appears Markus has always been somewhat overlooked in Finland due to his brother.
That's unfortunate, he deserves to be there.

Also..No Teravainen? That seems strange.

[Prufrock]

I believe Canada will play their first exhibition today (tuesday) at around 12:10pm.

I think Monahan will be in for Canada and Sven should have arrived and will play as well.

[jg13]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Gotta be honest here. USA will still top my list of must watch teams. Followed closely by Canada. Monahan - Reinhart? I bet Burke and Treliving will be keeping an eye on those two.

I will probably "thank" everything you post as long as you keep that boston pic as your sig bahahaha

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by HighLifeMan

Salomäki and Pakarinen over Granlund? Not sure I agree with that, but as you stated it appears Markus has always been somewhat overlooked in Finland due to his brother.
That's unfortunate, he deserves to be there.

Also..No Teravainen? That seems strange.

Teuvo is still just a kid despite the hype from prospect publications.

The national team does their own scouting and has their preferences. Apart form maybe the third goalie who isn't likely to play, they don't take young players for the sake of giving new talent a chance, they only take them if they fill a role.

Markus may have missed his chance simply because of his injury. They couldn't scout him and he wasn't able to achieve a body of work in the NHL. It's not necessarily clear to them what kind of player he actually is right now. Someone like Salomäki they know can play an energy role.

Someone like Pulkkinen isn't even in the conversation either. Scoring in the AHL has never impressed people in Finland.

[stignasty]

Roger Millions ‏@RogMillions
For those wondering. #Flames Sean Monahan skating as an extra forward as Canada prepares for @WHC in Belarus. He and Sam Reinhart.

[MissTeeks]

TSN's broadcast schedule:

http://www.tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/feature/?id=11970

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by stignasty

Roger Millions ‏@RogMillions
For those wondering. #Flames Sean Monahan skating as an extra forward as Canada prepares for @WHC in Belarus. He and Sam Reinhart.

Over Alexandre "Gretzky lite" Burrows?