Head coach of the Finnish men’s national ice hockey team Jukka Jalonen has not calculated the WC groups when piling too much on the NHL. He has not wanted to wait for reinforcements from across the sea, but to lock the lineup quickly in the name of strong group dynamics.
Jalose has had a long list of creditable players in Europe around whom the Lions’ body is built. The best – and completely exceptional – example of this was seen in the spring of 2019, when Leijonat put the Euro team in a bundle with the big countries Canada, Russia and Sweden marinated with really hard NHL reinforcements.
Of course, NHL cards are always viewed according to the current spring situation. The first thing we look at is the player’s state of health and energy on the rink.
Jalonen last stated a couple of weeks ago on the Kimanttia podcast that if a player has a weak season in the NHL, it rarely turns out well in Leijon.
The willingness of NHL players is affected by various injuries and how much the heavy NHL season has eaten up mental capacity. The World Cup stretches the player through several weeks. They are away from the important recovery and training time of spring and summer.
The third theme is contract situations: due to the risk of injury, few people want to go to the World Cup without an NHL contract.
Because of these reasons, NHL players have been seen sparingly in Jalonen’s World Cup teams in recent years. Last spring, there were a little more North American helpers, and we even took them with us in the middle of the trip: Mikael Granlund, Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell joined the team after the first round of the NHL playoffs.
In the latest episode of the Ikan änäri podcast, Kasperi Kapanen and Erik Haula get attention from Finnish players.
Good goalkeeping
The situation regarding the NHL is delicious before the World Championships in Tampere (and Riga). Jalonen has often repeated that NHL players’ interest in the World Cup is high. The best thing from the Lions’ point of view is that now there are tough players available for almost every position.
Five goalkeepers are about to be excluded from the playoffs. And not just any goalie, but one belonging to the NHL’s absolute elite, for example Juuse Saroswho would be Leijoni’s rightful first goalkeeper if he wanted to.
For support, Saros could get someone who made a breakthrough in Detroit Ville Husson or if a recent injury prevents the WC trip, Kevin Lankinen From Nashville.
Lankinen denied the 2019 WC gold to Jalonen Leijon.
It could be a good choice for defense Juuso Välimäki, who has emerged as the conductor of Arizona’s puck game. Välimäki’s NHL career did not want to start in Calgary, but the playing time and results in the new club have been commendable.
Jalonen has typically trusted players he has known for a long time. There is no common history with Välimäki, so the place as the number one dominant line spinner is not certain.
of Detroit Olli Määttä and Buffalo Henri Jokiharju instead, they would be familiar and safe choices for Jalose.
In Philadelphia clearly improved Rasmus Ristolainen is the wild card of the defense. Ristolainen has only played in one prestigious men’s tournament, the World Cup 2016. Recently, there has been a little friction between the player and the national team management due to the refusals of the player from Turku.
Now the conflicting axes have reportedly been dug in and there is interest on both sides. Ristolainen could be an excellent general defender for Leijon.
Will Barkov and Laine be brought to the forefront of the attack?
The crème de la crème of the attack, at least in terms of story, could in the best case be built around “boys from your own village”. of Florida Alexander Barkov is tightening up his team for the playoffs in the last moments, but even after the loss in the first round, he would make it to the start of the World Cup.
Florida is an interesting team for Jalose anyway. Eetu Luostarinen is one of the comets of the domestic NHL season and a strong candidate for the Lions’ middle lane as well. Young center Anton Lundell is also a familiar player to Jalose.
Barkov would also have a chain friend ready, another man from Tappara, Columbus Patrick Laine.
Both Barkov and Laine have been in strong scoring shape in recent weeks. However, Laine has achieved his results in non-stakes matches. He also injured his hand, but the recovery time makes a trip to his home town very possible.
If Barkov’s Florida reaches the playoffs, Mikael Granlund’s weak Pittsburgh will probably be left behind. Granlund’s season has been difficult and certainly mentally heavy with all the player trades. If there is enough power, Jalonen will surely bring the always reliable MG64, which started the golden overtime goal a year ago.
of Montreal Joel Armia was involved in Tampere a year ago, but the Pori player’s season has been really difficult and broken.
Other attackers from Nashville Juuso Pärssinen and St. Louis Kasperi Kapanen seem like unlikely choices in advance.
A little non-contractual
Most of the potential NHL signings have a contract in their pocket. One whose contract is coming to an end is Winnipeg’s Saku Mäenalanen.
The power forward who ventured to North America from Kärpi has been winning World Championship and Olympic gold and one World Championship silver with Jalonen.
A TPS graduate who had a great rookie season in Arizona Matias Maccelli would have been a fascinating name for Leijon, but this hardly risks the NHL continuation due to the World Cup ice.
Under no circumstances will Jalonen start hoarding everything and everyone from the NHL. Now, however, there are exceptionally tough NHL offers available, especially if there is strong interest in Tampere on the North American side.
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