On the fourth of December it starts to happen. At that time, the final teams will be named for the top four-nation tournament, which will take place in February.
Previously, Finland, Sweden, Canada and the United States named the first six players.
The four-nation tournament is an expected event. For the first time in years, the best NHL players are playing against each other at the national team level – the last time this happened was at the World Cup in 2016. This time, however, only four national teams are participating.
Lions GM Jere Lehtinen and head coach Antti Pennanen so they will announce their final team on December 4th.
While waiting for that, Urheilu’s NHL reporter Tommi Seppälä and a hockey expert Ismo Lehkonen assembled their own team. Expert Lehkonen is the candidate for the team Artturi Lehkonen father.
At the end of this story, you can also choose your own team.
Goalkeepers
In the goalkeeping department, the basic structure was as expected for both. Juuse Saros is the clear number one, both of whom got off to a good start in Vancouver Kevin Lankinen. Lehkonen picked Colorado as the third goalkeeper Justus AnnunenBlacksmith of Buffalo Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
Ismo Lehkonen: – I believe that Annus will become a tough number one hitter in the long run. Thirdly, a young guy with big eyes, big ears and a damn small mouth is needed for a tournament like that. Can’t seem to mind at all. Annus has positive body language.
Tommi Seppälä: – Same income angle with youth. Luukkonen already played excellently in Buffalo last season. He will be the cornerstone of the Lions’ goalkeeping department tomorrow, so I would take him along to feel the spirit of the big tournament. Luukkonen is a positive team guy who certainly doesn’t rock the boat.
Defense
As far as defense equipment is concerned, the choice will not be very difficult. Finland has only had nine defensemen in the NHL this fall, and of these Jani Hakanpää returned to the rink after a long injury only last week. of Anaheim Urho Vaakanainen has gotten into real action in only five matches.
Almost everyone who wants to can join, because players cannot be chosen from outside the NHL.
Lehkonen chooses Hakanpää for his team, Seppälä does not. It’s mainly about how the six defenders are paired.
Lehkonen: – Hakanpää is a good player against tough boys. He never backs down and cleans his own area very well. A host is needed in front of the goal. He is a big, long and reaching good understrength player.
Blacksmith: – I am suspicious of Hakanpää’s move. He had problems with it from time to time in the previous seasons, and in the upcoming tournament we will go harder than ever. No Juuso to Välimäki In Utah, in particular, he has not excelled, but I take him as the seventh defender over Hakanpää.
Couples the duo built in different ways.
Lehkonen: – Mikkola plays the role of libero well with Heiskanen and Lindell and Ristolainen are an excellent pair of the same age group and that’s where the dexterity hits. Jokiharju has also sat in the stands in Buffalo, but I don’t understand why. I have full credit in him.
Blacksmith: – Heiskanen and Lindell have played together a lot over the years in Dallas, and I built a solid foundation for the first pair. In the other two pairs, the dexterity and roles are well suited. Määttä and Ristolainen know each other well, and Jokiharju and Mikkola operate in the second pair in their own clear roles.
Attack
There are the most question marks at the attacking end, not least because of the center situation. There are more players available for the mid lane than you can handle. Alexander Barkov, Sebastian Aho, Roope Hintz, Anton Lundell, Mikael Gralund, Erik Haula and Jesperi Kotkaniemi all play in the NHL as a center forward.
The part has to play on the wing, which makes building the whole fascinating. There is also a merciless race for the last places in the lower chains.
The biggest difference between the two teams is in the top chains. Lehkonen moved Hintz to the wing, Seppälä Aho. Otherwise, the structure of the top chains is very different.
Lehkonen: – Hintz is fast and he should be in the middle lane. It was an easy choice. Playing with his left hand down, Hintz is well able to serve Rantanen on the right wing. Aho and Teräväinen have played a lot together. Teräväinen has always found Aho and so does Barkov.
Blacksmith: – Barkov fits between Rantanen and Lehkonen, who played a lot together. This thread can play any kind of game. Lehkonen creates space and time, but also knows how to solve things himself. Since Lundell and Luostarinen come from Florida as a package solution, I built the second team around Aho and Hintz. Granlund as a smart general player complements these well.
There is a lot of pressure on the bottom chains, and things like that were left out of the built assemblies Matias Maccelli and from Lehko Jesse Puljujärvi and from Seppälä Joel Armia.
Lehkonen: – I’m an old Pori resident, so I’ll take two Pori residents, Kotkaniemi and Haula, into the foursome. They’ve played all kinds of roles, down to sub-powers. In Kolmose, Luostarinen also has the training of a center, which occasionally frees Lundell to the top. Kakko is a slick guy who suits it well.
Blacksmith: – Luostarinen and Lundell are a diamond 3-chain package solution and Teräväinen as a clever two-way player fits well into that whole. In Nelose, Haula leads the team’s age group of young people who play the 60-meter game maturely. Puljujärvi, as an additional attacker, can rise to the role of the four chain.
Only for those returning to the rink Patrik Lainee naming the team comes too quickly after a long break.
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