Colorado Avalanche’s Mikko Rantanen and New York Rangers’ Kaapo Kakko are the Lions’ latest NHL signings. The Ice Hockey World Cup starts on May 12 in Tampere and Riga.
Joska Saarinen,
STT Sports
Finland will receive a strong forward reinforcement for the Men’s Ice Hockey World Cup starting next week in Tampere and Riga, Latvia. The MM Lions will be joined by Colorado Avalanche, who won the NHL Stanley Cup last season Mikko Rantanenit is reported on the website of the Jääkieckoliitto.
Rantanen, who scored 55 goals and 105 power points in the regular season this season, is the first Finnish player who has been able to complete more than 50 goals and 100 power points in a season in the 2000s.
Before Ranta, only Finns were able to do this Jari Kurri and Teemu Selänne.
– Mikko has already won a lot. It’s great that, despite that, he wants to come to the home games to help Leijon in the fight for the second consecutive world championship. World-class confirmation for Leijon, GM of the A national team Jere Lehtinen says in the announcement.
Rantanen has played in the Men’s World Championships three times: 2016–18.
Colorado unexpectedly fell to Seattle in the opening round of the NHL playoffs.
On Wednesday, it was also reported that the forward of the NHL club New York Rangers Kaapo Kako strengthens the Finnish national team at the World Championships.
– It’s great that we can bring Kako after a break of a few years. The team’s meetings have now been held and official permission from the team to join has been received, Leijonien GM Jere Lehtinen is happy on the Jääkieksoliito’s website.
Kakko played in the World Championships when Finland won the men’s world championship in Slovakia in the spring of 2019. His trophy cabinet also includes gold medals from the 2018 Under-18 World Championships and the 2019 Under-20 World Championships.
Finland currently has seven NHL confirmations for the World Cup home games. Among them, Patrik Laine’s fitness is uncertain.
Laine will miss the EHT tournament in the Czech Republic, which starts on Thursday, where the Lions will play their last preparatory matches before the World Cup.
The World Cup starts on Friday, May 12. The game locations are Tampere and Riga, the capital of Latvia.