All news and speech topics in the NHL’s four -country tournament can be found here.
The long -awaited hockey NHL’s four -country tournament will start on Wednesday and Thursday night in Montreal with a meeting between Canada and Sweden.
Lions play a challenge, but the team has one trump card: players know each other.
There are many young world champions involved. Malmö from 2014, home race in Helsinki 2016 and Vancouver in 2019. Sports Expert Ismo Lehkonen says that players have been waiting for the tournament for a very long time.
– They are all friends with each other. Especially during the season, when they have played against each other, they have been sitting and chatting in the evening. They have been waiting for this like a rising moon.
The expert sees the team’s spirit and atmosphere. He sees the huge benefit that the players know each other.
– Finally and finally they can meet. They have big expectations.
Is the defense enough?
One of the biggest topics for the Lions has been the health situation and the team’s defense. The lion was left aside before the start of the tournament Miro Heiskanen, Rasmus Ristolainen and Jani Hakanpää.
For example, Heiskanen would have played a big role as a reel defender and the importer of the reel. Lehkonen sees that coaching has to think about, for example, departure for attacks.
– Where is the opening feed, and if the pressure comes, where to move the transfer disc? I dare say that a pretty simple game goes into traffic.
However, Lehkonen is not concerned about the defense. He raises that for example Bravery has emerged well in his new club in the New York Rangers.
– I’m not worried. Yes, all of these are high quality professional defenders in my eyes, but they go out to play through their own head. Above all, their mission is to defend and they can handle it.
The present -day -rising topic
The Lion has several NHL stars in the tournament, but the current invaders have spoken in the media. So Ilta-Sanomat As Sports, the article has published an article that explores Finnish players’ points for this calendar year in the NHL.
Lehkonen has a mystery why the subject has become a topic of talk. He realizes that Patrik Laine there have been difficulties, and he did not expect that Mikko Rantanen It would go immediately in Carolina.
– When I look at the top expertise, those points are quite comparable to other top stars. I wouldn’t go out through that. Barkovit, Rantaset, Hintzit and others have done enough power.
– In addition, with Finnish mentality, these boys do not go to hoarding points. Above all, they play only and only through winnings, not through the profits of the spot market.
It is true that this year, Finns will not take over the top of the top or even the top 50.
On the other hand, over the last three weeks you will find more good Finns.
Florida and Lions captain Alexander Barkov has played ten matches with a 1.4 point average and is on this meter in the NHL’s shared ninth place Nikita kuchherov mixed Nathan MacKinnon with.
Sebastian Aho is 1.22 points on the average of 19th, Mikael Granlund 1.2 with a average of 22nd and Roope Hintz There is a point per game at 49th.
Teuvo Teräväinen in turn has made seven points for nine games and Artturi Lehkonen the same score in ten matches.
Bench coaching is emphasized
Ismo Lehkonen highlights how a few opponents have verified that no one underestimates Finland as they are aware of Finland’s discipline and team play.
However, the expert is looking forward to how Finland intends to play against North Americans.
According to Lehkonen, Finnish coaching must be particularly alert during games, as tactical changes within games play a significant role.
– The way of playing must hit, because there are such offensive teams. If you are able to defend high quality, such risk teams can be well -controlled.
– By no means can there be passive in a small rink. If you get passive, then the puck will spin quite a lot at the end of Finland.
Lehkonen’s eye also follows other countries. For example, he looks at how the US head coach Mike Sullivan You can control your “entertainment business” over -attack.
– Some have been a little dissented for this tournament, but I can say that all the teams are really involved. Especially North American teams have huge desires.
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