makes three selections from the Leijoni’s situation before the start of the World Cup home games. Expert Juha Juujärvi put Jussi Olkinuora in Leijoni’s goal ahead of Emil Larmi.
In the opening match of the World Cup, Finland will face the United States on Friday at 16:20. According to several estimates, Leijonat will go to the World Cup home games as the overwhelming favorite for the championship. Finland has a tough team to field, led by Finland’s NHL superstar Mikko Rantanen.
Sports expert Juha Juujärvi doesn’t start banging braces, even if he signs the evaluations of the champion’s favorite position.
– The status of the defending world champion and the home games create strong preliminary expectations. Mental state and tolerance to pressure make a big difference. Like last year, how can we handle the extra expectation value of home games? Although Leijon has the same squad as last year’s World Cup, there are also many new players. Now let’s start putting together a new story, Juujärvi reminds.
In the ranks of the lions this spring, there are 14 players from last year’s champion team.
There has been a lot of talk in Finland before the World Cup about how the level of the American and Canadian teams is not quite up to par.
However, Juujärvi does not underestimate either team.
– However, the North American teams are fundamentally tough. They are a hungry team with just the right amount of experience. Their identity of coming to games with a really hard charge and playing simple hockey is well suited for games like this, where we go overboard, says Juujärvi.
The expert names Canada, Sweden and Finland as the toughest challengers Kari Jalonen coached by the Czech Republic.
– Among the Europeans, Sweden has gotten their game together better this season. They also challenge Finland in the way they play. The Czech Republic is also really strong. They play very much with the same identity as Finland. If Leijonat meets the Czech Republic in the follow-up games, there will be two almost identical ideologies facing each other. The curve for the Czech Republic has been upward for a long time under the leadership of Kari Jalonen, Juujärvi states.
2. A successful player who has played slowly as the Lions’ first goalkeeper or a hot debutant?
The biggest question mark of the Lions World Cup team has been the goalkeeper situation so far. The team has three meritorious goalkeepers Jussi Olkinuora, Emil Larmi and Christian Heljanko.
Last year, Olkinuora was chosen as the most valuable player and the best goalkeeper of the World Cup, but he has a difficult season in the AHL and the Swedish main league in the SHL. Emil Larmi, on the other hand, shone in the spring in Sweden, when he led Växjö to the championship. Larmi was also chosen as the best player of the playoffs. Christian Heljanko, on the other hand, saved Tappara for the Finnish champion and the Champions League victory.
Larmi and Heljanko are WC debutants.
At this point, the expert Juujärvi would be ready to put the successful contender Olkinuora ahead of the red-hot debutant Larmi.
– I think it is only an advantage that Olkinuora has been successful in Finland in the team. Olkinuora has always been the head coach Jukka Jalonen credit player, although this season has been challenging. Olkinuora has always been able to play a top game behind the Lions’ five. With him, Leijonat can build success, Juujärvi states.
The expert doesn’t see drama in the situation, but believes that Larmi will work very well as Olkinuora’s string tightener.
– I believe that the Finnish coaching staff will calm down the situation. I believe that the hotter goalkeeper will bear the main responsibility when we move towards the playoffs, says Juujärvi.
3. Lions’ interesting order of matches: Salvation or threat?
The Lions have an interesting order of matches in the World Cup. Finland will face three tough countries right at the start of the World Cup: the United States, Germany and Sweden. After that, the program includes opponents from a clearly weaker category: France, Hungary, Austria and Denmark.
Juujärvi sees both a benefit and a challenge in the situation.
– The beginning of the tournament is always important. How do chains find good common chemistry and achieve success? That’s why this hard start serves Leijon very well. Weaker opponents, on the other hand, pose the challenge of whether it is possible to develop the game as the tournament progresses. It is key for the game to develop. This program cannot measure the level in the best possible way. It puts a small uncertainty factor in the quarterfinals, Juujärvi states.
In the training of the day before the opening match against the United States, the biggest star Mikko Rantanen was placed in the first chain Sakari Manninen and Teemu Hartikainen alongside. Manninen and Hartikainen were an effective radar pair during their time in the KHL in Ufa’s shirt. He was in the trio then Markus Granlundbut now he didn’t fit into the World Cup team.
– There’s a super three together. That chain will certainly have the most expectations for achieving results and showing direction, Juujärvi underlines.