This is what the Lions’ World Cup team looks like right now – Ismo Lehkonen has wild hopes for the NHL | Sport

Can spring be enjoyed without the speculation of the Lions World Cup team? It is necessary to update the situation.

When the World Championships in Prague and Ostrava in the Czech Republic start on May 10, the composition of the Lions has changed significantly compared to previous years.

Iltalehti toldthat none of the Finnish five of the Swiss Geneva-Servette – Valtteri Filppula, Sami Vatanen, Teemu Hartikainen, Sakari Manninen or Jussi Olkinuora – is not involved this spring.

They are all Olympic winners and world champions in recent years. For example, the versatile and reliable Manninen is even the most important player of the Leijoni in recent years and has scored a lot of winning goals in decisive matches.

– When we accidentally got home games for last year, I said then that at least one third of the players gave their last service to Leijon, says ‘s expert Ismo Lehkonen.

– It’s starting to be miles behind. They have a family and have traveled the world a lot. The season has always stretched. Players recognize if they are not able to fully commit. Finnish players are so smart that they give the stage to others.

Lions GM Jere Lehtinen confirmed to Ilta-Sanomthat those who celebrated the Olympic victory and World Championship gold are also on the sidelines Niko Ojamäki, Ville Pokka and Harri Pesonen.

Marko Anttila withdrew from the national team after last year’s games and has not changed his mind despite a good league season.

Sensation Helenius suddenly to Pikkuleijon

Finland started the matches of the World Cup camp by facing Latvia twice in the guest bowl. Finland won both matches 3–2, the first in overtime.

Ismo Lehkonen gives a direct answer: No one was really convinced about the players of the Lions in the Latvia matches.

– Yes, the initial stage has the whole journey, as it usually goes. It’s not worth drawing conclusions.

Lehkonen raises a couple of names based on the Latvia games. Jukurits Pekka Jormakka scored 1+1 in the first win. Defender of the Swedish HV71 Oliver Kaski scored a hat trick in the second win.

One of the sensations of the SM league season and the most talked about players in the Leijonien camp group has been the 17-year-old from Jukuriden Konsta Helenius.

Jere Lehtinen said earlier that after two weeks of camp, we will see if Helenius will continue with the A national team or if he will join Pikkuleijon.

Lehkosen has a clear opinion on this.

– Definitely now there for the 18-year-old games. It was nice to play two games, but now the home games are coming up. It has a sprinkle good seam to get a great boom on when talking about the youth national team tournament. A lot of tickets have been sold, and Finland really has a chance to even win the world championship.

The World Championships for under-18s will be played in Espoo and Vantaa from April 25 to May 5. According to Lehkonen, it would be important for Pikkuleijonien to get Helenius involved quickly for the sake of team chemistry and tactical issues, so that he does not have to jump on a moving train.

Defenders

So who will form the backbone of the Lions’ defense at the World Cup?

Oliwer Kaski was already mentioned. Among the players in the World Cup camp, Lehkonen also mentions that he did a good job in Örebro Rasmus Rissanen and represented SCL Tigers in the Swiss league Vili Saarijärvi.

Known for his puck skills Mikko Lehtonen plays in the Swiss League finals in a Lions jersey.

Lehkonen mentions the trio from Tappara, which is waiting for the league finals Brother Matti Vittasmäki, Otto Leskinen and Valtteri Kemiläinen. Kemiläinen played in the Olympic gold team, but the WC command would be the first for each of them.

Flies Atte Ohtamaata cannot be left out of invoices due to his reliability and underpowered expertise.

From the NHL side, Lehkonen highlights four defenders: Juuso Välimäki, Henri Jokiharju, Urho Vaakanainen and Olli Määttä. I think Detroit still has a straw for the playoffs.

Vaakanainen and Välimäki would bring solidity, Jokiharju’s right side’s playfulness. However, each of this trio has a broken contract. Usually, there is no possibility to go to the World Cup, for example for fear of injuries, if there are NHL contract negotiations ahead.

However, Lehkonen manages to believe.

– Of course, this is the wish of a sports romantic. But these Välimäki, Jokiharju and Vaakanainen have got their foot so firmly in the door of the NHL that there shouldn’t be any problems in the contract negotiations. They are friends of the age group that it would be really good to come to the World Cup.

Lehkonen suggests that NHL players have a bigger return to international puck ahead of them. In the winter of 2025, a tournament of four countries will be played in the NHL arena, and in 2026 the Olympics are ahead.

The expert also hopes that NHL clubs would understand to offer their players opportunities for screen seats during major international tournaments.

Attackers

When we move to the attacking department, Lehkonen lists eight centers from Europe, of which Hannes Björninen and Janne Kuokkanen are already in the camp group.

Kalle Kossila convinced Växjö as the number one center when the team advanced to the semi-finals of the SHL. The 31-year-old Kossila would be a real surprise, at least for the general public, because he has only been seen in Leijon once in the EHT tournament.

of Lausanne Antti Suomela and Lions Juho Lammikko meet in the finals of the Swiss league.

Lehkonen names KalPa’s young sensation as challengers to the aforementioned Oliver Kapanenhaving made his breakthrough in Kärp Arttu Hyryn and Frölunda’s number one center Mikael Ruohomaan.

The winger section of European players would look like this:

Frölunda Jere Innala leads the goal exchange of 9+4 SHL playoffs, and the machine doesn’t seem to freeze.

Among those already found in the World Championship camp, the names most stable on Lehkonen’s list are: Ahti Oksanen (Oskarshamn), Lauri Pajuniemi (Malmö), Iiro Pakarinen (HIFK), unexpectedly got an NHL contract with Carolina Juha Jääskä (HIFK), Sebastian Repo (Lock), Sampo Beach (MoDo), Saku Mäenalanen (SCL Tigers) and Pekka Jormakka (Jukurit).

From Tappara, Lehkonen would join the team Anton Levtchin.

From the NHL’s side, there have been two centers in speculation whose contracts are still ongoing: Mikael Granlund and Erik Haula. Lehkonen would naturally take these top centers with great joy to the WC bowl.

– Granlund has played brilliantly in difficult San Jose. Haula has been one of the Devils’ best guys day in and day out, and it’s not up to him that the Devils don’t go to the playoffs.

Especially the Arizona talent has been brought up from the platforms as potential World Cup players due to their contract situations Matias Maccelli and Montrelin Joel Armia.

Maccelli has only been seen in Leijon in the EHT tournament in 2020, but the versatile Armia was going to win the World Championship gold in 2022.

– To the games, of course. Armia has been really good since her farm command. There wasn’t an iota of logic in that. Unbelievable ass display for Armia. But he handled it well and has since been one of Montreal’s top scorers.

Lehkonen unexpectedly highlights players whose contracts are on hold Kasperi Kapanen. The expert believes that after the miserable NHL season, a positive decision could be sought from the World Cup.

A similar idea could be offered To Eeli Tolvane and Jesse Up.

In addition, an interesting option has been signed to Pittsburgh after a long rehabilitation Jesse Puljujärvi.

Goalkeepers

Among the goalkeepers, it is easy to name a familiar European trio: Harri Säteri (EHC Biel), Emil Larmi (Växjö) and Christian Heljanko (Poleaxe).

Lehkonen, the sports romantic, comes to the surface again.

– Of course, I would like the young guy who has broken through in Buffalo and is in the minds of all North American analysts.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has really made a great breakthrough in Buffalo, but there are important contract negotiations ahead.

The contract is also on hold Kaapo in Kähkönen. Joonas in Korpisalo has a long contract with Ottawa, but the regular season was sad to watch. of Detroit Ville Husso has been injured for most of the season.

However, Lehkonen would like other NHL goaltenders to show their skills in Leijon, when Juuse Saros everyone already knows.

– The club should understand that this would be a pretty nice opportunity, what if Luukkonen is released, and it would be good marketing for Buffalo as well.

Rush of NHL stars?

Johnny Gaudreau, Cole Caufield, Tage Thompson, Luke Hughes, Shane Pinto, Brady Tkachuk, Seth Jones, Trevor Zegras…

It’s stardom, which will be released for the USA with certainty from the NHL and which is also a supplier coming to the World Cup by Andy Strickland by.

The World Cup has seen quite a few NHL players in recent years, but now the situation is different when the top tournament of four countries and the Olympic Games are coming up.

– Yes, it affects a lot. It is an indisputable fact that when a young wave is coming from the USA and Canada, the players understand that it is necessary to come and give displays, states Lehkonen.

– Canada also really has at least eight quality players on the field. You have to come from there. Otherwise the phone won’t ring.

One of the biggest questions among North Americans is whether the new era super name will be seen in the Canada jersey at the same time Connor Bedard and iconic Sidney Crosby.