The talk of the autumn season Ismo Lehkonen raises concerns about Finnish hockey’s ability to produce NHL-level players. Although Mikko Rantanen and Alexander Barkov under the management, the fall season offered the familiar top quality, as a whole, in Lehkonen’s opinion, the fall season was not a particularly Finnish fireworks display.
Lehkonen turns his gaze specifically to the background behind the hard tip.
– It was a bit like the autumn of the intermediate model in Finnish terms, Lehkonen begins.
– We have top-notch expertise and a top-class center department, but where do we start digging for NHL-level puck defenders. The expectation in general was that someone would start hitting through there, but then no one came. Keeper Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is still in the process and others are leading the iron league, Lehkonen continues.
In the fall season, a Finn who could be counted as a rookie was seen in the NHL. In Tampa Walter Merelä started brightly, but has not been able to establish his place in the game. The sensation of the last few weeks is Pittsburgh Valtteri Puustinenbut the sample of eight matches is small.
Roby Järventie, Nikolas Matipalo and Joona Koppanen are not NHL level.
Finnish ice hockey has reason to worry, especially regarding defenders. If Miro Heiskanen leaving out the bills, there are no defenders capable of top-level puck play at hand or even in sight.
– I’m a little worried that there won’t be a push from behind the hard tip. It is appropriate to ask whether we have kept up with the evolution of hockey, that we know how to prepare the players for what will come up in the NHL. We need to update the way players are developed. Skill level, skating and so on. Good hockey work is being done in the world, Lehkonen’s line.
Who surprised?
of Florida Niko Mikkola was the absolute Finnish sensation of the autumn season, even though a good basic level was already known. Mikkola, who moved from St. Louis to Florida, has been among the absolute best of the cat pack’s defensive equipment throughout the fall through simple and effective basic play.
Especially in the early autumn, Mikkola’s importance was emphasized, when Florida played for a long time without their top defenders Aaron Ekbladia and Brandon Montouria. Mikkola quickly began to enjoy being the head coach by Paul Maurice great confidence and playing times have remained above 20 minutes throughout the season.
– Mikkola has found a home for himself in Florida and now he plays spinal hockey there. It’s sweet to see how his self-image as a player has strengthened incredibly. He has taken his hockey playing in Florida to a whole new level, Lehkonen praises.
Mikkola’s playing is based on simple efficiency. High-quality defense as well as efficient and straightforward operation with the puck create the basis for efficient performance. Mikkola is exactly the kind of high-quality foundation that every championship-seeking team is looking for in their back lines.
– Especially in the early autumn, Mikkola was even a player that could ignite Florida. He makes art out of giving the first pass and in general he has made himself important to the team. Hats off to the sports boss To Bill Zito. He knew what he was getting in Mikkola.
Who flopped?
Kasperi Kapanen. The potential of Kapanen, 27, has been talked about to the point of exhaustion, but the promise of the winger, reserved for the NHL in the first round, never seems to materialize. In playing, there are good blanks from time to time through speed, but the condition of the results declines from season to season.
Kapanen’s performances in the previous 23 matches are recorded as 1+4, and throughout the season the situation is not much better (3+8). At the same time, in advanced statistics, Kapanen is clearly on the losing end. And let’s not forget the fact that there have been quality players on the side and the responsibility of superior force is also available. With the upper hand, Kapanen hasn’t scored a single point.
With an annual salary of around three million euros, you are allowed to expect much better.
– Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou serve as measuring sticks for Kapas in St. Louis. I see that Kapase has all the tools to challenge that duo. However, repetition is missing. Little things have to be done right all the time. Success usually comes to those who do those things. Through hard work, I see that the situation could change, Lehkonen sees.
Autumn paint
For the Finnish goal of the autumn season, Lehkonen brings up the previously praised Mikkola’s hit against Edmonton.
– It was a real masterpiece. Mikkola was put in the bag all the time at the same time Connor McDavid’s and Leon Draisaitl with and the boys started to get emotional. On top of that, he scored a goal. McDavid tries to run away to the middle area, but Mikkola says that you can’t run away from this anyway. The game turns and Mikkola scores at the other end. Great thing to do.
What next?
In the coming weeks, Lehkonen will follow with special interest the progress of Finnish clubs that are seriously aiming for the championship. Especially Florida, Dallas and Colorado are under the exact reason. Lehkonen created a quick overview of everyone’s situation, stating that each of the teams still has a way to the championship level.
– I would like to see Florida defend closely for the entire 60 minutes. Their basic package is in better condition than a year ago, but by occasionally over-attacking they cause themselves problems, Lehkonen sees.
Dallas is a strong winning team that still has firepower in reserve. For example Roope Hintz led by the chain has not yet found last season’s flying weather.
– It’s a good thing that the Hintz chain has been able to save even a little. It has also become clear that Dallas is not a one-chain team. The question mark has to do with how the defense holds up to the comparison.
Of the three, there has been the most turbulence around Colorado. Last Thursday morning, the team went from a 4–0 lead to a 4–5 loss. The team has sunk very far from the championship level of two years ago, partly due to injuries.
– They have their own game going on. There, we are looking for a rotation of four chains to see who can reliably play there. Coaching now doesn’t see that there are any such players out there. The club management will certainly do things to strengthen the team and the captain by Gabriel Landeskog there is of course great hope for the return.
A new episode of the Ikan änäri podcast is published every Thursday. You can find all episodes here.
Story edited on 28.12. at 1:19 p.m.: Corrected the amount in the headline to three million euros, instead of the three and a half million in the headline before.