Finland Announces Roster For 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup
With just two days before the beginning of the tournament and exhibition games already underway, Finland has announced their roster for the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, as reported by Elite Prospects’ Lassi Alanen. The yearly summer tournament is the first major event on the calendar for draft-eligible prospects, and this year’s eight-team tourney will showcase some of the best players available in next summer’s 2024 NHL Draft.
Finland is always one of the favorites to make some noise in international events, but as Alanen notes, they’ll be without a few crucial pieces at this year’s event, which significantly handicaps their chances of medalling at the event. Defenseman Aron Kiviharju and center Konsta Helenius are both potential top-ten choices come next June, but they’re currently at another summer event for the higher-level U20 team at the World Junior Summer Showcase. They’ll also be missing 2006-born defenseman Veeti Väisänen, who participated with last year’s Hlinka Gretzky squad but dropped out of this year’s edition at the last minute, per Alanen.
That being said, there are some other names worth watching. Center Julius Miettinen is 2024-eligible and is the only member of Finland’s roster slated to play in North America next season. After the WHL’s Everett Silvertips selected him 30th overall in this year’s CHL Import Draft, he’s slated to head to the Washington-based team after recording 10 goals, 12 assists and 22 points in 38 games with HIFK Helsinki’s U20 squad last season in the U20 SM-sarja. 6-foot-2 forward Emil Hemming of Liiga club TPS is also regarded as a potential first-round talent next summer and currently stands as the country’s fourth-best offering among the 2024 class behind Kiviharju, Helenius, and Väisänen.
With that being said, here’s Finland’s full roster for the tournament, set to run from Monday, July 31, through Saturday, August 5:
G Petteri Rimpinen
G Kim Saarinen
D Onni Amhamdi
D Daniel Nieminen
D Mitja Jokinen
D Bruno Jalasti
D Niilopekka Muhonen
D Eelis Marila
D Atte Vikla
D Arttu Välilä *not NHL draft-eligible until 2025
F Emil Hemming
F Joonas Paqvalin
F Markus Loponen
F Akseli Pulkkanen
F Tuomas Suoniemi
F Julius Miettinen
F Heikki Ruohonen
F Juho Keinänen
F Natan Teshome
F Roope Vesterinen
F Ville Väärälä
F Joona Saarelainen
F Aatu Heinänen
F Lauri Sinivuori
Finland Releases 2023 IIHF World Championship Roster
Finland has released the roster of players that will represent them at the 2023 IIHF World Championships next week. Finland will compete in Group A of the tournament, a group containing fellow hockey heavyweights such as Sweden, the United States, and Germany. They are hosts for half of the tournament and the medal games, with Group A contests, the semifinals, and finals set to be played at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland.
This Finnish roster boasts some impressive talent, notably headlined by Colorado Avalanche superstar Mikko Rantanen. Other current NHLers on the roster include Kaapo Kakko, Olli Maatta, Kasperi Kapanen, and Joel Armia. Columbus Blue Jackets sniper Patrik Laine, one of the most naturally talented Finnish players in the world, won’t be playing in the tournament due to injury. Per a team announcement, Laine isn’t yet back to 100% after missing the final 12 games of the NHL season with an injury and prioritizing his recovery the choice was made to not represent Finland.
Perhaps the most interesting group of players to look at outside just the NHLers is in the crease. The Finns have 26-year-old Christian Heljanko as an option, fresh off of a season where he shined in the highest-pressure moments for his club Tappara Tampere. He backstopped Tappara to a Champions Hockey League title and Liiga title, but one wonders if that’ll be enough to unseat last year’s starter Jussi Olkinoura.
Olkinoura began the year with the Grand Rapids Griffins, but struggled through 15 games and eventually left to help save Brynas IF from relegation from the SHL, an attempt that ultimately failed. He shined in international play last year, though, earning Goalie of the Tournament honors at last year’s edition as well as the gold medal at both the IIHF Worlds and 2022 Winter Olympics. Also in the mix to start for Finland is Emil Larmi, who was among the best goalies in the SHL this season and recently led Vaxjo Lakers to a championship, winning playoff MVP honors along the way.
Will Finland trust their tournament in the hands of one of two players coming off of an excellent club season? Or will they keep faith in Olkinoura, who struggled in club play this season but led the country to Olympic and World Championship glory last year, and has a 14-1-1 record, 1.17 goals-against-average, and .947 save percentage in IIHF World Championship play?
Here’s the team as a whole:
F Marko Anttila
F Joel Armia
F Hannes Bjorninen
F Teemu Hartikainen
F Kaapo Kakko
F Kasperi Kapanen
F Juho Lammikko
F Sakari Manninen
F Waltteri Merela
F Ahti Oksanen
F Harri Pesonen
F Mikko Rantanen
F Jere Sallinen
F Antti Suomela
D Niklas Friman
D Miika Koivisto
D Mikko Lehtonen
D Olli Maatta
D Atte Ohtamaa
D Ville Pokka
D Mikael Seppala
Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko Heading To World Championship
New York Rangers forwards Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko will join Team Czechia and Team Finland, respectively, at the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship, they told reporters today.
Coming off the heels of a disappointing first-round loss, the two Rangers youngsters now get a shot at redemption at the closest thing to a best-on-best tournament in men’s hockey today. The 2023 edition of the tournament, which will take place in Tampere and Helsinki in Finland, begins next week.
Neither Czechia nor Finland have announced their full rosters for the tournament. They’ll be competing in separate groups, with Finland among the assumed leaders in Group A alongside Sweden and the United States, while Czechia is at the higher end of Group B with Canada and Slovakia.
This will be Chytil’s fourth appearance with Czechia at the tournament. In 20 games combined in the 2018, 2019, and 2021 tournaments, he’s registered four goals and eight points. After a breakout season this year in which he broke the 20-goal and 40-point plateaus for the first time, expect a rejuvenated performance from him.
For Kakko, it’s his second appearance at the tournament after scoring six goals in 10 games with Finland in 2019, leading the team to a gold medal. Finland has reached the final game in three consecutive tournaments.
Nashville Predators Loan Joakim Kemell To Finnish Team
Joakim Kemell was one of the brightest stars for Team Finland in their silver medal effort at the 2022 World Junior Championship. After the Nashville Predators drafted him 17th overall in 2022 and signed him to his entry-level contract earlier this summer, though, he’ll be headed back to JYP in the Finnish Liiga for another season next year, per the team.
As Kemell wasn’t drafted out of the Canadian Hockey League, he could, in theory, have suited up for the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals next season if Nashville and Kemell believed that was the best solution for him. However, it appears all parties involved believe another season in his home country against some more seasoned players is the better option for Kemell.
An unexpected faller in the 2022 draft, Kemell showed why the teams that passed on him were wrong with 12 points in seven games at the World Juniors earlier this month. He had 23 points in 39 Liiga games last season with JYP as well, and he’ll be expected to play an increased top-six role next season.
Finland Wins 2022 IIHF World Championship
After an exciting Gold Medal game that saw Finland and Canada battle into overtime, Team Finland was able to pull away with the win and the Gold Medal on home ice at this year’s IIHF World Championship. Forward Sakari Manninen scored the golden goal winner on the powerplay in the first overtime period. Finland’s victory was not without drama, however, as several officiating decisions were called into question, chief among them was an apparent phantom high-sticking penalty on Team Canada’s Cole Sillinger in the third period. After the call on Sillinger, Finland was put on a 5-on-3 powerplay, where they would score twice, taking a 3-1 lead. Canada would come back however, tying the game at three and forcing overtime.
Goaltender Jussi Olkinuora of Finalnd was named the tournament’s MVP following the game. The entire Tournament All Star Team, as selected by the media, includes: Olkinuora (G, FIN), Seth Jones (D, USA), Mikko Lehtonen (D, FIN), Pierre-Luc Dubois (F, CAN), Roman Cervenka (F, CZE), and Manninen (F, FIN).
Also medaling was team Czechia, who took Bronze, defeating the United States handedly earlier today 8-4, highlighted by a David Pastrnak hat trick. Leading the way for Czechia, and the entire tournament, was Cervenka, who’s 17 points lead the entire tournament.
Several high-profile prospects in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft also represented their countries in the tournament, most notably Austria’s Marco Kasper, Czechia’s David Jiricek, and a haul of prospect talent from Slovakia, including Simon Nemec, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Adam Sykora. Perhaps the most standout among them was Slafkovsky, a projected top pick in the draft, who continued his Olympic dominance into the IIHF tournament, where he posted nine points over eight games, an impressive mark for an 18-year-old playing amongst men, many of whom are NHL veterans.
Another milestone was notched with Finland securing Gold, as Valtteri Filppula became the first Finnish player to join the triple-Gold club, including a Stanley Cup, an Olympic Gold Medal, and an IIHF World Championship Gold Medal.
Sweden, Finland Announce Preliminary WJC Rosters
The 2022 World Junior Championship is right around the corner, set to kick off on December 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. For the U.S. and Canada, selection camps over the next few weeks will pare down rosters to the eventual 25 names that will take part in the tournament. For Finland and Sweden, many of those decisions have already been made. The two hockey powerhouses released their rosters today, though there could still be some slight changes if someone like Alexander Holtz becomes available.
Finland:
G Leevi Merilainen (OTT)
G Joel Blomqvist (PIT)
G Juha Jatkola (undrafted)
D Ruben Rafkin (undrafted)
D Ville Ottavainen (SEA)
D Eemil Viro (DET)
D Topi Niemela (TOR)
D Kasper Puutio (FLA)
D Petteri Nurmi (undrafted)
D Aleksi Heimosalmi (CAR)
D Rami Maatta (undrafted)
F Roby Jarventie (OTT)
F Juuso Maenpaa (undrafted)
F Samuel Helenius (LAK)
F Roni Hirvonen (TOR)
F Kalle Vaisanen (NYR)
F Ville Koivunen (CAR)
F Oliver Kapanen (MTL)
F Sami Paivarinta (undrafted)
F Kasper Simontaival (LAK)
F Joel Maatta (undrafted)
F Brad Lambert (2022 draft eligible)
F Aatu Raty (NYI)
F Olli Nikupeteri (undrafted)
F Joakim Kemell (2022 draft eligible)
Sweden:
G Jesper Wallstedt (MIN)
G Calle Clang (PIT)
G Jesper Vikman (VGK)
D Helge Grans (LAK)
D Emil Andrae (PHI)
D Anton Olsson (NSH)
D Mans Forsfjall (undrafted)
D Simon Edvinsson (DET)
D Leo Loof (STL)
D Victor Sjoholm (undrafted)
D Joel Nystrom (CAR)
F Daniel Ljungman (DAL)
F Fabian Lysell (BOS)
F Ake Stakkestad (undrafted)
F William Eklund (SJS)
F Zion Nybeck (CAR)
F Elias Stenman (undrafted)
F Albert Sjoberg (DAL)
F Oskar Olausson (COL)
F Isak Rosen (BUF)
F Elliot Ekmark (FLA)
F Theodor Niederbach (DET)
F Oskar Magnusson (WSH)
F Daniel Torgersson (WPG)
Snapshots: Rask, Housley, Carrier
TSN’s Chris Johnston notes on Thursday’s edition of Insider Trading that free agent goaltender Tuukka Rask is working his way back after offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum and could be ready to return to game action as soon as January. Johnston notes specifically that Rask could be an option for Team Finland at the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, potentially a huge boost to an already strong Finnish program. While Johnston reports that Rask’s main focus in his “mind and his heart” remains with the Boston Bruins, the door isn’t completely closed on other options, either. Regardless, it’s good to see one of the league’s best goalies of his generation working his way back to health for what could be his last chance at a championship.
More notes from around the league:
- Arizona Coyotes assistant coach Phil Housley has entered the league’s COVID-19 protocol, per the team’s public relations department. He won’t travel with the team on their upcoming road trip. He’ll miss three games, including a back-to-back set against the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators this Friday and Saturday. Arizona’s next home game is a week from today against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and pending test results, Housley could be available to return then.
- According to the team, Nashville Predators defenseman Alexandre Carrier is out for Thursday night’s game against the St. Louis Blues with an upper-body injury. The Predators note that he’ll be evaluated further when the team returns home. Carrier blocked a shot that hit him up high during Wednesday night’s game against the Dallas Stars and did not return.
Bruins Notes: Rask, Clifton, Bychkov
The NHL is officially going to the Olympics. So what does that mean for the NHL’s top unsigned free agent? Tuukka Rask has made it clear that he will only play for the Boston Bruins (and his teammates expect just that later this season), but the star goalie has said nothing about the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. The Olympic break will take place from February 3-22 and Rask must sign with Boston by the trade deadline, expected to be March 21, in order to be eligible for the postseason. Will he use the Winter Games as a warmup? As noted by The Athletic staff in their Olympics roster projections, if Rask wants a spot on Team Finland, it is his. For one, the team not as deep as they have been in the past, with the goaltenders projected to be Nashville’s Juuse Saros, Carolina’s Antti Raanta, and Chicago’s Kevin Lankinen. More of a factor though is that Rask’s numbers on the international stage are nothing short of stunning, with a .938 save percentage and 1.73 GAA in the 2014 Olympics and a .920 save percentage and 2.02 GAA in the 2016 World Cup. Add in his elite career NHL numbers and even at 34 and returning from injury he would be at worst the No. 2 for Finland. There is obviously some risk to Rask and the Bruins that he could re-injure himself while playing in the Olympics. However, the upside is that it will get him back into game shape without costing Boston. Once Rask is signed, there won’t be much time for him to get back up to speed unless the team opts to carry three goalies for a while. It will be interesting to see how the situation plays out and if the aging veteran is as determined to represent his country once more as he is to return to Boston for another run.
- Better now than in-season, but Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton received the difficult news that he has tested positive for COVID-19, reports The Boston Globe’s Matt Dougherty. To make matters worse, the young blue liner is currently on his honeymoon. The Bruins have not commented on the situation and Clifton himself has not issued any follow-up. It is unclear if Clifton is vaccinated or not or if he is symptomatic at this time. The Bruins have not yet announced the start date for training camp, but with their preseason debut scheduled for September 26, it can’t be too far away. If Clifton has indeed contract the virus, he has a matter of weeks to recover and clear the NHL’s COVID Protocol or he will at least miss the start of camp. That could be critical for a player who is expected to compete for a starting role this fall.
- Prospect defenseman Roman Bychkov has proven that he can produce at the junior level in Russia with 43 points and a +47 rating over the past three seasons in the MHL. However, his KHL club Lokomotiv Yaroslavl has yet to give him a chance in the big leagues. That will change this season. The KHL’s Amur Khabarovsk has announced that they have acquired Bychkov on loan for 2021-22. A perennial bottom dweller in the KHL, there is no reason to believe that Khabarovsk will not give the 20-year-old an opportunity to show what he can do against elite competition. The Bruins will be paying attention as well. Since he was selected in the fifth round in 2019, Bychkov has already outshined his draft slot with his play in Russia and at the World Junior Championship. Boston would like to see him take that next step as they evaluate whether to bring him over to North America.
Canada Wins 2021 IIHF World Championship
The 2021 IIHF World Championship came to an end today with Canada taking home the gold medal in a win over Finland. The Canadians won 3-2 in overtime against the Finns, on an Ottawa connection no less between Connor Brown and Nick Paul, to finish off an unlikely run. Though it sounds strange, no one expected Canada to come out on top after several early losses in group play and just narrowly making it into the playoff rounds. However, they proved that they should never be counted out, becoming the first team to ever win the tournament after losing their first three games.
The United States won the bronze medal earlier in the day, defeating Germany 6-1. The Americans actually exited group play with the points lead in the tournament, but due to Canada’s struggles it led to the two hockey powers clashing in the semifinals with Canada coming out on top. Germany continues its rise as a hockey nation, finishing fourth but nearly reaching the final with a 2-1 loss to Finland in the semis.
Other countries that impressed included Slovakia, which reached the playoff rounds behind 12 points in group play, and Kazakhstan, who totaled 10 points in group play and would have reached the next round – knocking out Canada – if not for a surprise regulation loss to Norway. Every nation in the 16-team tournament other than Italy picked up at least one win and four points. It was a tournament to forget for Sweden though; the elite hockey country only notched 10 points in group play and missed the cut.
Individually, it is no surprise that most of the leading scorers of the tournament were impact NHL players from the top teams in the tournament. Brown led the way with 16 points, while Canadian Andrew Mangiapane of the Calgary Flames was named MVP as one of the top scorers and sharing the lead in goals. American Conor Garland of the Arizona Coyotes finished second in points and Canadian Adam Henrique – who centered a line with Brown and Mangiapane – also among the leading scorers. However, two additional players in the mix will come as a surprise. Boston Bruins property Peter Cehlarik of Slovakia tied Mangiapane and Henrique with 11 points and Arizona Coyotes prospect Liam Kirk tied Mangiapane for the tournament lead with seven goals. In net, Calvin Petersen of the Los Angeles Kings was stellar for the U.S., recording a .953 save percentage and 1.29 GAA, but unheralded Finnish netminder Jussi Olkinuora was just as good. The former University of Denver standout and AHL/ECHL veteran has quietly been putting up impressive numbers for five years in Europe in the Liiga and KHL and may very well be on NHL radars now.
Finland Announces World Championships Roster
Finland is the latest country to unveil its roster for the upcoming World Championships which get underway on Friday. While they have plenty of players in the NHL, this team primarily consists of players playing in leagues overseas. Their roster is as follows with NHL affiliations noted where applicable.
Goaltenders
Jussi Olkinuora
Harri Sateri
Janne Juvonen
Defensemen
Oliwer Kaski (CAR)
Miika Koivisto
Petteri Lindbohm (STL)
Olli Maatta (LA)
Kim Nousiainen (LA)
Atte Ohtamaa
Ville Pokka
Axel Rindell (TOR)
Mikael Seppala
Tony Sund (SJ)
Forwards
Marko Antilla
Hannes Bjorninen
Jere Innala
Jere Karjalainen
Petri Kontiola
Anton Lundell (FLA)
Saku Maenalanen (CAR)
Niko Ojamaki
Iiro Pakarinen
Valtteri Puustinen (PIT)
Mikael Ruohomaa
Arttu Ruotsalainen (BUF)
Jere Sallinen
Peter Tiivola
Teemu Turunen
It’s a very inexperienced group internationally with no fewer than 14 players making their debuts at the Worlds. Among the notable names on the list is Maatta, a veteran of eight NHL seasons. He’s coming off of a particularly quiet year with the Kings as he had just four assists in 41 games while averaging just 16:26 per game, the lowest ATOI of his career. He should be in line for a much bigger role in this tournament. Ruotsalainen saw regular action down the stretch for Buffalo and on a team that struggled mightily to score, he wasn’t bad in that regard, notching five goals in 17 games while logging nearly 14 minutes per night, numbers that aren’t bad for a rookie.
On the prospect front in terms of those that haven’t made their NHL debut, Lundell is the name that stands out. The 12th-overall pick last fall, he averaged nearly a point per game in 26 contests with HIFK in the SM-liiga and was tied for third in scoring at the World Juniors. He looks like he will be a big part of Florida’s future. Puustinen was a seventh-rounder (203rd overall) back in 2019 to the Penguins and looks to have outperformed that draft slot already, finishing second in scoring with HIFK with 21 goals and 20 assists in 51 games which helped him earn an entry-level deal with the Penguins earlier this month.
Finland’s tournament gets underway next Saturday with a matchup against the United States.