Ice hockey world championships 2019

[Deathknightish]

So, the world championships are about to start, in just over a week, in Slovakia and like always it feels like hockey christmas.

1) Who do you root for?
2) Who do you think will win?
3) Any particular player you're keeping an eye on?
4) Will Great Britain survive, or will they get sent back to B-level?

for me:

1) Sweden, naturally.
2) Russia looks insanely strong, so sadly I think they'll win with players like Nikita Kutjerov and Alexander Ovetjkin. It would be nice to get three golds in a row though!
3) Elias Pettersson. He's our new super star.
4) Sadly not, which sucks as Sweden is not in the same group as them and it would be fun to face them!

Russia and the U.S look particularly strong this year. I haven't seen Canada's roster yet, but I guess they'll manage to get a team capable of gold like always. Czech republic and Finland? I heard Finland's team this year will be extremely weak, sadly, with no Laine or Granlund.

Sweden has a strong team, but I think we lack proper snipers now that both Filip Forsberg and Nicklas Bäckström declined their invitations. Henrik Lundqvist, Elias Pettersson, Erik Gustafsson and such will be a blast to see though! We'll most likely reach the bronze game.

[Puupi]

Finland's priority is to stay in the A division.

0 NHL players (2 guys who have played some games in NHL this year, but not full season or in a big role) when all other top 6 countries have full or nearly full NHL teams. All small countries have more actual NHL players than Finland as well.

This is bound to be the biggest disaster ever unless some miracle happens.


EDIT: And not only the NHL players, Finland is missing 99% of its KHL players as well. There's like 1 or 2 guys from KHL, the team is going to be full SM-liiga with a couple of guys from AHL/Elitserien/NLA/KHL.

[Deathknightish]

Finland's priority is to stay in the A division.

0 NHL players (2 guys who have played some games in NHL this year, but not full season or in a big role) when all other top 6 countries have full or nearly full NHL teams. All small countries have more actual NHL players than Finland as well.

This is bound to be the biggest disaster ever unless some miracle happens.


EDIT: And not only the NHL players, Finland is missing 99% of its KHL players as well. There's like 1 or 2 guys from KHL, the team is going to be full SM-liiga with a couple of guys from AHL/Elitserien/NLA/KHL.

Ouch, that sounds even worse than I thought.

Wasnt there some other year a few years back you struggled to stay alive? What was the team like then?

Also, just a small nitpick. The Swedish league hasn't been Elitserien for like 5 years. It's SHL nowadays, Swedish Hockey League, or Svenska hockeyligan.

[Cairhiin]

Finnish team is going to be crappy this year. Just bad luck with most NHL players either having injuries or contract negotiations. Unfortunately for us, doesn't look like we're getting help from Carolina either (Teräväinen and Aho would have been nice - though Aho also has contract negotiations).

[Armourboy]

Eh there was nothing wrong with Saros, he just didn't want to go and used injury as an excuse. I know several Preds turned down invites because of injury and according to Poile the only player that had anything was Grimaldi.

[Puupi]

Hah, team Finland has been revealed! It's interesting to see how they fare, because they were super good in the last EHT tournament against full NHL teams - I was literally speechless after the Russia game... they overexceeded everyone's expectations. Literally zero NHL players (Lammikko and Jokiharju played like half a season in NHL, half in AHL/eating popcorn)

The team:

Goalies
30 Kevin Lankinen, Rockford IceHogs
35 Veini Vehviläinen, Kärpät
45 Jussi Olkinuora, Pelicans

Defensemen
4 Mikko Lehtonen, HV71
7 Oliwer Kaski, Pelicans
28 Henri Jokiharju, Chicago Blackhawks
40 Petteri Lindbohm, Lausanne HC
50 Miika Koivisto, Dynamo Moskova
55 Atte Ohtamaa, Kärpät
58 Jani Hakanpää, Kärpät
70 Niko Mikkola, San Antonio Rampage

Forwards
12 Marko Anttila, Jokerit
15 Arttu Ilomäki, Lukko
19 Veli-Matti Savinainen, Kunlun Red Star
20 Niko Ojamäki, Tappara
21 Juhani Tyrväinen, HIFK
24 Kaapo Kakko, TPS
25 Toni Rajala, EHC Biel
27 Eetu Luostarinen, KalPa
41 Joel Kiviranta, Sport
65 Sakari Manninen, Jokerit
71 Kristian Kuusela, Tappara
76 Jere Sallinen, Örebro HK
82 Harri Pesonen, SCL Tigers
91 Juho Lammikko, Florida Panthers


So it's:
2 "NHL"
2 AHL
4 KHL
2 SHL
3 NLA
13 SM-Liiga

[Henx]

I didn't have any expectations for Finland but damn they played well against Canada, and 3 points!

This Finland team has played together for a long time so they have good chemistry and no superstars to take down the spirit with their egos, e.g Ristolainen. Will be though to defeat Russia, Sweden or USA but nothing is impossible as long as they play as a team as they did against Canada.

As already stated, a lot of Finnish NHL players have reasons to not play but some do not. It's sad to see that other countries get their players and Finland can't. Hopefully this will change. Not even sure I would want Ristolainen in a World Cup or something where all the NHL players play, big ego and can't be arsed to play for Finland even though he never go to the playoffs.

[Cairhiin]

Not much else to say, but Kaapo Kakko.

NHL ready already.

[Mister K]

Kakko > Hughes

I want us Slovak to get to semis, third-place would be nice.

Russia, Finland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Canada battling it out there. I reckon SVK 4th place, with Fin/Russia going for 1st/2nd and Czechs or Canada getting third.

[Deathknightish]

Sweden has really been struggling. 5-4 against Latvia yesterday.
Luckily, it's normally a good sign as we usually win the gold when we struggle in the group stage, and fall flat on our faces in the quarter finals or semis when we perform well.

[Puupi]

Heh, Finland steamrolled Sweden! SM-liiga team vs NHL team.

[RCA]

Who do the devils take? I wonder and ponder, but a two man race...American or Finnish?

[Mister K]

Heh, Finland steamrolled Sweden! SM-liiga team vs NHL team.

I mean it's not like NHL is end all be all. Lot of great players all over the different leagues. At the end of the day, it's how the team plays together.

[eschatological]

Who do the devils take? I wonder and ponder, but a two man race...American or Finnish?

They gotta take Jack Hughes. He's who I'd take, just because a good center is like, fucking a rarity. Kaako is great, but wingers are everywhere.

[Puupi]

I hope the Devils pick Hughes first, because Rangers > Devils as a franchise and organization.

[RCA]

[QUOTE=Puupi;51232076]I hope the Devils pick Hughes first, because Rangers > Devils as a franchise and organization.[/QUOTE

If only you had grown up in NJ during the run they had 94-09, hockey at it's best imo (defense should be a priority vs scoring, and good goaltending is irreplaceable and teams who can score are utterly useless to this line up), but patience has taken a back seat to flashy play and lights. Just difference in opinion...

MSG can't even get their main show in order (Knicks), hockey is just a side show and wont be a priority for a few years.

[Puupi]

And Russia bites the dust! Finland is in the gold medal game woooooooooooooooooo!

[Cairhiin]

Miracle on ice v2.0

[Aggrophobic]

Heh, Finland steamrolled Sweden! SM-liiga team vs NHL team.

They sure did and the way Sweden played, Finland deserved that.
Hope you guys win it all. Keep up the good work.

[Henx]

Amazing that this team is in the final. Will be proud of them even if they lose but if they play like they have in the knock-out stage then we should win gold today!