2014 World Junior Hockey Championships – Group B Preview

FINLAND

Last Year: The Finns definitely disappointed last year, being sent to the relegation round.  They didn’t risk relegation and handled that round easily, but they weren’t happy with their 7th place finish.

Returning Players:  G Janne Juvonen, D Ville Pokka, D Jusso Vainio, F Teuvo Teravainen, FArtturi Lehkonen, D Rasmus Ristolainen

Key Missing NHL players:  F Aleksander Barkov, D Olli Maata

Ottawa Interests:  none

Key Players:  F – Teravainen had 11 points in 6 games last year in this tournament.  He will be the key to any offense the Finns put up.   D – Pokka will be playing in his third straight World Junior and had 6 points in 6 games last year.   G- Juvonen split time last year but will be the key in goal for the Finns this year.

Draft Watch: One of the top rated prospects is Kasperi Kapanen, but he is injured and will not participate in this torunament

Key To Victory:  The Finns might not have the top end talent of the Russians or Swedes, but they play an in-your-face style that is more North American than European.  They will play with a grit that could frustrate the Russians, their key game in the round robin.

Projected Round Robin Finish: With Barkov and Maata in the lineup, the Finns could have made some noise, but they don’t have enough offense to know what you are going to get from them.

Potential Finish:  They will have a quarterfinal spot, but a semi-final seems unlikely