A few months before the start of the 2016 Ice Hockey World Cup, the participating teams will announce the final squad for the upcoming tournament. The Finnish Ice Hockey Federation has already published the final application of the national hockey team.
The final application of the national teams for the Ice Hockey World Cup in Toronto includes twenty-three people. Among them are three goalkeepers, seven defenders and thirteen forwards. The Finnish national team, which is in the top six hockey teams, traditionally gathers a very competitive squad for major tournaments. The application for the 2016 World Cup was no exception.
Goalkeepers
Finland's goalkeeper line is rightfully considered one of the strongest in the world. In this regard, it is gratifying to see the goalkeeper from the KHL in the application: Mikko Koskinen defends the colors of the army from the Neva. In addition to him, Tuuk Rask from Boston and Pekka Rinne from Nashville are in the lineup. At the moment, it is difficult to unequivocally assert who will take a place at the goal of the national team at the upcoming tournament.
Defenders
Among the defencists of the Finnish national team there is also a representative of the KHL. It is Sami Lepisto (Salavat Yulaev, Ufa). Five people represent NHL clubs: Yorkie Yokipakka (Calgary), Esa Lindell (Dallas), Ollie Mätta (Pittsburgh), Rasmus Ristolainen (Buffalo), Sami Vatanen (Anaheim). Another defender of the national team plays in the AHL North American League. “Rockford Icehogs” have delegated to the national team Ville Pokka, who is expected in one of the NHL clubs in the future.
Forwards
Among the thirteen hitters of the national team, two played outside North America last season. However, the names of these young forwards will soon be sewn onto the NHL jerseys. We are talking about Finnish talents Sebastian Aho and Patrick Laine. These hockey players became world champions in 2016 as part of the youth team, and they showed themselves very strongly at the adult world championship in Russia. The clubs where Aho and Laine played are Karpyat and Tappara (Finnish National Championship).
The Finnish national team has a trio of strikers from Minnesota: Mikko Koivu, Mikael Granlund, Erik Haula. From Florida, two forwards were included in the application: Alexander Barkov and Jussi Jokinen. Other players: Jonas Donskoy (San Jose), Valteri Filppula (Tampa Bay), the famous provocateur from Toronto Leo Komarov, Lori Korpikoski (Edmonton), Vladimir Tarasenko's teammate in St. Stanley Cup with the Hawks of Chicago Teuvo Teravainen.
