Is Team Finland the weak link in the 4 Nations Face-Off? By glancing at each of the rosters, it looks to be the case, as they lack starpower up front that the other three teams possess, especially Team Canada.
Their goaltending also looks suspect, with one of the trio currently serving as a 1B, so it’s clear that Finland may have their work cut out for them. This is in stark contrast with Team USA, whose goaltending is by far the best in the entire tournament.
But maybe Finland looks a lot better than its roster implies. Let’s break down the forwards, blueliners, and that goaltending trio, and I’ll let you decide.
Team Finland could be the weakest link in the 4 Nations Face-Off
- Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
- Mikko Rantanen, Carolina Hurricanes
- Teuvo Teravainen, Chicago Blackhawks
- Artturi Lehkonen, Colorado Avalanche
- Roope Hintz, Dallas Stars
- Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
- Anton Lundell, Florida Panthers
- Eetu Luostarinen, Florida Panthers
- Joel Armia, Montreal Canadiens
- Patrik Laine, Montreal Canadiens
- Erik Haula, New Jersey Devils
- Mikael Granlund, San Jose Sharks
- Kaapo Kakko, Seattle Kraken
There are some good names here, and a few are underrated. For one, I’m excited to see teammates Sebastian Aho and Mikko Rantanen lead Finland, with Aho’s former teammate Teuvo Teravainen joining the mix. Patrik Laine and Mikael Granlund aren’t to be underestimated, nor should Roope Hintz and Aleksander Barkov.
But this group lacks serious depth, with names like Kaapo Kakko, Joel Armia, and Erik Haula in the mix. That said, if Team Finland wants production, it’s got to come from its top six.
Blueliners
- Esa Lindell, Dallas Stars
- Niko Mikkola, Florida Panthers
- Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers
- Jani Hakanpaa, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Olli Maatta, Utah Hockey Club
- Juuso Valimaki, Utah Hockey Club
- Withdrew: Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
Let’s be real: Losing Miro Heiskanen was a blow to this team, as he was easily their best asset. Other than that, we have a bland group for the most part. Overall, I’d like to see Finland’s blue line get physical because they don’t possess the best two-way playmakers in the game. At some point, we will see Team Finland announce a replacement for Heiskanen - Henri Jokiharju, maybe?
Goaltenders
- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Buffalo Sabres
- Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators
- Kevin Lankinen, Vancouver Canucks
The good news is that Team Finland has one of the best, if not the best, goaltenders in the entire tournament with Juuse Saros. Yeah, Team USA has Connor Hellebuyck, but Saros is stuck on a bad Predators team, much like Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has spent the last year and a half bailing out the Sabres. Kevin Lankinen has shown up this season, but he’s a 1B in a best-case scenario.