Team Finland hockey has had a number of players play well over a good stretch of time. Teemu Selanne, Sami Salo, Olli Jokinen, and Kimmo Timonen have played in multiple Olympics. Selanne is the all-time leading scorer in Olympic hockey history.
Teams like Slovakia and the Czech Republic are fading as European powerhouses, but Finland has a large number of young players ready to take over for aging stars such as Selanne.
Forwards
Looking past the โFinnish Flash,โ Lejonen is deep. Valtteri Filppula, Aleksander Barkov, and Mikael Granlund offer scoring on multiple lines. Jussi Jokinen has played well on Pittsburgh after being left for dead in Carolina. Tuomo Ruutu and former Chicago Blackhawks prospect Petri Kontiola offer two-way play with size.
Mikko Koivu is questionable to play for Team Finland. He has yet to play for Minnesota in 2014 and would be more of a hindrance if he went to Sochi without a game or two played under his belt. Finland needs their best center to be taken as a serious gold medal threat.
Defense
Speed is the d corpsโ major plus. Size is where they can be had. Timonen and Salo will be leaned on to carry the defense, but do not sleep on NHL rookies Olli Maatta and Sami Vatanen. Their offensive games have earned them roles on the power play for Pittsburgh and Anaheim, respectively.
Lasse Kukkonen, Sami Lepisto, and Ossi Vaananen have a combined 16 years of NHL experience.
Goaltending
The team that can flex the biggest goaltending muscle is Team Finland hockey. Tuukka Rask, Antti Niemi, and Kari Lehtonen comprise the best trio by a mile. Rask should be the starter, but Niemi will be worthy of a chance to start or relieve Rask in any blowout games.
Lehtonen has been seeing plenty of work in the NHL with Dallas, so getting the nod as the third string netminder will be a welcomed site for fans of the Stars wanting him to rest.
Group B opponents
Canada, Austria, Norway
Projected group finish
2nd– 6 points
Final projection
5th
Follow Jeff on Twitter @sckih_ffej for more sports and entertainment ramblings. Jeff also contributes fantasy advice for The Fantasy Fix.
