Finland sending 3 Leafs prospects to Sweden for U20 games

Today Finland announced their team for a short tournament to be held in Sweden from November 5 - 7. Just the two countries are involved in training matches to help prepare for the WJC in December in the Edmonton bubble. Most of the usual tournaments that happen in Europe over the summer and now into November have been cancelled, so this is the only chance for Sweden and Finland to see their players now in game conditions.

The two teams will play each other three times, and then each country will have about a month to decide on their rosters for the WJC. Roster limits this year are slightly bigger giving national team managers the chance to punt some decision-making on who will actually play until the exhibition games that begin on December 20.

For the games in Sweden, Finland has this roster:

Goaltenders

Blomqvist Joel, Hermes Kokkola
Piiroinen Kari, TUTO Hockey Turku
Taponen Roope, Kiekko-Espoo

Defenders

Hatakka Santeri, Ilves Tampere
Heinola Ville, Lukko Rauma
*Kokkonen Mikko, Jukurit Mikkeli
Luoto Mico, K-Vantaa
*Niemelä Topi, Kärpät Oulu
Pulli Valtteri, TPS Turku
Puutio Kasper, Kärpät Oulu
Rafkin Ruben, TPS Turku
Rajaniemi Matias, Pelicans Lahti
Viro Eemil, TPS Turku

Forwards

Helenius Samuel, JYP Jyväskylä
*Hirvonen Roni, Ässät Pori
Järventie Roby, Ilves Tampere
Korhonen Benjamin, KalPa Kuopio
Lambert Brad, JYP Jyväskylä
Lundell Anton, HIFK Helsinki
Mäntykivi Matias, SaiPa Lappeenranta
Nikkanen Henri, Jukurit Mikkeli
Petman Mikko, Lukko Rauma
Puhakka Petteri, Tappara Tampere
Pyyhtiä Mikael, TPS Turku
Pärssinen Juuso, TPS Turku
Räty Aku, Kärpät Oulu
Saarela Antti, Ilves Tampere
Simontaival Kasper, TUTO Hockey Turku

Head Coach

Antti Pennanen

With a lot of players attending, cuts will be made before the final roster is set. Mikko Kokkonen is almost a lock, and the younger, just-drafted Roni Hirvonen and Topi Niemelä are both highly thought of, but not sure things.

Interesting to note that Finland is sending Brad Lambert the Finnish-Canadian phenom who turns 17 just before the WJC starts. At 16 right now, Lambert is playing in the Liiga full time. He isn’t draft-eligible for two more years, and his hype train is already speeding along. There is a U18 event at the same time he could be a part of, but he seems to have skipped that step on his way to the NHL.