Petteri Rimpinen is Finland’s most important player in the under-20 World Cup tournament starting on Boxing Day.
Petteri Rimpinen fully believes in the Young Lions’ championship chances in the under-20 men’s World Championships. However, Finland is not the early favorite in the tournament in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
– The cape of the pre-favorite goes to Canada. They have many NHL first round picks on the team again. The team also has guys who have already played in the NHL. There are levels.
– Sweden should also be mentioned. There are players who have scored hard points in the SHL. They have a top team on their feet again, Rimpinen thinks.
Someone is blocking
Mitja Jokinen always plays for the team. The TPS defender is taking part in the Under-20 World Cup for the second time. PDO
The man from Kiekko-Espo gives the viewers tips on which Finnish players to watch in the World Cup.
The first is Mitja Jokinen, who is participating for the second time.
– In the Sweden game of last year’s tournament, he probably took eight blocks. Mitja probably had more saves in that game than I did. He’s a really important player. Mitja always plays for the team, says Rimpinen about the TPS defender.
Tappara’s Oliver Suvanto is taking part in the under-20 World Cup tournament for the first time. The attacker was born in 2008. Mika Kylmäniemi / AOP
Another interesting name is Oliver Suvanto, the first-timer at the WC tournament in this age category.
– There is a young boy who can play in the tournament two more times after this. Suvanto is hard at work. He plays Liiga in Tappara. Even that is a hard merit, says Rimpinen about the 190-centimeter forward, who has scored 2+5=7 power points in 30 matches in his opening season in the League.
Second-generation hockey player Suvanto will be reserved for the NHL next summer.
Nieminen’s leg
Daniel Nieminen (7) tries to stop Canada’s Gavin McKenna from scoring at the goal line at last year’s World Cup. ZumaWire / MVPHOTOS
Rimpinen also highlights Pelicans’ Daniel Nieminen, who is playing in the under-20 World Cup for the second time.
– He has been really good in every tournament. In training tournaments, he was even superior. The guy’s leg is pretty insane. That’s a tough player.
Nieminen is an NHL reservation for the Nashville Predators from last summer. The defenseman, who skates excellently, has scored handsome points in this season’s U20 matches even before the World Cup tournament.
Finland’s opening opponent in the Games is Denmark. The match starts on Boxing Day at 22:30.
The United States has won the previous two world championships in this age group.
Petteri Rimpinen knows which Finnish players to watch in the World Cup tournament in Minnesota. Mika Kylmäniemi/AOP
Finland’s matches
Initial block (Finnish time)
- Fri 26.12. at 10:30 p.m Finland–Denmark
- Sun 28.12. at 11:30 p.m Finland–Latvia
- Mon 29.12. at 10:30 p.m Finland–Czech Republic
- Thu 1.1. at 03:30 Finland–Canada
TV5 shows Finland’s matches.