Finland’s best ice hockey player Mikko Rantanen’s return to Leijon did not go according to plan, writes Riku Isokoski.
This year’s Leijon has more NHL stars than some previous World Cups, but at least based on the opening match, this fact has not made Finland a particularly better team.
However, there is no need to hit the bottom of the panic button just yet. Several NHL names clearly still need to adapt, but there is a whole initial series of time for that before the real games.
Especially Mikko Rantanes, who arrived at Leijon with huge expectations, could see that getting used to Jukka Jalonen’s systems won’t happen in an instant.
An illustrative moment of Rantanen’s starting difficulties was seen in the second set, where the United States got the top spot due to his stray pass. Otherwise, Rantanen was quite far from the basic level at which he has been seen this season in the NHL.
It was also telling that Rantanen did not get a single shot on goal against the United States. For comparison, this season in the NHL, Rantanen went only two games without a trigger mark.
Of course, this was mainly influenced by the paucity of superior forces, bad luck in the draws and the fact that the United States did not let Finland play much on the puck. Rantanen also didn’t reach his strengths on the wings and end games.
Also chemistry with Sakari Manninen and Teemu Hartikainen, who know each other, was still very much sought after by Rantanen. It also seemed a bit like these two also had a lot to get used to with Rantase in their chain.
It must be remembered that Rantanen just now played for the first time in the men’s national team coached by Jalonen. Jalonen’s success has been based on highly refined processes, thanks to which the players know exactly how to play.
Rantanen will have to study this process now in the games of the first group. Of course, we should also remember that, for example, in last year’s games, Miro Heiskasen also needed time to get used to it.
Kaapo Kakko, who was the sharpest player in the toothless lion pack, performed clearly better than Rantas in the opening match.
Also, like Rantanen, Kako didn’t have preparatory international matches from this spring, but he still had relatively fresh experience with Jalonen Leijon.
Kako showed the same arrogance and self-confidence as four years ago in Slovakia, where he was completely unstoppable, especially in the opening game of the Games against Canada.
Expectations for Kako therefore rose a lot, while Rantanen raised a few question marks.
Mikko Rantanen’s World Cup opening was a disappointment. Petri Saarelainen, AOP