The Ice Hockey World Championship will start in Denmark next week, and the state of the Finnish national team leaves much to be desired.
Many Finnish NHL players have chosen not to participate in the World Championship, which has caused concern among hockey fans. Many famous KHL players also decided to skip the tournament.
Recently, the Finnish national team has added such NHL stars as Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teräväinen and Mikael Granlund. However, significantly fewer NHL players will play for the Finnish national team at the World Championships than, for example, for the national teams of Sweden, Canada and Russia.
True, these countries have more players in the NHL as well. 34 Russian, 404 Canadian, 88 Swedish and 33 Finnish hockey players took part in the last NHL regular championship.
Context
Another "Red car"
Ilta-Sanomat 02/17/2018Hockey - a tool of Russian propaganda?
Ilta-Sanomat 01/21/2018How to Coax a Cold War Hockey Hero
The Guardian 11.10.2015Finnish Hockey League corruption
Yle 10/21/2014 Many Finnish hockey players were injured this spring, but there are also physically healthy athletes among those who refused to participate. Hockey fans believed that the reluctance to take part in the World Championship was due to the fatigue of the players after a long NHL season, dissatisfaction with the coaching staff and the fact that the World Championship usually attracts little hockey players in the year of the Winter Olympics.The legend of the Soviet national team and the NHL, Vyacheslav Fetisov, considers the above reasons to be insufficient for not wanting to play at the World Cup.
One of the best players of all time wonders why the Finnish ice hockey team is having a hard time bringing together renowned NHL players.
“Probably, Finnish hockey players are no longer as patriots as the Finnish people would like. In Russia, the situation is reversed, ”says Fetisov.
“All Russian hockey players want to play for the national team if they do not have serious injuries or personal reasons. And in Finland, too, it used to be like that, "Fetisov said in an interview with Ilta-Sanomat in Moscow.
Fetisov, who led the Red Car to seven World Cup victories and two Olympic gold medals, believes the World Championship is a matter of honor, even if it was preceded by a tense playing period.
He does not understand hockey players who refuse to participate in competitions, for example, because of disagreements with the coach.
“I know that hockey players do not always like coaches, but this is all a secondary matter. It is a great honor for us to get the right to wear a uniform with the name of our native country. "
InoSMI materials contain assessments exclusively of foreign mass media and do not reflect the position of the InoSMI editorial board.
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Today the Russian national ice hockey team will play against the Finnish team at the Ice Hockey World Cup. The most inconvenient rival of the national team has already lost the chance to qualify for the group, but this season in Suomi is unlikely to be recognized as unsuccessful. The Finns have won three medals from various world hockey championships over the past year, and there are more hockey players in the country than there are soldiers in Sweden. The sports editorial office of BUSINESS Online talks about how the system of the future rival of the Russian national team works.
Finland, which is 29 times smaller than Canada and 50 times smaller than Russia, now ranks third in the IIHF ranking. In the nine years that this list has existed at all, Finland has never left the top 4. But in 2009 Erkka Westerlund, at that time - the coach of the national team, thought that it was worth paying attention not to the rating, but to the fact that the adult team had not won major tournaments since 1995. At the initiative of Westerlund, a summit was convened: at the sports institute, funded by the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation, all the leading coaches, agents, scouts, players and general managers were called to brainstorm.
In 2009, the foreign press paid absolutely no attention to this summit. They began to write about the meeting only this year, when the Finnish team collected the gold medals of the U-18 and U-20 world championships and received the silver medal of the adult World Cup. Even taking into account the imminent departure from the World Cup, this season is super successful for Finland - a small country with a population of 5.5 million people.
FEDERATION PAYS CHILDREN'S CLUB COACHES
One of the results of the summit was that the federation was persuaded to take the coaches of all national teams on a permanent salary. In the past, officials wondered why pay an entire year to a specialist who actually works only 40 days a year. But the meeting quickly figured out what to do for the remaining 320 days. All the coaches of the national teams began to travel to the clubs (sometimes overseas) where their players played, and communicate with club specialists, give and receive advice.
True, Finnish clubs already feel their involvement in the federation and the national teams under its control. In 2012, FHF generously shared with the SM-League the proceeds from the World Championship (approximately 8.2 million euros). In 2013, money was allocated to the clubs to hire coaches for children aged 10 to 14. Now the federation covers a negligible percentage of the salaries of children's coaches (4%), but no one refuses from 30 thousand euros.
In the same 2013, there was a massive inflow of Russian investments in Finland. According to the TV channel Yle uutiset, Russian companies (for example, Lukoil, Norilsk Nickel, Gazprom) have invested about 12 billion euros in the country's economy. Again, it was in 2013 Gennady Timchenko, Arkady Rotenberg and Boris Rotenberg acquired a stake in Jokerit and Hartwall Arena in Helsinki. Now Jokerit plays in the KHL, which also helps Finnish hockey.
11 GOALKEEPERS IN NHL
Last season in the NHL, 11 of the 92 goalkeepers (12%) were from Finland - the country beat the 2009 record. In addition, seven goalkeepers played in the KHL. According to the NHL, no one in the world has given the league as many goalkeepers as Finland. We are talking about the period since 1970 - before, only American players existed for the NHL.
A major factor in the success of goalkeepers is that they were cared for even before the historic summit in 2009. Kari Lehtonen from Dallas says he has worked with a goalkeeping coach since the age of seven. Lucco from Rauma and other clubs pay the goalkeepers' equipment in full. Assat Pori has 18 goalkeeping coaches for 12 teams of different ages. By the way, in Kazan "Ak Bars" the coach of goalkeepers is also Finn.
“I always recognize the Finnish goalkeeper,” says ESPN Pekka Rinne... - Of course, now everyone has their own characteristics. And that's great. But Finns tend to have tenacious hands. When I was little, I always played catcher at pesapallo ( Finnish baseball, – ed.)».
Another goalkeeper who thinks baseball helped him is Tuuka Rask... “I only played pesapallo at school,” he says. “But this is an important factor. Look at Rinne - he's a great catcher. Baseball develops eye motor skills well: you need to quickly calculate the trajectory of the ball. In hockey, the goalkeeper has 0.3 seconds to react to a shot. No time to see the puck. "
In fact, if we talk about what happens to goalkeepers at school, we need to remember the Finnish leadership in education. In the country, they are sure to learn to play a musical instrument, they try to develop both hemispheres of the brain in a child. Finland is also considered to be a leader in innovation. This is not surprising: anyone will look for new points of development in a situation where Nokia covers 13% of the country's exports and pays only 100 million euros in taxes.
THREE PLAYERS IN THE TOP-5 OF THE DRAFT
2016 NHL Draft Patrick Laine, Esse Puljärvi and Ollie Juolevi were selected under the second, fourth and fifth numbers, respectively. Leaving aside the Juolevi season at the London Knights, all the players went through their formation in Finland. To travel overseas, Finnish players need to go through the seven gates of hell - parents, agents, club leaders must try very hard to convince the federation of the expediency of the trip. "American leagues can take players from all over the world," says the journalist Pekka Jalonen Finnish newspaper Iltalehti... - If a hockey player stopped in development, he is simply replaced by another. We need to work with every player. "
Keeping young talent in the Finnish league with high taxes and low salaries is difficult. But even this disadvantage can be turned into a plus. All high-level legionnaires left the championship in Finland - some went to Sweden, some to Switzerland, some to the KHL. The clubs have an urgent need for their players. In the near future, the Finnish league planning to expand will simply lack staff. But this is a temporary problem. Finland, with a population of 5.5 million, has 76,000 officially registered hockey players. For comparison, rival Sweden has a worse picture: there are 15 thousand players per 9 million people. By the way, in Sweden the army is made up of 16 thousand people, which is five times less than the number of hockey players in Finland.
Interestingly, few people previously took the Finns for serious rivals, and there were stars, but there was no stream of strong players. The foundations of Finnish ice hockey were laid by Soviet specialists who traveled to Suomi and taught local coaches. Now the time has come when the Russians should learn from their northern neighbors, besides Finland is the most inconvenient rival of Russia, remember at least the Olympics in Sochi. To continue the fight at the World Cup, the Russian national team today needs any victory over the Finns, who have already lost their chances of qualifying from the group. The match starts at 22:00 Moscow time.
- Teemu, the fans were waiting for you to throw goals at the Edmonton goal. Why didn't they score?
- Of course, it is very pleasant to throw goals. But any hockey player must be able to see partners on the ice who are in more advantageous positions, and, if necessary, give assists. This is what I was doing today.
Why is this season not going well for Anaheim?
There are many reasons. In some key matches we were simply unlucky, somewhere the referees removed our hockey players at not the most suitable moments, and we missed the decisive pucks. Well, somewhere they just failed. However, I am sure that Anaheim has great potential. And next season the team will definitely claim to win the regular season.
And when will Anaheim become the Stanley Cup winner?
I think in the next two or three years. Of course, it would be nice to answer something like: "In the next championship we will make all the opponents." But I soberly assess my capabilities and the capabilities of my teammates, and therefore I answer the way I really think.
- But “Anaheim” with you at the head already won the Stanley Cup in 2007. Why don't you try it next season?
The fact is that today almost any NHL team can shoot. Now the fans, for example, laugh at Atlanta or Carolina, and they take and win most of the matches. The same can happen with the bookmarked favorite. Who, for example, last year could have guessed that the most powerful “Detroit” will not take its next Stanley Cup? However, this is exactly what happened - "Red Wings" were left without the coveted trophy.
Who, in your opinion, is the main star of the modern NHL?
I will be modest and will not identify myself. This is, of course, a joke. But seriously speaking, the brightest player in the entire league is the Russian forward Alexander Ovechkin. It is not for nothing that he was nicknamed here Alexander the Great. He really plays great hockey! This has not been played here for a long time - since the heyday of Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.
However, Ovechkin's presence did not save the Russian national team from a shameful defeat at the Vancouver Olympics from the Canadians.
Then I watched the recording of that match, but I did not understand what happened to the most powerful and magnificent Russian team. I got the impression that Russian hockey players were kind of indifferent and frozen. But it was Ovechkin who especially struck me - he was the slowest on the ice. However, in the games of the NHL championship, he again transformed and plays the best. However, it has one significant drawback. At times, Alexander acts very rudely on the ice. So you can run into serious penalties from the NHL leadership. And why cripple hockey players like yourself? I hope that Ovechkin will improve and behave more correctly on the ice.
- Teemu, in July you will be 40 years old. How did you manage to stay in professional hockey for so long?
I have a very strict regimen, proper nutrition and daily physical activity. In addition to training, I myself run ten-kilometer crosses every two days. And by the way, I'm showing a very good time. And when I run short and long distances in team training, I usually get ahead of my younger teammates. In general, the years go by, but my strength does not diminish. And also, probably, the genetics are good. Almost all of my relatives, both on the paternal and maternal side, live to a very old age.
- So you want to say that it's not hard for you to go out on the ice in the NHL and play full-fledged matches for Anaheim?
Now I am in excellent physical shape. I run on ice at the same speeds as 15 years ago. And I absolutely do not feel the age difference with most of my teammates.
Forgive me for reminding you of your rather respectable age for a hockey player again, but the question is still on the tongue.
- Come on, come on. During my life and numerous interviews, I have listened to a huge number of not very pleasant questions.
Okay. When are you going to "hang your skates on a nail", figuratively speaking?
- I hope that I will hold out in the NHL next season. And then you need to think. Perhaps some Finnish club will invite me, and I can play for another two or three years.
What if no one shows interest in you?
Then you will have to officially announce the end of your professional career. Do not misunderstand me. I do not aim to repeat the record of the famous Canadian hockey player Gordie Howe, who played when he was already in his early 50s. But, nevertheless, I do not want to part with hockey as long as I am interested in it, as long as the game inspires me.
Aren't you tired of the same thing year after year? Training, matches, interviews ...
- It is immediately clear that you were not professionally involved in sports. You see, hockey is my life. I cannot imagine that I will not go on the ice in important matches, I will not score, give assists, rejoice in the success of my teammates. As one friend told me: "Teemu, you have not yet grown to the honorary title of a hockey fan." And I am very glad that so far this is the case.
- Open the secret why there are so few Finnish hockey players in the NHL? After all, your hockey is on the rise now.
- Probably, the level of our domestic championship has not yet reached such a level that coaches-breeders from across the ocean chase the Finnish guys. However, for the development of Finnish hockey, the absence of mass migration to the NHL is a blessing. Because it allows the coaching staff to communicate more closely with all members of the national team.
Do Finns really like the Russian Kontinental Hockey League more?
- Yes, it's easier to play in Russia, the competition for a place in the main squad is not as wild as in the NHL. And they pay a little more in some teams than in the NHL. This last fact became a revelation for me personally. I naively thought that it was the NHL that was the richest league and that it was here that hockey players had the highest salaries. But, as it turned out during conversations with Finnish legionnaires playing in Russia, I was mistaken.
If you were invited by any KHL club, would you come to Russia, play there for a season or two?
- You know, I never thought about it. Of course, it would be interesting to see what Russian hockey is now, as they say, from the inside. But I am afraid that no one will make such an offer to me. Finnish acquaintances who play in Russia said that in Russian clubs they do not really like players who are already 40 years old. So, if I come to Russian hockey, then either as a coach or as a fan.
- Is it true that with the matches for the Finnish national team in Vancouver, you actually said goodbye to the national team?
Yes, I said goodbye to the Finnish fans. And I will only play in the NHL. Until I have enough strength.
Mikhail Nikolaev
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This is not surprising: after all, the national team of this country has been the strongest over the past few years, and besides, the training of young hockey players is perfectly fine-tuned there. In Canada, there are a huge number of children's, youth and youth teams that train future champions. The current Canadian stars - Crosby, Bergeron, Burns, Price, Thornton and others - are in leading roles in their clubs. However, the same can be said about almost every player from the national team that recently won the World Cup. Crosby is generally the person who has recently begun to be compared to Gretzky. There is no end in sight for the hegemony of Canadians.
USA - 169
Americans make up the second largest group of players in the. Twice as small as Canadians, they are practically not inferior to them in quality. American stars include Patrick Kane representing Chicago, Joe Pavelski (San Jose), Ben Bishop (Tampa), TJ Oshie from Washington ...
Canadians make up the bulk of all players. This is not surprising: after all, the national team of this country has been the strongest over the past few years.
And of the young stars, Auston Matthews is immediately remembered, who recently went down in league history as the first person to score as many as four goals in his debut match in. Dylan Larkin is gradually reaching the highest level.
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Sweden - 71
Of the European countries, the Swedes have the largest representation - there are 70 of them. Representatives of Tre Kronur started playing in the league earlier than the rest of Europeans - since the 1970s. Since the late 2000s, they have become the third in terms of the number of players in. Of the Swedish hockey players, of course, the legendary bunch of Sedin brothers from Vancouver, Henrik Zetterberg (Detroit), Eric Karlsson (Ottawa) and Victor Hedman (Tampa) should be noted.
Russia - 34
Hockey players from our country began to leave in droves in the late 1980s, during the era of perestroika. At the turn of the century, Russia held the third place in the list of countries whose players are represented in the league. Then about 80 hockey players played there, but now this figure has fallen by more than two times. The reasons for this are different, and first of all, this is the creation of the KHL, where at a certain stage the financial conditions for the players were comparable to those of NHL, and sometimes even better. Now 34 Russians are playing. Among those who play leading roles in clubs, we single out Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeny Malkin, Sergey Bobrovsky, Artemy Panarin and Vladimir Tarasenko.
From Kucherov to Orlov. $ 60 million for new contracts of Russians in the NHL
17 Russians signed new contracts in the NHL last summer. The total amount of new contracts of our legionnaires has exceeded $ 60 million.
Finland - 31
Finns in - this is for you and Teemu Selanne, and the Koivu brothers, and, of course, the great Jari Kurri. Representatives from the country of Suomi have been playing for North American teams since the early 1980s. Traditionally, the positions of young Finnish players in the drafts are high. So, for example, this year at the annual talent fair 15 Finns were selected, and Patrick Laine went to Winnipeg with the second number. In general, there are many Finnish youth in the league itself. Granlund, Laine, Aho, Myattya, Barkov - these guys will be the face of Finnish hockey for many years to come.
Czech Republic - 30
The Finns are quite a bit behind Czechs in representation. But, if we talk not about quantity, but about quality, then the gap here is much larger. The old generation - Caberle, Eliash and Jagr (of course, except for Jaromir) - left the stage, and the Czechs have long since lost their talented youth. This is eloquently shown by the performances of the Czech youth team at the world championships of the national teams under 20 years old. The Czechs have been unable to overcome the quarterfinals at the youth forums for a very long time.
The old generation - Caberle, Eliash and Jagr (of course, except for Jaromir) - left the stage, and the Czechs have long since lost their talented youth.
And in the NHL, they are no longer in the first roles. But they have people who can change that. One of the most famous and tough young Czech players, David Pastrnjak took part in the World Cup with his national team, and in his first game for Boston in the new NHL regular season he scored two goals and gave two assists.
Ovechkin, Jagr or Thornton. Expected NHL records for the 2016/17 season
The NHL season has just begun, but many hockey players have the right to count on solid personal records. Whose achievement will be the most notable?
Rest of the world - 45
Slovakia - 10, Switzerland - 9, Denmark - 8, Germany - 7, France - 3, Austria - 3, Norway - 2, Slovenia - 1, Belarus - 1, Latvia - 1.
The rest of the world is, in fact, the same European team that made a stir at the World Cup. These are Gaborik and Hara from Slovakia, the Swiss Yossi, the Dane Andersen, whose participation in the rally of all the strongest was prevented by an injury. And from the rest it is worth highlighting the young Edmonton star Leon Dreiseitl, Los Angeles captain Anger Kopitar and New York Rangers forward Mats Zucarello.
