TEAM FINLAND MEDIA GUIDE 2011

Transkriptio

1 TEAM FINLAND MEDIA GUIDE 2011

2 Elisa is a leading Nordic communications service provider and a great fan of the Finnish National Hockey Team.

3 GREETINGS FROM THE PRESIDENT OF FINNISH ICE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION IIHF World Championship ends another great hockey season. The event brings together best players and teams together with hockey fans, partners and media members from all over the world. Finnish Team, the Lions, have prepared carefully for this tournament. Like all participating teams, our aim is to capture the IIHF World Championship title and travel back home with gold medals. Although World Championship games were played in Bratislava already in 1992, this is the first time Slovakia hosts IIHF World Championship. Knowing how passionately and enthusiastically Slovakians feel about ice hockey, it s fair to expect we have an exceptional event ahead of us. Both Bratislava and Kosice will offer first class hockey on ice as well as celebration and memorable side events off the ice. On behalf of the Finnish Ice Hockey Association I want to wish all the participating teams success in the tournament may the best team win. Kalervo Kummola President, Finnish Ice Hockey Association Chairman, Local Organizing Committee for the 2012 IIHF World Championship PS. After Slovakia Finland and Sweden will join forces and together host two IIHF World Championships in a row. I wish you warmly welcome to Helsinki and Stockholm in 2012! 3

4 FINLAND S SIGHTS SET ON THE 15 th OF MAY In the next WC tournament in 1949 in Stockholm the Finnish team fared better winning two games out of four and placing 7th overall. In 1965 Tampere hosted the tournament as the Soviet Union took the gold medals. The Soviet team dominated the international competitions from 1963 to 1971 winning every WC and Olympic tournament held during that time. The very first IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship tournament was organized in Chamonix, France, Berlin, Germany and Vienna, Austria in That was the first IIHF tournament outside of the Olympics which featured North American teams. Finland participated in the separate World Championship tournament for the first time in The Finns were coached by Erkki Saarinen and the team lost all of their five games in the tournament by a goal differential of Antti Pihlström is looking to provide lots of energy to the Finnish team in Slovakia In the 1987 Sweden won the World Championship tournament held in Vienna, Austria and became the first country in 22 years outside of the Soviet Union or Czechoslovakia to win the gold. The 90s marked the fall of the Soviet Union and their previous dominance was a thing of the past as Sweden won the gold in 1991 and In the 1992 tournament Finland won its first World Championship medal as head-coach Pentti Matikainen led the team to a second-place finish is a year no Finnish ice hockey fan will forget as the Finns won their first and only World Championship gold to date. Finland beat tournament host Sweden 4-1 in the finals with Ville Peltonen s hattrick. Although last year in Germany the Finns lost to champion Czech Republic in the quarterfinals placing sixth, this year the Finnish team is looking to play in the finals on the 15th of May in Bratislava and come back home with the gold. Reilu peli kannattaa niin kaukalossa kuin asiakashallinnassakin Intrum Justitia Oy on johtava asiakashallintapalveluiden asiantuntija ja alan markkinajohtaja. Fair pay on reilua peliä, johon kuuluu sääntöjen noudattaminen ja vastapelaajan kunnioittaminen. Samaa ajatusta sovellamme toimeksiantajamme asiakkaisiin. Leijonien yhteistyökumppanina haluamme edistää sääntöjen noudattamista. Terveisin Tommi Sova toimitusjohtaja info.finland@intrum.com

5 GAME SCHEDULE GROUP A: GROUP B: (Bratislava) (Košice) Russia (RUS) Canada (CAN) Slovakia (SVK) Switzerland (SUI) Germany (GER) Belarus (BLR) Slovenia (SLO) France (FRA) GROUP C: GROUP D: (Košice) (Bratislava) Sweden (SWE) Finland (FIN) United States (USA) Czech Rep. (CZE) Norway (NOR) Latvia (LAT) Austria (AUT) Denmark (DEN) PRELIMINARY ROUND TIME GROUP GAME TEAMS VENUE Friday April 29, :15 A 1 GER RUS Bratislava 16:15 B 2 SUI FRA Košice 20:15 A 3 SVK SLO Bratislava 20:15 B 4 BLR CAN Košice Saturday April 30, :15 D 5 FIN DEN Bratislava 16:15 C 6 USA AUT Košice 20:15 D 7 CZE LAT Bratislava 20:15 C 8 NOR SWE Košice Sunday May 1, :15 A 9 RUS SLO Bratislava 16:15 B 10 CAN FRA Košice 20:15 A 11 SVK GER Bratislava 20:15 B 12 SUI BLR Košice Monday May 2, :15 D 13 CZE DEN Bratislava 16:15 C 14 USA NOR Košice 20:15 D 15 LAT FIN Bratislava 20:15 C 16 SWE AUT Košice Tuesday May 3, :15 A 17 SLO GER Bratislava 16:15 B 18 CAN SUI Košice 20:15 A 19 RUS SVK Bratislava 20:15 B 20 FRA BLR Košice Wednesday May 4, :15 D 21 DEN LAT Bratislava 16:15 C 22 AUT NOR Košice 20:15 D 23 FIN CZE Bratislava 20:15 C 24 SWE USA Košice 5 PLAYOFFS AND RELEGATION ROUND TIME GAME VENUE Thursday May 5, :15 Relegation round 25 4A 4D Bratislava 16:15 Relegation round 26 4B 4C Košice 20:15 Qualification round 27 2A 3D Bratislava 20:15 Qualification round 28 2B 3C Košice Friday May 6, :15 Qualification round 29 1A 2D Bratislava 16:15 Qualification round 30 1B 2C Košice 20:15 Qualification round 31 1D 3A Bratislava 20:15 Qualification round 32 1C 3B Košice Saturday May 7, :15 Relegation round 33 4C 4A Bratislava 12:15 Relegation round 34 4B 4D Košice 16:15 Qualification round 35 3D 1A Bratislava 16:15 Qualification round 36 3C 1B Košice 20:15 Qualification round 37 2D 3A Bratislava 20:15 Qualification round 38 2C 3B Košice Sunday May 8, :15 Qualification round 39 1D 2A Bratislava 16:15 Qualification round 40 1C 2B Košice 20:15 Relegation round 41 4A 4B Bratislava 20:15 Relegation round 42 4D 4C Košice Monday May 9, :15 Qualification round 43 3A 3D Bratislava 12:15 Qualification round 44 3B 3C Košice 16:15 Qualification round 45 2A 2D Bratislava 16:15 Qualification round 46 2B 2C Košice 20:15 Qualification round 47 1A 1D Bratislava 20:15 Qualification round 48 1B 1C Košice Wednesday May 11, :15 Quarterfinals 49 QF1 Bratislava 20:15 Quarterfinals 50 QF2 Bratislava Thursday May 12, :15 Quarterfinals 51 QF3 Bratislava 20:15 Quarterfinals 52 QF4 Bratislava Friday May 13, :15 Semi-finals 53 W(QF1) W(QF2) Bratislava 20:15 Semi-finals 54 W(QF3) W(QF4) Bratislava Sunday May 15, :00 Bronze-medal game 55 Bratislava 20:30 Final 56 Bratislava MATKALLA MENESTYKSEEN. Suomalaista jääkiekkoa siivittämässä.

6 TEAM FINLAND No Pos Name Birthdate Birthplace Ht Wt L/R Team 31 GK VEHANEN Petri Rauma L Ak Bars Kazan, KHL 33 GK HOVINEN Niko Helsinki L Pelicans Lahti 35 GK LASSILA Teemu Helsinki L HPK Hämeenlinna 4 D VÄÄNÄNEN Ossi Vantaa L Jokerit Helsinki 5 D KUKKONEN Lasse Oulu L Magnitogorsk, KHL 6 D JAAKOLA Topi Oulu L Luleå, SWE 18 D LEPISTÖ Sami Espoo L Columbus, NHL 19 D VÄLIVAARA Jyrki Jyväskylä L JYP Jyväskylä 21 D NISKALA Janne Västerås L Magnitogorsk, KHL 28 D SALMELA Anssi Nokia L New Jersey, NHL 41 D PUISTOLA Pasi Tampere L HV-71, SWE 9 C KOIVU Mikko Turku L Minnesota, NHL 15 F RUUTU Tuomo Vantaa L Carolina, NHL 20 F PESONEN Janne Suomussalmi L Ak Bars Kazan, KHL 24 C LAJUNEN Jani Espoo L Blues Espoo 26 C IMMONEN Jarkko Rantasalmi R Ak Bars Kazan, KHL 29 C NOKELAINEN Petteri Imatra R Jokerit Helsinki 37 F PYÖRÄLÄ Mika Oulu L Frölunda, SWE 39 C KAPANEN Niko Hattula L Ak Bars Kazan, KHL 40 F PIHLSTRÖM Antti Vantaa L JYP Jyväskylä 47 F LAHTI Janne Riihimäki L Jokerit Helsinki 50 F AALTONEN Juhamatti Ii R Magnitogorsk, KHL 58 F JOENSUU JESSE Pori L New York Islanders 64 C GRANLUND Mikael Oulu L HIFK Helsinki 71 F KOMAROV Leo Narva, EST L OHK Dynamo, KHL Team Officials: Jalonen Jukka Matikainen Petri Nurminen Pasi Brusin Kari Koivunen Riku Hakkarainen Harri Lahti Janne Jutila Timo Vaitinen Timo Luoma Jussi Sulin Juha Kurri Jari Mälkiä Janne Head Coach Coach Coach Trainer Trainer Doctor Media Manager Team Manager Physiotherapist Physiotherapist Masseur General Manager Video Co-ordinator 6

7 GOALIES #31 PETRI VEHANEN #35 TEEMU LASSILA , Rauma POSITION Goalie CATCHES HEIGHT 186 WEIGHT 82 Ak Bars Kazan, RUS FIRST Lukko OTHER (S) UJK; FPS; SG Brunico, ITA; Mora IK, SWE; Neftekhimik Nizhnekams, RUS; NHL DRAFT YEAR GPI MINS GA SVS SVS% GAA WA : WA : NATIONAL TEAMS YEARS GP G A TP PIM Men GPI MINS GA SVS SVS% GAA Men : Petri Vehanen s road to a starter job in Rauma was relatively long, but after getting the job he has performed well. His successful campaign in the Finnish SM-Liiga culminated in when he played 18 games winning 14 of them and posting a save percentage alongside a 1.65 GAA. Vehanen was acquired mid-season by Ak Bars Kazan of the Russian KHL. Vehanen was not shaken by the change of scenery and lead the team to a league title while posting league-leading statistics in the regular season. This season AK Bars fell to Salavat Yulaev UFA in the playoffs but Vehanen still performed up to expectations with the best save% (95.7) and GAA (1.32) of the playoffs. Vehanen has proved that he can play on the international stage and he is set to compete for the starting goaltender job this year , Raahe POSITION Goalie CATCHES HEIGHT 181 WEIGHT 82 HPK Hämeenlinna FIRST Salo HT OTHER (S) TPS; Hermes; Ässät; Djurgårdens IF, SWE; HPK; LeKi NHL DRAFT Nashville s 4th choice 117th overall 2003 Men Juniors GPI MINS GA SVS SVS% GAA Men : Juniors 2 120: Teemu Lassila has always been a very good goaltender, but in recent years he has risen to the SM-Liiga s absolute elite. In , on just his second SM-Liiga season, he got all the way to the finals with TPS Turku but lost the title to Kärpät Oulu. In 2007 Lassila started his campaign with HPK Hämeenlinna, but was the back-up to Andy Chiodo. On his second season Lassila captured the starter job and played 54 games earning 26 wins. In the season Lassila and HPK were surprise finalists but lost the championship to an even bigger surprise finalist, TPS. The Nashville Predators 4th round pick plays with an aggressive style and has quick reflexes. # 33 NIKO HOVINEN When a goaltender who has , Helsinki POSITION Goalie CATCHES HEIGHT 196 WEIGHT 87 Pelicans Lahti FIRST GrIFK OTHER (S) EJK; Jokerit NHL DRAFT Minnesota s 5th choice, 132nd overall 2006 Men Juniors GPI MINS GA SVS SVS% GAA Men 2 117: Juniors : previously been only in a backup role suddenly plays 49 games in the Finnish SM-Liiga, some eyebrows are bound to be raised. Niko Hovinen did just that in the season for Pelicans Lahti. When the Helsinki native played for Jokerit Helsinki in he played in just five games. For the season Hovinen signed with Pelicans and played five times the games he played in the previous two seasons registering 21 games was Hovinen s breakout season as he posted his career-best statistics playing in 49 games for 17 wins with a 2.59 GAA and a save%. 7

8 DEFENCE #4 OSSI VÄÄNÄNEN , Vantaa POSITION Defence HEIGHT 189 WEIGHT 89 Jokerit Helsinki FIRST Jokerit OTHER (S) Phoenix Coyotes, NHL; Colorado Avalanche, NHL; Djurgårdens IF, SWE; Philadelphia Flyers, NHL; Vancouver Canucks, NHL; HC Dynamo Minsk, BLR NHL DRAFT Phoenix 2nd choice 43rd overall 1998 WA Olympics WA World Cup WA WA Men Juniors #5 LASSE KUKKONEN , Oulu POSITION Right Defence HEIGHT 183 WEIGHT 85 Metallurg Magnitogorsk, RUS FIRST Kärpät OTHER (S) Chicago Blackhawks, NHL; Philadelphia Flyers, NHL; Philadelphia Phantoms, AHL; Avangard Omsk, RUS NHL DRAFT Chicago s 4th choice 156th overall 2003 WA Olympics WA WA WA Olympics WA Men Juniors The Phoenix Coyotes drafted Ossi Väänänen on the second round of the 1998 NHL draft, but it was not until the season when Väänänen made his NHL debut. The two years he spent developing in the SM-Liiga paid off as his rookie campaign was a huge success. Väänänen played all but one game that season for the Coyotes potting 4 goals to combine for a total of 16 points. Väänänen spent the six following seasons as a core player in the NHL until he signed with Djurgården of the Swedish Elite League. Väänänen made a comeback to the NHL in the successive season, but headed to Europe in 2009 and joined Minsk Dynamo in the KHL. Väänänen returned to the SM-Liiga and Jokerit for the season and now provides veteran leadership to the team as its captain. The stay-at-home defenseman will be a strong physical presence for team Finland in Slovakia and will especially help the Lions clear their goal crease. Lasse Kukkonen is one of the most prolific players to come out of the Kärpät Oulu junior system. The twotime SM-Liiga All Star defenseman was one of the league s best in doing what a defender should: stopping the opposing forwards. Kukkonen has one SM-Liiga championship from 2005 after he had come back from a one-year stint from the NHL and the AHL. Kukkonen returned to the NHL on the following season and played in various teams until he came back to Europe in From the season Kukkonen has been playing in the Russian KHL league, and most recently for Metallurg Magnitogorsk alongside fellow national team players Juhamatti Aaltonen and Janne Niskala. Oman taloutensa isäntä tietää mistä vakuutukset kannattaa ottaa. OP-bonuksia kertyy nimittäin ihan tavallisesta pankkiasioinnista ja nyt myös Pohjolan vakuutuksista. Tule juttelemaan tai klikkaa op.fi

9 DEFENCE #6 TOPI JAAKOLA , Oulu POSITION Defence HEIGHT 186 WEIGHT 89 Luleå HF, SWE FIRST Kärpät OTHER (S) Södertälje SK, SWE NHL DRAFT Florida s 5th choice 134th overall 2002 WA WA Men Juniors #18 SAMI LEPISTÖ Sami Lepistö is an all-round , Espoo POSITION Right Defence HEIGHT 178 WEIGHT 80 Columbus Blue Jackets FIRST Jokerit OTHER (S) Washington Capitals, NHL; Hershey Bears, AHL NHL DRAFT Washington s 6th choice 66th overall 2004 WA Olympics Men Juniors Topi Jaakola is the type of defenseman every team needs: a stay-athome guy who no glaring weaknesses. Another sample of the strong Kärpät Oulu junior system, Jaakola made his debut in the SM-Liiga at just 17 years of age. Jaakola s best season points-wise was in with Kärpät when he scored 3 goals and 14 points in 55 games. Next season Jaakola joined Södertälje in the Swedish Elite League and posted 0+11 in 51 games. Last season he scored his first two Swedish Elite League goals with Luleå earning a total of seven points in 55 games.. defenseman who made his national breakthrough in the season when he was able to hold on to a roster spot as a rookie in Jokerit Helsinki. The Helsinki native was drafted on the 3rd round as 66th overall by the Washington Capitals but played just a total of 14 games in the NHL in the span of two seasons despite scoring four goals and 45 points in 55 AHL games. Lepistö started the season in the Phoenix Coyotes and increased his ice-time significantly playing 66 games that season. Lepistö was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets on the trade deadline and is now looking to develop to a key player for Columbus. KIEKKOJUNIORI VOITTAA AINA. Veikkauksen tuotosta jaetaan vuosittain jopa 104 miljoonaa euroa suomalaiselle liikunnalle. Varojen avulla nousee yhä uusia jäähalleja, jäädytetään kaukaloita ja taataan juniorivalmennuksen taso. Onkin upeaa, että yksi niistä suomalaisista, joka voittaa aina, on kiekkojuniori. 9

10 DEFENCE #19 JYRKI VÄLIVAARA , Jyväskylä POSITION Defence HEIGHT 188 WEIGHT 92 JYP Jyväskylä FIRST JYP OTHER (S) Tappara; Linköpings HC, SWE; IF Malmö Redhawks, SWE NHL DRAFT National Team Coming back home rarely ends as well as with Jyrki Välivaara. Välivaara started his career with his home town team JYP Jyväskylä, making his SM-Liiga debut in the season. He left the team for the season when he joined Tappara Tampere. After spending two season there, Välivaara signed with Linköping in the Swedish Elite League. Välivaara spent a total of six seasons in Sweden, four in Linköping and two in Malmö where he and the rest of the Redhawks suffered relegation and spent the season in the Allsvenskan. Välivaara came home for the next season and formed one of the best defensive tandems of the league with Olli Malmivaara. Väliv aara and Malmivaara were a key part of the JYP team that ended its season in championship celebrations. The offensively underrated defenseman has since stayed with JYP and is one of the elite defensemen of the SM-Liiga. #21 JANNE NISKALA WA WA Olympics WA Men Juniors , Västerås, SWE POSITION Defence HEIGHT 183 WEIGHT 90 Metallurg Magnitogorsk, RUS FIRST Lukko OTHER (S) Manchester Storm, GBR; EV Zug, SUI; Färjestads BK, SWE; Milwaukee Admirals, AHL; Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL; Frölunda Indians, SWE NHL DRAFT Nashville s 5th choice 147th overall 2004 Before Janne Niskala made his breakthrough playing with Lukko Rauma in the SM-Liiga he had to pay some dues playing in the second-highest ice-hockey league in Finland, the Mestis, and even in Manchester, Great Britain. After Niskala made his breakthrough in the season, there was no looking back. He scored 7 goals and 20 points on his first full SM-Liiga season, which he dwarfed in scoring 21 goals and 36 points in 55 games. After that standout season he was drafted by the Nashville Predators. Before going to North America Niskala played in Switzerland, and in Sweden where he lead the league s defensemen in goals as well as points with 19+30=49 in 53 games. Niskala tested the water in North America, but played only 6 games for Tampa Bay before asking to be waived. After two seasons in Sweden he most recently played for Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the KHL and led his own team s defensemen in goals and points with 11+19=30 in 54 regular season games. Energy for Finland Energy is the name of the game in icehockey. Energy and electricity also keeps the society on the move. TVO is a highly appreciated Finnish nuclear power company. Sustainable electricity of TVO means increased competitiveness for Finnish industry and better well-being for all Finns. TVO a main partner of the Finnish Ice Hockey Association

11 DEFENCE #28 ANSSI SALMELA WA WA Men Juniors #41 PASI PUISTOLA , Nokia POSITION Defence HEIGHT 182 WEIGHT 87 New Jersey Devils FIRST Ilves OTHER (S) Tappara; Pelicans; New Jersey Devils, NHL; Lowell Devils, AHL; ChicagoWolves, AHL NHL DRAFT , Tampere POSITION Defence HEIGHT 182 WEIGHT 80 HV 71 Jönköping, SWE FIRST Ilves OTHER (S) Tappara NHL DRAFT WA Autoliike 0 3 Oy3 0 N Katuosoite 00, Kaupunki, vaihde (00) Automyynti: ma-pe 0 00, la ATIONAL TEAMS YEARS GP G A TP PIM Men Juniors When Anssi Salmela headed to the dressing room bloodied up after fighting David Backes in the 2008 WCs, he probably did not know what a cult following he had gotten. When he played for Pelicans Lahti and Tappara Tampere in the Finnish SM-Liiga he was an offensive defenseman who was known for his prowess with the puck and his ability to orchestrate the power play. Salmela s road to a regular NHL spot has been rough but when known defensive-minded coach Jacques Lemaire kept him on the New Jersey Devils roster in their final battle for a playoff berth, he seems to be on the right path. When Pasi Puistola debuted in the SM-Liiga in the season for Tappara Tampere, he got off to a running start. The smooth-skating all-round defender scored three goals and added 13 assists in the regular season and was awarded the Jorma Wasama Memorial Trophy as the rookie of the year. On his last SM-Liiga season the Tappara defenseman finished first in goals by defenders with 14 and 3rd in the overall scoring race with 30 points. After the season Puistola joined HV71 in the Swedish Elite League for the season. The season was a huge success for Puistola as he scored his personal points record (13+26=39) which made him 4th in defenseman points and 2nd in goals in the whole league. In the following playoffs Puistola was first in points by defensemen with his teammates David Petrasek and Adam Almqvist, and ended the season with the Swedish League title. Uusi Touran. Kun tarvitset tilaa ja mukavuutta matkan tekoon. Uusi Touran tarjoaa tilat jopa 7-hengen seurueelle. Moottorivalikoimasta löytyvät taloudelliset ja tehokkaat TSI- ja TDI-moottorit. Tarjolla on mm. 1,2 l TSI (77 kw/105 hv) BlueMotion Technology -malli, jonka yhdistelmäkulutus on vain 5,9 l/100 km, CO 2-päästöt 139 g/km. Touran on saatavana myös edistyksellisellä DSG-automaattivaihteistolla. TSI-bensiinimallisto alkaen: autoveroton hinta , arvioitu autovero* 5.098,74, kokonaishinta ,74 TDI-dieselmallisto alkaen: autoveroton hinta , arvioitu autovero** 5.299,80, kokonaishinta ,80 Huolenpitosopimus 42 /kk (3 vuoden sopimus, km/vuosi) *CO2-päästöllä 139 g/km. **CO2-päästöllä 121 g/km. Yhdistelmäkulutus 4,6 6,8 l/100 km. CO2-päästöt g/km. Kuvan auto erikoisvarustein. Kokonaishinta sisältää toimituskulut. Autoliike Oy Katuosoite 00, Kaupunki, vaihde (00) Automyynti: ma-pe 0 00, la Laakkonen on aina lähelläsi Hyvinkää Hämeenlinna Iisalmi Ikaalinen Joensuu Kajaani Kerava Kitee Kuopio Lahti Lieksa Pieksämäki Porvoo Tampere Varkaus 11

12 FORWARDS #9 MIKKO KOIVU World Cup Olympics WA WA WA Olympics National Team Juniors #15 TUOMO RUUTU World Cup WA WA WA Olympics National Team Juniors , Turku POSITION Centre Right HEIGHT 180 WEIGHT 67 Minnesota Wild FIRST TPS OTHER (S) Houston Aeros, AHL NHL DRAFT Minnesota s 1st choice 6th overall , Vantaa POSITION Right Wing HEIGHT 166 WEIGHT 51 Carolina Hurricanes FIRST EVU OTHER (S) HIFK; Jokerit; Chicago Blackhawks, NHL NHL DRAFT Chicago s 1st choice 9th overall 2001 A franchise player is a player who is not simply the best player on their team, but a player that the team can build their franchise around for the foreseeable future. For the Minnesota Wild Mikko Koivu fits the bill perfectly. Koivu puts in massive amounts of work on both ends of the ice and despite his big defensive input, Koivu was able to score 17 goals and 62 points last season even though he missed 11 games due to injury. Mikko Koivu won the U18 World Championship alongside Jarkko Immonen and Tuomo Ruutu and has medaled in every international tournament he has participated in since. Koivu is looking to keep the streak going leading the Finnish Lions in Slovakia. Tuomo Ruutu has never shied away from physical play and likes to throw his body around a lot. Ruutu was second in number of hits in the NHL regular season with a whopping 309, which averages to three hits per game. Ruutu has suffered from his physical play, however, as he has missed a lot of games due to injury especially early in his NHL career. When it rained, it poured for Ruutu as he contemplated on retiring after the 2006 World Championships. Ruutu came back and after a couple of more seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes. In Raleigh, North Carolina Ruutu has gotten healthy and has risen to a key player of the Hurricanes with the same recipe: playing hard and putting up points in the process. Jääkiekkomaajoukkueen virallinen yhteistyökumppani. Sunny Center Asiakaspalvelumme koostuu kokonaisvaltaisesta liiketeollisten rakennusten rakennuttamis-, investointi-, myynti- ja vuokrausvälitystoiminnasta. Nyt suunnittelemme Euroopan suurinta autokauppaa ja siihen liittyvää liiketoimintaa palvelevaa keskusta. Autoliikkeiden ja huoltotilojen keskittymää joka tarjoaa asiakkaalle kaikkea autoiluun ja liikkumiseen liittyvää palvelua. puh puh puh fax

13 FORWARDS #20 JANNE PESONEN #24 JANI LAJUNEN , Suomussalmi POSITION Wing HEIGHT 180 WEIGHT 81 Ak Bars Kazan, RUS FIRST Kiva HT OTHER (S) Kärpät; Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL; Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, AHL NHL DRAFT Anaheim s 8th choice 269th overall 2004 National Team , Espoo POSITION Centre HEIGHT 185 WEIGHT 75 Blues Espoo FIRST GrIFK OTHER (S) K-Vantaa; K-Espoo NHL DRAFT Nashville s 6th choice 201st overall 2008 W W W National Team Juniors Whenever Janne Pesonen has debuted in a new league, it seems everything has gone right. In the season he made his debut in the second highest Finnish League playing 40 games with 14 goals and 35 points, which warranted a call-up to Kärpät Oulu next season. On his first full SM-Liiga season Pesonen earned 30 points in 56 games, got rookie of the year honors and won the Finnish championship. After Pesonen s dominating last season in the SM- Liiga, in which he scored 78 points in 56 games, was selected to as a league All-Star and got his fourth Finnish league title, he headed to North-America. Although Pesonen was drafted by Anaheim, it was the Pittsburgh Penguins who signed him to a two-way contract. On his first season in the AHL Pesonen lit up the league netting 82 points in 70 games. Next season Pesonen signed with Ak Bars Kazan in the KHL, scored 25 points in 42 games and capped off the season with another championship, this time the KHL s Gagarin Cup. Jani Lajunen made his SM-Liiga debut with Blues Espoo as a 17-yearold in , but spent the season playing in the juniors. The Nashville Predators drafted him in the following summer on the last round as the 201st pick overall. Playing 25 games for Blues the next season and scoring his first SM-Liiga goal, Lajunen has increased his ice-time ever since. In he was a key player for Blues as the matured Lajunen played physically scoring six goals and adding nine assists for 15 points in 46 games. This was enough for the Predators as they signed a three-year contract with Lajunen. He spent the first year of the contract with Blues and played the full 60 games in the regular season as well as all 18 games in the playoffs where Blues went all the way to the finals but fell to HIFK Helsinki. Lajunen was one of the key players of his team with 24 points in the regular season and 10 in the playoffs.

14 FORWARDS #26 JARKKO IMMONEN , Rantasalmi POSITION Centre Right HEIGHT 182 WEIGHT 95 Ak Bars Kazan, RUS FIRST RU OTHER (S) SaPKo; TPS; TuTo; Ässät; JYP; New York Rangers, NHL; Hartford Wolf Pack, AHL; HC Ak Bars Kazan, RUS NHL DRAFT Toronto s 8th choice 254th overall 2002 WA Olympics WA National Team Juniors Jarkko Immonen has enjoyed success in several leagues and tournaments. With already a U18 championship and a U20 bronze medal under his belt before making his national breakthrough, Immonen played in JYP Jyväskylä for three seasons in before going abroad to try out for the New York Rangers. Immonen spent two years in North America mainly playing in the AHL, but he played at a level that warranted for a total of 20 games in the NHL. Immonen came back to SM-Liiga in 2007 for a two-year stint which ended in a league title with JYP and a selection to the league s All Star line. In he won the KHL championship with Ak Bars Kazan and although their season ended in the KHL conference semi-finals Immonen posted good numbers both in the regular season (53 g, 21+17=38) and in the playoffs (9 ott, 2+4=6) , Imatra POSITION Centre Right HEIGHT 185 WEIGHT 86 Jokerit Helsinki FIRST Ketterä OTHER (S) SaiPa; New York Islanders, NHL; Bridgeport Sound Tigers, AHL; Boston Bruins, NHL; Providence Bruins, AHL; Anaheim Mighty Ducks, NHL; Phoenix Coyotes, NHL NHL DRAFT NY Islanders 1st choice 16th overall 2004 W W W W National Team Juniors #29 PETTERI NOKELAINEN Petteri Nokelainen could be described as the epitome of a Finnish ice hockey forward. He is a two-way forward that is physically in great shape, is responsible in his own defensively and is a tremendous team player. The Imatra native made a good NHL career for himself by being a player who is relentless on the forecheck and whose work does not necessarily show on the stats sheet but leads to lots of scoring chances for his linemates. The New York Islanders drafted Nokelainen in 2004 on the first round as the 16th overall pick and he made his NHL debut in the season playing a total of 15 games. Nokelainen spent five seasons in the NHL playing for four teams before returning to Finland after the season. Nokelainen signed with Jokerit and had a good first season scoring 11 goals for 27 points in 46 regular season games. 14

15 FORWARDS #37 MIKA PYÖRÄLÄ , Oulu POSITION Wing HEIGHT 175 WEIGHT 56 Frölunda HC, SWE FIRST Kärpät OTHER (S) Timrå IK, SWE; Philadelphia Flyers, NHL; Adirondack Phantoms, AHL NHL DRAFT WA WA WA National Team Juniors #39 NIKO KAPANEN , Hattula POSITION Centre HEIGHT 177 WEIGHT 82 Ak Bars Kazan, RUS FIRST HPK OTHER (S) TPS; Dallas Stars, NHL; Utah Grizzlies, AHL; EV Zug, SUI; Atlanta Thrashers, NHL; Phoenix Coyotes, NHL NHL DRAFT Dallas 6th choice 173rd overall 1998 WA WA WA WA World Cup WA Olympics WA WA WA Olympics National Team Juniors Mika Pyörälä is a type of player every coach loves because you can throw him on the ice in every situation. Pyörälä was a defensive player in the start of his career but developed later into a first line player. He especially developed a good chemistry with Janne Pesonen while both were playing for Kärpät Oulu. That good chemistry resulted in three SM-Liiga championships before Pyörälä went to Timrå IK that plays in the Swedish Elite League. Pyörälä was so impressive on his two-year campaign with Timrå that he was invited by the NHL team Philadelphia Flyers to their training camp before the season. To the surprise of many, Pyörälä impressed the Flyers coaching staff and earned an opening night roster spot. Pyörälä spent the majority of the season in the AHL playing for the Adirondack Phantoms. Last season Pyörälä played for Västra Frölunda HC in the Swedish Elite League and posted 23 points in 47 games. Niko Kapanen is a player of many roles. Because of his quickness and responsibility he can be used in a defensive role and as a PK specialist. In that role, however, Kapanen s greatest assets, his high hockey IQ and good vision, goes to waste. He excelled when playing in the SM- Liiga and showed in the and seasons that he can play his game in the NHL. However Kapanen was then traded first to Atlanta and subsequently to Phoenix, which had an impact on his point totals. Kapanen joined Ak Bars Kazan in the KHL for the season and struck gold as Kazan took consecutive league titles. Kapanen is one of Kazan s key players and is coming to the WCs to spark the Finnish Lions offence. ICEPEAK yhteistyössä Suomen jääkiekkoliiton kanssa ICEPEAK LEIJONIEN MATKASSA

16 FORWARDS #40 ANTTI PIHLSTRÖM Antti Pihlström can be simply , Vantaa POSITION Right Wing HEIGHT 180 WEIGHT 82 JYP Jyväskylä FIRST TJV OTHER (S) K-Vantaa; EVU; Jokerit; Blues; SaiPa; Nashville Predators, NHL; Milwaukee Admirals, AHL; Färjestads BK, SWE NHL DRAFT WA WA National Team Juniors described as a ball of energy that likes to throw hits hard and often. Pihlström is very fast and despite his height (5 11 ) he is also extremely strong and good in the corners. When Pihlström was playing for the Nashville Predators in the NHL and its AHL affiliate Milwaukee Admirals in , he was used almost purely as a energy player who just chips the puck into the opponent s half and grinds away at their top lines. After Pihlström returned to Finland he has showcased his offensive talents with an over a point per game average. He debuted in the adult national team in the 2008 WC tournament and led the Finnish team with five goals. #47 JANNE LAHTI , Riihimäki POSITION Right Wing HEIGHT 189 WEIGHT 89 Jokerit Helsinki FIRST HPK OTHER (S) KJT NHL DRAFT National Team Janne Lahti was thought to be an eternal prospect until he grabbed a 1st line spot on the HPK Hämeenlinna SM-Liiga team and scored 14 goals in 43 games. Lahti saw his goal and point totals dip for the following seasons until he hit his stride in and especially The latter proved to be Lahti s breakthrough season as he scored 20 goals and 34 points in 56 games and was signed as a free agent by the Montreal Canadiens. After a 65 game season that saw him score 9 goals earning a total of 18 points, Lahti came back to Finland for the season and signed with Jokerit Helsinki. While playing with Jokerit, Lahti s point totals have climbed significantly. Lahti earned 17 points on his first season, 25 on his second and had a career-season in with 37 goals and 59 points in 59 games 16

17 FORWARDS #50 JUHAMATTI AALTONEN #58 JESSE JOENSUU , Ii POSITION Wing Right HEIGHT 182 WEIGHT 83 Metallurg Magnitogorsk, RUS FIRST Kärpät OTHER (S) Pelicans NHL DRAFT St. Louis 9th choice 284th overall 2003 WA National Team Juniors , Pori POSITION Wing HEIGHT 192 WEIGHT 88 New York Islanders FIRST Ässät OTHER (S) - NHL DRAFT NY Islanders 2nd choice 60th overall 2006 W W W W W National Team Juniors Finnish players are almost always described as hard-working, physical guys that are great team players but do not have great offensive instincts. Juhamatti Aaltonen does not fit into that traditional mold as he has always been known as a tricky forward that can generate dangerous scoring chances on his every shift. It was not until the season with Pelicans, Lahti when Aaltonen started to realize the immense talent he has always had. Aaltonen lit up the Finnish SM-Liiga with 28 goals, which was tied for the league lead, and 49 points in 56 games on the Pelicans team that finished 12th. After his final breakthrough Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL acquired Aaltonen from Pelicans. Aaltonen was not shell-shocked from the change of scenery and posted 20 goals and 39 points in 54 regular season games, which was second most from Metallurg players. There is no doubt Jesse Joensuu has the talent to be a regular NHL player, but it was not until this season the former teen star of the Finnish SM-Liiga is exhibiting that talent. Joensuu made his SM-Liiga debut as the youngest player ever at just 15 years of age and after his breakout season in , when he scored 35 points in 56 games for Ässät Pori he decided to head to the New York Islanders AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Joensuu spent a couple of seasons in the AHL producing points at a decent pace, but in the season he broke through to the Islanders NHL roster playing 42 games and earning a total of nine points. Huipputiimi valmiina koviinkin kisoihin. 17

18 FORWARDS #64 Mikael Granlund , Oulu POSITION Centre HEIGHT 178 WEIGHT 80 HIFK Helsinki FIRST Laser HT OTHER (S) Kärpät NHL DRAFT Minnesota s 1st choice, 9th overall 2010 W W W W National Team Juniors Mikael Granlund debuted in the SM-Liiga in the season on his 17th birthday and played a total of two games with Kärpät, but he signed with HIFK Helsinki in the offseason. All eyes were on Granlund as he got ready for his first full season in the SM-Liiga, but he lived up to the hype by scoring 13 goals and 40 points in 43 games earning the Jarmo Wasama award given out to the rookie of the year. Expectations were equally high for his second season with HIFK and, despite a concussion that sidelined him for several games; he delivered again earning 36 points in 39 games. In the playoffs Granlund was one of the key players for the championship-winning HIFK team potting 5 goals for a total of 16 points in 15 games. Lauded as the next great one of Finnish ice hockey, Mikael Granlund s first seasons in men s ice hockey have not lowered those expectations in any way. lätkässä leijoniin treeniä, lepoa ja kunnon eväät italian b.m.t. #71 LEO KOMAROV Leo Komarov has found a new facet , Narva, EST POSITION Wing HEIGHT 180 WEIGHT 90 OHK Dynamo Moscow, RUS FIRST MUIK OTHER (S) Jeppis; Juniorihermes; Sport; Ässät; Pelicans NHL DRAFT Toronto s 6th choice 180th overall 2006 WA WA National Team Juniors to his game recently. When playing in Finland for Ässät Pori and Pelicans Lahti, the Narva, Estonia native was known almost purely as an energy player, but after joining Dynamo Moscow in 2009 Komarov has seen his point and goal totals rising. During the season Komarov scored 14 goals and 26 points in 52 games which was second only to Konstantin Gorovikov s 38 points for Dynamo. In the playoffs Dynamo fell in six games to Dinamo Riga but Komarov scored at a point per game pace leading his team with four goals and two assists. Before Komarov enraged the opposition in just post-whistle scrums, but now he does it also by scoring on them. In partnership with the Finnish Ice Hockey Association and the National Teams Doctor s Associates Inc. SUBWAY is a registered trademark of Doctor s Associates Inc. Kolmansien osapuolten tavaramerkkejä käytetään lisenssioikeuden nojalla.

19 TEAM MANAGEMENT JUKKA JALONEN HEAD COACH EDUCATION , Riihimäki Physical Education Degree from University of Jyväskylä 1988 COACHING CAREER SEASON LEAGUE TITLE Ilves Tampere Head of Junior Coaching Ilves Tampere SML Head 1995/96 Lukko Rauma SML Assistant / Matikainen 1996/97 Lukko Rauma SML Head 1997/98 Sport Vaasa 1. Div. Head 1998/98 HC Alleghe ITA Head 1999/00 Newcastle Riverkings GBR Head 2000/01 Newcastle Jesters GBR Head 2001/07 HPK Hämeenlinna SML Head NATIONAL TEAMS SEASON TEAM DESCRIPTION 1991/92 U17 Assistant / Räsänen 1994/95 U18 Assistant / Sutinen 1995/96 U17 Head 2007/08 Men s National Team Assistant / Shedden Men s National Team Head PETRI MATIKAINEN COACH PASI NURMINEN COACH

20 TEAM MANAGEMENT KARI BRUSIN TRAINER RIKU KOIVUNEN TRAINER HARRI HAKKARAINEN DOCTOR TIMO VAITINEN PHYSIOTHERAPIST JUSSI LUOMA PHYSIOTHERAPIST JUHA SULIN MASSEUR JANNE LAHTI MEDIA MANAGER JARI KURRI GENERAL MANAGER TIMO JUTILA TEAM MANAGER JANNE MÄLKIÄ VIDEO CO-ORDINATOR 20

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22 Team Finland Statistics Name GP G A P PM AALTONEN JUHAMATTI , Ii, 182cm/83kg AHTOLA JERRY , Turku, 193cm/95kg DONSKOI JOONAS , Raahe, 181cm/75kg HAHL RIKU , Hämeenlinna, 182cm/79kg HIETANEN JUUSO , Hämeenlinna, 180cm/82kg HUHTALA TOMMI , Tampere, 182cm/84kg HYTÖNEN JUHA-PEKKA , Jyväskylä, 178cm/78kg IMMONEN JARKKO , Rantasalmi, 182cm/95kg JAAKOLA TOPI , Oulu, 186cm/89kg JALASVAARA JANNE , Oulu, 182cm/88kg JOENSUU JESSE , Pori, 192cm/88kg JÄRVINEN JOONAS , Turku, 190cm/96kg KAPANEN NIKO , Hattula, 177cm/82kg KARALAHTI JERE , Helsinki, 188cm/95kg KEMPPAINEN JOONAS , Kajaani, 188cm/90kg KOIVU MIKKO , Turku, 180cm/67kg KOMAROV LEO , Narva, EST, 180cm/90kg KONTIOLA PETRI , Tampere, 182cm/92kg KORPIKARI OSKARI , Oulu, 188cm/93kg KOSKIRANTA JARNO , Paimio, 188cm/83kg KOSKIRANTA TERO , Paimio, 185cm/98kg KUKKONEN LASSE , Oulu, 183cm/85kg LAHTI JANNE , Riihimäki, 189cm/89kg LAINE TEEMU , Helsinki, 173cm/69kg LAJUNEN JANI , Espoo, 185cm/75kg LAJUNEN VILLE , Helsinki, 184cm/84kg LATVALA JAN , Jyväskylä, 178cm/80kg LEHTERÄ JORI , Helsinki, 184cm/82kg LEHTONEN MIKKO , Espoo, 193cm/90kg LEIMU JUHA , Tampere, 186cm/90kg LEPISTÖ SAMI , Espoo, 178cm/80kg LINDGREN PERTTU , Tampere, 184cm/85kg LOUHIVAARA OSSI , Kotka, 183cm/81kg MALMIVAARA OLLI , Kajaani, 194cm/93kg MARJAMÄKI MASI , Pori, 188cm/93kg MÄENPÄÄ MIKKO , Tampere, 180cm/80kg NISKALA JANNE , Västerås, SWE, 183cm/90kg NOKELAINEN PETTERI , Imatra, 185cm/86kg NORDLUND MARKUS , Eurajoki, 195cm/95kg PELTOLA JUKKA , Tampere, 183cm/83kg Name GP G A P PM PELTONEN VILLE , Helsinki, 180cm/85kg PESONEN JANNE , Suomussalmi, 180cm/81kg PETRELL LENNART , Helsinki, 191cm/95kg PIHLSTRÖM ANTTI , Vantaa, 180cm/82kg PUISTOLA PASI , Tampere, 182cm/80kg PUKKA MIKKO , Suodenniemi, 185cm/93kg PULKKINEN TEEMU , Vantaa, 180cm/80kg PUUSTINEN JUUSO , Kuopio, 186cm/84kg PYÖRÄLÄ MIKA , Oulu, 175cm/56kg RAJALA TONI , Parkano, 174cm/73kg RUUTU TUOMO , Vantaa, 166cm/51kg SALMELA ANSSI , Nokia, 182cm/87kg SALMINEN SAKARI , Pori, 178cm/70kg SANTALA TOMMI , Helsinki, 188cm/86kg STRÖMBERG KIM , Helsinki, 190cm/90kg TYRVÄINEN ANTTI , Seinäjoki, 180cm/85kg UUSITALO VILLE , Espoo, 181cm/79kg VATANEN SAMI , Jyväskylä, 177cm/77kg VIITALUOMA VILLE , Espoo, 184cm/85kg VÄLIVAARA JYRKI , Jyväskylä, 188cm/92kg VÄÄNÄNEN OSSI , Vantaa, 189cm/89kg WIRTANEN PETTERI , Hyvinkää, 183cm/84kg Team Finland Goaltending Name GPI MINS GA GAA SVS SVS% HOVINEN NIKO 2 117: , Helsinki, 196cm/87kg KILPELÄINEN EERO 2 80: , Juva, 182cm/75kg LASSILA TEEMU 4 242: , Raahe, 181cm/82kg RÄMÖ KARRI 3 184: , Lahti, 187cm/85kg TARKKI IIRO 2 105: , Rauma, 188cm/72kg VEHANEN PETRI 6 357: , Rauma, 186cm/82kg 22 22

23 Schedule Team Finland Date Venue Game Result Event Helsinki, FIN Russia Finland 1-0 EHT: Karjala Tournament Helsinki, FIN Finland - Czech Republic 5-0 EHT: Karjala Tournament Helsinki, FIN Finland - Sweden 4-1 EHT: Karjala Tournament Tapiola, FIN Finland - Czech Republic 2-3 EHT: 1st Channel Cup Moscow, RUS Finland - Sweden 1-6 EHT: 1st Channel Cup Moscow, RUS Russia - Finland 6-2 EHT: 1st Channel Cup Moscow, RUS Russia - Finland 5-3 EHT: LG Hockey Games Stockholm, SWE Finland - Czech Republic 3-2 EHT: LG Hockey Games Stockholm, SWE Sweden - Finland 3-2 EHT: LG Hockey Games Lahti, FIN Finland - Slovakia 3-1 Euro Hockey Challenge Kouvola, FIN Finland - Slovakia 3-2 Euro Hockey Challenge Riga, LAT Latvia - Finland 0-5 Euro Hockey Challenge Riga, LAT Latvia - Finland 3-5 Euro Hockey Challenge Bremerhaven, GER Germany - Finland 2-4 Euro Hockey Challenge Nordhorn, GER Germany - Finland 4-2 Euro Hockey Challenge Brno, CZE Finland - Czech Republic 1-2 EHT: Czech Hockey Games I AM A LION Brno, CZE Sweden - Finland 0-2 EHT: Czech Hockey Games Brno, CZE Russia - Finland 4-2 EHT: Czech Hockey Games Bratislava, SVK Finland - Denmark - World Championships Bratislava, SVK Latvia - Finland - World Championships Bratislava, SVK Finland - Czech Republic - World Championships 2011 Nikon D3100 järjestelmäkamera - Suomen Leijonien valinta laadukkaisiin kuviin! Opastila helpottaa käyttöä Erinomainen kuvanlaatu kaikissa tilanteissa Full HD (1 920 x 1 080) -videotallennus

24 Teema- valmennusleirit FOREXin Kanta-asiakaskortilla etuja Leijonille ja leijonanmielisille! Nouda Kanta-asiakaskorttisi lähimmästä FOREXista - jokainen Kanta-asiakas voittaa etuja sekä FOREXilta että yhteistyökumppaneiltamme. Lue lisää Kuvat: Denis Heimonen Jääkiekkojoukkueille suunnatuilla teemavalmennusleireillä paneudutaan sisältöjen ja valmennuksen avulla yksilön lajitekniikoiden ja pelitaitojen kehittämiseen. Kouluttajina leireillä toimivat koulutuksen ja pitkän jääkiekkotaustan omaavat valmentajat. Leiri koostetaan valittavien teemojen mukaan joukkue- ja tapauskohtaisesti. Kansainvälinen Jääkiekon Kehityskeskus on kehittänyt leirisisällöt yhteistyössä Suomen Jääkiekkoliiton asiantuntijoiden kanssa ja ne edustavat kansainvälisesti viimeisintä tietotaitoa. Tutustu tarkemmin leirien sisältöön ja varaa joukkueellesi ajoissa paikka Vierumäeltä. Lisätietoja: Jesse Welling, puh. (03) tai jesse.welling@vierumaki.fi. Majoitus- ja tilavaraukset: Paula Ojapalo, puh. (03) , paula.ojapalo@vierumaki.fi Vaihde: puh. (03)

25 Vikingillä palvelukin pelaa täysillä. Suomalaisen kuluttajan media Suomen Lehtiyhtymän lehdillä tavoitat suomalaisen kuluttajan juuri silloin, kun he tekevät ostopäätöksiä. Kuluttaminen on aina paikallista. Niin myös mekin. Tutustu mainostamisen mahdollisuuksiin. 1,5 miljoonaa lukijaa ei voi olla väärässä. Sport Puh

26 Worldwide design patent. Extraordinary, more powerful blade for ice-hockey stick New step in designing blades for ice-hockey sticks More power and effect more influence in ice-hockey rink The lost diamond is found and refined at last The whole power potential is in your use Now, use the possibility to maximize your energy in game with the new TAC-Power blade! NEW! The following ten, analytically tested arguments show you why TAC-Power blade is more powerful: 1. More space for dribbling the puck. 2. More space for assisting with the base part of the blade. 3. More space for receiving the puck. 4. More efficience in starts by using the base. 5. The base part of the blade makes fast whips possible. 6. Increases your score. 7. Breaks old habits. 8. Helps comprehensively in holding the puck. 9. A small extra in the right point gives valuable help. 10. Design is the word of the day, why not in ice-hockey sticks, too. TAC-STICK OY SF Lievestuore, Finland Tel , Fax tac-stick@tac.inet.fi,