U-17 Four Nations Report: Finland

Finishing in second place overall was the Finnish Under-17 team, who, despite being swept in the third period of the first game against Russia and not scoring a goal in the last game against the Czech Republic, saved the showing with a strong performance against Sweden. Having the likes of 2006 eligible top prospect Jesse JoensuuClick U-17 Four Nations RostersHere to view this Link. competing with the Under-18 team, the Finns still managed to form a solid cohesive unit where no players were really outstanding, but playing well as a team.

The Finnish Under-17’s rode strong goaltending provided by netminder Juha Toivonen. After carrying much of the team's chances in the games against Russia and Czech Republic, Toivonen was the deserving winner of the 'Top Goaltender' trophy. A smallish, resilient puck-stopper, Toivonen is very strong down low thanks to his quick legs. He possesses above-average reflexes and is capable of handling thick traffic in front of him well. Toivonen is more of a butterfly goaltender who has an adequate glove hand. He also isn't a liability when it comes to handling the puck. On the downside, Toivonen tends to go down sometimes too much, thus leaving the top shelf of the net uncovered and vulnerable to goals. Another quality product from the Finnish goaltending developmental system, Toivonen showed solid promise with his poised play at the Four Nations Tournament.

Diminutive Finnish defenseman Mikael Kurki played the first international tournament of his career as captain and did nothing to make the coaches regret their decision. One of the very few players of this age category with already a season of play in North America under his belt, Kurki looked composed out on the ice and contributed at both ends. Kurki matches his size deficiency with his slick skating skills, including quick bursts of speed and sharp turns. He handles the puck well with his soft hands and possesses good instincts for supporting the offense. Kurki makes precise, well-timed passes, but is still prone to the odd bad decision with the puck. Even if Kurki doesn't fire blasts from the blue line, he relies on the accuracy and quick release of his shots from the point to make them adequate. Although not an intimidating physical presence, he doesn’t have any significant problems with handling the physical rigors of the game.

Virtually the best forward on the Finnish Under-17 team was lanky right winger Mikko Lehtonen. He skated on the first unit and was useful on the powerplay units. Lehtonen turned heads with his nifty stick moves and crafty puckhandling skills, which are his strongest assets. He wasn't afraid of taking the puck into traffic, looking for a chance to make a pass or score a goal. Lehtonen impresses with his frame, but has some filling out to do before he can take full advantage of his size. He throws adequate hits, but his lower-body strength can still be improved. Lehtonen displays an above-average array of shots, with his effective wrist shot leading the way. He shows adequate defensive awareness, though he still needs to limit the opposing player's options more effectively. Lehtonen impresses with the puck, but isn't such a force when playing off the biscuit, and this drawback needs to be addressed in his play. Nevertheless, he is a promising player with a good load of talent.

Talented forward Perttu Lindgren was centering the Finnish top line for the whole tournament. He impressed with his play in the first two games before playing an average final game against the Czech Republic, though his performance was still worth taking notice. Lindgren takes advantage of his solid skating skills to slip through defenses by using his speed and agility. Balance will be a thing to work on in the future as he has to add some bulk to his frame. Lindgren is a smart player who can be used in all game situations. He sees the ice quite well and is a deft passer. Lindgren possesses nifty hands, good hand-eye coordination, and unleashes an accurate wrist and slap shot. And he can't be labeled as just one-dimensional because of his solid defensive awareness. Lindgren plays well on penalty killing units, but could use more toughness in his play. He isn't very effective in heavy traffic and could play in front of the opposing net more often.