U18 Ivan Hlinka Tournament: Finland Part 1

Team Finland took home the silver medal at the Under-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament held in Slovakia and the Czech Republic from Aug 14-18, 2007.

Backed by their trademark excellent goaltending, Finland managed to grind opponents down through hard work and dedication to earn a berth in the finals, their best-ever finish in this tournament since its inception in 1991.

Not blessed with an abundance of creative players nor an extraordinary blueline, however the Finns have made impressive overall strides with their development program and play a very hard-nosed game which mirrors that of the Canadians.

McKeen's Chief Scout David Burstyn attended the event and provides reports on Finland's top performers including Toni Rajala and Joonas Rask, younger brother of Boston Bruin goalie Tuukka Rask.

Rasmus Rinne (2008), G, HPK

A tall, slender goalie with remarkable mechanics and impeccable lower-net coverage .. shooters learned early to go upstairs on him because he is virtually unbeatable down low .. ultimately though, many shots just hit his shoulders due to his massive size .. not overly savvy with the puck as he is just an average stickhandler, albeit he is comfortable enough .. played a very composed game .. minimized his movements and looked very calm in his approach in terms of making saves, and always appeared set to make the next save .. shows good potential to work his way up the draft charts as goalies are always at a premium. Tournament Stats: 2GP, 2-0, 3.00GAA

Toni Rajala (2009), LW, Ilves

The most heralded prospect to come out of Finland since Teemu Selanne .. highly-skilled offensive juggernaut who can create with his agility and shiftiness .. boasts a wide array of stickhandling moves, yet discovered quickly that older defensemen did not always bite .. as a result, he was physically manhandled and dumped off the puck at times, and forced to make plays out of fear .. too often took shots from the perimeter which were easy saves .. also a liability without the puck as he appears to have very little concept of defensive play .. his performance at this tournament showed exactly how incomplete his game is while clearly exposing the areas that need improvement .. nevertheless, he has all the tools to be a potential top 10 pick next year. Tournament Stats: 4-1-3-4, 2PIM, PLUS-2

Joonas Rask (2008), C, Ilves

The younger brother of Boston Bruin goalie Tuukka Rask impressively managed to lead his team in both scoring (4-1-5-6) and plus-minus (+5) .. an adaptable player who can play any type of game .. equally comfortable on the cycle or playing a run-and-gun style as his skillset allows him to succeed in either environment .. not an overly fast skater, yet is able to patrol open areas of the ice unscathed due to his uncanny hockey sense .. boasts a patented move off the rush where he curls the blueline and delivers a slick pass while turning .. solid hockey player with notable skill who could surprise as to how early he gets drafted. Tournament Stats: 4-1-5-6, 0PIM, PLUS-5

Matias Sointu (2008), LW, Ilves

A gutsy player with a flattering skill set .. elusive and sneaky - able to get around defenders to manufacture scoring chances .. displayed a tendency to start games off at a high pace only to fizzle out before the end of the contest .. likes to unload his shot which is first class due to a strong release, however too often his shots lacked accuracy .. will also shy away from traffic areas when he loses his focus and/or his passion .. plagued by a lack of consistency at this event, but is still an attractive prospect who will presumably grow and physically mature, which will undoubtedly put him in the mix come draft day. Tournament Stats: 4-3-0-3, 14PIM, PLUS-2

Tommi Kivisto (2009), D, Jokerit

Underage defender played with poise and maturity beyond his years .. handles the puck extremely well under pressure .. made quick plays on both his forehand and backhand side, and readily cleared the zone when no play was available .. plays aggressively in front of his own net, pushing and fighting endlessly with the opposition in order to protect his goalkeeper .. displays unassuming mobility which aides in his gap control while forcing opposing puckcarriers to the outside .. his late birthdate coupled with a handsome skillset makes him a name to remember for next year's draft. Tournament Stats: 4-0-0-0, 10PIM, PLUS-2

Niklas Stenroos (2008), D, Assat

Nothing spectacular, however did play well enough to log considerable minutes as he adopted a safe approach that was a blessing for the Finnish coaching staff .. consistently delivered okay passes with good crispness and strength .. can be guilty of pushing for offense too much at times, however his risk-taking approach seemed to be well received as he always hurried back if he was beaten .. strong work ethic .. smart approach without the puck as he did a good job containing guys along the glass or staying with them stride-for-stride in the defensive zone .. a calming influence on the backend, though neither dynamic nor big enough to get that many second looks. Tournament Stats: 4-0-2-2, 12PIM, MINUS-1