2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off Roster Projection Team Finland

Team Finland, gone are the days I would square up opponents on the couch Saturday mornings with the likes of the Koivu brothers, the Jokinen brothers of no relation and Teemu Selanne. Why was I Team Finland in NHL 2006 you might ask? Because my brothers and friends could not compete with me if I was a Team Canada, USA or Russia. If only E-Sports was a thing back then I wouldn't have to spend time writing this blog. So, without the Finnish classics, who will be suiting up for them this year. See below for our predictions!

Extra: Eetu Luostarinen

The forward group for Team Finland gets underwhelming in a hurry. Looking at the top line you think ok, this team may have a chance, right? Barkov is arguably the best two-way forward in the game and pairing him with Rantanen, who is consistently a top point producer in the league, should produce some great on-ice results. Then you get to the second line. Much like Barkov, Sebastian Aho is also a formidable two-way forward who has had plenty of statistical success to go along with his team's consistent playoff record. However, on his wings he is joined by Roope Hintz and Teuvo Teravainen. While Hintz has the potential to be a top guy in the league, his underwhelming start to the year has really dampened the overall outlook for this team. And then you have Teuvo who has basically been invisible all season, and in my opinion, one of the reasons for Bedard's struggles this year. Highly overrated and was clearly carried by a successful Canes team. Maybe Aho can get something out of him.

Mikael Granlund and Anton Lundell have had solid years up to this point, with Granlund producing around a point per game and Lundell not far behind. They are joined by Mattias Maccelli who, much like names listed in the paragraph above, has also not lived up to expectation this season. With a brand new team, actual fans at the arena and concession prices that rival Costco's $1.50 hotdog and Pepsi combo, I though for sure we were going to see a 70 point effort from Mattias. That has not been the case and there really aren't any other options to replace him. Erik Haula and Eeli Tolvanen provide Finland with some more typical fourth line options, and again, there aren't any other players available so we have to go with those two. Jesperi Kotkaniemi rounds out the group but likely won't see much ice time and could even be replaced by Eetu Luostarinen.

Extra: Jani Hakanpaa

The combo of Heiskanen and Esa Lindell will have to play about 40 minutes if this team is to have any success. Niko Mikkola is just coming off of a Stanley Cup where he enjoyed cruising behind the Panther's top defenders in limited minutes. He can hopefully hold off the likes of Mattheews, Mcdavid and Mackinnon while the top 2 catch their breath. The bottom three defenders aren't bad options for 5th and 6th guys on an NHL roster, however, at the Four Nations Cup, this won't do. Jani Hakanpaa has been demoted to an extra due to just not being good at hockey. I'm sure his injury to start the season may have impacted his abilities to start this campaign.

Juuse Saros, sporting a .916 save percentage on a surprisingly bad Predators squad will be the starting netminder come game 1. The NHL All-Star is among the best in the league and has seen a ton of action over the past few seasons. Luukkonen, likely to be the Sabres goalie of the future (sorry Devon Levi), is a solid option for a backup in this tournament. This is probably the only position Finland stacks up with its peers in this tournament. With those two guys miles ahead of any other competition for a roster spot, the third goalie slot is basically a coin flip or whoever has their dad as part of the Finnish decision makers. Given how this year has played out, I'm going with Kevin Lankinen of the Canucks. Of course with a healthy Thatcher Demko, Kev would not be a part of the discussion but here we are. I can't really make an argument for guys like Husso, Blomqvist, Annunen or Jonas Fourpisalo, so by default we go with the only one of these guys to see starting goaltender minutes this year - Lankinen.

This team is by far the most underwhelming and likely won't be able to compete against the other Nations who boast four lines of forwards and three lines of defense with ample star power, especially the States and Canada.