Lions sports director (GM) Jere Lehtinen and head coach Jukka Jalonen will leave for a player observation trip to North America on Sunday, accompanied by question marks.
Lehtinen knows the first city and the last destination of a trip, but everything in between can change many more times.
The aim is to take a look at the situation for players at the Beijing Winter Olympics next February.
The Boston-Calgary is the duo’s first match shortly after the plane’s tires wiped the runway surface in Boston.
“The schedules for this trip can live on, and we live in an instant,” Lehtinen says.
First the match may only offer one player on display. Erik Haula plays in Boston, however Urho Vaakanainen has had to settle for games on the AHL side of the farm. Defender of Calgary Juuso Välimäki hasn’t played recently.
In total, Välimäki has only seven games played and none in November.
“I hope Juuso would play. It would be nice to see him play, ”says Lehtinen.
“Tuukka is in Boston and is supposed to see him and ask how the rehabilitation is going. He has visited the ice. ”
Boston’s multi-year number one goalkeeper Tuukka Rask has long been a convalescent in the wake of surgery and so far even without a contract. If he was okay, Rask would arrange use in the Games.
Lehtisen and Jalonen is expected to see about 25 players, all of whom are nominated for the Olympic team.
The topics of the meetings will remain closely related to the Olympics and we are not yet looking towards the spring World Cup tournament, which will be played in Tampere and Helsinki.
“Let’s go on a new preparatory trip to the spring after the Olympics.”
NHL has cleared a place for the Olympics in its match calendar, but the final confirmation of participation will be decided by the last-minute corona situation in both North America and China.
The Ottawa Senators had to postpone three matches on the team due to rampant corona cases, and each move also affects opposing teams.
“It doesn’t worry yet. You have to go day by day. But if there are more transfers, where matches can be put, ”Lehtinen asks.
“I am confident that the NHL will join.”
Summer in the end, the question of what the leadership and defender of the national team is has been in the public eye Rasmus Ristolainen spacing. The answer could be that working intervals work.
The NHL players had a summer meeting in Vanajanlinna in August, and Risto was not present when not even invited.
“We have been in contact with Rasmus and with that prospect we are going to Philadelphia to watch the game. Many other players want to see and chat. ”
Lions the attack is one of the toughest in the olympics, but where are the Kits. Thirteen Finnish defenders have played in the NHL this season and a meager five of them have played more than ten matches.
Dallas Miro Heiskanen leads to a lean five, which also includes Esa Lindell (Dallas), Olli Määttä (Los Angeles), Ristolainen (Philadelphia) and Jani Hakanpää (Dallas). They all have ten matches or more played.
It is pointless to talk about the power flood of defenders when only Heiskanen has scored more than two points.
The ground floor seems flimsy.
“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Lehtinen says of the defense.
“We have to scan everyone and see what kind of minutes everyone plays.”
“Juuso Riikola (Pittsburgh) has now got to play, which is pretty positive. He has shown that he can play in the NHL. ”
The good thing about Riikola is that all five of the matches he plays are from the end of October or November.
One the matter pleases Lehti on the offensive side. In the autumn, Lehtinen thought that Anton Lundell could play in Florida as the season progressed, but Lundell took his place from the start.
“He has shown that he was immediately able to play there. It went fast. It’s an interesting thing that I was able to adapt immediately. ”
“He’s one with others fighting for a place.”
Jalonen and Lehtinen’s journey ends in New York, with New York Rangers playing against NY Islanders and New Jersey-Philadelphia at the same time.
“Great for finishing with two match options.”
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