Finland has announced their preliminary roster today, and as expected there are three Leafs prospects on the long list they will make cuts from:
Goalies:
Blomqvist Joel, Kärpät/Hermes
Markkanen Juho, SaiPa/Ketterä
Piiroinen Kari, Tappara/TUTO Hockey
Randelin Eetu, Jukurit
Taponen Roope, HIFK/K-Espoo
Defenders:
Hatakka Santeri, Ilves
Heinola Ville, Lukko
Kokkonen Mikko, Jukurit
Määttä Rami, Ässät
Niemelä Topi, Kärpät
Pulli Valtteri, TPS
Puutio Kasper, Kärpät
Rafkin Ruben, TPS
Rajaniemi Matias, Pelicans
Viro Eemil, TPS
Forwards:
Aaltonen Leevi, KalPa
Helenius Samuel, JYP
Hirvonen Roni, Ässät
Järventie Roby, Ilves
Korhonen Benjamin, KalPa
Lambert Brad, JYP
Lundell Anton, HIFK
Mäntykivi Matias, SaiPa
Nikkanen Henri, Jukurit
Petman Mikko, Lukko
Puhakka Petteri, Tappara/TUTO Hockey
Pyyhtiä Mikael, TPS
Pärssinen Juuso, TPS
Räty Aku, Kärpät
Simontaival Kasper, Tappara/TUTO Hockey
Valkeejärvi Samuel, JYP
The final roster will have three goalies, eight defenders and 14 forwards, and they will announce it on December 12, just before they leave for Edmonton.
The usual procedure is to bring a couple of extras and make the final cut on the day before the first game, but with quarantine and bubble rules, the roster has to be chosen before they get on the charter flight.
The tournament opens Christmas Day. (Which is only three weeks from today.)
