Ahead of next week’s World
Junior Summer Challenge in Minnesota, a series of games involving
four U-20 teams is taking place in Vierumäki,
Finland
on Sunday and Monday. Two teams from Finland – essentially an
A-team and a B-team – will host the Czech and Swiss national junior
teams once each.
Most
of the A-team has already been drafted by NHL teams, including
forwards Kosta Helenius and Emil Hemming, who were first-round picks
in 2024 and have both already been signed
by the Buffalo Sabres and Dallas
Stars, respectively. Both played for Finland in last year's World Juniors and are locks to make it again.
Presumably,
the Finns will take the players that impress them the most from these
two games to Minnesota, with the A-team presumably supplying most or
all of the squad.
A-Team:
Goaltenders:
1
Saarinen Kim, HPK Hämeenlinna – Seattle
Kraken
30
Rimpinen Petteri, Kiekko-Espoo – Los
Angeles Kings
Defensemen:
2
Jokinen Mitja, TPS Turku
3 Kiviharju Aron, HIFK Helsinki –
Minnesota
Wild
4
Nykyri Niklas, HIFK Helsinki
5 Muhonen Niilopekka, Medicine Hat
Tigers WHL – Dallas
Stars
6
Soini Sebastian, Ilves Tampere – Minnesota
Wild
7
Nieminen Daniel, Pelicans Lahti – Nashville
Predators
13
Väisänen Veeti, Medicine Hat Tigers WHL – Utah
Mammoth
25
Boelius Lasse, Ässät Pori – Anaheim
Ducks
Forwards:
8
Kettunen Anton, Pelicans Lahti
9 Koivu Aatos, TPS Turku –
Montreal
Canadiens
10
Pulkkanen Akseli, KalPa Kuopio
11 Kalto Onni, TPS Turku
12
Saarelainen Joona, KalPa Kuopio – Tampa
Bay Lightning
17
Tuuva Leo, Lukko Rauma
19 Helenius Konsta, Buffalo
Sabres NHL
21 Westergård Max, Frölunda HC
Sweden
–
Philadelphia
Flyers
22
Hemming Emil, Dallas Stars NHL
23
Vesterinen Roope, HPK Hämeenlinna
26 Sinivuori Lauri, Oshawa
Generals OHL
27 Miettinen Julius, Everett Silvertips WHL –
Seattle
Kraken
28
Ruohonen Heikki, Harvard University NCAA – Philadelphia
Flyers
Kings 2nd-Round Draft Pick Contemplates Staying In Czechia Or Moving Overseas
Czech left winger Vojtěch Čihař, who
turned 18 in March, was drafted in the second round, 59th overall, by
the Los Angeles Kings at this
year’s NHL Entry Draft, which happened to be in Los Angeles.
B-Team:
Goaltenders:
30
Härkönen Masi, Sport Vaasa
31 Kerkola Patrik, KalPa Kuopio
Defensemen:
2
Marila Eelis, Kiekko-Espoo
3 Jalasti Bruno, HIFK Helsinki
4
Kotajärvi Jesper, Tappara Tampere
5 Vikla Atte, Jokerit
Helsinki
6 Välilä Arttu, Lukko Rauma
7 Wallenius Eerik,
HPK Hämeenlinna – Ottawa
Senators
8
Amhamdi Onni, Pelicans Lahti
9 Mononen Veikka, KalPa Kuopio
Forwards:
10
Loponen Markus, Victoria Royals WHL – Winnipeg
Jets
11
Puolanne Elias, Kiekko-Espoo
12 Pikkarainen Kasper, TPS Turku –
New
Jersey Devils
13
Suoniemi Tuomas, Kiekko-Espoo
14 Teshome Nathan, Jukurit
Mikkeli
15 Kuhta Jasper, HIFK Helsinki
16 Kopiloff Oliver,
HPK Hämeenlinna
17 Räsänen Veeti, Jokerit Helsinki
18
Somervuori Jere, HIFK Helsinki
19 Joki Atte, Lukko Rauma –
Dallas
Stars
20
Vanhanen Matias, HIFK Helsinki
21 Pietilä Benjamin, Kärpät
Oulu
Photo © Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images: Buffalo Sabres center Konsta Helenius (94) shoots the puck as Ottawa Senators left wing Matthew Highmore (15) moves in during NHL pre-season action in September 2024.
In late June, the
NHL announced the beginning of the
selection process for determining the two host cities of the next
World Cup of Hockey, which is scheduled to take place in February
2028.
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