This EHT man rises to the Lions' Olympic machine - Antti Pennanen listed the successful ones

TAMPERE. The Lions’ performance in the Finnish EHT tournament resulted in one win and two losses.

At the same time, it clarified the view of the coaching group led by head coach Antti Pennanen regarding which Finnish players playing in Europe have the potential to join the Olympic team filled with NHL stars.

The Olympic forward lineup consists entirely of men earning their living in the NHL. In contrast, the scarcity of Finnish NHL defenders allows European players to rise to the team.

Based on the Tampere tournament, the most promising name for the Olympic machine is once again the reliably performing captain Mikko Lehtonen.

Pennanen listed a few names after the losing game against Sweden on Sunday when asked about the tournament’s successes.

Special mentions went to Jesse Puljujärvi, Jere Innala, Vili Saarijärvi, and captain Lehtonen. Among the debutants, Leevi Tukiainen and Otto Kivenmäki received clean sheets from Pennanen.

In addition to Lehtonen, Saarijärvi could also rise to a small role in the Olympic team. Conversely, the speed of former NHL star Sami Vatanen has decreased from his peak years to the point where it is challenging to see a real role for the skillful defensive maestro when facing teams like Canada and the United States, which base their game on speed.

Pennanen and GM Jere Lehtinen‘s work continues next week in North America. The duo is heading on a two-week observation trip, after which they will have a clearer picture regarding the group traveling to Italy.