During the 100-year anniversary of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship we present you the all-time teams of the 16 countries that would have participated in the 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Coming off the most successful decade in Finnish hockey history, it feels strange that there isn’t more room for players who only emerged as stars in the last 10 years on our All-Time Finland Team.
Here's a look at some of the legendary players who have shaped Finnish hockey history:
Defensemen
Kimmo Timonen
When Kimmo Timonen was drafted in the tenth round of the 1993 NHL Draft by Los Angeles, nobody foresaw that he’d become a five-time Olympian or seven-time World Championship participant. Never the biggest guy out there, the gifted KalPa Kuopio rearguard played much of his 1,108-game NHL career in an era when size and physicality were paramount. In 1998, it was special when Timonen won his first of three Olympic bronze medals in Nagano without having cracked the NHL yet. He led all defencemen in scoring (8 points) at the ‘98 Worlds, the first of three heartbreaking silver medals he earned at that tournament. Timonen couldn’t have done more for Finland at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey or the 2006 Olympics, where he was named a tournament all-star in each second-place finish.
Kimmo Timonen during his NHL career
Teppo Numminen
A cornerstone of what’s now the Arizona Coyotes franchise in both Winnipeg and Phoenix, this 2013 IIHF Hall of Fame inductee played more NHL games (1,372) than any other Finn except Teemu Selanne (1,451). Numminen made history at age 19 on the 1988 Olympic team that stunned the experts by winning silver in Calgary. It was Finland’s best-ever finish, equalled only by the Turin 2006 team, where Numminen served as an assistant captain. The Tampere native added a bronze medal at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, the first to feature full NHL participation. He also helped Finland reach the World Cup of Hockey final for the first time in 2004.
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Other notable defensemen:
- Petteri Nummelin - with his 2006 Olympic silver, plus one Worlds gold (1995), four silvers and two bronzes
Forwards
Jari Kurri
Jari Kurri Gretzky's wingman during Oilers dyansty
Being Wayne Gretzky’s right-hand man during the glory days of the Edmonton Oilers is something amazing to have on your resume. Jari Kurri, a five-time Stanley Cup champion, complemented “The Great One” with his hair-trigger shot and defensive savvy. In 1985, he won the Lady Byng Trophy and tied Reggie Leach’s single playoff goals record (19). However, Kurri’s international exploits are also noteworthy. The two-time Olympian (1980, 1998) captured bronze in Nagano. He added a silver medal at the 1994 Worlds in Italy, and wore Finnish colours at four Canada/World Cups.
Jari Kurri, a key player for Finland and the Edmonton Oilers
Teemu Selanne
The Finnish Flash invariably shone when he played at the Worlds, reaping a silver medal and MVP honours in 1999 and bronze in 2003. Internationally, Teemu Selanne brought his absolute best as the Olympics, tying fellow countryman Raimo Helminen’s record with six Winter Games appearances, including a 2006 silver medal and three bronzes (1998, 2010, 2014). Selanne’s thrilling NHL career has been well-documented, from his record-setting rookie season with 76 goals and 132 points for the Winnipeg Jets (1992-93) to his Stanley Cup run with the Anaheim Ducks (2006-07). He led the league in goals three times. With 1,457 career points, Selanne sits 14th in all-time NHL scoring.
Saku Koivu
Saku Koivu performed with as much sisu (Finnish for “guts”) as skill, and that endeared the nifty centre to fans, whether he was captaining the Montreal Canadiens for 10 seasons or winning a silver medal and three bronzes at his four Olympics (1994, 1998, 2006, 2010). Koivu was named a Worlds all-star three times and keyed Finland’s top line with Jere Lehtinen and Ville Peltonen en route to the country’s first gold medal in 1995, as well as earning two silver medals and one bronze. As a high-profile cancer survivor, he got kudos for his charity work.
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Other notable forwards:
- Jere Lehtinen
- Ville Peltonen
Goalies
Pekka Rinne
The greatest netminder in Nashville Predators history is also the one who’s made the most noteworthy impact in Finland’s IIHF World Championship history. Granted, Pekka Rinne hasn’t gone all the way to the Promised Land like such lesser lights as Petri Vehanen (2011) or Kevin Lankinen (2019). Named Best Goaltender at the 2015 Worlds, Rinne dazzled again when he set a new modern-day shutout streak record of 237:05. Now 37, the 2017 Stanley Cup finalist and 2018 Vezina Trophy winner may or may not get to live his Olympic dream.
Pekka Rinne, a dominant force in the net for Finland
Other notable goalies:
- Miikka Kiprusoff - Finland’s first Vezina Trophy winner, who backstopped his nation to the 2004 World Cup of Hockey final, also earned two World Championship silver medals (1999, 2001).
Future Stars
Miro Heiskanen could blossom into the greatest defenceman in Finnish history. Patrik Laine could maximize his goal-scoring talent to become the new Alexander Ovechkin. However, this is all speculation.
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Summary of Achievements
The following table summarizes the achievements of the featured players in the Olympics and World Championships:
| Player | Olympics | World Championships | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teppo Numminen | Silver (1988), Bronze (1998) | IIHF Hall of Fame (2013) | |
| Kimmo Timonen | 3 Bronze Medals | 2nd Place Finishes | |
| Jari Kurri | Bronze (1998) | Silver (1994) | 5-time Stanley Cup Champion |
| Teemu Selanne | Silver (2006), 3 Bronze Medals | Silver (1999), Bronze (2003) | NHL Record-Setting Rookie Season |
| Saku Koivu | Silver, 3 Bronze Medals | Gold (1995), 2 Silver Medals, Bronze | Captain of Montreal Canadiens for 10 seasons |
| Pekka Rinne | - | Best Goaltender (2015) | Vezina Trophy (2018) |