1999 IIHF World Junior Championship

# NAME POS CLUB BORN HT. WT. NHL STATUS
1 Mika Lehto G Ässät Pori 12/04/79 5'11 178 Pittsburgh
30 Mika Noronen G Tappara Tampere 17/06/79 6'1 202 Buffalo
2 Juha Gustafsson D Blues Espoo 26/04/79 6'2 202 Phoenix
7 Mikko Jokela D KalPa Kuopio 04/03/80 6'1 192 New Jersey
18 Markus Kankaanperä D JYP Jyväskylä 07/04/80 6'1 192 Eligible 1999 Draft
6 Marko Kauppinen D JYP Jyväskylä 23/03/79 5'11 192 Philadelphia
21 Arto Laatikainen D Blues Espoo 24/05/80 5'11 188 Eligible 1999 Draft
25 Ilkka Mikkola D TPS Turku 18/01/79 6'0 192 Montreal
5 Ossi Väänänen D Jokerit Helsinki 18/08/80 6'3 200 Phoenix
11 Olli Ahonen F IFK Helsinki 05/04/79 6'0 174 Eligible 1999 Draft
12 Teemu Elomo F TPS Turku 13/01/79 5'11 174 Dallas
9 Niklas Hagman F IFK Helsinki 05/12/79 5'11 185 Eligible 1999 Draft
17 Riku Hahl F HPK Hämeenlinna 01/11/80 6'1 187 Eligible 1999 Draft
24 Timo Koskela F HPK Hämeenlinna 23/01/79 5'11 187 Eligible 1999 Draft
14 Miikka Männikkö F Tappara Tampere 27/03/79 5'7 167 Eligible 1999 Draft
19 Jussi Pesonen F JYP Jyväskylä 23/05/79 6'1 205 Eligible 1999 Draft
22 Jani Rita F Jokerit Helsinki 25/07/81 6'1 205 Eligible 1999 Draft
10 Tommi Santala F Jokerit Helsinki 27/06/79 6'2 190 Eligible 1999 Draft
15 Eero Somervuori F Jokerit Helsinki 07/02/79 5'10 180 Tampa Bay
28 Marco Tuokko F TPS Turku 27/03/79 6'0 176 Eligible 1999 Draft
20 Tomek Valtonen F Plymouth Whalers 08/01/80 6'1 206 Detroit
23 Teemu Virkkunen F Kärpät Oulu 13/01/79 6'0 178 Eligible 1999 Draft
  NON TRAVELLING RESERVES    
13 Jani Väänänen F TPS Turku 20/03/80 5'11 190 Eligible 1999 Draft
29 Kristian Antila F Ilves Tampere 10/01/80 6'3 205 Eligible 1999 Draft
3 Tapio Sammalkangas F Ilves Tampere 16/03/80 5'11 190 Eligible 1999 Draft
8 Tomi Källarsson F HPK Hämeenlinna 15/03/79 6'3 205 Eligible 1999 Draft
16 Jari Viuhkola F Kari Virpiö 27/02/80 6'0 175 Eligible 1999 Draft

STAFF/PERSONNEL

Coach: Jukka Rautakorpi
Assistant Coach: Kari Makkonen
Assistant Coach: Jukka Holtari
Goaltending Coach: Kalle Kettukangas
General Manager: Timo Bäckman

The defending champion Finns have lost some key players from the 1998 World Junior Championship, most notably Olli Jokinen, their star forward. And yet, a core of returning stalwarts suggest that Finland again will be a team to reckon with.

Goalie Mika Noronen, a Buffalo Sabres first-round selection in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft returns to provide experience and excellence in the nets for Finland. Noronen did not lose a game in goal for Finland at the 1996 and 1997 European Junior Championship, and he backstopped his team to gold in Helsinki in 1998.

Other players who could be available include Niklas Hagman, son of former Edmonton Oilers forward Matti Hagman. It was Hagman who scored the overtime winner against Russia in the gold-medal game to clinch the title for the Finns.

Eero Somervuori, whose nine points in the tournament last year were second on his team only to Jokinen, returns to help defend Finland's gold medal.

Still, with 12 members of the 1998 championship team gone, Finland will have to depend on significant contributions from incoming players to repeat.

Top 3 Prospects: Mika Noronen, Ossi Vaeaenaenen, Jani Rita