On Tuesday, the Finnish men's ice hockey team announced their 25-man roster for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. Team Suomi will boast three extraordinarily talented goaltenders at the Olympic men's ice hockey tournament, and a patchwork mix of inexperience and wisdom along the blue-line.
Also the Finnish side will have only one Koivu, as the elder Koivu - Ducks center Saku Koivu - has withdrawn from the club. "I feel that in my case dreams and reality are conflicting," Koivu said in a prepared statement via Finnish hockey writer Matias Strozyk. "I would prefer to be replaced by a better-prepared player."
Saku's brother Mikko Koivu underwent a surgical procedure to repair a fractured ankle on Monday. Nonetheless he's expected to return in time to represent his country at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
Here's Suomi's 25 man roster:
Goaltenders: Kari Lehtonen, Antti Niemi, Tuukka Rask
Defencemen:
Lasse Kukkonen, Juuso Hietanen, Sami Lepistö, Olli Määttä, Sami Salo, Kimmo Timonen, Ossi Väänänen, Sami Vatanen
Forwards: Juhamatti Aaltonen, Aleksander Barkov, Valtteri Filppula, Mikael Granlund, Jussi Jokinen, Olli Jokinen, Mikko Koivu, Leo Komarov, Petri Kontiola, Lauri Korpikoski, Jori Lehterä, Antti Pihlström, Tuomo Ruutu, Teemu Selänne
The Finnish roster is composed of three Liiga players, five KHL players, and 17 NHLers.
