Juuse Saros, Roope Hintz will be x-factors for injury-riddled Finland squad at 4 Nations Face-Off
The certified underdog heading into the first-ever 4 Nations Face-Off is Finland.
Even with talented offensive weapons such as captain Aleksander Barkov, Sebastian Aho and Patrik Laine, Suomi is lacking in certain areas heading into the short tournament, especially on the back end. Defensemen Miro Heiskanen, Jani Hakanpaa, and Rasmus Ristolainen all had to pull out of the event due to injury, putting pressure on the forwards and the guys between the pipes.
That opens the door for players like goaltender Juuse Saros and forward Roope Hintz to make an impact.
Saros has been the Nashville Predators starting goaltender since Pekka Rinne stepped aside, continuing the franchise’s trend of solid European goaltenders, and has been waiting for an opportunity to show he can hang with best in international competition.
Hintz has been a crucial part of the Dallas Stars’ success dating back to the 2020 postseason. With his notable scoring touch, he can be a key player in such a short tournament.
On Daily Faceoff LIVE’s 4 Nations Face-Off Preview, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk discuss what makes Saros and Hintz two of the more important players on the Finnish roster.
Tyler Yaremchuk: I think there is no one player facing more pressure to carry their team than Juuse Saros. When you look around at every other roster, so many superstars, it’s like, “Okay, even if this No. 1 guy isn’t rolling, someone else will pick up the slack.” It is all on Saros, I think, for Finland to overcome what’s in front of him on that blue line. Listen, he’s not had a great year in Nashville. He’s not looked like vintage Juuse Saros…but if Saros can find his form, he’s a game-changer and a game stealer, and they’re going to need him to do that.
Frank Seravalli: When you think about how the Dallas Stars have played and their deep runs in the playoffs, so much of it hinges on Hintz. I think he’s a massive part of this Finland team. If he can find a way to put up points and create and drive that line that he’s on, then Finland’s got a puncher’s chance.
You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…
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