Selanne, Rask highlight Finland's Olympic Camp roster
By Mike HalfordJun 25, 2013, 1:45 PM EDT
Finland has named its 54-man camp roster for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi — a group filled with veteran experience at forward and arguably the best goaltending depth in the world.
Up front, the Finns have invited a slew of NHLers, including a number of elder statesmen: Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu, Olli Jokinen and Antti Miettinen, all of whom are 32 or older.
The most notable inclusion is Selanne, the 42-year-old winger that would be participating in his sixth Winter Olympics should he be selected for Sochi.
Selanne made his Olympic debut at the 1992 games in Albertville, finishing fourth in scoring (behind Canada's Joe Juneau and Czechoslovakia's Robert Lang, to give you an idea of how long ago that was.)
In goal, Finland boasts a wealth of talent.
Tuukka Rask, fresh off a Stanley Cup Final appearance with Boston, has been selected for camp, as has '13 Vezina nominee Antti Niemi, '12 Vezina nominee Pekka Rinne, NHL wins leader Niklas Backstrom, Dallas starter Kari Lehtonen and newly-signed Flames goalie Karri Ramo.
The Finns are weakest on defense, where only a handful of NHL regulars — Toni Lydman, Joni Pitkanen, Sami Salo, Kimmo Timonen — made the camp roster.
Here's the full list of invitees:
Niklas Backstrom, Kari Lehtonen, Antti Niemi, Antti Raanta, Tuukka Rask, Pekka Rinne, Karri Ramo, Petri Vehanen
Jusso Hietanen, Topi Jaakola, Joonas Harvinen, Jere Karalahti, Lasse Kukkonen, Teemu Laakso, Sami Lepisto, Toni Lydman, Tuukka Mantyla, Janne Niskala, Petteri Nummelin, Joni Pitkanen, Sami Salo, Kimmo Timonen, Sami Vatanen, Ossi Vaananen
Juhamatti Aaltonen, Aleksander Barkov, Sean Bergenheim, Valtteri Filppula, Mikael Granlund, Niklas Hagman, Teemu Hartikainen, Juha-Pekka Hytonen, Jarkko Immonen, Jesse Joensuu, Jussi Jokinen, Olli Jokinen, Niko Kapanen, Mikko Koivu, Saku Koivu, Leo Komarov, Petri Kontiola, Lauri Korpikoski, Jarno Koskiranta, Jori Lehtera, Ville Leino, Antti Miettinen, Janne Pesonen, Lennart Petrell, Antti Pihlstrom, Jarkko Ruutu, Tuomo Ruutu, Sakari Salminen, Veli-Matti Savinainen, Teemu Selanne
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, Antti Miettinen, Antti Niemi, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Jesse Joensuu, Joni Pitkanen, Jussi Jokinen, Kari Lehtonen, Karri Ramo, Kimmo Timonen, Lauri Korpikoski, Lennart Petrell, Mikael Granlund, Mikko Koivu, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders, Niklas Backstrom, Olli Jokinen, Pekka Rinne, Philadelphia Flyers, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Saku Koivu, Sami Salo, Sami Vatanen, San Jose Sharks, Sean Bergenheim, Tampa Bay Lightning, Teemu Selanne, Toni Lydman, Tuomo Ruutu, Tuukka Rask, Valtteri Filppula, Ville Leino, Winnipeg Jets