Hometown kid Henri Jokiharju among five Sabres at World Championship in Finland

After profitable gold at the match in Slovakia that spring, Jokiharju and his teammates returned house to an enormous out of doors celebration the place roughly 50,000 followers gathered to welcome Finland’s gamers and coaches.

There had been reside musical performances by a couple of of the nation’s high recording artists and visitors across the metropolis was reportedly at a standstill as folks tried to make their method to the park. 

“It’s a really, really big thing for Finnish people,” Jokiharju, a defenseman for the Buffalo Sabres, stated just lately.

This time, the occasion might final 16 days. Jokiharju will play for Finland once more when the nation hosts the IIHF World Championship, starting Friday and ending with the gold-medal sport May 29. His hometown, Tampere, is certainly one of two host cities, together with Helsinki.

Jokiharju gained’t be the one consultant from the Sabres, both. The match may also function defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (Sweden), winger Rasmus Asplund (Sweden), middle Dylan Cozens (Canada) and winger John Hayden (United States). Sabres coach Don Granato is an assistant coach for Team USA.

NHL Network will broadcast some video games, starting Friday with the United States versus Latvia at 9 a.m., adopted by Canada versus Germany at 1 p.m.

“I don’t take it as pressure,” stated Jokiharju, who additionally gained gold with Finland at world juniors in 2019. “I take it as excitement, being a hometown kid and playing in that kind of tournament. It will definitely be huge, for sure.”

Jokiharju has grown right into a extra full defenseman since he final represented Finland on the worldwide stage. He averaged a career-high 21:53 of ice time in 60 video games with the Sabres this season, usually skating on the highest pair alongside Dahlin.

When Owen Power was getting ready to affix the Sabres, Jokiharju lobbied to be the 2021 No. 1 draft selection’s first protection accomplice in the NHL. Buffalo had 56.52% of the 5-on-5 shot makes an attempt when Power and Jokiharju had been on the ice collectively, based on NaturalStatTrick.com.

Jokiharju completed second on the workforce in penalty-kill ice time and quarterbacked the second power-play unit late in the season. 

Cozens, in the meantime, will signify Canada on the worldwide stage for the primary time because the IIHF World Junior Championship, when he was a co-captain for the workforce on its run to the silver medal in January 2021. He had 16 factors in seven video games at the match, which occurred earlier than he joined the Sabres. Cozens, 21, had a purpose in a pre-tournament exhibition for Canada on Wednesday. He had 13 objectives and 38 factors in his first 82-game NHL season.

This can be Dahlin’s first worldwide match since his choice first total by the Sabres at the 2018 draft. He beforehand performed in the Winter Olympics and world juniors, among different occasions. And Sweden will see a special Dahlin than the final time he represented the nation. He had a breakthrough fourth season in the NHL, ending with profession highs in objectives (13), assists (40), factors (53) and common ice time per sport (24:01).

Dahlin, 22, skated on the Sabres’ high protection pair and performed in opposition to high strains. He added penalty-killing to his lengthy record of obligations. There was additionally private development on and off the ice, as he turned an alternate captain.

“I feel like a different person right now,” he stated following the season. “It’s been a fun ride, for sure.”

Sweden, which opens the match Saturday in opposition to Austria, gained’t have Victor Olofsson, who’s a restricted free agent. But Asplund can be an essential do-it-all ahead through the nation’s quest for gold. Asplund, 24, had eight objectives and 27 factors in 80 video games, however the stat line doesn’t correctly illustrate his affect. He rated as probably the greatest defensive forwards in the NHL, based on Evolving-Hockey.com.

Hayden, a pending unrestricted free agent, appeared in 55 video games with the Sabres in a checking-line function. He performed at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and represented Team USA at world juniors in 2014-15.

While every has a possibility to make use of this match to organize for subsequent season – Tage Thompson gained confidence representing Team USA at the IIHF World Championship final yr – that is notably particular for Jokiharju. And he hopes that playoff runs for the Sabres forestall him from competing in future tournaments.

“I hope it’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment,” he stated.

The Rochester Americans obtained optimistic information Thursday with defenseman Mattias Samuelsson getting by way of observe with none points. Samuelsson, 22, hasn’t appeared in the playoffs due to a lower-body damage. His standing for the weekend can be decided following observe Friday.

The Amerks path the second-round collection 1-0 and journey to Utica for Game 2, which is scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. Rochester hosts Utica for Game 3 on Sunday at 5:05 p.m.

Defenseman Brandon Davidson is “probable” to play this weekend, based on coach Seth Appert, however winger Linus Weissbach (upper-body damage) stays out.

Jack Quinn knew there can be much less time and house in the Calder Cup Playoffs, and he’s decided to discover a method to break by way of. Quinn, the AHL’s rookie of the yr, has zero objectives by way of three playoff video games for Rochester. He’s been credited with eight pictures on purpose throughout that span, at least two of which had been prime scoring alternatives.

Opponents have performed every little thing attainable to decelerate Quinn. Belleville used enforcer Scott Sabourin and winger Egor Sokolov to antagonize Quinn. Utica is keying on Quinn defensively. Quinn acknowledged there’s frustration. But he is aware of it’s a part of adjusting to playoff hockey and that he’s greater than succesful. Quinn, in spite of everything, had 26 objectives and 61 factors in 45 regular-season video games.

“You obviously are assuming it’s going to be ramped up and it’s going to be more intense, but you don’t really know what it’s going to be like until you go through it, and this is my first time going through it in pro,” stated Quinn, 20. “I’m feeling it out as I go, not in a sense of the way I play but just in the sense of gaining experience with it.”