Selections for World Cup of Hockey left Niinimaa disappointed
By Asko Temmes in Oulu
Janne Niinimaa makes no attempt to hide his disappointment at being left out of the original roster to take part in the NHL’s World Cup of Hockey this autumn. Niinimaa only found a place in the Finnish squad after Jere Karalahti was declared ineligible because of his suspension under the NHLPA’s Program for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health.
"It took me a long time to decide to take part when the offer came. I wondered if I’d be able to give it my all. We discussed it with the coaching staff, whether I had something to give the team", says Niinimaa.
In the end, however, his appetite for the tournament grew, and Niinimaa will be sharing defensive duties with another Oulu-born player, Joni Pitkänen, now of the Philadelphia Flyers. Both of them have trained in the close season with the Oulu Kärpät first-team squad from the Finnish League.
Niinimaa feels the preparation period for the World Cup has been rather short.
"There may be some surprises in prospect, particularly in the opening round games in the European and North American Divisions", he forecasts, but he believes things will start to gel as the tournament progresses.
The opening opponent at least brings back some good memories, since Finland took the Czechs apart in the 1996 World Cup, winning 7-3 in Helsinki. However, the venue for Monday’s match does not carry such a pleasant echo: the Hartwall Arena was the scene of Finland’s mind-numbing collapse against Sweden in the 2003 IIHF World Championships. Has the traumatic 6-5 defeat (which came after the Finns had swept to an apparently impregnable 5-1 lead) been deleted from the player’s databanks?
"It has to be. Thought that one will never go away altogether. I haven’t even been in the hall since then", sighs Niinimaa.
Janne Niinimaa has not mind up his mind yet where he will be plying his trade if the possible NHL lockout comes to pass. The players’ collective bargaining agreement expires on Sept. 15 - the day after the WCOH tournament final. There are fears of a long lockout that may even wipe out the 2004-05 regular season.
"If it appears as though the season is going to get wiped, then I’ll have to look at the situation in the team and where I should go and play instead. I haven’t had any serious discussions with anyone as yet."
Note: Niinimaa’s fears of a return to the scene of the 2003 disaster were completely unfounded. The Finns mopped up a strangely subdued Czech team and skated to a comfortable 4-0 victory. (See linked story in other article).
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 25.8.2004
More on this subject:
 Janne Niinimaa - defenseman and heavy rock devotee
ASKO TEMMES / Helsingin Sanomat
asko.temmes@sanoma.fi
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