With the World Junior Hockey Championships fast approaching, hockey fans are all preparing to watch their national junior teams face off as they represent their home country at a chance for international glory.

This year Team Finland is looking to earn their first medal since their Bronze in 2006 with their strong lineup of 23 strong young Finns, including 6 of which that participated in the World Juniors last year.

The lineup as of now:

Forwards

No. Player 2012-13 Team Draft Status 15 Miro Aaltonen Espoo Blues Undrafted 10 Joel Armia Assat Pori BUF 2011 16 Aleksander Barkov Tappara Tampere 2013 11 Markus Granlund HIFK Helsinki CGY 2011 13 Markus Hannikainen Jokerit Helsinki Undrafted 19 Ville Järveläinen Peliitat Heinola Undrafted 24 Matti Lamberg Jokerit Helsinki Undrafted 28 Artturi Lehkonen KalPa Kuopio 2013 26 Robert Leino HPK Hämeenlinna Undrafted 21 Thomas Nykopp HIFK Helsinki Undrafted 23 Saku Salminen Jokerit Helsinki 2013 22 Miikka Salomaki Karpat Oulu NSH 2012 20 Teuvo Teräväinen Jokerit Helsinki CHI 2012

Defence

No. Player 2012-13 Team Draft Status 8 Henri Auvinen JYP-Akatemia Jyväskylä Undrafted 4 Petteri Lindbohm Jokerit Helsinki STL 2012 2 Olli Maatta London Knights (OHL) PIT 2012 12 Ville Pokka Karpat Oulu NYI 2012 3 Juuso Riikola KalPa Kuopio Undrafted 5 Rasmus Ristolainen TPS Turku 2013 27 Juuso Vainio HPK Hämeenlinna Undrafted

Goaltenders

No. Player 2012-13 Team Draft Status 31 Janne Juvonen Pelicans Lahti 2013 30 Joonas Korpisalo Jokerit Helsinki CBJ 2012 1 Eetu Laurikainen Swift Current Broncos (WHL) Undrafted

Players returning to the lineup are Teuvo Teravainen, Artturi Lehkonen, Ville Pokka, Juuso Vainio, Janne Juvonen, Olli Maatta, Aleksander Barkov, and Rasmus Ristolainen. These players are joined by many talented young prospects, 10 of which, including Ristolainen, have already been drafted into the NHL.

Two players expected to be skating for Team Finland were missing from the selection camp but have added to the roster, defenseman Olli Maatta of the Pittsburgh Penguins and center Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers.

Team Finland’s roster looks strong so far, but that is only to be proven through gameplay, which officially begins for the Finns on Friday, December 27 against Team Norway at 11:30AM (Eastern Time).