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    • World junior championship: Finland’s Young Lions are aiming for gold

      By Special to Yahoo! Canada Sports | Buzzing The Net – Thu, 20 Dec, 2012 9:55 AM EST

      GROUP A: FINLAND

      Last year’s finish: Fourth
      Last year’s round-robin record: 3-0-0-1

      Rejuvenated Team Finland travels to Ufa, Russia on a mission. The Finns aim to end their six-year medal drought and win the world junior championship title, which would be their first since 1998.

      Finland's Joel Armia

      Young Lions, as Team Finland's nickname goes, came up short in last year'

      s tournament in Calgary, Alta, where Finland lost a grueling semifinal thriller to Sweden in a shootout. In the bronze game, the Finns lost to host Canada.

      "We have a great group of guys and the whole team is confident that we can win against any team in Russia," said Buffalo's 2011 first-rounder (16th overall) and Ässät Pori winger Joel Armia.

      Finland has nine returnees from last year's encouraging

      campaign. Among that group is London Knights defenceman Olli Määttä.

      "I'm really looking forward the tournament. Our team seems very competitive and we have a good chance to be successful in Ufa," said Määttä, whose tournament ended last

      year

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    • Top prospect Barkov leads the Finnish pack

      By Special to Yahoo! Canada Sports | Buzzing The Net – Wed, 5 Dec, 2012 1:33 PM EST

      Sami Hoffrén is a freelance sports journalist based in Finland.

      Finland's Aleksander Barkov/Getty Images

      By now Aleksander Barkov is getting used to all the hype around him. The autographs, interviews, and the attention from fans and media.

      It seems like everybody these days wants a piece of the next Finnish gem.

      The 17-year-old centre has been sensational in Finland's SM-liiga in his first full season. Playing with his hometown team Tappara Tampere, Barkov has 14 goals and 14 assists in 28 games, and is sixth-overall in points.

      Many scouts will admit that Barkov's impressive campaign has made him a potential contender as the first-overall selection at the 2013 NHL entry draft.

      "It's good for the rest of us (Finnish prospects) that Sasha (Barkov) draws all the attention," said Artturi Lehkonen, another likely Finnish first-rounder in the upcoming draft.

      In the upcoming draft Finland has, for the first time since the 2004 draft, three almost certain first round picks in Barkov, forward Lehkonen and defenceman Rasmus

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