NHL fans assemble! As the 4 Nations Face-Off rapidly approaches, a lot has been unfolding in the NHL world. For instance, Finland’s roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off is in serious jeopardy. With a string of injuries piling up, it’s their defense that has taken the biggest hit. And now fans are starting to worry about whether Team Finland can keep it together. But that’s not all. An insider revealed that a third defenseman has gone down with injury, and opinions are mixed among fans.

Chris Johnston, an NHL insider, posted on X about the situation: “Insane run of poor injury luck for Finland ahead of #4Nations: Nikolas Matinpalo replaces Rasmus Ristolainen, making that three injured defensemen for them. Ville Heinola is the only Finnish ‘D’ to play an NHL game this season who wasn’t part of the roster at some point.” This has grabbed a lot of attention from hockey fans, and it’s easy to see why. Finland is in a bit of a pickle, and naturally, fans have a lot to say about it.

Rasmus Ristolainen, one of Finland’s best defensemen, won’t be partaking in the 4 Nations Face-Off after picking up an injury during the Feb. 2 game against the Colorado Avalanche. He’s been out for a few games with an upper-body injury and has not recovered in time for the tournament. His replacement? Nikolas Matinpalo of the Ottawa Senators. has been playing in both the AHL and NHL this season.

Two more defensemen—Miro Heiskanen and Jani Hakanpää—are out for the tournament as if that wasn’t horrible enough. Heiskanen, Finland’s No. 1 defenseman, was injured in Dallas’ Feb. 6 game against Vegas, and he’s listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. The issue is that Hakanpää has been dealing with his own lower-body injury and hasn’t played since mid-November, so unfortunately he’s out too. And with all these injuries stacking up, Finland is scrambling to find replacements. Henri Jokiharju, Urho Vaakanainen, and now Matinpalo are stepping in, but it’s going to be tough.

Can Finland overcome adversity? The fans weigh in

The fans have jumped in, and they are not happy; one fan bluntly said, “They are so cooked.” Yep, fans aren’t holding back. But naturally, three of their top defensemen are out due to injuries—Ristolainen, Heiskanen, and Hakanpää— no wonder they’re feeling frustrated. These key players have been essential for Finland’s defense, and with the 4 Nations tournament starting on 12th Feb, there’s almost no chance to see them bounce back.

“Matinpalo stepping in is a positive development. Interesting note about Heinola being the only Finnish D to have played an NHL game this season not on this roster. Let’s see how Matinpalo performs!” But Matinpalo stepping in represents how dire the situation is, no matter the optimism. He has played 18 games for the Senators in the NHL; however, he has yet to score any points. He’s a physical presence on the ice, though, with 10 blocks and 8 hits in his NHL games. It’ll be interesting to see how he handles the pressure with Finland’s defense going down.

Another fan said, “I hope the goalies are ready to get to work! Lol,” They are concerned about the pressure being placed on the goaltenders, and with good reason. With so many defensive players out, it’s obvious. But they’ll need all the support they can get. Finland do have strong goaltending options with Juuse Saros and Joonas Korpisalo. Saros has been fantastic this season with a .914 save percentage, and Korpisalo has been solid as well with a .902 save percentage. These goalies are going to have to step up big time.

“Heinola has to be like 30 by now right? He’s been about to make the nhl for a decade,” this fan exaggerated a bit, Ville Heinola is only 23, But no doubt, he has been on the verge of cracking the NHL for a while now. Heinola had a strong season in the AHL with Manitoba, posting 24 points in 28 games, but still left to make the permanent jump to the NHL. It’s tough to see him not being on Finland’s roster after all the years of hype, but with all the injuries, it’s surprising he’s not there.

“They look like the punching bags of the tourney, but I’ve learned in my 60 years, that to underestimate the Finns, usually ends up working out badly.” You can never count Finland out. Even though they’ve been hit hard by injuries, they’ve been a top team in recent years, taking home gold in the 2022 Olympics. With players like Aleksander Barkov, Mikko Rantanen, and Sebastian Aho, they’ve still got the firepower. Their defense might be weak, but never underestimate Finland when it comes to big tournaments.

Lastly, a fan commented, “Don’t be fooled… this kid has been incredible for the #GoSensGo… much deserved.” There’s no doubt that Nikolas Matinpalo has had a good run with Ottawa. While he hasn’t been a major point-scorer in the NHL, he’s been solid defensively. His 8 points in the AHL show he’s capable of contributing on offense when needed. It’s great to see him get this chance to step in for Finland. Let’s see what’s next for Finland, but for now, what’s popping into your mind? Do let us know in the comments!