Antti Pennanen, the head coach of the Finnish national ice hockey team, has announced that Juuse Saros will be the starting goalkeeper for the team during the Olympic tournament. Saros, who plays for the Nashville Predators in the NHL, is highly regarded and has been praised by Pennanen for his skills, being considered one of the best goaltenders in the league. His previous experience in international competitions, particularly in the last World Championship, has been noted as a significant advantage for the young athlete.

The Finnish team, known as 'Leijonat' (The Lions), is set to face Slovakia in their opening match. Pennanen has acknowledged the strengths of the Slovak team, describing them as tough, aggressive, and with a strong power play strategy. The anticipation around this matchup is high, given that it will be an essential test for the Finnish players and their strategies against a formidable opponent. Saros's performance will be critical in this context, as he seeks to build on his international experience.

In the Four Nations tournament held last year, Saros started in the match against the USA, which was challenging due to high scoring against him. Kevin Lankinen, another goalie, took over in subsequent matches, highlighting the competitive nature of the position within the team. The ongoing discussions among experts indicate that both Saros and Lankinen hold significant potential for the team’s performance in upcoming international games, emphasizing the depth of talent available in Finnish ice hockey.