Finland & its record seven CHL players knock off Sweden in search of their first WJHC gold medal in six years

A year ago, it was heartbreak for the Finns. 

They gave up a late third-period goal to the United States in a 3-2 semifinal loss, before later allowing Czechia to rally from a 5-2 deficit as Finland fell 8-5 in the bronze medal game of the 2024 World Juniors. 

Together, these two results meant Finland would be going home without a medal for a second straight year at the tournament.

However, 2025 has been a different story.

Thanks to a dramatic 4-3 overtime victory over their rivals Sweden during Saturday’s semifinal at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa, Finland along with its record seven Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players have assured themselves a medal at this event – their first since 2022.

“I don’t have any words right now. It’s unbelievable. With this group, it’s a dream come true,” said London Knights forward Kasper Halttunen (1G-3A in 6 GP), who picked up an assist on Benjamin Rautianen’s OT winner that sent Finland to Sunday’s gold medal game. Following their victory against the Swedes, the San Jose Sharks prospect was named Finland’s Player of the Game. “Saturday night here against Sweden – nothing better.”

The Finns have never had seven CHL players representing their country at a World Juniors before the 2025 edition of the event (see complete list below). The previous record was six, which was set in 2017 (Olli Juolevi, Vili Saarijärvi, Juuso Välimäki, Janne Kuokkanen, Julius Nättinen & Petrus Palmu).\

Among those seven skaters from the CHL is Barrie Colts forward Emil Hemming (1G-1A in 6 GP), who picked an opportune time to tally his first two points of the tournament on Saturday night. 

Hemming scored his first goal of the 2025 World Juniors on a beautiful give-and-go play with Konsta Helenius early in the second period to knot the game at 1. Later, the Dallas Stars prospect returned the favour, this time executing a give-and-go of his own to help spring Arttu Alasiurua on Finland’s third goal of the night, which gave them a 3-2 lead heading into the third period.

“It was a nice feeling to help the team win and score a goal,” said Hemming, who was one of a record 15 Finnish players drafted this summer at the 2024 CHL Import Draft, the most ever seen in the history of that event. “I think no one really thought we would be in this position, but I am super proud of our guys for being as tight as a group and playing a hell of a game.”

Hemming is currently in his first season playing in the OHL for the Barrie Colts, where he has five goals and 20 points through 30 games. The 18-year-old from Vaasa admitted that the transition to the OHL was challenging at first. Still, he feels that over his last five outings in Barrie, he has caught his stride and is now having more of an impact with the Colts – something that he has carried over to the 2025 World Juniors in Ottawa.

“In the first games [in Barrie], I didn’t really get chances. I was pretty much shocked with the way they play here,” shared Hemming, who has registered a point in five of his last six OHL games (5A over his last 6 GP). “The first 25 games I was maybe adjusting, but now, the last five games [in Barrie], I have gotten into it.

“The style of play over here [in the CHL] — it’s a lot different. Everybody wants to play in the NHL now. So, they see that [the CHL] is like the first step to get you closer to the NHL. The game is a lot faster too. I would say that’s the biggest thing. That’s why the kids come over here to play [in the CHL].”

Although other Finnish skaters from the CHL outside of Hemming and Halttunen didn’t find the scoresheet on Saturday, that doesn’t mean they didn’t have an important impact on this big result for their country. 

Kingston Frontenacs defenceman Emil Pieniniemi (1G-1A in 5 GP) was second on the team in minutes, having totaled 23:50 during Finland’s semifinal showdown against Sweden. Meanwhile, London Knights forward Jesse Nurmi (2G-2A in 6 GP), Medicine Hat Tigers blueliner Veeti Väisänen (1A in 6 GP), and Everett Silvertips forward Julius Miettinen (1G-1A in 6 GP) played important minutes on the penalty kill throughout the game, including in overtime. 

It was there, in the extra frame and at the most crucial point of the game that Miettinen came up big. The Seattle Kraken prospect took a defensive zone faceoff while down a man and helped kill more than half of Finland’s lone penalty of the overtime frame. Minutes later, after a successful kill, Rautianen would make history for Finland by scoring on a power play of their own.

“It’s an honour,” said Miettinen about being a major contributor to his team’s victory. Killing penalties is something Miettinen is all too familiar with as it is a role he serves back home with the No. 3-ranked Everett Silvertips of the WHL. “The guys trust me and I feel like they have my back even if I make a mistake. So, I don’t have to think about that.”

Since losing to Canada 4-0 on the opening day of the tournament back on December 26, all Finland has done is win, stringing together five victories in a row – a streak that includes a 4-3 overtime win over the United States on December 29 thanks to Kingston Frontenacs forward Tuomas Uronen’s (1G-1A in 6 GP) game-winner in the extra frame.

Following Saturday’s win against Sweden, each Finland player attributed their growth and success over the tournament to the lessons they learned from their lone loss at the 2025 World Juniors to Canada, in addition to the time that they have been able to spend together growing as a group over the last week.

“Many times, you need time together. Time to grow up together. That first game was a big lesson for this team, and after that, we have been doing a lot of things right,” declared Finland head coach Lauri Mikkola.

“I think we got more tighter as a group,” shared Miettinen, who has registered 34 points (10G-24A) this season to help the No.3-ranked Everett Silvertips to one of the best starts in the WHL over the last 10 years. “We got to know each other better during this time and I think that just made us better.”

“We’ve been doing some stuff together off the ice, and I feel like everybody is buying into our system. I know everybody wants to block shots and everybody wants to win,” added Halttunen, who is one of two alternate captains for Team Finland. After starting the 2024-25 campaign with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda, Halttunen has six points (2G-4A) in nine games with the London Knights this season. “Every guy is stepping up more every game. I am so proud of this team, but the job is not finished.”

Going into Sunday’s final, Finland will have a chance to earn a sixth gold medal in tournament history at the World Juniors. It’s also something they could impressively do for the fourth time in 11 years – which would be the most of any country outside of Canada (who have five gold medals over that stretch) to top the podium at the World Juniors since 2014.

Conversely, the United States and their three CHL players will be looking to make a little history of their own as they aim to repeat as gold medallist for the first time in their program’s history. A victory would also mark the Americans’ fourth gold medal since 2017, which would match Canada for the most over that stretch.

You can catch both Finland and the United States battle it out for the tournament’s top prize today at 7:30 p.m. ET on TSN and NHL Network, while earlier in the day, Czechia and Sweden will face off in the bronze medal game at 3:30 p.m. ET on TSN and NHL Network.

FINLAND (7)
(D) Emil Pieniniemi (Kingston Frontenacs / OHL)
(D) Veeti Väisänen (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL)
(F) Kasper Halttunen (London Knights / OHL)
(F) Emil Hemming (Barrie Colts / OHL)
(F) Julius Miettinen (Everett Silvertips / WHL)
(F) Jesse Nurmi (London Knights / OHL)
(F) Tuomas Uronen (Kingston Frontenacs / OHL)

U.S.A. (3)
(G) Sam Hillebrandt (Barrie Colts / OHL)
(F) Carey Terrance (Erie Otters / OHL)
(F) Joey Willis (Saginaw Spirit / OHL)

SWEDEN (2)
(D) Axel Hurtig (Calgary Hitmen / WHL)
(F) Noel Nordh (Soo Greyhounds / OHL)

CZECHIA (12)
(G) Jabuk Milota (Cape Breton Eagles / QMJHL)
(D) Jakub Fibigr (Brampton Steelheads / OHL)
(D) Adam Jiříček (Brantford Bulldogs / OHL)
(D) Matteo Koči (Kamloops Blazers / WHL)
(D) Vojtech Port (Lethbridge Hurricanes / WHL)
(D) Marek Rocak (Kelowna Rockets / WHL)
(F) Miroslav Holinka (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL)
(F) Adam Jecho (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL)
(F) Dominik Petr (Brandon Wheat Kings / WHL)
(F) Pavel Simek (Rimouski Océanic / QMJHL)
(F) Jakub Stancl (Kelowna Rockets / WHL)
(F) Adam Zidlicky (Brampton Steelheads / OHL)