4 Nations Roster Remix: 2020 Finland team

The top NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States will go head-to-head at the 4 Nations Face-Off, a best-on-best tournament that will be held from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston.

Though this is the first tournament of its kind to feature these four countries, NHL.com and NHL.com International have put together what the rosters and line combinations for each country would have looked like in the past, going backwards in five-year intervals. The rosters will follow the same format as the current 4 Nations teams: 13 forwards, seven defensemen and three goalies.

The stories will run each Friday and Sunday through Feb. 9.

Today, NHL.com/fi writer Varpu Sihvonen reveals what her Team Finland roster would've looked like in 2020.

Forwards (13)

Patrik Laine -- Sebastian Aho -- Mikko Rantanen

Erik Haula -- Aleksander Barkov -- Kasperi Kapanen

Artturi Lehkonen -- Teuvo Teravainen -- Joonas Donskoi

Mikael Granlund -- Roope Hintz -- Kaapo Kakko

Joel Armia

It's safe to say Team Finland's first line would have been a goal-scoring line. Laine, Aho and Rantanen combined for 170 points (85 goals, 85 assists) in the COVID-19 shortened 2019-20 season. The second line (45 goals, 77 assists) would have been difficult for any team to match up against. Barkov, a future Selke Trophy and Stanley Cup winner, would have taken care of Finland's own end and fed his speedy wings, Haula and Kapanen. Just like Aho, Teravainen would have used his fancy and sometimes tricky passes to find his skilled wings, Lehkonen and Donskoi. The fourth line would have been all about experience (Granlund) and youth (Hintz, Kakko). Granlund would have calmed down the eagerness of the kids. As for Armia, he could have replaced pretty much anyone in any line. He would have been the usual difference-maker, had he gotten the call.

Defensemen (7)

Miro Heiskanen -- Rasmus Ristolainen

Olli Maatta -- Sami Vatanen

Esa Lindell -- Henri Jokiharju

Markus Nutivaara

Finland would have had the luxury of three pairs with right and left-shot defensemen. Heiskanen and Ristolainen would most likely have been the top pair, Maatta and Vatanen would have made an experienced and trustworthy second pair. Maatta, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins (2016, '17), knew what it takes to win, and Vatanen would have been his usual self by keeping his own team relaxed and pushing the opponents' buttons. The third pair would likely have had consistent shot blocking with Lindell and Jokiharju. Nutivaara would have been a flexible and versatile seventh defenseman.

Goalies (3)

Tuukka Rask

Joonas Korpisalo

Antti Raanta

Rask (26-8-6) had the best save percentage (.929) of all the goalies, a 2.12 goals-against average and five shutouts in 41 games in 2019-20. There was no competition there and Rask would have started, but his backup would have been tough call between Korpisalo (19-12-5), Raanta (15-14-3) and their almost identical stats. Korpisalo had more wins and a better GAA (2.60 to 2.63), but Raanta's save percentage was better (.921 to .911), and he allowed less goals (80 to 92). Korpisalo missed all of January and most of February because of an injury but had a strong comeback and set the modern NHL record of most saves in a single game (85) in a 3-2, five-overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round.