Playing their fourth game in four days at the U-20 Five Nations Tournament in Piešťany, Slovakia, Finland dropped a 6-3 decision to Switzerland, giving the Finns a 2-2 record to finish the event.

“It definitely wasn’t the game we were looking for as a team,” said 19-year-old forward Aatos Koivu. “Everyone saw against Sweden what we can do, how we can play, so that definitely wasn’t that today. Probably a lot of guys were tired but that’s no excuse to play that poorly. I think it’s just we weren’t ready and they were ready – they were going all over the place and we weren’t ready for that today.”

Koivu, who didn’t record a point in four games, didn’t let himself off the hook, either. H|e had recorded eight points in six previous games going back to this past summer with the Finnish national junior team.

“In the Summer Showcase, I played better and I had a little more loose feeling there and kinda just went out there and played,” he said. “Here I was maybe thinking a little bit too much – thinking if I’m going to make the World Junior team or not and thinking all over the place, and not concentrating on the things I should be concentrating on.”

Finland and Czechia Earn Wins at U18 and U20 Five Nations The Hockey News International recaps Friday at the U18 and U20 Five Nations, as Finland and Czechia earn wins across both levels.

Of course, the son of Montreal Canadiens legend and former captain Saku Koivu, Aatos spent a few of his formative years in the city of the team that selected him in the third round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and he shared some of his early memories from that time.

Playing in the Finnish Liiga, Koivu has eight points in 18 games with TPS. At some point, he would like to make the move overseas, but he doesn’t know exactly when that will be.

“When I’m ready,” he said. “I want to go there when I’m 100 percent sure I’m ready and not almost ready.”

12 NHL Draftees, 8 World Junior Returnees On Finland's U-20 Five Nations Squad Finland's U-20 squad boasts 12 NHL draftees and eight returnees from last year's IIHF World Junior Championship, led by captain Aron Kiviharju.