Lehtinen talks Finland, expectations at 4 Nations Face-Off in Q&A with NHL.com

In NHL.com's Q&A feature called "Sitting Down with …" we talk to key figures in the game, gaining insight into their lives on and off the ice. In this edition, we feature Jere Lehtinen, the general manager for Team Finland in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off, who as a player was a Stanley Cup champion and three-time Selke Trophy winner as the NHL's best defensive forward with the Dallas Stars, and a four-time Olympic medalist with Finland.

Jere Lehtinen is in full preparation mode for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

"Hockey, hockey," Lehtinen told NHL.com. "Getting ready."

Lehtinen has stayed primarily in his hometown of Espoo, Finland, since doing his final scouting before the rosters for Finland, Sweden, Canada and the United States, the teams competing in the 4 Nations Face-Off, were announced Dec. 4.

But his job is certainly not done, not when there are still 23 days before Finland opens the tournament against Team USA at Bell Centre in Montreal on Feb. 13 (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN, SN, TVAS).

Canada and Sweden play against each other in the tournament opener at Bell Centre on Feb. 12 (8 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS).

Lehtinen is still scouting from home. He's still doing constant prep work with Finland's coaching staff. He is checking in on players selected to play for Finland daily. He's contemplating decisions he doesn't yet have to make, such as who is on the short list of players who he would have to call to replace an injured player.

"Now it's just checking players, how they do, how they play," Lehtinen said. "That's how it goes right now for the 4 Nations."

Lehtinen spoke with NHL.com about his current process, his job between now and the start of the tournament, how his playing experience gives him a perspective that could be beneficial to the Finnish players, his expectations for Team Finland at the 4 Nations and much more.

How does it work for you since you're in Finland and the NHL games are not on at times that are conducive for you? What's your process for following players and getting a real feel for how they're doing and what's going on with them on their NHL team?

"Right. I'm in Espoo in Finland right now. Nowadays it's so easy. In the morning, you see how the games went and if you want to watch whatever game or whatever shift and whatever player, you can do that. Jarmo Kekalainen is over there in the United States too so he's watching games, too. There's a lot of afternoon games during the weekends here and those are good games to watch. It's a good time for us, starting at 7 or 8 p.m. and going on to whenever you want to stay awake. And some games if you wake up earlier you can watch West Coast games because it's early morning for us when they're still on live."

What are you watching for now? What are you looking for?

"All of our staff, the coaches, it's just how the guys are playing. We know them well, but sometimes you'll see a player's ice time go up and down and you want to see why. Of course, it's also about health. You want to know where they are with that. But when there are less minutes being played than usual, there's a worry. Did he get hurt or is it something else? And these guys are already picked, but at the same time, you're watching other guys who weren't picked but they were close because you have to be prepared for anything if someone gets hurt before the tournament."

Are you in touch with coaches of the players you picked or scouts who are regularly at their NHL games? For example, Kaapo Kakko is now playing for Seattle, so have you reached out to Dan Bylsma and check in on him?

"Not really. Maybe a little with some people, but we know our players well. We're watching them. We know them. But when I was there in November watching a few games there, I would see coaches and management people that I know and we would talk a little bit just to ask about how the Finns are doing. That was more at that time before we picked the team so you can get a little bit of insight. But we know the team and the Finns in the NHL. We have a good amount of players, but not that many."

What happens if a player gets hurt now? For example, Erik Haula with the Devils has been out of the lineup. Do you reach out to Erik to check in? Does your medical staff reach out to the Devils medical staff?

"That's coming later when we get closer if guys are still injured. Erik, I talk to him, we chat. It's good to hear from the guy and what he thinks right now, where he's at. The tournament is getting closer, but it's still a few weeks away, so right now the conversations are more to see how they're healing and when they think they'll be back. When it gets closer, we'll deal with more stuff if there is still something going on there."

How do you see Finland in this tournament? Underdog? Favorite? What do you think?

"What I would say is we have really good players, top players, a top team, quality players, but I still think we're coming in there a little bit as the underdogs. But not big underdogs if you can label it that way. We don't have the same amount of players as some of the other teams to pick from, but we know our top players are top in the League and that's a good thing, of course. When you go down the line at every spot, we have a top player in the NHL there."

I was recently talking to Kakko about the tournament and Finland's chances. He said the one thing with Finland and the Finnish players is that everyone knows each other. Maybe that is because the pool of players isn't as big in the NHL as the American pool, the Canadian pool or the Swedish pool. Is that Finland's advantage in this tournament?

"Yeah. It's been over the years like this. And you're right, players know each other. A lot of the guys played together on national teams at different age groups and even club teams here. That's been, I don't know if advantage is the right word, but a reason we can compete pretty good and get together pretty quick. Everybody knows each other well. There's a lot of guys who have played together on the same lines over the years. That's helpful and that's what we're looking for again. I hope that works well."

You played in many international events for Finland be it Olympics, World Cup, World Championship. In this role now, which is obviously different than being a player, how has your playing experience helped you? Has that experience played a role in your decisions, or does it not matter?

"Both ways. It helps that you see how it works on the player side, but at the same time, when you're on this side, you try to make it for players as easy as it can be so they can just concentrate on the games so they're ready to go play those big games. What I like about doing this is I'm pretty close to our coaching staff because of the national team. I feel sometimes like I'm basically part of the coaching staff. We all know each other and we can help each other."

One thing you can do is talk from experience about playing for your NHL team on a Sunday to playing for your national team in a tournament like this on a Tuesday. That will happen next month. Does that perspective matter now that you can talk from experience to the players?

"Yeah, it's quick turnaround. We've had it before with the Olympics and now it's so tight, too. Most teams will play the Saturday before the tournament and some on Sunday, and then you go. But our guys have experienced that too when they jump into the national team for our tournaments in Europe that are in season. It's the same as in juniors when you go to the World Juniors. Our guys have experienced that, going from club team to national team that quickly. But now you're on the big stage and you have some of your best friends that you're playing against in this, and you want to beat them, so this is different."

What is it like for you in this role to finally have the entire pool of the best Finnish players to choose from, which you have not had before as the GM for Finland's national team general manager?

"It's been great. A few years ago, before the 2022 Olympics, we were pretty close to getting those players and we did a lot of work that fall. We got a little taste of it and then it all went down. Of course, we know why, but now we're back and it's great to have these guys. I really enjoy [seeing] how the guys feel. They want to play these tournaments. They've been waiting to play with these guys on Team Finland, to play with the best and against the best. When this was announced, you could tell that these guys [were] pretty pumped."

What about the style of hockey from the Finnish side? Do you expect an NHL style, an NHL game played by Finland, or is there going to be a style unique to what the Finns do?

"That's up to the coaches and what they decide, but we know we're jumping into games right away with all NHL players in an NHL size rink. It's pretty much that style of game. But of course, our team wants to bring something special too. I think all the other teams do too. That's why it's going to be interesting to see how the teams play. There is an NHL style to play, but I think you have to bring something special of your own too."

What's the special something for Finland?

"We'll see. We'll see. The coaches are planning that stuff. We'll see."

Your experience playing in the World Cup is also interesting to me. You did it in 1996 and in 2004 Finland got to the final but lost to Canada, a goal away. What are your recollections of it? What was it like being on that stage and just falling short?

"That was great. I have to go back to '96. That was the first taste. But it was a little different because we came to North America and played one game and we lost. But '04, we had a good group of guys at a good age. A lot of guys were in the best times of their career. We knew we had a good team. The semifinal game in Minnesota, playing the USA in their home country, in their home building, that was awesome. It's different when you play the country in their home building when their fans are there. Then going to Toronto to play Canada, it's one of those moments when we were close and had a chance to win, but that's the way it goes. Canada and USA had great teams and it was pretty even. But great experience. You play Olympics and that's special. World Championships too. But it's different when you play against them in their home country, in their home building."

USA won the World Cup in 1996, and it was such a big moment. It created the next generation of USA players. Finland was that close to winning in 2004. Have you thought about what would it have done if you had won?

"That's tough. You want to win. Everybody remembers winners. But at the same time, where we came from, 1980s not much there. Then we had something in Calgary in 1988. In the 1990s we started to build something. You want to win, but I think even though we didn't, it impacted Finnish hockey. If we did it would have been even more, but (being) in it helped our hockey at that time. When you go and play a semifinal and you win that and you get to play in the final, that's a big stage and a lot of kids are watching that. It helped overall."

Well, here's your next chance.

"That's it. Any of these tournaments you have a chance to do something special."