HELSINKI – Vermont first year forward Joel Määttä was announced Wednesday morning to the 25-player roster for the Finland National Junior Team. Määttä and his teammates will represent Finland at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship set for Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, from Dec. 26, 2021 – Jan. 5, 2022. 
 
RELATED LINKS
2022 World Junior Website
 
"Joel Määttä is the perfect example for what we want our identity to be – he is an excellent teammate, a consummate professional in his preparation and he will not be outworked," said Head Coach Todd Woodcroft. "Every game, as a first year, he draws the duty of playing against the opponents' top players – a job that is no small feat. His attention to the details, specifically on the defensive side of the game, have made him a vital piece of the UVM men's hockey team. Joel's teammates are so pleased that he will have the honor of playing for his home country at the world's premier junior hockey event this holiday season and along with the six-other current/future Catamount players/staff competing at the World Juniors, we wish them great success."
 
Finland will compete in Group A of the tournament with Canada, Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria. The Finns open the tournament on December 26 facing Germany at 12 p.m. (ET) The top-four teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals on Sunday, January 2. All games of the 2022 World Junior Championship will air live in the United States on the NHL Network.
 
Current Catamounts Simon Jellus and Luca Münzenberger competed at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championships in Edmonton, Alberta. Jellus had one assist in five games as Slovakia finished eighth overall. Münzenberger also played in five games, including 108 minutes of action for Germany who placed sixth. Vermont Head Coach Todd Woodcroft also served remotely as an assistant coach for Sweden in the tournament.
 
Finland World Junior Schedule
December 26 vs. Germany 12 p.m.
December 27 vs. Austria 12 p.m.
December 29 vs. Czech Republic 12 p.m.
December 31 vs. Canada 5 p.m.
All times ET
 
For more updates on the Vermont men's hockey program, follow the team on Twitter @UVMmhockey.

Handy Toyota is the presenting sponsor of the 2021-22 men's hockey season