Yeah start naming some really hard working Finnish players. And make sure they are in the NHL. Players in the Finnish Elite League and other Euro leagues don't count because they aren't the top talent.
Now we could compare the Finnish elite League to the WHL which is probably similar skill level if you want? But I'll tell you right now there is no way youre winning an argument about the FEL being a tougher, harder working league.
The Koivu brothers I wouldn't consider really hard working players with a lot of heart. Sure Saku came back from cancer but that doesn't mean he plays with a tonne of heart.
Canada and the states players are generally much harder workers then the European players.
I was comparing Team Finland with Team USA. I've also said a number of times that it's much harder for players outside North America to get in to the NHL if they're not skilled. There are always more players who can play tough and work hard, but those skilled guys are more rare. That's why many European players go with the skill road. And that's also why I don't need to compare only NHL players in this case.
You honestly think that junior league like WHL can be even compared with Finnish Elite League? It's a men's league. You haven't probably watched a single game of Finnish league. I've watched these junior hockey league games and I can tell you it's basically just rushing after rushing. Toni Rajala had like 5 points last year in FEL and this year he's been over ppg in WHL. FEL is the 3rd toughest league in the World and it's definitely more hard working than any of those junior leagues. This doesn't have anything to do with the Finnish style of play which I was first talking about.
You don't consider Koivu bros players with a lot of heart. OK, that's your opinion. You could ask around any NHLer and I think they wouldn't agree with you. And like I said about 21242 times already, I was comparing Team Finland and Team USA. I can just tell you that Team USA never shows the kind of heart and working hard that Team Finland does. Nothing personal though. There are many good American players, great checkers who play hard etc.
Americans just don't rate hockey as high as Finns do. The fact that there are 300 million people living in USA versus 5 million people living in Finland should give USA the clear advantage in EVERY situation, but for some reason it doesn't. They've got much greater talent and the individual stars dominate the NHL unlike Finnish players (other than goalies). It just shows when you see Team USA play, that they don't have the drive like some other countries do. If the guys have so much heart why is it that they can only show it when they're getting paid playing for their clubs? Why can't they show that heart and work ethic in international games where it's not about the money?
Canada and USA are GENERALLY much(?) harder workers than European players. Generally they are, I agree. However that doesn't mean USA is more hard working than Finland for example. You should understand that there are many different countries in Europe with hockey being totally different in some of them. You do realize that there are only two countries in the World where hockey is the biggest sport, and Finland is one of them. To say that Finland plays just like Czech Rep. because they're both Europeans is pretty stupid. Russia has soccer, Sweden has soccer, Czech Rep. has soccer, USA has baseball etc.
Again, this whole conversation started as you claimed that there's only European hockey and North American hockey. To say that there's as much difference between French-Canadian and Canadian hockey than Finnish and Czech hockey is pretty idiotic. How many games of different European league games have you seen? I can say that I've seen a LOT of FEL games, many SEL games, some KHL games and even some Swiss and Czech league games. But then I've also seen a lot of NHL games and international games (EHT, WC, Olympics). You really think you're in the position here to make arguments like that when you have probably seen - besides NHL games - only some international games?
I still think Team Finland plays more Canadian type hockey than Team USA. I think the main reason for that is the love for the sport. It's not as big in USA than in Finland. Hockey is bigger thing for Finns. You can have you're opinions, but - much like many other Americans (or Canadians) - you haven't really seen how the things are outside your country and outside your league.
. I totally woulda helped Finnish Wing out with my wannabe-homerism. 
