Rosters, Schedules, Previews, Predictions
Sheesh, it's been a long time since I posted anything on here. But you don't want to read about how "busy" my life is. No, what you want is hockey, and there could not be a better event to get The Hart of Hockey back into the blogosphere than the IIHF World Junior Championship.
The World Juniors are a gigantic annual tournament and a gold medal from this international showdown is one of the most celebrated accomplishments a player can earn in his career. However, since an overwhelming majority of players have never played a shift in the NHL, it can be a difficult competition to follow at first if one has not been keeping tabs on the junior ranks for most of the year. We make it easier for you, and have compiled a the roster of every team in this year's World Juniors, their playing schedule and a summary of what their team can do. Hopefully this will help in your preparation of the great tournament that is the World Junior Championship.
GROUP A
21 - Matĕj Beran
24 - Petr Beránek
16 - Radek Faksa
5 - Martin Frk
19 - Tomáš Hertl
27 - Tomas Hyka
20 - Demitrij Jaškin
10 - Petr Koblasa
99 - Erik Nĕmec
29 - Lukáš Sedlák
28 - Michal Švihálek
18 - Vojtĕch Tomeček
94 - Jakub Vrána
Defensemen
13 - Marek Hrbas
8 - Štĕpán Jeník
6 - David Musil
12 - Tomáš Pavelka
11 - Petr Šidlíck
17 - Jan Štencel
4 - Patric Unbanec
Goalies
1 - Patrik Bartošák
2 - Jan Lukáš
30 - Matĕj Machovský
Schedule:
vs Sweden, Wednesday, December 26th, 7:00 am ET
vs Finland, Friday, December 28th, 2:30 am ET
vs Latvia, Sunday, December 30th, 7:00 am ET
vs Switzerland, Monday, December 31st, 2:30 am ET
The Czechs will be looking to ride on the coattails of their 2012 draft class to their first medal since 2005. Radek Faksa (13th overall by Dallas,) Tomáš Hertl (17th overall by San Jose,) Martin Frk (49th overall by Detroit,) and Tomas Hyka (171st overall by Los Angeles) will carry most of the load for the Czech Republic. Although most of the rest of the roster is older than those promising prospects, they are by far the most skilled. Add Demitrij Jaškin, a 2nd round selection in 2011 by St. Louis, and European phenom of the 2014 draft Jakub Vrána to the mix, and you have one potent offense.
Defense, on the other hand, may be a little more problematic. David Musil headlines the Czech blueline, and he's a solid player, but after that, there is not much to brag about. To pile on, several of the aforementioned studs on offense are notorious for not being much of a help at all in their own zone, like point-a-game sniper Marty Frk. The Czech defense is not hopeless, but now that Petr Mrazek is no longer there to bail out the Czechs with a spectacular save after they make a mistake, it can be expected that a few more pucks will find their way into the back of their net.
Speaking of the net, the Czech Republic's starting goaltending spot is still up for grabs. Battling for that right are Matĕj Machovský of the Brampton Batallion and Patrik Bartošák of the Red Deer Rebels. Both of these CHL goalies are undrafted, and no one could possibly expect them to fill the shoes of Mrazek, but Machovský and Bartošák's competition between each other will only benefit the Czechs as they bring their A-game every night.
FINLAND
15 - Miro Aaltonen
10 - Joel Armia
16 - Aleksander Barkov
11 - Markus Granlund
13 - Markus Hännikäinen
19 - Ville Järveläinen
24 - Matti Lamberg
28 - Artturi Lehkonen
26 - Robert Leino
21 - Thomas Nykopp
23 - Saku Salminen
22 - Miikka Salomäki
20 - Teuvo Teräväinen
Defensemen
8 - Henri Auvinen
4 - Petteri Lindbohm
2 - Olli Määttä12 - Ville Pokka
3 - Juuso Riikola
27 - Juuso Vainio
Goalies
31 - Janne Juvonen
30 - Joonas Korpisalo
1 - Eetu Laurikainen
Schedule:
vs Latvia, Wednesday, December 26th, 2:30 am ET
vs Czech Republic, Friday, December 28th, 2:30 am ET
vs Switzerland, Sunday, December 30th, 2:30 am ET
vs Sweden, Monday, December 31st, 7:00 am ET
Finland is a team that can hold its head high knowing it is strong at every position going into the tournament. The defense is solid, the goaltending is reliable, and the forwards are lethal. They have plenty of size, and make it very difficult for teams to impose their will on them physically, but do the Finns have enough jam in their roster to win gold? That has yet to be seen, but this is a squad that will undoubtedly challenge for the world's title.
On defense, Finland has the perfect balance of old and new. Returning are tournament veterans Juuso Riikola and Henri Auvinen, as well as team leaders Petteri Lindbohm, a St. Louis Blues prospect, and Olli Määttä, Pittsburgh's second selection in the first round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. New to the scene are Esa Lindell, a third round pick by Dallas in 2012, and Rasmus Ristolainen. Lindell is a big, rough-and-tumble d-man in his own zone who shows some offensive upside. Ristolainen is one of the top defensemen available for the upcoming 2013 draft, a unique player who will serve as one of Finland's primary puck-rushers and stay reliable in his own zone.
In net, there is no runaway candidate for the starting job. By the time single-elimination comes around, a true starter will likely have emerged by then, but all three rostered goalies are more than deserving of wearing the Suomi between the pipes. Eetu Laurikainen went undrafted in 2012, but is having a great year as a member of the Swift Current Broncos. His friend, Joonas Korpisalo, was noticed by pro scouts, and was taken as the first pick in the third round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by Columbus, and has played strong in pre-tournament play. Though no NHL team has the rights to Janne Juvonen, Finland's third goalie, he has the only pro experience out of Finland's tendies, as he has appeared in several games with Lahden Pelicans of SM-liiga. Choosing who the #1 guy in net will be a very difficult choice for Harri Rindell and his coaching staff, but it's a pretty darn good problem to have.
The forwards for the blue and white may be lacking some strength and may not play with quite as much sandpaper as North Americans may imagine when they think of a championship-caliber team, but the raw talent they boast in incredible. Every line is a treat to score. Teuvo Teräväinen, who somehow dropped all the way to 18th overall and into the lap of the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2012 draft, has a breathtaking shot and has been quarterbacking the Finnish power play, which proved to be quite potent against Canada and the USA in pre-tournament play. Markus Granlund may not be as good as his older brother, but was still a point-a-game player in last year's World Juniors and is likely to improve his production this year. Then, of course, there is Aleksander Barkov. "Sasha" has been touted as the best prospect to come out of Finland... ever. He's an unbelievably talented young man and a complete hockey player who is expected to challenge for #1 overall at the 2013 draft. Still, it seems that not enough people know his name. Expect Barkov to use this tournament on the international stage as his coming out party to North American hockey fans and possibly even challenge for the most valuable player in the competition.
LATVIA
Forwards
23 - Toms Andersons
21 - Teddy Blueger
10 - Rihards Bukarts
17 - Nikolajs Jelisejevs
28 - Ņikita Jevpalovs
13 - Edgars Kulda
26 - Edgars Kurmis
12 - Artūrs Kuzmenkovs
11 - Roberts Lipsbergs
16 - Kārlis Ozoliņš
29 - Lauris Rancevs
19 - Artūrs Ševčenko
15 - Andris Siksnis
Defensemen
8 - Edmunds Augstkalns
18 - Krišs Lipsbergs
2 - Kristaps Nīmanis
5 - Rinalds Rosinskis
4 - Edgars Siksna
14 - Patriks Škuratovs
7 - Pauls Zvirbulis
Goalies
30 - Elvis Merzlikins
1 - Vladims Miščuks
29 - Ivars Punnenovs
Schedule:
vs Finland, Wednesday, December 26th, 2:30 am ET
vs Switzerland, Thursday, December 27th, 7:00 am ET
vs Sweden, Saturday, December 29th, 7:00 am ET
vs Czech Republic, Sunday, December 30th, 7:00 am ET
Latvia is an interesting case. In last year's tournament, they were thrashed about in pool play and narrowly avoided relegation. They managed to score eight times, but allowed 31 goals against in four games. Coming into the 2013 World Juniors, Latvia's offense looks to be stronger with top scorers returning more mature and more skilled. However, very little has been done to make improvements in their own zone. In fact, some assets have even been lost.
Latvia's starting goalie from the 2012 World Junior Championship won't be returning this year. Only Elvis Merzlikins will be back though, and will likely have the starting job. Merzlikins struggled mightily between the pipes for the Lats in the U18 Worlds, and didn't fare particularly well when he was thrown into the fire against Russia in the 2012 U20 tournament. So the situation in goal is iffy at best.
Defense isn't much better. Three players are returning from the 2012 squad, while the other four newly rostered defensemen are right up against the age ceiling, for the most part. Some would say that makes the new defenders "mature", while some would argue it only shows Latvian coaches scrambled to find guys to replace last year's lackluster defensemen. None of Latvia's defensemen on the roster have been drafted by an NHL team.
On the brighter side, Latvia's offense looks to be much more threatening this time around. Despite losing the services of Zemgus Girgensons to the AHL, a couple of Latvia's top threats from the last tournament will be representing their country again at the world's greatest junior hockey competition. Teddy Blueger, who was taken in the 3rd round in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by Pittsburgh, has been having a decent season at Minnesota State University, Mankato, where he is one of only two players drafted by an NHL franchise. Blueger will be counted on to produce more offensively, along with Ņikita Jevpalovs, who led Latvia in scoring in the last World Juniors. Jevpalovs is overshadowed on an absolutely loaded Blainville-Boisbriand team in the QMJHL, so with first line ice time and expectations, this could be Jev's time to shine. In addition to those guys, Artūrs Kuzmenkovs and Roberts Lipsbergs will be back for Latvia, too. Kuzmenkovs has been having a great season in the Belarusian league and has been stellar for his country in international competition this year prior to this tournament, while Roberts Lipsbergs has become a point-per-game player for the Seattle Thunderbirds in his rookie season in the WHL.
Another year older, another year more mature, a year's time to improve, and with World Juniors experience under their belt, Latvia's forwards are poised to make a greater impact on the scoresheet. But will their anticipated production be enough to offset the growing issues on the back end? And if not, will Latvia be at risk for relegation?
23 - Toms Andersons
21 - Teddy Blueger
10 - Rihards Bukarts
17 - Nikolajs Jelisejevs
28 - Ņikita Jevpalovs
13 - Edgars Kulda
26 - Edgars Kurmis
12 - Artūrs Kuzmenkovs
11 - Roberts Lipsbergs
16 - Kārlis Ozoliņš
29 - Lauris Rancevs
19 - Artūrs Ševčenko
15 - Andris Siksnis
Defensemen
8 - Edmunds Augstkalns
18 - Krišs Lipsbergs
2 - Kristaps Nīmanis
5 - Rinalds Rosinskis
4 - Edgars Siksna
14 - Patriks Škuratovs
7 - Pauls Zvirbulis
Goalies
30 - Elvis Merzlikins
1 - Vladims Miščuks
29 - Ivars Punnenovs
Schedule:
vs Finland, Wednesday, December 26th, 2:30 am ET
vs Switzerland, Thursday, December 27th, 7:00 am ET
vs Sweden, Saturday, December 29th, 7:00 am ET
vs Czech Republic, Sunday, December 30th, 7:00 am ET
Latvia is an interesting case. In last year's tournament, they were thrashed about in pool play and narrowly avoided relegation. They managed to score eight times, but allowed 31 goals against in four games. Coming into the 2013 World Juniors, Latvia's offense looks to be stronger with top scorers returning more mature and more skilled. However, very little has been done to make improvements in their own zone. In fact, some assets have even been lost.
Latvia's starting goalie from the 2012 World Junior Championship won't be returning this year. Only Elvis Merzlikins will be back though, and will likely have the starting job. Merzlikins struggled mightily between the pipes for the Lats in the U18 Worlds, and didn't fare particularly well when he was thrown into the fire against Russia in the 2012 U20 tournament. So the situation in goal is iffy at best.
Defense isn't much better. Three players are returning from the 2012 squad, while the other four newly rostered defensemen are right up against the age ceiling, for the most part. Some would say that makes the new defenders "mature", while some would argue it only shows Latvian coaches scrambled to find guys to replace last year's lackluster defensemen. None of Latvia's defensemen on the roster have been drafted by an NHL team.
On the brighter side, Latvia's offense looks to be much more threatening this time around. Despite losing the services of Zemgus Girgensons to the AHL, a couple of Latvia's top threats from the last tournament will be representing their country again at the world's greatest junior hockey competition. Teddy Blueger, who was taken in the 3rd round in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by Pittsburgh, has been having a decent season at Minnesota State University, Mankato, where he is one of only two players drafted by an NHL franchise. Blueger will be counted on to produce more offensively, along with Ņikita Jevpalovs, who led Latvia in scoring in the last World Juniors. Jevpalovs is overshadowed on an absolutely loaded Blainville-Boisbriand team in the QMJHL, so with first line ice time and expectations, this could be Jev's time to shine. In addition to those guys, Artūrs Kuzmenkovs and Roberts Lipsbergs will be back for Latvia, too. Kuzmenkovs has been having a great season in the Belarusian league and has been stellar for his country in international competition this year prior to this tournament, while Roberts Lipsbergs has become a point-per-game player for the Seattle Thunderbirds in his rookie season in the WHL.
Another year older, another year more mature, a year's time to improve, and with World Juniors experience under their belt, Latvia's forwards are poised to make a greater impact on the scoresheet. But will their anticipated production be enough to offset the growing issues on the back end? And if not, will Latvia be at risk for relegation?
SWEDEN
13 - Viktor Arvidsson
11 - Jeremy Boyce
15 - Sebastian Collberg
25 - Jacob de la Rose
16 - Filip Forsberg
17 - William Karlsson
19 - Elias Lindholm
29 - Emil Molin
24 - Rickard Rakell
23 - Victor Rask
27 - Filip Sandberg
26 - Nick Sørensen
10 - Alexander Wennberg
Defensemen
8 - Linus Arnessen
5 - Rasmus Bengtsson
4 - Christian Djoos
6 - Emil Djuse
12 - Hampus Lindholm
7 - Tom Nilsson
9 - Mikael Wikstrand
Goalies
35 - Oscar Dansk
1 - Joel Lassinantti
30 - Niklas Lundström
Schedule:
vs Czech Republic, Wednesday, December 26th, 7:00 am ET
vs Switzerland, Friday, December 28th, 7:00 am ET
vs Latvia, Saturday, December 29th, 7:00 am ET
vs Finland, Monday, December 31st, 7:00 am ET
The world's defending champions are not going to have an easy time retaining their title. Canada is loaded from the NHL lockout, Russia looks to have improved since last year's silver medal-winning campaign, Finland is for real, and injuries have left Sweden without some of its top talents. However, a country doesn't win a World Juniors Championship by fluke. Sweden has nearly a surplus of incredible hockey players stepping in to take the place of skaters lost to graduation or injury.
The Swedes are hurting on defense after losing their top two blueliners, Jonas Brodin and Oscar Klefblom to injuries that occurred before camp was even announced. After that, Sweden was still looking okay on D, but now Hampus Lindholm, who has been having a great year in Norfolk of the AHL after Anaheim boldly selected him 6th overall in the draft this past summer, is out with an undisclosed injury and could miss the World Juniors entirely. That leaves Toronto prospect and tough guy Tom Nilsson and the offensively gifted Florida prospect Rasmus Bengtsson to lead the defense corps. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's far from ideal for a perennial powerhouse like Sweden.
On the other hand, the offense remains as potent as ever. The Binghamton Senators would not release Mika Zibanejad, the golden goal hero of last year's competition, for the tournament. That would be a big hit to any offense, but, "No sweat," say the Swedes, "We still have first round picks Filip Forsberg and Rickard Rickell, as well as second round pick Sebastian Collberg returning from last year. Not to mention we've got this kid Elias Lindholm, a sure-fire first round pick in the 2013 draft, and potential first rounders in Jacob de la Rose and Nick Sørensen, too. Yeah, I think we'll be okay on offense."
Goaltending was a pleasant surprise for the Swedes last year en route to a gold medal, but not one of Sweden's three tendies are returning for this tournament. It's now Oscar Dansk's time in the spotlight. Dansk was the second-ranked European goalie going into the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, and lo and behold, he was the second European goalie taken in that draft (selected by Columbus, 31st overall.) After a slow start to his rookie year in the OHL with the Erie Otters, Dansk has continued to improve over the course of the year and will look to add World Juniors success to his growing resume. He's a pretty solid Twitter follow, too.
SWITZERLAND
22 - Sven Andrighetto
28 - Lukas Balmelli
10 - Alessio Bertaggia
11 - Christoph Bertschy
15 - Mike Künzle
19 - Robin Leone
12 - Lino Martschini
21 - Jan Neuenschwander
23 - Vincent Praplan
9 - Tanner Richard
24 - Lukas Sieber
25 - Dario Simion
16 - Sandro Zangger
Defensemen
29 - Eliot Antonietti
7 - Isacco Dotti
27 - Samuel Guerra
2 - Cédric Hächler
14 - Dean Kukan
8 - Christian Marti
5 - Mirco Müller
Goalies
20 - Luca Boltshauser
30 - Robin Kuonen
1 - Melvin Nyffeler
Schedule:
vs Latvia, Thursday, December 27th, 7:00 am ET
vs Sweden, Friday, December 28th, 7:00 am ET
vs Finland, Sunday, December 30th, 2:30 am ET
vs Czech Republic, Monday, December 31st, 2:30 am ET
People always talk about the differences between the rules of international hockey and NHL hockey. The shootout has been comfortably adopted by the NHL, there's the wider ice surface, losing-your-helmet-go-back-to-the-bench-rule, and such. There's one rule of international hockey that often goes without discussion, but rings true every year. That rule is a simple one: Never underestimate the Swiss. Switzerland only has two bronze medals to their name in Olympic play and one bronze in their history at the World Juniors, but this country has been a thorn in the side of opponents for years.
This year, the Swiss have put together one of their strongest offensive casts at the World Juniors Championship in year, starring Sven Andrighetto, Tanner Richard, and Alessio Bertaggia. Andrighetto is one of those undrafted marvels who was all but guaranteed to be signed by an pro team when his junior career is over. In fact, about a week ago he inked a deal with Genèva of the Swiss National League A. After his draft year, Andrighetto came to play in North America for the QMJHL's Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, and had a breathtaking 74-point rookie campaign. He has since followed that show up with 50 points in 28 games in the QMJHL season, good enough for the second best points per game average behind Jonathan Drouin. Andrighetto will want all of this success to translate to the international stage, now, as he looks to improve upon the measly two points he earned in last year's World Juniors.
Tanner Richard is another talented young man Switzerland will be relying on for offensive production. The third round pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning is a shifty forward with a great arsenal of one-on-one moves. His hands aren't just useful in open ice situations, though. He uses his skill and his grit to make impressive plays along the wall and in the corners. He shows all the potential to develop into a primary scorer in the NHL, but his defensive game leaves a lot to be desired at this point in his career.
Alessio Bertaggia doesn't quite have the résumé that Richard and Andrighetto do, but will be an important forward for the pesky Swiss squad nonetheless. He had four points for Switzerland last year in the World Juniors, and has produced at over a point-per-game pace for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL thus far this season. Bertaggia has no NHL rights, but has already signed on to play for Zug of the NLA in Switzerland. Bertaggia's game is better suited for the wider ice surface in Russia, so one can make an educated assumption that his scoring will improve in this year's tournament.
Switzerland may lack depth in defense, but the top-end guys are d-men you will want to keep an eye on. Eliot Antonietti and Mirco Müller are both big, strong, 2013 draft eligible defenders looking to make an immediate impact on this team. Antonietti has played the entire season and gets a regular shift with Genève of the Swiss NLA, while Müller is in North America with the Everett Silvertips. Müller is second in scoring among all rookie defensemen in the WHL, posting 18 points in 34 games.
Never underestimate the Swiss. Ever.
30 - Robin Kuonen
1 - Melvin Nyffeler
Schedule:
vs Latvia, Thursday, December 27th, 7:00 am ET
vs Sweden, Friday, December 28th, 7:00 am ET
vs Finland, Sunday, December 30th, 2:30 am ET
vs Czech Republic, Monday, December 31st, 2:30 am ET
People always talk about the differences between the rules of international hockey and NHL hockey. The shootout has been comfortably adopted by the NHL, there's the wider ice surface, losing-your-helmet-go-back-to-the-bench-rule, and such. There's one rule of international hockey that often goes without discussion, but rings true every year. That rule is a simple one: Never underestimate the Swiss. Switzerland only has two bronze medals to their name in Olympic play and one bronze in their history at the World Juniors, but this country has been a thorn in the side of opponents for years.
This year, the Swiss have put together one of their strongest offensive casts at the World Juniors Championship in year, starring Sven Andrighetto, Tanner Richard, and Alessio Bertaggia. Andrighetto is one of those undrafted marvels who was all but guaranteed to be signed by an pro team when his junior career is over. In fact, about a week ago he inked a deal with Genèva of the Swiss National League A. After his draft year, Andrighetto came to play in North America for the QMJHL's Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, and had a breathtaking 74-point rookie campaign. He has since followed that show up with 50 points in 28 games in the QMJHL season, good enough for the second best points per game average behind Jonathan Drouin. Andrighetto will want all of this success to translate to the international stage, now, as he looks to improve upon the measly two points he earned in last year's World Juniors.
Tanner Richard is another talented young man Switzerland will be relying on for offensive production. The third round pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning is a shifty forward with a great arsenal of one-on-one moves. His hands aren't just useful in open ice situations, though. He uses his skill and his grit to make impressive plays along the wall and in the corners. He shows all the potential to develop into a primary scorer in the NHL, but his defensive game leaves a lot to be desired at this point in his career.
Alessio Bertaggia doesn't quite have the résumé that Richard and Andrighetto do, but will be an important forward for the pesky Swiss squad nonetheless. He had four points for Switzerland last year in the World Juniors, and has produced at over a point-per-game pace for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL thus far this season. Bertaggia has no NHL rights, but has already signed on to play for Zug of the NLA in Switzerland. Bertaggia's game is better suited for the wider ice surface in Russia, so one can make an educated assumption that his scoring will improve in this year's tournament.
Switzerland may lack depth in defense, but the top-end guys are d-men you will want to keep an eye on. Eliot Antonietti and Mirco Müller are both big, strong, 2013 draft eligible defenders looking to make an immediate impact on this team. Antonietti has played the entire season and gets a regular shift with Genève of the Swiss NLA, while Müller is in North America with the Everett Silvertips. Müller is second in scoring among all rookie defensemen in the WHL, posting 18 points in 34 games.
Never underestimate the Swiss. Ever.
GROUP B
15 - Anthony Camara
21 - Philip Danault
29 - Jonathan Drouin
11 - Jonathan Huberdeau
22 - Boone Jenner
17 - JC Lipon
8 - Ty Rattie
20 - Brett Ritchie
19 - Mark Scheifele
18 - Ryan Strome
Defensemen
27 - Dougie Hamilton
6 - Scott Harrington
14 - Ryan Murphy
16 - Xavier Ouellet
28 - Griffin Reinhart
4 - Morgan Rielly
26 - Tyler Wotherspoon
Goalies
31 - Jordan Binnington
1 - Jake Paterson
30 - Malcolm Subban
Schedule:
vs Germany, Wednesday, December 26th, 4:30 am ET
vs Slovakia, Friday, December 28th, 4:30 am ET
vs USA, Sunday, December 30th, 4:30 am ET
vs Russia, Monday, December 31st, 9:00 am ET
Canada boasts by far the most talented roster in the tournament. This is nothing new, but dream teams have failed before in the past. In fact, after five straight years of winning it all, the past three tournaments have left Canada and all of their talent settling for medals other than gold. However, the pending NHL lockout has stacked the Great White North's roster to levels international junior competition hasn't seen since their 2005 team (the same time as the last NHL lockout.)
Canada is loaded down the middle. Former first overall selection by the Edmonton Oilers and runner-up for the NHL's Calder Trophy last season Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is a lock for the #1 center. Must be nice. He'll be playing between two other natural centermen, Jonathan Huberdeau and Mark Scheifele. Scheifele adjusted well to the wing in his brief stint with the Winnipeg Jets last year, and Huberdeau seemed to do the same during the Subway Series back in November. Behind RNH on the depth chart as centermen sit Ryan Strome, Boone Jenner, Phil Danault, and Nate MacKinnon.
On defense, Canada lost Ryan Murray, second overall selection by Columbus in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, to injury roughly a month ago, and yet they don't seem too worried. Dougie Hamilton and Scott Harrington will be leaders in the locker room and in their own zone, whereas most of the rest of Canada's talent is offense-oriented. If Ryan Murphy, Griffin Reinhart, and Tyler Wotherspoon are the guys that have to battle for that last spot on the blue line instead of the seat in the press box, you're doing pretty well. Extremely well, actually.
In net, Bruins' draft pick and athletic specimen Malcolm Subban seems to have been predetermined to have the starting job, but saw no time in net in Canada's exhibition games against University teams, and had a sub-par performance in their first pre-tournament game against Finland. If Subban can get his game back, Canada is almost a lock to win gold. If not, well, goaltending will prove to be Canada's Achilles heel for the third tournament in a row.
Discipline has been an issue since the team has come together, too. In their exhibitions at camp against University teams, Canada found themselves on the PK more then they'd like to. Petty penalties also cost them their pre-tournament match against Finland and almost the following game against Sweden, as well. No matter how talented you are, any team can make it difficult on themselves to win if they find themselves playing with less players than their opponent for most of the game.
One will want to keep a close eye on 2013 draft hopefuls Nate MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin, and JC Lipon during the course of the competition. MacKinnon is one of three players with the real possibility of going first overall in the 2013 (along with fellow tournament competitors Seth Jones and Aleksander Barkov,) but the team's depth at center has him in a precarious position near the bottom end of the roster. Drouin, on the other hand, MacKinnon's linemate in Halifax, is considered to be one of Canada's top wingers and will likely play in the top six. JC Lipon went undrafted in 2012, but has been on an absolute tear in the WHL this season. He leads the league in points by a mile, and now he will play on the international stage for Canada at the World Juniors. Lipon may be able to finish, but has a meanstreak to his game, and impressed Canada's coaches enough with his grit to earn him a spot on the roster and force Tom Wilson onto the outside of the bubble, which came as a surprise to just about, well, everyone. These three guys are great hockey players looking to make an impact on scouts while competing for their country.
(Update:) With Boone Jenner's 3-game suspension to start the tournament, Canada has many option to fill the void he leaves at the third line center position. Nate MacKinnon is likely to see more time at center as a result of his absence.
Schedule:
vs Germany, Wednesday, December 26th, 4:30 am ET
vs Slovakia, Friday, December 28th, 4:30 am ET
vs USA, Sunday, December 30th, 4:30 am ET
vs Russia, Monday, December 31st, 9:00 am ET
Canada boasts by far the most talented roster in the tournament. This is nothing new, but dream teams have failed before in the past. In fact, after five straight years of winning it all, the past three tournaments have left Canada and all of their talent settling for medals other than gold. However, the pending NHL lockout has stacked the Great White North's roster to levels international junior competition hasn't seen since their 2005 team (the same time as the last NHL lockout.)
Canada is loaded down the middle. Former first overall selection by the Edmonton Oilers and runner-up for the NHL's Calder Trophy last season Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is a lock for the #1 center. Must be nice. He'll be playing between two other natural centermen, Jonathan Huberdeau and Mark Scheifele. Scheifele adjusted well to the wing in his brief stint with the Winnipeg Jets last year, and Huberdeau seemed to do the same during the Subway Series back in November. Behind RNH on the depth chart as centermen sit Ryan Strome, Boone Jenner, Phil Danault, and Nate MacKinnon.
On defense, Canada lost Ryan Murray, second overall selection by Columbus in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, to injury roughly a month ago, and yet they don't seem too worried. Dougie Hamilton and Scott Harrington will be leaders in the locker room and in their own zone, whereas most of the rest of Canada's talent is offense-oriented. If Ryan Murphy, Griffin Reinhart, and Tyler Wotherspoon are the guys that have to battle for that last spot on the blue line instead of the seat in the press box, you're doing pretty well. Extremely well, actually.
In net, Bruins' draft pick and athletic specimen Malcolm Subban seems to have been predetermined to have the starting job, but saw no time in net in Canada's exhibition games against University teams, and had a sub-par performance in their first pre-tournament game against Finland. If Subban can get his game back, Canada is almost a lock to win gold. If not, well, goaltending will prove to be Canada's Achilles heel for the third tournament in a row.
Discipline has been an issue since the team has come together, too. In their exhibitions at camp against University teams, Canada found themselves on the PK more then they'd like to. Petty penalties also cost them their pre-tournament match against Finland and almost the following game against Sweden, as well. No matter how talented you are, any team can make it difficult on themselves to win if they find themselves playing with less players than their opponent for most of the game.
One will want to keep a close eye on 2013 draft hopefuls Nate MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin, and JC Lipon during the course of the competition. MacKinnon is one of three players with the real possibility of going first overall in the 2013 (along with fellow tournament competitors Seth Jones and Aleksander Barkov,) but the team's depth at center has him in a precarious position near the bottom end of the roster. Drouin, on the other hand, MacKinnon's linemate in Halifax, is considered to be one of Canada's top wingers and will likely play in the top six. JC Lipon went undrafted in 2012, but has been on an absolute tear in the WHL this season. He leads the league in points by a mile, and now he will play on the international stage for Canada at the World Juniors. Lipon may be able to finish, but has a meanstreak to his game, and impressed Canada's coaches enough with his grit to earn him a spot on the roster and force Tom Wilson onto the outside of the bubble, which came as a surprise to just about, well, everyone. These three guys are great hockey players looking to make an impact on scouts while competing for their country.
(Update:) With Boone Jenner's 3-game suspension to start the tournament, Canada has many option to fill the void he leaves at the third line center position. Nate MacKinnon is likely to see more time at center as a result of his absence.
GERMANY
25 - Alexander Ackermann
15 - Leon Draisaitl
21 - Dominik Kahun
16 - Florin Ketterer
5 - Christian Kretschmann
14 - Nickolas Latta
17 - Andreas Pauli
11 - Leo Pföderl
20 - Dennis Reimer
22 - Tobias Rieder
9 - Huba Sekesi
23 - Frederik Tiffels
24 - Sebastian Uvira
Defensemen
10 - Steven Bär
6 - Maximilian Faber
4 - Henry Haase
27 - Kilian Keller
8 - Stephan Kronthaler
2 - Oliver Mebus
7 - Max Meirandres
Goalies
1 - Marvin Cüpper
29 - Philip Lehr
30 - Elmar Trautmann
Schedule:
vs Canada, Wednesday, December 26th, 4:30 am ET
vs USA, Thursday, December 27th, 9:00 am ET
vs Russia, Saturday, December 29th, 9:00 am ET
vs Slovakia, Sunday, December 30th, 9:00 am ET
Congratulations, Germany! You've replaced the relegated Netherlands, and now you're back in the big time, the U20 World Junior Championship! And guess what else, you'll be placed in a group with Russia, the United States, Slovakia, and Canada... Have fun!
Let's face it, Germany does not have much high-end talent and they've been tossed into the group of death with several hockey powerhouses. It would be unfair to the Germans to say they are the "just happy to be here" team, but the fact of the matter is, they better be as happy as they can before the tournament begins, because there's a good chance they won't be too happy when it's over.
Germany does have two strong players who will lead their forwards in their first World Juniors tournament since promotion, Tobias Rieder and 2013 draft hopeful Frederik Tiffels. Rieder is an Oilers prospect who likes to spend his time watching romantic comedies, baking snickerdoodle cookies, and scoring frequently for the Kitchener Rangers. Tiffels hasn't quite had the career Rieder has at this point in time, but he's been having a decent season as a member of the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL that has caught the eye of several scouts. He is also a cat person.
I took a lot of time to scout the Germans, as you can see.
RUSSIA
Forwards
25 - Mikhail Grigorenko
21 - Kirill Kapustin
19 - Alexander Khokhlachev
18 - Yaroslav Kosov
7 - Nikita Kucherov
11 - Yevgeni Mozer
15 - Valeri Nichushkin
8 - Maxim Shalunov
12 - Andrei Sigarev
17 - Anton Slephyshev
14 - Vladimir Tkachyov
10 - Nail Yakupov
26 - Daniil Zharkov
Defensemen
27 - Kirill Dyakov
28 - Yaroslav Dyblenko
29 - Pavel Koledov
22 - Andrei Mironov
9 - Nikita Nesterov
4 - Artem Sergeev
5 - Albert Yarullin
Goalies
20 - Andrey Makarov
1 - Igor Ustinsky
30 - Andrei Vasilevski
Schedule:
vs Slovakia, Wednesday, December 26th, 9:00 am ET
vs USA, Friday, December 28th, 9:00 am ET
vs Germany, Saturday, December 29th, 9:00 am ET
vs Canada, Monday, December 31st, 9:00 am ET
It seems like every year, the host country of the World Juniors is a legitimate contender to win it all. This year is no exception. Russia finished as the runner-up to Sweden last year after a sudden death overtime goal dashed their hopes of Gold, so they have a chip on their shoulder coming into this tournament. What's truly scary is not only are they a motivated squad with home ice advantage in every game, they appear to be even better than the silver medal earning team from last year, too.
Russia, never short on offensive talent, has premier forwards headlining their attack. Due to the pending NHL lockout, the first overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Nail Yakupov, is back for another stint with his country's junior team. Yakupov was a dynamic playmaker for Russia during the tournament in 2012, and he has a plethora of offensive weapons to set up again.
Mikhail Grigorenko is returning for Russia, a skilled power forward who is having a specular sophomore season with the Québec Remparts (50 points in 30 games). Daniil Zharkov, a close friend of Yakupov and fellow Oilers prospect, is joining the U20 team for the first time. The Belleville Bulls skillster has only 11 points in 30 games in the OHL this season, but his skill is top-notch. The problem with both of these guys is that their defensive games are inconsistent at best, and if they're not creating prime scoring opportunities, chances are they're being scored on.
Quite frankly, one could go on all day talking about the raw talent on the forwards' side of Russia's roster, but one other notable Russian forward is Valeri Nichuskin. Nichuskin is one of the top Russian-born prospects available in the upcoming 2013 draft and a favorite of TSN's Craig Button, but did not impress much during the Subway Series between his country and CHL teams. Nichuskin can expect to competition just like what he faced in that series, considering he's playing in the same group as Canada, the United States, and Slovakia.
Don't be fooled by the lack of NHL draftees on Russia's defense, these guys are loaded. If you're defense corps is strong enough that Nikita Zadorov, a gigantic, talented defensemen that scouts have been drooling over, can't even make the team, you're probably in good shape. Nikita Nesterov is the only member of this intimidating defense to be drafted by an NHL team (148th overall by Tampa Bay,) but offensive d-man Artem Sergeev of the Val-d'Or Foreurs and his pals will be quick to erase any doubts in your mind about their abilities. Then again, when your last line of defense is either Andrei Vasilevsky or Andrey Makarov, it can make looking good look so much easier than it really is.
The big question surrounding the Russian squad is one we will likely have answer to shortly into their first game, and that is: How exactly is their coach, Mikhail Varnakov, going to have them play!? During the Subway Series, Russia played a very controlled style that utilized a trap defense often. Russia ultimately won the Series, but the staff was still criticized by North American analysts, saying that the lack of creativity meant the team was not putting the skills of stars like Yakupov to good use, hindering his performance. One most keep in mind that the Russian coaches employed this strategy during a time when they had to play six games in a short period of time. Now that Russia is at home and does not have to worry about the grind of travel and can now work with a wider ice surface that tends to promote offense, it is still unclear what system the Russians will use. Will they go for offense or defense? Skill or stability? Creativity or crippling traps?
25 - Mikhail Grigorenko
21 - Kirill Kapustin
19 - Alexander Khokhlachev
18 - Yaroslav Kosov
7 - Nikita Kucherov
11 - Yevgeni Mozer
15 - Valeri Nichushkin
8 - Maxim Shalunov
12 - Andrei Sigarev
17 - Anton Slephyshev
14 - Vladimir Tkachyov
10 - Nail Yakupov
26 - Daniil Zharkov
Defensemen
27 - Kirill Dyakov
28 - Yaroslav Dyblenko
29 - Pavel Koledov
22 - Andrei Mironov
9 - Nikita Nesterov
4 - Artem Sergeev
5 - Albert Yarullin
Goalies
20 - Andrey Makarov
1 - Igor Ustinsky
30 - Andrei Vasilevski
Schedule:
vs Slovakia, Wednesday, December 26th, 9:00 am ET
vs USA, Friday, December 28th, 9:00 am ET
vs Germany, Saturday, December 29th, 9:00 am ET
vs Canada, Monday, December 31st, 9:00 am ET
It seems like every year, the host country of the World Juniors is a legitimate contender to win it all. This year is no exception. Russia finished as the runner-up to Sweden last year after a sudden death overtime goal dashed their hopes of Gold, so they have a chip on their shoulder coming into this tournament. What's truly scary is not only are they a motivated squad with home ice advantage in every game, they appear to be even better than the silver medal earning team from last year, too.
Russia, never short on offensive talent, has premier forwards headlining their attack. Due to the pending NHL lockout, the first overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Nail Yakupov, is back for another stint with his country's junior team. Yakupov was a dynamic playmaker for Russia during the tournament in 2012, and he has a plethora of offensive weapons to set up again.
Mikhail Grigorenko is returning for Russia, a skilled power forward who is having a specular sophomore season with the Québec Remparts (50 points in 30 games). Daniil Zharkov, a close friend of Yakupov and fellow Oilers prospect, is joining the U20 team for the first time. The Belleville Bulls skillster has only 11 points in 30 games in the OHL this season, but his skill is top-notch. The problem with both of these guys is that their defensive games are inconsistent at best, and if they're not creating prime scoring opportunities, chances are they're being scored on.
Quite frankly, one could go on all day talking about the raw talent on the forwards' side of Russia's roster, but one other notable Russian forward is Valeri Nichuskin. Nichuskin is one of the top Russian-born prospects available in the upcoming 2013 draft and a favorite of TSN's Craig Button, but did not impress much during the Subway Series between his country and CHL teams. Nichuskin can expect to competition just like what he faced in that series, considering he's playing in the same group as Canada, the United States, and Slovakia.
Don't be fooled by the lack of NHL draftees on Russia's defense, these guys are loaded. If you're defense corps is strong enough that Nikita Zadorov, a gigantic, talented defensemen that scouts have been drooling over, can't even make the team, you're probably in good shape. Nikita Nesterov is the only member of this intimidating defense to be drafted by an NHL team (148th overall by Tampa Bay,) but offensive d-man Artem Sergeev of the Val-d'Or Foreurs and his pals will be quick to erase any doubts in your mind about their abilities. Then again, when your last line of defense is either Andrei Vasilevsky or Andrey Makarov, it can make looking good look so much easier than it really is.
The big question surrounding the Russian squad is one we will likely have answer to shortly into their first game, and that is: How exactly is their coach, Mikhail Varnakov, going to have them play!? During the Subway Series, Russia played a very controlled style that utilized a trap defense often. Russia ultimately won the Series, but the staff was still criticized by North American analysts, saying that the lack of creativity meant the team was not putting the skills of stars like Yakupov to good use, hindering his performance. One most keep in mind that the Russian coaches employed this strategy during a time when they had to play six games in a short period of time. Now that Russia is at home and does not have to worry about the grind of travel and can now work with a wider ice surface that tends to promote offense, it is still unclear what system the Russians will use. Will they go for offense or defense? Skill or stability? Creativity or crippling traps?
SLOVAKIA
18 - Andrej Bires
19 - Marko Daňo
27 - Dominik Fujerik
10 - Denis Hudec
9 - Milan Kolena
29 - Matus Matis
13 - Tomas Mikus
25 - Bruno Mráz
14 - Richard Mráz
26 - Branislav Rapáč
20 - Martin Reway
17 - Michal Uhrík
Defensemen
12 - Emil Bagin
5 - David Bajanik
24 - Richard Buri
11 - Peter Čerešňák
28 - Karol Korim
16 - Patrik Luža
21 - Tomáš Nechala
6 - Tomáš Rusina
Goalies
2 - Adam Nagy
30 - Patrik Romančík
1 - Richard Sabol
Schedule:
vs Russia, Wednesday, December 26th, 9:00 am ET
vs Canada, Friday, December 28th, 4:30 am ET
vs Germany, Sunday, December 30th, 9:00 am ET
vs USA, Monday, December 31st, 5:00 am ET
Slovakia is a team without a distinct identity coming into the 2013 World Juniors Championship. The team has lost the services of offensive stars Tomáš Jurčo and Marek Tvrdoň, both Red Wings draft picks in 2011. In fact, only one of Slovakia's top five scorers from last year's tournament will be back, and that player is Rich Mráz, who only mustered one goal in six games. With loads of newcomers to the team, Slovakia will be looking to play spoiler in an extremely talented Group B.
Offensively, Slovakia has always had responsible two-way players that play well structurally. Historically though, the skill comes and goes in waves. This year appears to be a down year, so the Slovaks will have to rely on their smarts and the system implemented by their second-year coach, Ernest Bokros. Undrafted Tomas Mikus has been playing with Slovan Bratislava in the KHL, as has 2013 draft eligible Marko Daňo. Mikus, Daňo, and Rich Mráz will carry a lot of offensive responsibility for this team.
Peter Čerešňák, a 6th round selection by the New York Rangers in 2011, suited up for Slovakia at last year's tournament, but had a rough time. Čerešňák had zero points and was a -4 in six games. A year later, however, he has improved in many areas of the game, and his underrated puck-rushing and passing abilities will be better suited for the wider ice surface in Ufa as opposed to those in last year's competition. If Čerešňák is on his game, it will help get Slovakia much closer to winning games.
UNITED STATES
Forwards
18 - Cole Bardreau
16 - Riley Barber
22 - Tyler Biggs
15 - Alex Galchenyuk
13 - Johnny Gaudreau
23 - Rocco Grimaldi
21 - Ryan Hartman
7 - Sean Kuraly
12 - Mario Lucia
10 - JT Miller
20 - Blake Pietila
25 - Vince Trocheck
26 - Jim Vesey
Defensemen
14 - Shayne Gostisbehere
3 - Seth Jones
19 - Jake McCabe
5 - Connor Murphy
6 - Mike Reilly
27 - Pat Sieloff
8 - Jacob Trouba
Goalies
35 - John Gibson
30 - Jon Gillies
29 - Garret Sparks
Schedule:
vs Germany, Thursday, December 27th, 9:00 am ET
vs Russia, Friday, December 28th, 9:00 am ET
vs Canada, Sunday, December 30th, 4:30 am ET
vs Slovakia, Monday, December 31st, 5:00 am ET
Immediately when you look at the United States' roster, it reveals its greatest weakness. Inexperience. Only three players from the USA's 2012 World Juniors team are returning for the 2013 show in Ufa. JT Miller and Jacob Trouba are the only skaters with U20 World Juniors experience, and goalie John Gibson was the back-up to Jack Campbell at last year's tourney. However, US Head Coach Phil Housley didn't fill the voids left by last year's squad with some dusters from D-III schools.
Housley has gathered some of the best American-born players playing in the NCAA to wear the red, white and blue at the World Juniors. In fact, if you bring in players good enough to put 2012 first rounders Brady Skjei and Stefan Matteau on the wrong side of the final cuts, you've probably assembled a pretty darn good group of players.
The USA's first line is expected to be Grimaldi-Miller-Gaudreau, and if that is the case, the Americans have a very threatening first unit. Miller can provide plenty of strength and sandpaper to go along with his offensive skill. Gaudreau is one of the most skilled players in the NCAA. Grimaldi, who fell to the second round of the 2011 draft due to injury, used his blinding speed to rack up the points during his time playing together with Miller on the United States Top National Development Program in the USHL.
Alex Galchenyuk will also be counted on to produce offense consistently throughout the competition. Keep in mind, the super-skilled Galchenyuk was taken 3rd overall by the Montréal Canadiens at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft despite missing the entire 2011-12 season with a knee injury, and he's been dominating the OHL this year as captain of the Sarnia Sting, so expecting him to be a top contributor in his first World Juniors tournament is not that far fetched.
The defense, on the other hand, could be interesting. The top dogs, hard-hitting Jake Trouba, confident Connor Murphy, stay-at-home specialist Jake McCabe, and possible first overall selection Seth Jones should be more than reliable. The last two defenders though, may be more inconsistent, and may be taken advantage of. For example, in pre-tournament action, Mike Reilly, was caught making mistakes in his own zone on numerous occasions, and those bloopers often reflected negatively on the scoreboard for the USA.
The United States was torn apart by Finland after beating Sweden in pre-tournament play, as the team looked out-of-sorts and struggled mightily against the high-powered Finns. Will Coach Housley be able to get his extremely talented group of players to bounce back in time for group play, or will the inexperience of the newcomers result back-to-back disappointing finishes on the world's stage for America's U20 junior hockey team?
POST-PRELIMINARY ROUND SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals:
Group A 2nd Seed vs Group B 3rd Seed, Wednesday, January 2nd, 4:00 am ET
Group B 2nd Seed vs Group A 3rd Seed, Wednesday, Januray 2nd, 8:00 am ET
Semifinals:
Group B 1st Seed vs (Winner of QF Game 1), Thursday, January 3rd, 4:00 am ET
Group A 1st Seed vs (Winner of QF Game 2), Thursday, January 3rd, 8:00 am ET
Finals:
Saturday, January 5th, 8:00 am ET
Bronze Medal Game:
Saturday, January 5th, 4:00 am ET
Relegation Round:
4A vs 5B, Wednesday, January 2nd, 6:00 am ET
4B vs 5A, Thursday, January 3rd, 6:00 am ET
5B vs 5A, Friday, January 4th, 4:00 am ET
4A vs 4B, Friday, January 4th, 8:00 am ET
5th Place Game:
Friday, January 4th, 8:00 am ET
FINAL PREDICTIONS
Final Standings:
Gold- Finland
Silver- Canada
Bronze- Russia
4. Sweden
5. USA
6. Czech Republic
7. Switzerland
8. Slovakia
9. Latvia
10. Germany
Most Impactful Player on Each Team:
Canada: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Czech Republic: Martin Frk
Finland: Aleksander Barkov
Germany: Tobias Rieder
Latvia: Roberts Lipsbergs
Russia: Andrei Vasilevski
Slovakia: Tomas Mikus
Sweden: Filip Forsberg
Switzerland: Sven Andrighetto
USA: Alex Galchenyuk
16 - Riley Barber
22 - Tyler Biggs
15 - Alex Galchenyuk
13 - Johnny Gaudreau
23 - Rocco Grimaldi
21 - Ryan Hartman
7 - Sean Kuraly
12 - Mario Lucia
10 - JT Miller
20 - Blake Pietila
25 - Vince Trocheck
26 - Jim Vesey
Defensemen
14 - Shayne Gostisbehere
3 - Seth Jones
19 - Jake McCabe
5 - Connor Murphy
6 - Mike Reilly
27 - Pat Sieloff
8 - Jacob Trouba
Goalies
35 - John Gibson
30 - Jon Gillies
29 - Garret Sparks
Schedule:
vs Germany, Thursday, December 27th, 9:00 am ET
vs Russia, Friday, December 28th, 9:00 am ET
vs Canada, Sunday, December 30th, 4:30 am ET
vs Slovakia, Monday, December 31st, 5:00 am ET
Immediately when you look at the United States' roster, it reveals its greatest weakness. Inexperience. Only three players from the USA's 2012 World Juniors team are returning for the 2013 show in Ufa. JT Miller and Jacob Trouba are the only skaters with U20 World Juniors experience, and goalie John Gibson was the back-up to Jack Campbell at last year's tourney. However, US Head Coach Phil Housley didn't fill the voids left by last year's squad with some dusters from D-III schools.
Housley has gathered some of the best American-born players playing in the NCAA to wear the red, white and blue at the World Juniors. In fact, if you bring in players good enough to put 2012 first rounders Brady Skjei and Stefan Matteau on the wrong side of the final cuts, you've probably assembled a pretty darn good group of players.
The USA's first line is expected to be Grimaldi-Miller-Gaudreau, and if that is the case, the Americans have a very threatening first unit. Miller can provide plenty of strength and sandpaper to go along with his offensive skill. Gaudreau is one of the most skilled players in the NCAA. Grimaldi, who fell to the second round of the 2011 draft due to injury, used his blinding speed to rack up the points during his time playing together with Miller on the United States Top National Development Program in the USHL.
Alex Galchenyuk will also be counted on to produce offense consistently throughout the competition. Keep in mind, the super-skilled Galchenyuk was taken 3rd overall by the Montréal Canadiens at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft despite missing the entire 2011-12 season with a knee injury, and he's been dominating the OHL this year as captain of the Sarnia Sting, so expecting him to be a top contributor in his first World Juniors tournament is not that far fetched.
The defense, on the other hand, could be interesting. The top dogs, hard-hitting Jake Trouba, confident Connor Murphy, stay-at-home specialist Jake McCabe, and possible first overall selection Seth Jones should be more than reliable. The last two defenders though, may be more inconsistent, and may be taken advantage of. For example, in pre-tournament action, Mike Reilly, was caught making mistakes in his own zone on numerous occasions, and those bloopers often reflected negatively on the scoreboard for the USA.
The United States was torn apart by Finland after beating Sweden in pre-tournament play, as the team looked out-of-sorts and struggled mightily against the high-powered Finns. Will Coach Housley be able to get his extremely talented group of players to bounce back in time for group play, or will the inexperience of the newcomers result back-to-back disappointing finishes on the world's stage for America's U20 junior hockey team?
POST-PRELIMINARY ROUND SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals:
Group A 2nd Seed vs Group B 3rd Seed, Wednesday, January 2nd, 4:00 am ET
Group B 2nd Seed vs Group A 3rd Seed, Wednesday, Januray 2nd, 8:00 am ET
Semifinals:
Group B 1st Seed vs (Winner of QF Game 1), Thursday, January 3rd, 4:00 am ET
Group A 1st Seed vs (Winner of QF Game 2), Thursday, January 3rd, 8:00 am ET
Finals:
Saturday, January 5th, 8:00 am ET
Bronze Medal Game:
Saturday, January 5th, 4:00 am ET
Relegation Round:
4A vs 5B, Wednesday, January 2nd, 6:00 am ET
4B vs 5A, Thursday, January 3rd, 6:00 am ET
5B vs 5A, Friday, January 4th, 4:00 am ET
4A vs 4B, Friday, January 4th, 8:00 am ET
5th Place Game:
Friday, January 4th, 8:00 am ET
FINAL PREDICTIONS
Final Standings:
Gold- Finland
Silver- Canada
Bronze- Russia
4. Sweden
5. USA
6. Czech Republic
7. Switzerland
8. Slovakia
9. Latvia
10. Germany
Most Impactful Player on Each Team:
Canada: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Czech Republic: Martin Frk
Finland: Aleksander Barkov
Germany: Tobias Rieder
Latvia: Roberts Lipsbergs
Russia: Andrei Vasilevski
Slovakia: Tomas Mikus
Sweden: Filip Forsberg
Switzerland: Sven Andrighetto
USA: Alex Galchenyuk
