so the world juniors starts in 4 days, but there are already exhibition games going on.
Most of the teams with fans on here have players in this tournament. This is IMO the best chance to see the kind of players your teams drafted and some draft eligible players.
Czech Republic is loaded: Martin Necas (CAR), Martin Kaut (COL), Zadina (DET) = all three were 1st round picks, Zadina and Kaut last year, Necas in 2017.
but they're not the favorites.
IMO Canada is.
Owen Tippett (FLA), Nick Suzuki (MTL), Joe Veleno (DET), Bouchard (EDM), Dobson (NYI), Brook (MTL), Ty Smith (NJD), Frost (PHI), Hayton (ARI), probably the best goalie prospect in Cody Glass and the 2020 (yes 2020) projected #1 pick with Alexis Lafreniere, - Canada is absolutely loaded, right now it's Canada then everyone else.
USA has some great talent too, highlighted by:
projected 2019 #1 overall pick Jack Hughes, but also his older brother Quinn Hughes (VAN)
K'Andre Miller (NYR)
Dylan Samberg (BUF)
Mattias Samuelsson (BUF - Kjell's son, Ulf's nephew)
Joel Farabee (PHI)
Josh Norris (OTT)
Ryan Poehling (MTL)
Oliver Whalstrom (NYI)
and solid goalies (Cayden Primeau (MTL) - Keith's son) and Spencer Knight - draft eligible - not sure who the primary goalie will be)
and I've mentioned him before, but one of my favorite players to watch is 5'3" Sean Dhooghe. He has everything you want in a hockey player, other than of course...height. He's 2019 draft eligible, not sure if he gets drafted or not, but I love to watch him play, I hope he gets ice time.
NCAA leading scorer Evan Barratt (Penn state) (CHI) is also on the team and could show some people what that means.
Other teams/prospects to watch:
Finland:
Kupari (LAK)
Ylonen (MTL)
Kakko (draft eligible, #2 ranked player right now)
Tolvanen (NSH), hard to believe he's still in this tournament, seems like I've been hearing about him forever.
Russia:
Kravstov, NYR
Podkolzin, draft eligible
Romonov (MTL)
Slovakie:
Cajcovik (lit this tourney up last year, one of my favorite players in the 2019 draft)
Sweden:
Boqvist (CHI)
Broberg - draft eligible
Lundqvist, NYR
I'm sure I missed some players too.
USA schedule (All games on NHL Network):
12/26: vs Slovakia @6:30 PM ET
12/28: vs Kazakhstan @10:30 PM ET
12/29: vs Sweden @10:30 PM ET
12/31: vs Finland @10:30 PM ET
QF: 1/2
SF: 1/4
Medal Games: 1/5
Link to the IIHF website is below.
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Music to my ears
Klim Kostin (their Captain) the worst. Someone should have pulled him off the ice, they knew the cameras would be all over him.
Like Starman said well, for many of these players, this is the end of their amateur careers. many have been playing with and against each other for 5 or 6 years in international tourneys and now it ends and in a close game like this emotions take hold.
no reason the cameras need to be on him like that, but i get it.
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best player on the ice for either team this game
Music to my ears
couldn't finish though. he had so many shot and scoring chances.
he was physical, good with the puck, all over the ice on the forecheck and even back checked.
if he was able to finish a couple of those chances Russia is playing for gold.
still, he was the best player IMO.
Yes. Another Habs prospect (Ylonen) scored the early goal on the turnover.
That's some massive size for Juniors. Samuellson 6'4 220, Miller 6'4" 210.
US missed a golden opportunity on the PP, Poehling fed across to Chmelevski couldn't bury it.
US going to the PK now.
Primeau shining.
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as was Primeau (MTL).
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Were both 7 round picks.
as was Primeau (MTL).
Aren't you pleased ;)
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In comment 14248823 Jay in Toronto said:
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Were both 7 round picks.
as was Primeau (MTL).
Aren't you pleased ;)
Hard to know, goalies are the hardest players to project in these tourneys IMO, but he looks great.
Canadiens traded back into the draft with the Flyers just to take Primeau. they really liked him I him I guess.
Back to the PP
Fins to the PP
Need to generate more offense.
They're being too cute with the puck and looking for the perfect shot. they need to get traffic in front and just shoot.
Fins up 2 - 0
US cuts the deficit to 1.
Norris buries it.
All tied up.
Crowd is disappointed.
Fins have most of the momentum right now.
Kaapo Kakko.
They deserved it other than the goal the refs robbed from the US.
Finland gets the Swedes.
maybe he's injured somewhat. He missed a couple game with undisclosed injury.
I thought he looked better than Kaapo Kakko who wasn't very noticeable until the end.
Past two games Hughes looked small, easily knocked off the puck, couldn't take the physical pounding, and his speed wasn't enough to negate it.
And I was very disappointed in Quinn Hughes. Terrible puck management. Great skater, not great with his decisions.
Apparently the IIHF has some bizarre rules about players being in the crease. I guess the ref thought that the playw was dead as soon as the US player entered the crease? I dunno, those rules seem ridiculous. Congrats to the Finns though.
Russian goalie got best goalie - which very easily could have gone to Primeau or the Canadiens would have swept the "best" players.
Rangers prospects had a good showing IMO.
The Flyers had players all over this tournament.