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.
Link - (
New Window )
USA over Canada in the final.
USA over Canada in the final.
Last year I felt the US or Sweden had the best team. And of course Canada wins with what I thought was a down year for them, from a talent standpoint.
Carter Hart was unreal. Canada was deep and I loved Kyrou's speed, but didn't think they had super star talent per se.
This year they definitely do.
USA will have a tough time making out of their bracket with Sweden and Finland.
Just need to hope Canada doesn't lose to the Czech's so they avoid Canada until the finals (assuming US comes in 1st or 2nd in group B)
Canada is loaded up and down the roster, but I think Quinn Hughes may be the best defenseman in this tournament.
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Their defense is incredible. I've read that Ty Smith and Noah Dobson have been paired together frequently and are likely to be the top pairing.
Canada is loaded up and down the roster, but I think Quinn Hughes may be the best defenseman in this tournament.
You're probably right. You do know far more than I do on the subject. I'm disappointed that D Reilly Walsh didn't make the roster. He is having a great sophomore season with Harvard with 5 goals and 7 assists in 11 games. Apparently the USA coaching staff wasn't confident in his progress defensively.
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In comment 14229304 Jay on the Island said:
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Their defense is incredible. I've read that Ty Smith and Noah Dobson have been paired together frequently and are likely to be the top pairing.
Canada is loaded up and down the roster, but I think Quinn Hughes may be the best defenseman in this tournament.
You're probably right. You do know far more than I do on the subject. I'm disappointed that D Reilly Walsh didn't make the roster. He is having a great sophomore season with Harvard with 5 goals and 7 assists in 11 games. Apparently the USA coaching staff wasn't confident in his progress defensively.
I just know the guys we're talking about. Dobson, Smith, Bouchard, Hughes, etc...all awesome. Offensively, none skate like Hughes though so he'l stand out. Defensively they all probably have an edge on him, but in a tourney like this offense rules (for getting attention).
I love Adam Fox from Harvard as a prospect. Calgary pick traded to CAR in the Hamilton trade.
For a non top 2 round draft pick I think he'll contribute in the NHL.
He's a Jr though now, so I'd be nervous he goes back to school. If he goes for his Sr. season I think there's a good chance he becomes a FA (like Vesey, Hayes, Butcher, etc.)
No, I don't think anyone that short was drafted, but I don't know. I definitely don't think he'd get drafted early, if he gets drafted at all, but watch the tournament. he plays bigger than his size. I think that might work at NCAA, but not in the NHL, but we'll find out.
So Ranger prospects:
Miller on Team USA, Kravtsov for Russia, Lundkvist (probably) & Ragnarsson for Sweden & Nico Gross for Switzerland.
Here is the schedule. Starts Wednesday
Looks like the US play 13:30 EST
Link - ( New Window )
So Ranger prospects:
Miller on Team USA, Kravtsov for Russia, Lundkvist (probably) & Ragnarsson for Sweden & Nico Gross for Switzerland.
Dhooghe cut too. Oh well.
Everyone on the roster besides those two have been drafted or signed by an NHL team.
7 1st round picks.
4 2nd round picks
2 3rd round picks
over half the team picked in the first 3 rounds of the draft (2018 and 2017).
Highest picks are Quinn Hughes (#7 overall in '18) and Oliver Wahlstrom (#11 overall in '18). Though Jack Hughes expected to go #1 this coming draft.
I am not a Whalers fan, but grew up in CT and their leave was not celebratory event. there is almost no connection between the Whalers and Hurricanes except maybe a couple hundred die hard fans, but even still I have to believe they view this not a as a tribute, but as a slap in the face.
Only good things to come out of this was a "Whalers" win and we got to hear Brass Bonanza (Whalers theme song) after 5 goals. Plus see the best uniforms in sports.
Sorry, this is not world juniors related, but I didn't want to start a thread for it.
Quinn Hughes (VAN) and Josh Norris (OTT via Karlsson trade) named alternates.
Anderson's brother Joey (NJD) was captain last year of the bronze medal team. Mikey was on that team too.
Games start tomorrow.
Meant Michael Dipietro. He reminds me a little of Carter Hart, the Flyers youngster who stole this tourney last year.
Glass is an awesome prospect and I meant to include him in the talent and depth Canada has, but he's not a goalie. Glass is a C, drafted by LVG.
I'll put that line up against any line in the tournament.
Not sure about the European teams, but not on USA or CAN.
there are a few draft eligible goalies, but I don't know about any free agents. I bet there are some on some of the Euro teams.
Free stream - ( New Window )
Holy pubes.
W is a W and in this tourney that's all that matters, but man that was ugly.
Quinn Hughes best player on the ice. Jack Hughes flashed his greatness, Barratt, Poehling, Robertson, Madden, Miller, Samberg all looked good at times.
Wahlstrom looked apathetic, Farabee too, didn't even realized he played until he took a penalty, and some others were invisible.
USA plays like this vs Sweden and Finland it will be a short tourney for them, since they'll likely move on once they beat Kazakstan, but playing Canada in the QF would be bad.
Hard to remember sometimes that players like Jack Hughes, who is 17 years old can play in this tournament 2 more times (but obviously won't) and in some cases they're playing against 19 year-olds. 17 to 19 can be a big physical difference. Players like Brady Tkachuk, Rasmus Dahlin, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Andrei Svechnikov, Filip Chytil, Robert Thomas, Nico Hischier, etc. can still be in this tournament.
Canada has a lot of 19 year olds I believe. US has a few.
No, I watched the game first before checking in here. I wouldn't have cared anyway.
I liked the US goalie too. I thought Spencer Knight would start, but this kid played well.
both penalty shots were horse shit calls, even for IIHF where they generally call a much tighter game.
Here is a free stream link of today's games.
Stream World Juniors - ( New Window )
Romonov? didn't see this game, my daughter had a game same time.
Joel Farabee who I criticized after game 1 responded with a hatty (natural) and other than giving up the two goals USA the game was not a contest in any way.
Now it gets interesting.
USA vs Sweden tonight at 10:30 ET and then Finland on New Yesr's Eve at 10:30 ET.
USA vs Sweden could be for #1 seed in group b, because Sweden already beat Finland. If US beats the Swedes I think they'll win Group B no matter what they do vs the Fins.
not 100% sure of the tiebreakers, but this is the pivotal game nonetheless.
Down 1 - 0 almost halfway through the game.
No Jack Hughes again for the US.
No offense or sustained pressure for the US.
Now 2 - 0 as I type this.