Ice Hockey
In the Italian night one of the most followed hockey events in North America began: the 2018 World Junior Championship.
Thursday 27 December 2018 10 minutes reading time
This is an international tournament in which the representatives of 10 national Under 20 teams are challenged, which in this edition will take place in the cities of Vancouver and Victoria.
Started, as usual, the evening of Boxing Day, it will end with the final for the gold medal on January 5, 2019 at the Rogers Arena, home of the Vancouver Canucks.
The WJC is an opportunity for young players, many of whom are already drafted or even already holders in the NHL teams' lineups, to show off their talent.
In the past edition, the absolute protagonists were Casey Mittlestadt (USA - Sabers), Kieffer Bellows (USA - NY Islanders), Martin Necas (CZE - Hurricanes), Filip Zadina (CZE - Red Wings), Sam Steele (CAN - Ducks) , Jordan Kyrou (CAN - Blues), Brady Tkhachuk (USA - Senators), and debutant goalie a few days ago in NHL, Carter Hart (CAN - Flyers).
The format of this year includes two groups of 5 teams each, and the first 4 classified of each will go to the quarterfinals.
This year the groups are as follows:
Pool A
Canada
Czech Republic
Switzerland
Russia
Denmark
Pool B
Sweden
USA
Finland
Kazakhstan
Slovakia
Let us pause briefly on the players to keep an eye on the main national teams (you will forgive me if I will limit myself to the most accredited teams).
Team Canada
This year the Canadians will try to repeat the success of last year, obtained against Sweden (3 to 1 the final result).
Whether it's the Olympics, the Senior World Championships or the Junior World Championships, the Canadian roster is always a real dream team.
The offensive options seem infinte. The most anticipated players are certainly Maxime Comtois (Ducks), Nick Suzuki (Canadiens), Cody Glass (Golden Knights), Barrett Hayton (Coyotes) and Owen Tippett (Panthers).
Leading the defense, the very strong Evan Bouchard, already owner in the Oilers, and the prospects TY Smith (Devils) and Noah Dobson (NY Islanders). Among the poles Michael Di Pietro, future goalie of the Vancouver Canucks.
Team USA
The US representative team wants to avenge last year's semi-final outing against Sweden and to do so will rely on the talent of the Hughes brothers.
However, it will have to do without the protagonists of last year, Barrett Hayton, Casey Mittlestad (now out of quota) and Brady Tkachuk, to which the Senators did not want to give their approval.
In any case, Jack Hughes will take care of the void left by the most expert, saving sensational twists and he will be the 1st overall choice for the next draft, Oliver Whalstrom (NY Islanders), Joel Farabee (Flyers) and the "veterans" Ryan Poehling (Canadiens) and Josh Norris (Senators).
The defense is the strong point, with Quinn Hughes (Canucks), Mickey Andersson (Kings) and Dylan Samberg (Jets) who have already participated in the World Cup last year, gaining experience.
Cayden Primeau (Canadiens) and Keith Petruzzelli (Red Wings) will split the role of goalie
Sweden
The revelation team of the last edition will have this year to do without the older players, now out of proportion or busy with the NHL teams (see Rasmus Dahlin).
The attack is certainly the most fragile department of the Swedish national team, in which we find the only Isac Lundestrom to be selected in the first lap of an entry draft (Ducks, with the 23rd absolute).
Discourse diametrically opposed in defense where the talent certainly does not lack: Erik Bransstrom (Golden Knight) who is already doing big things in AHL, will lead the defensive phase together with Adam Boqvist (8th overall choice of Blackhawks) and the two players drafted by Toronto, Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren.
Russia
The Russians, veterans of a defeat in the quarterfinals by the hand of the United States, put their hopes on the attacker Vitali Kravtsov, 1st choice (9th overall) of the NY Rangers at the last entry draft; in his second season in KHL, the 19 year old has already put on the score 17 points in 33 games. Next to him, Klim Kostin (Blues) will also return to the WJC, which in the last edition was the protagonist with 8 points in 5 games.
Czech Republic
The Czechs, after the elimination in the semifinals last year against Canada, will once again try to be the loose cannon of the tournament, thanks to the BIG3 that already proved to be dominant last year.
Martin Necas (Hurricanes), after a WJC 2018 in which he scored 11 points in 7 races, this year in AHL is putting together numbers of real talent (22 points in 26 games with the Charlotte Checkers); Filip Zadina, selected by the Red Wings with the 6th overall choice in the 2018 draft, achieved 8 points in 7 games in the last edition, even if in the rookie season in AHL he's struggling a bit; Martin Kaut, chosen in the first round by Colorado with the 16th overall choice.
Among the poles will play the prospect Jakub Skarek (NY Islanders), which is spending the first year among the senior in the Finnish championship, with good results (2.02 GAA and .912 SV%).
Finland
The Scandinavians will try to do better than last year, eliminated in the quarters against the Czech Republic.
In this edition they will be able to count on some great names like the attackers Aleksi Heponiemi (Panthers), Eeli Tolvanen (Predators), Santeri Virtanen (Jets) and especially on defender Henri Jokiharju who this season has carved out a fixed place in the Blackhawks lineup and that Chicago has agreed to "lend" to the national team.
The captain of the Finnish team will be the Aarne Talvitie (Devils), who is playing an excellent season in the NCAA in the ranks of Penn State.
The U20 World Championship is a spectacular and fun event, which we recommend everyone to follow!
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