05-06 World Junior Favourites

[Letang fan 58]

What teams are going to be favoured to medal and win this years World Junior Tourney?

Will the States be picked as number one team going in? Will Canada be picked for a medal ?

Will Canada play over their heads and steal the tourney?

Click to read more...

 

[VanW27]

What teams are going to be favoured to medal and win this years World Junior Tourney?

Will the States be picked as number one team going in? Will Canada be picked for a medal ?

Will Canada play over their heads and steal the tourney?

To me the Top 4, will be US, Finland, Canada and Russia in no particular order. the Americans are the favorite but Finland also should have a strong team and as always Canada and Russia will be in contention.

 

[nomorekids]

I'm hoping Radulov plays for Russia, would love to see him in action again.

 

[ryz]

You would have to think that the US would be the favorite comming in, but that really doesn't mean anything. I'd be suprised if Canada doesn't medal..... they always do.

 

[Nash]

USA should be the favorite going into this tournament. Russia has several returning players. Finland has some top players returning as well. Canada doesn't have an experienced group with only one returnee in Cam Barker and he didn't play that much. That being said, Bourdon, Pouliot & Latendresse almost made their NHL teams. Wolski played 9 games. Brule will probably be made available, especially now that CBJ has Fedorov. Canada's team won't be nearly as weak as some might think. They won't be near as good as last year's team, but has any team ever been that good in the WJC?

I'd rank it prior to the tournament as ...
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Russia
4. Finland

I know I will be flamed by US posters, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a Canada/Russia Gold medal game. After the extremely poor selection/showing last year, I don't have a lot of faith in USA Hockey to field the team they should. How they left Johnson & Ryan off the team last year and how they played Shremp so unwillingly makes me question how far they may be capable of going with that type of direction from the top.

 

[canucksfan]

USA, Russia, Canada and Finland all have good shots at winning gold. Canada has a good shot getting gold. I can't see them not getting a medal. Right now I would pick the USA to get the gold. Canada with silver and Finland will get the bronze.

 

[Letang fan 58]

I think that the States will be favoured for gold going in to the tourney, I also think that it will come down to Canada vs States in the gold medal game and wouldnt be surprised to see Canada upset them on Canadian soil.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Canada are still favorites

 

[Vinland]

Canada are still favorites

yes by you maybe but you like David Ruzicka as this years top defenseman in the draft.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

yes by you maybe but you like David Ruzicka as this years top defenseman in the draft.

Easy to criticize now bud, come back in 5 years. Canada always blows away competition in terms of depth and this year is no difference. When Someone like McGrath who has tore apart the OHL may not make the team and Mueller who is a PPG player may play 2nd line for USA that just shows the depth.

 

[Zine]

Canada are still favorites

Ummm....no

I think most educated hockey fans acknowledge that the USA brings the most talent/experience to the tourney this year....enough to make them the favorites. Especially considering that Crosby and Malkin aren't playing. Doesn't mean anything though as the US, Canada, Russia, and Finland all could realistically win it.

 

[Vinland]

Easy to criticize now bud, come back in 5 years. Canada always blows away competition in terms of depth and this year is no difference. When Someone like McGrath who has tore apart the OHL may not make the team and Mueller who is a PPG player may play 2nd line for USA that just shows the depth.

If Canada wins I will not be surprised and won't mind at all as I will be there but the USA is a clear favorite going in.

 

[Maithz]

Canada are still favorites

I agree , Canada has more depth .

 

[octopi]

What teams are going to be favoured to medal and win this years World Junior Tourney?

Will the States be picked as number one team going in? Will Canada be picked for a medal ?

Will Canada play over their heads and steal the tourney?

Russia has something like 10 or 12 guys returning, Canada was much older and only have 2 returning. Impossible to say who has the advantage, but I'd guess we have a good chance of seeing another Canada /Russia final. (Malkin will most likely not play as he is going to be on the Russian national team for the Olympics in February)

 

[Slitty]

Russia will win, if they can get their few AHL (possibly later on in the season NHL) guys released. Even without them, Russia would have a competitive team. Malkin is almost certainly not going to play because of the Olympics .

 

[canucksfan]

What's the deal with Malkin? Why can't he play if he will play in the olympics?

 

[octopi]

What's the deal with Malkin? Why can't he play if he will play in the olympics?

He can, but he would probably get exhaused, he is also playing the regular season in the RSL, so he'd be playing those games, the world junior, and the Olympics.

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

Finland will do well, they're doing what they did 2 seasons ago before the home tournament, they're playing the u-20 national team against professional/semi-professional men in the division.

Should give another team with a capital T and a readiness to withstand physical play.

 

[HabLover]

Ummm....no

I think most educated hockey fans acknowledge that the USA brings the most talent/experience to the tourney this year....enough to make them the favorites. Especially considering that Crosby and Malkin aren't playing. Doesn't mean anything though as the US, Canada, Russia, and Finland all could realistically win it.

The Russians will be just as experienced as Team USA and for that matter Team Finland will also return a bunch of players, so the Americans don't have much of an advantage in that area. As well, a number of returning players for the Americans barely played last year in the tourney.

The Russians will have just as much talent as the Americans, even without Malkin. Team Canada will also have just as much talent and man for man they will be as good as anyone in the tourney. The Czechs could also make some noise in this tourney, I think they could return 7 players or more, led by Frolik.

It will be interesting once each country names their squad and the comparisons can be made. As you stated though, there are probably 4 teams that could realistically win the gold!

 

[Spectacular_Bid]

Easy to criticize now bud, come back in 5 years. Canada always blows away competition in terms of depth and this year is no difference. When Someone like McGrath who has tore apart the OHL may not make the team and Mueller who is a PPG player may play 2nd line for USA that just shows the depth.

Mueller will not be a second liner, I'm thinking he's more like the 13th forward on this team. As far as depth, I think you are a little confused when you say Canada "blows away the competition" as far as this year. I would have agreed with that statement last year.

 

[Roughneck]

Who does Finland have returning?

Tukonen, Nokelainen, Korpikoski, Seitsonen, Joensu, Rask, Laakso I know of.

Not bad top end players, they could definitely pull an upset.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Mueller will not be a second liner, I'm thinking he's more like the 13th forward on this team. As far as depth, I think you are a little confused when you say Canada "blows away the competition" as far as this year. I would have agreed with that statement last year.

He's no doubt using that most familiar of refrains: We're Canada, we can ice 35,000,000,000 competitive teams! The problem is, that doesn't always mean much when it comes to what amounts to a finalized roster featured in a best-on-best tournament. Canada will of course ice a talented team this year, but the best? I don't think so.

 

[flambers]

Canada is always a contender to win a gold metal but the other team I think that has a great chance is the States.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Defense:
Barker
Bourdon
Staal
Rogers
Fistric
Parent
Schultz

That defense core is all first rounders

Even on an off year that is still the best defense in the tourney. Tag that with great goaltending and I feel we are the favorite no matter what forwards we ice.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Defense:
Barker
Bourdon
Staal
Rogers
Fistric
Parent
Schultz

That defense core is all first rounders

Even on an off year that is still the best defense in the tourney. Tag that with great goaltending and I feel we are the favorite no matter what forwards we ice.

The same exact thing can be said for the U.S. Johnson, Lee, Lashoff, Niskanen and Thelen were all 1st rounders with guys like Sauer, Chorney, and Hagemo being 2nd rounders. Add to those guys Erik Johnson and Mark Mitera who will be high 1st rounders this year and we have a pretty high-profile defense. I don't anticipate goaltending to be an issue with Schneider and Frazee/Bishop.