WJC: Predictions for U20 WJC 2023/2024

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

Gold: Canada
Silver: USA
Bronze: Sweden

 

[ORRFForever]

Gold: Canada
Silver: USA
Bronze: Sweden

Nice to see posters predicting Canada. It would be amazing if we won.

I still have :

Gold : Sweden (at home)
Silver : USA
Bronze : Canada - not bad for a team losing such BIG names.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Bronze : Canada - not bad for a team losing such BIG names.

u mean like sweden losing leo carlsson and possible noah östlund?

 

[ORRFForever]

u mean like sweden losing leo carlsson and possible noah östlund?

1 (maybe 2) is not the same as 6. But, having said that, I believe ALL U20 players should be released by their NHL teams to play.

 

[Czechboy]

1 (maybe 2) is not the same as 6. But, having said that, I believe ALL U20 players should be released by their NHL teams to play.

I feel like that about AHLers for the Skoda's too!

 

[ORRFForever]

I feel like that about AHLers for the Skoda's too!

 

[alko]

Now is the best time, that Slovakia wins their first ever game vs Canada => Gold for Slovakia.

 

[kutka]

I went through the bottom 6 rosters and surprisingly enough there's not much that separates them. Switzerland, Slovakia and Norway can all end up in the relegation battle, with Switzerland and Norway being roughly on par while Slovakia looks a tiny bit better on paper.

Latvia and Germany are in that same tier. There's not a single team that stands out as being the weakest, which is unseen at this level.

If Switzerland ends up missing Bichsel, I would even go as far as agreeing with Eye of Ra.

Pekarcik is 1. in ppg in USHL while at least 15 gp, mesar and dvorsky are 2nd and 3rd in ppg in OHL, while at least 15 gp,honzek also started strong- 3 first round picks btw. In your predicted roster 6 forwards and 2 defencman are from semi-pro leagues, and in whole roster there are only 2 drafted players. Now im not saying latvia will preform badly but on paper they are nowhere near close slovakia. Switzerland and germany are also slightly better.

 

[Eye of Ra]

1 (maybe 2) is not the same as 6. But, having said that, I believe ALL U20 players should be released by their NHL teams to play.

Difference is that Canada have a larger group of players to choose from, Canada is a bigger hockey nation than Sweden, and have far more registred players, Sweden missing 2 can be compared to Canada missing 6

 

[ORRFForever]

Difference is that Canada have a larger group of players to choose from, Canada is a bigger hockey nation than Sweden, and have far more registred players, Sweden missing 2 can be compared to Canada missing 6

You worry about getting rid of that God awful avatar and I'll worry about Canada's Junior Team.

 

[Jakub97]

I would love to share my predictions:



1. USA
2. SWE
3. SVK (more like a wish)
4. CAN
5. FIN
6. CZE
7. LAT
8. NOR
9. GER
10. SUI


We know that Canada has issues with performing well in Europe.
Moreover, without Bedard, the team wouldn´t be as dominant as it could.
However, let´s not forget that it is Canada after all.
I won´t be surprised If they win the final again.

USA seems to me like N.1 team. It will be nasty roster.

Sweden obviously strong + home ground can help.

We (Slovakia) could have had the greatest team ever with Slafkovský and Nemec, but it is not gonna happen.

Anyway, I want to believe that we can make some buzz this year.
Ideally, FINALLY wih the win against Canada in the bronze medal game.


Finland and Czechia have definitely chance to slide into top 4 as any year.

The bottom 4 will suprise this year. I chear for Norway and Latvia.
They will win their important games, sliding into QF.

Germany will meet Switzerland and as we know, Swiss have troubles to play against Germans.

 

[jj cale]

I would love to share my predictions:



1. USA
2. SWE
3. SVK (more like a wish)
4. CAN
5. FIN
6. CZE
7. LAT
8. NOR
9. GER
10. SUI


We know that Canada has issues with performing well in Europe.
Moreover, without Bedard, the team wouldn´t be as dominant as it could.
However, let´s not forget that it is Canada after all.
I won´t be surprised If they win the final again.

USA seems to me like N.1 team. It will be nasty roster.

Sweden obviously strong + home ground can help.

We (Slovakia) could have had the greatest team ever with Slafkovský and Nemec, but it is not gonna happen.

Anyway, I want to believe that we can make some buzz this year.
Ideally, FINALLY wih the win against Canada in the bronze medal game.


Finland and Czechia have definitely chance to slide into top 4 as any year.

The bottom 4 will suprise this year. I chear for Norway and Latvia.
They will win their important games, sliding into QF.

Germany will meet Switzerland and as we know, Swiss have troubles to play against Germans.

At this point i have to think it is an amnesia issue with some european fans because Canada does not have issues performing well in europe, they win tournaments there on a regular basis, the last time this tournament was in europe Canada won gold, and the current champion of the annual world championships always held in europe?..........you guessed it, Canada, and we have been in the finals there for like 4 or 5 years in a row now. Cripes, where have some of you been for the last 30 or so years?

Its just bizarre.

 

[Jakub97]

At this point i have to think it is an amnesia issue with some european fans because Canada does not have issues performing well in europe, they win tournaments there on a regular basis, the last time this tournament was in europe Canada won gold, and the current champion of the annual world championships always held in europe?..........you guessed it, Canada, and we have been in the finals there for like 4 or 5 years in a row now. Cripes, where have some of you been for the last 30 or so years?

Its just bizarre.

2013 (Played in Russia) - Can 4th
2014 (Played in Sweden) - Can 4th
2016 (Played in Finland) - Can 6th
2020 (Played in Czechia) - Canada Golden


I am sorry If it has been disrespectful. I didn´t mean that. We would only WISH to have this kind of achievement.

However, out of the last 4 championships in Europe you have taken one gold medal.
That isn´t as dominant as you can get at home or in the US.

With all due respect.

I still think that our chances of winning any medal are equal to chances of Canada not taking any medal.

 

[jj cale]

2013 (Played in Russia) - Can 4th
2014 (Played in Sweden) - Can 4th
2016 (Played in Finland) - Can 6th
2020 (Played in Czechia) - Canada Golden


I am sorry If it has been disrespectful. I didn´t mean that. We would only WISH to have this kind of achievement.

However, out of the last 4 championships in Europe you have taken one gold medal.
That isn´t as dominant as you can get at home or in the US.

With all due respect.

I still think that our chances of winning any medal are equal to chances of Canada not taking any medal.

As with every team out there, we dont win every year.

 

[ORRFForever]

I would love to share my predictions:

1. USA

We know that Canada has issues with performing well in Europe.

You could say the same thing about the U.S. but you picked them first.

 

[Czechboy]

2013 (Played in Russia) - Can 4th
2014 (Played in Sweden) - Can 4th
2016 (Played in Finland) - Can 6th
2020 (Played in Czechia) - Canada Golden


I am sorry If it has been disrespectful. I didn´t mean that. We would only WISH to have this kind of achievement.

However, out of the last 4 championships in Europe you have taken one gold medal.
That isn´t as dominant as you can get at home or in the US.

With all due respect.

I still think that our chances of winning any medal are equal to chances of Canada not taking any medal.

You weren't disrespectul at all.

You stated an opinion
You backed it with fact

Well done

 

[ORRFForever]

You weren't disrespectul at all.

You stated an opinion
You backed it with fact

Well done

Yes. No need to apologize, @Jakub97 - the posters in the International Forum are a pretty good group of guys. But, once you get out of this forum, all bets are off.

 

[Jakub97]

You could say the same thing about the U.S. but you picked them first.

The US while playing in Europe:

2013 (in Russia) - 1st - Gold
2014 (in Sweden) - 5th
2016 (in Finland) - 3rd - Bronze
2020 (in Czechia) - 6th

Canada has won one less bronze medal than them, but they have missed the SF twice.

 

[jj cale]

Happy

You weren't disrespectul at all.

You stated an opinion
You backed it with fact

Well done

No

You weren't disrespectul at all.

You stated an opinion
You backed it with fact

Well done

Disrespectful.......no. but fact based not really. You can not have been watching international hockey for quite some time now and still hold onto this old narrative that canada struggles in europe with all the victories they score there on a regular basis. He cherry picked a few tournaments to make it look like he was correct but leaves out all the wins in europe at the wjc such as 1985 1988 1990 1993 1994 1997 2007 2020. That is an awful lot of wins in europe for a team that supposedly struggles in europe and that is just wins in europe at the wjc, i wont get into wins at the senior level in europe which you and others are well acquainted with. He also neglects to point out the losses canada has had in tournaments in north america such as 1986 2003 2010 2012 2017 2019. Does that mean they somewhat struggle there also? At some point fans have to stop their bermuda triangle like stretching of so called facts in order to keep alive a myth that really doesnt exist and this one still clung to by european fans is one of the most annoying.....sort of like the old don cherry europeans have no heart one must be for european fans when they still hear it. Keep in mind here.......the real truth is that when teams lose it isnt usually because of what location they were playing in, it is because other teams were simply better that year. So again, it appears he didnt mean to be disrespectful but fact based? Ah.......no.

 

[Gold Standard]

You weren't disrespectul at all.

You stated an opinion
You backed it with fact

Well done

A stupid opinion with cherry picked data...but hey, people are entitled to stupid opinions.

cherry picking data to support a predetermined bias is lazy.

disappointing, but hf is a disappointing forum riddled with stupid opinions.

 

[Jakub97]

Happy

No

Disrespectful.......no. but fact based not really. You can not have been watching international hockey for quite some time now and still hold onto this old narrative that canada struggles in europe with all the victories they score there on a regular basis. He cherry picked a few tournaments to make it look like he was correct but leaves out all the wins in europe at the wjc such as 1985 1988 1990 1993 1994 1997 2007. That is an awful lot of wins in europe for a team that supposedly struggles in europe and that is just wins in europe at the wjc, i wont get into wins at the senior level in europe which you and others are well acquainted with. He also neglects to point out the losses canada has had in tournaments in north america such as 1986 2003 2010 2012 2017 2019. Does that mean they somewhat struggle there also? At some point fans have to stop their bermuda triangle like stretching of so called facts in order to keep alive a myth that really doesnt exist and this one still clung to by european fans is one of the most annoying.....sort of like the old don cherry europeans have no heart one must be for european fans when they still hear it. Keep in mind here.......the real truth is that when teams lose it isnt usually because of what location they were playing in, it is because other teams were simply better that year. So again, it appears he didnt mean to be disrespectful but fact based? Ah.......no.

Yes, the quality of each team comes in first place. No matter where you play.


Look, I very likely didn´t come up with the most relevant facts and my opinion is very subjective.

This is simply how I feel. Whenever I watched the U20 championship in Europe, it felt like there was a higher chance for European teams to win than there would be in North America.


Yes, Canada played the final from 2002 - 2011.
It didn´t matter where they played and I am aware that picked only the last 10 years.



Look, If Canada and the USA will both get into SF this year, this will be completely irrelevant from my side and I will not come back with BS.



Both teams have the quality to do so.

 

[jj cale]

A stupid opinion with cherry picked data...but hey, people are entitled to stupid opinions.

cherry picking data to support a predetermined bias is lazy.

disappointing, but hf is a disappointing forum riddled with stupid opinions.

Honestly, he seems like a nice guy but one that still holds onto an old stereotype because that is what he grew up with.........it happens to all of us concerning certain issues. But clearly it is time for some fans there to get out of the 1970s and enter 2023 because it has been plainly evident for some time now that Canada has no issues winning tournaments in europe.

 

[jj cale]

Yes, the quality of each team comes in first place. No matter where you play.


Look, I very likely didn´t come up with the most relevant facts and my opinion is very subjective.

This is simply how I feel. Whenever I watched the U20 championship in Europe, it felt like there was a higher chance for European teams to win than there would be in North America.


Yes, Canada played the final from 2002 - 2011.
It didn´t matter where they played and I am aware that picked only the last 10 years.



Look, If Canada and the USA will both get into SF this year, this will be completely irrelevant from my side and I will not come back with BS.



Both teams have the quality to do so.

Well there is a higher chance for european teams to win in europe and for obvious reasons, the same reason north americans chances increase somewhat in north america. But that is a far cry from stating Canada normally struggles to win in europe because they have won in europe too many damn times now to any longer say that with a straight face.

And if they dont win in europe this year it will mostly be because they were not good enough to win, it will have very little to do with location. Location only helps a little bit with home crowds, a couple of homer based calls from the ref and some adjustments with rink dimensions, but when you lose its mostly because you just failed to get the job done because hockey is still hockey wherever you play it and at this level all these guys know how to play top level hockey.

 

[Czechboy]

Happy

No

Disrespectful.......no. but fact based not really. You can not have been watching international hockey for quite some time now and still hold onto this old narrative that canada struggles in europe with all the victories they score there on a regular basis. He cherry picked a few tournaments to make it look like he was correct but leaves out all the wins in europe at the wjc such as 1985 1988 1990 1993 1994 1997 2007 2020. That is an awful lot of wins in europe for a team that supposedly struggles in europe and that is just wins in europe at the wjc, i wont get into wins at the senior level in europe which you and others are well acquainted with. He also neglects to point out the losses canada has had in tournaments in north america such as 1986 2003 2010 2012 2017 2019. Does that mean they somewhat struggle there also? At some point fans have to stop their bermuda triangle like stretching of so called facts in order to keep alive a myth that really doesnt exist and this one still clung to by european fans is one of the most annoying.....sort of like the old don cherry europeans have no heart one must be for european fans when they still hear it. Keep in mind here.......the real truth is that when teams lose it isnt usually because of what location they were playing in, it is because other teams were simply better that year. So again, it appears he didnt mean to be disrespectful but fact based? Ah.......no.

I dont think picking the 5 most recent tournaments is cherry picking or biased in anyway. SImply a fact. Kind of like how I started this thread pointing out that last 5 tourneys as a guide for who has been doing the best. I didn't cherry pick that. I picked the most recent 5.

Cherry picking would be me saying Czechs are back to back gold medalists at this tournament and should be a real threat this year. Using 2000/2001 data to back up my claim in 2023 after decades of sucking. Now THAT is cherry picking.lol

 

[jj cale]

I dont think picking the 5 most recent tournaments is cherry picking or biased in anyway. SImply a fact. Kind of like how I started this thread pointing out that last 5 tourneys as a guide for who has been doing the best. I didn't cherry pick that. I picked the most recent 5.

Cherry picking would be me saying Czechs are back to back gold medalists at this tournament and should be a real threat this year. Using 2000/2001 data to back up my claim in 2023 after decades of sucking. Now THAT is cherry picking.lol

Disagree, if you are making a blanket statement such as in.....we all know Canada struggles in tournaments in europe you better have a large window of examples to back that up or it can be easily disproven, especially when even the most recent examples contradict that.......and they do because Canada currently carries gold at both the senior and junior levels of the last tournaments held in europe, that doesnt help his cause at all.

The numbers over the years just dont back him up for a blanket statement like that.

And with that i rest my case, its an old myth still persisting among some fans from europe and its long since past its expiry date much like the euros cant handle and dont like the rough stuff fantasy some over here wont let go of when its been proven for some time now to be a falsity, canada has a good track record in europe since the 90s, this isnt 1975 anymore, its time for fans that i assume know the game fairly well to stop being disingenuous or at the very least to become better informed.
Does it take canada a little time to make adjustments when playing in europe and are there more challenges to overcome? Sure. Have they proven they can overcome them on a consistent basis for an extended period of time and bring home plenty of success in europe to the point where fans are totally off base in persisting to think they still struggle there? They sure have, a boatload of golds prove it. Any fan up on his stuff has known this for awhile now.