Prospect Info: World Junior Championships 2024

[jura]

The St. Louis Blues prospect pool has reached unprecedented heights with what is believed to be a franchise record seven prospects slated to represent their countries at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, which will be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5.

Jimmy Snuggerud (USA), Otto Stenberg (Sweden), Theo Lindstein (Sweden), Aleksanteri Kaskimaki (Finland), Jakub Stancl (Czechia), Dalibor Dvorsky (Slovakia) and Juraj Pekarcik (Slovakia) will all represent the Blues in the tournament. Four of those prospects - Snuggerud (2022), Dvorsky (2023), Lindstein (2023) and Stenberg (2023) - are first-round draft picks.

With seven prospects participating, the Blues share the most World Junior Championship participants with the Arizona Coyotes and Buffalo Sabres amongst NHL teams. Five of the prospects participating were part of the Blues' 2023 draft class.

Over half of the Blues current roster (14 of 22) has played in the World Junior Championship, representing the United States, Canada, Russia, Sweden and Finland.

Canada defeated Czechia to win last year's championship, followed by Team USA and Finland for third and fourth place, respectively. Snuggerud finished third overall in last season's tournament with 13 points in seven games, trailing only Arizona's Logan Cooley and Chicago's Connor Bedard. Kaskimaki and Dvorsky also competed last year, though both are ready to contribute to their national teams in bigger roles now.



Group stage games begin at 5 a.m. CT on Dec. 26, with the first matchup featuring Dvorsky and Pekarcik's Slovakia against Stancl's Czechia. Team USA makes its debut at 10 a.m. CT against Norway.

Each of the 10 teams invited - split across two groups - will play four round-robin style games to determine seeding for the elimination rounds beginning on Jan. 2. All games will be available on NHL Network.

Fans can follow along for stats, standings, schedules and additional content at

World Junior Championship | St. Louis Blues

The official National Hockey League website including news, rosters, stats, schedules, teams, and video.

www.stlouisblues.com

Blues Prospects at 2024 IIHF World Junior Championships

Dalibor Dvorsky, Slovakia
2023 NHL Draft - No. 10

Jimmy Snuggerud, USA
2022 NHL Draft - No. 23

Otto Stenberg, Sweden
2023 NHL Draft - No. 25

Theo Lindstein, Sweden
2023 NHL Draft - No. 29

Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Finland
2022 NHL Draft - No. 73

Juraj Pekarcik, Slovakia
2023 NHL Draft - No. 76

Jakub Stancl, Czechia
2023 NHL Draft - No. 106

more info at

IIHF - Home 2024 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

IIHF - Home 2024 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

www.iihf.com

Click to read more...

 

[stl76]

The US vs Canada warm up game was already fantastic, cannot f***ing wait for the real tournament this year!

 

[Thallis]

All the Slovakian games are at 5 am ugh

 

[Quaz]

All the Slovakian games are at 5 am ugh

Hopefully NHL Network will replay these games later in the day.

 

[Celtic Note]

I wish NHL Network was more readily available. Seems like limiting exposure would be a bad growth strategy, no?

 

[stl76]

I wish NHL Network was more readily available. Seems like limiting exposure would be a bad growth strategy, no?

You’re implying they have a growth strategy…which is questionable at best haha

 

[STL fan in MN]

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Just increased my tv package so I can get NHL Network…then it’ll go back down in 2 weeks. An annual tradition at this point.

 

[542365]

So excited for the tournament this year.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I used to watch this when I had NHL Network.

 

[Mike Liut]

We definitely have a nice group of prospects to add to Thomas, Kyrou and Neighbors. Hopefully our future is bright.

 

[execwrite1]

A few more writeups

Some interesting stuff

Czechia – Jakub Stancl ​

Drafted 104th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Stancl is currently playing with the Växjö Lakers HC in Sweden. The left-shot winger bounced up and down the organization, playing primarily with the J20 Nationell squad, scoring three goals and five points through 16 games. Stancl has appeared in six games in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) this year, scoring one goal.

The 6-foot-3, 203-pound, 18-year-old boasts a wicked wrist shot and a strong one-timer that could provide Czechia with a good scoring threat option. With a heavy frame, Stancl is effective in his own zone and creates space for his teammates in the office zone. He will look to rebound from a disappointing 2023 U-18 tournament, where he registered only one assist in five games.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Going to throw out a few predictions:

USA beats Sweden for Gold
Canada beats Slovakia for Bronze
Celebrini leads the tourney in points
Kulich leads the tourney in goals
Eduard Sale will outscore Dvorsky. No, I don’t think Sale is the better prospect
Snuggerud won’t score as much as he did a year ago
Most Blues prospects in the tourney will play low key supporting roles

 

[ezcreepin]

Going to throw out a few predictions:

USA beats Sweden for Gold
Canada beats Slovakia for Bronze
Celebrini leads the tourney in points
Kulich leads the tourney in goals
Eduard Sale will outscore Dvorsky. No, I don’t think Sale is the better prospect
Snuggerud won’t score as much as he did a year ago
Most Blues prospects in the tourney will play low key supporting roles

I don't know much about the prospects in the tournament but imma go with:

Canada beats Sweden for gold
USA beats Finland for Bronze
Celebrini leads tournament in points
Snuggerud leads tournament in goals (BOLD)
Dvorsky leads his team in points and is the clear best player
The Blues prospects will have a good showing but only Dvorsky and Snuggerud will play major roles

 

[Bluesnatic27]

Two periods down for the Slovak-Czech game. Both Dvorksy and Pekarcik are quiet but playing well enough. Dvorsky is firing off passes with precision and velocity. He did develop a good scoring opportunity that drew a penalty. Pekarcik is great when moving with the puck. He had two memorable plays to keep the play alive with his skating and puck movement. Neither play led to anything but he is giving his teammates opportunities.

I don’t like how passive both have been with the puck. Neither seem to be trying to score as much as find an open man. Dvorsky has been better than Pekarcik in this regard. But I hope to see more assertion in the offensive zone.

 

[Bluesnatic27]

Pekarcik with his first point of the tournament.

 

[MissouriMook]

The Blues are on the board with Kaskimäki scoring for Finland.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Kaskimaki with a nice tip in front on the PP. Now down only 1 to Canada.

 

[Blueston]

Today is travel day for me, so not able to watch. I have games set to record so hopefully can start watching tomorrow. That said, I think @STL fan in MN is fairly spot on in his overall predictions. I too think Canada is down a bit, Slovakia has really good team (for them), and us and Sweden will play for gold.

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

USA got outworked in the first. Time to put on the workboots.

Edit: USA still getting worked midway through the second. Ugly start to the tournament.

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

Snuggerud gets them on the board! 1-0 USA.

 

[LGB]

Big goal there, but man this USA team is looking very overhyped. They're very lucky to be winning.

 

[Blueston]

Big goal there, but man this USA team is looking very overhyped. They're very lucky to be winning.

I’m not watching live, but it’s not uncommon for favorites to look out of sorts early in tourney like this. Canada apparently wasn’t great today either.

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

USA woke up. 3-0.

I’m not watching live, but it’s not uncommon for favorites to look out of sorts early in tourney like this. Canada apparently wasn’t great today either.

Canada looked a lot better against a tougher opponent, but USA is waking up so I'm going to withhold judgment on this one until we're through 60.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Yeah, Augustine and the Norwegian players continually missing the mark kept it 0-0 until Snuggerud scored. Brindley has now scored twice. 3-0 USA.

 

[Mike Liut]

game link