WJC: Favorites for the tournament?

[cheerupmurray]

So what are the favorites for this years tournament, which teams look stronger or weaker than usual? Enlighten me with information on how strong your nations team look.

It seems like Canada will be missing quite a few players as usual, but will still ice a time team that should be favorites right?

USAs team will be made up from 92's and 93's two agegroups that managed to win u-18 wjc, so I reckon they will have a strong team. Saad was sent down, and I don't think Faulk will stick in NHL this season after his poor play so that means they will have all players availeble.

Finland seems to have a great team this year, and should challenge for a medal for the first time in a long while, or do I overate them?

I don't know nearly enough about the russian team, who will be the stars besides Kuznetsov? Is it better or worse on paper than last years champions?

Swedens team looks a bit weak on paper is my impression. Zibanejad would be a great addition, if Ottawa decides to send him back to Sweden. Sweden has good centers and probably good goaltending. Defense looks weak so far, since very few d-man has started this season great, who will for example run the PP? I also think we lacks high end wingers (allthough Ã…berg has started this season well). If Sweden is going far in this tournament, we have to rely more on teamwork than individual skill is my guess. We play in a weak group though, so if we manage to beat Russia we would have a chance to win it and qualify directly to the semifinals.

How does Czech republic, Switzerland and Slovakia look? Any info would be appriciated.

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[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

I have not looked at the teams but I will assume Canada will be favoured. Especially in Canada.

I envy the people of Calgary and Edmonton. Such a great tournament. Sooooo much fun.

 

[Swipes]

The Czechs look pretty strong this year (certainly stronger than in previous years I think).

Strong in goal with: Machovsky, Honzik, Galansky and Mrazek (if he can play).

Defense looking weak with just Musil, Nedomlel (who probably won't play as he wasn't invited to the summer U-20 camps), Jank (who plays some minutes in the KHL) and Zamorsky (who plays Extraliga minutes) worth mentioning that I can think of.

Pretty Strong at Forward: Hertl (11 points in 11 games in the Extraliga: 6+5), Jaskin (not having a very good season so far, 0+1 in 11 games), Frk, Hyka, Culek, Straka, Filippi, Pribyl and Holik worth mentioning that I can think of.

I've probably forgotten a few more from the Forwards and D-men categories so the list certainly isn't exhaustive.

 

[zorz]

The Czechs look pretty strong this year (certainly stronger than in previous years I think).

Strong in goal with: Machovsky, Honzik, Galansky and Mrazek (if he can play).

Defense looking weak with just Musil, Nedomlel (who probably won't play as he wasn't invited to the summer U-20 camps), Jank (who plays some minutes in the KHL) and Zamorsky (who plays Extraliga minutes) worth mentioning that I can think of.

Pretty Strong at Forward: Hertl (11 points in 11 games in the Extraliga: 6+5), Jaskin (not having a very good season so far, 0+1 in 11 games), Frk, Hyka, Culek, Straka, Filippi, Pribyl and Holik worth mentioning that I can think of.

I've probably forgotten a few more from the Forwards and D-men categories so the list certainly isn't exhaustive.

I would add that "pretty strong" means here "could play some even game with other top6 country if they have good day". At least in my eyes

 

[Fulcrum]

The Czechs look pretty strong this year (certainly stronger than in previous years I think).

Strong in goal with: Machovsky, Honzik, Galansky and Mrazek (if he can play).

Defense looking weak with just Musil, Nedomlel (who probably won't play as he wasn't invited to the summer U-20 camps), Jank (who plays some minutes in the KHL) and Zamorsky (who plays Extraliga minutes) worth mentioning that I can think of.

Pretty Strong at Forward: Hertl (11 points in 11 games in the Extraliga: 6+5), Jaskin (not having a very good season so far, 0+1 in 11 games), Frk, Hyka, Culek, Straka, Filippi, Pribyl and Holik worth mentioning that I can think of.

I've probably forgotten a few more from the Forwards and D-men categories so the list certainly isn't exhaustive.

I think the czechs will have a stronger team than usual this year and could be a surprise to many people. Bragin, the Russian coach, said that Czechs are very tough to play against this year and have a good team.

Other than that it's the usual favourites - Canada, US, Sweden, Russia.

Russia will be massively high on skill in the offense, and quiet weak on Defense and goaltending- likely more so this year than usual. So it might be wild.

Would love to hear from the Fin fans on how the team is going to look. They had a tough tournament in Russia, loosing 11-4 I think.

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Finland could be dangerous this year.

 

[duga]

well, for switzerland, the depth on offense is impressive!
(even without Nino, should he stay with the Islanders)
S. Bärtschi, G. Hofmann
Haas, Walser, Vermin, Rexha already play a solid role in LNA.

plus a few underagers from CHL MArtschini, ANdrighetto, Richard and Bertaggia.

unfortunately the D is pretty average and has to rely heavily on underagers.

Goalkeeping is nothing special as well.

Overall I expect a team, that's not easy to play against. and got more offensiv quality than nearly all swiss JNTs before. Semi-finals aren't out of question, but of course it's more realistic that they finish between 5 and 7.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

U.S. should do well. They have three time player Campbell in net who has started well for Windsor this year, Dean Blais returning as coach, a very nice mix of talent at both forward and d, a good returning cast, and the NA factor.

 

[wings5]

I think the czechs will have a stronger team than usual this year and could be a surprise to many people. Bragin, the Russian coach, said that Czechs are very tough to play against this year and have a good team.

Other than that it's the usual favourites - Canada, US, Sweden, Russia.

Russia will be massively high on skill in the offense, and quiet weak on Defense and goaltending- likely more so this year than usual. So it might be wild.

Would love to hear from the Fin fans on how the team is going to look. They had a tough tournament in Russia, loosing 11-4 I think.

Is Makarov not a good goalie?

 

[Hanji]

U.S. should do well. They have three time player Campbell in net who has started well for Windsor this year, Dean Blais returning as coach, a very nice mix of talent at both forward and d, a good returning cast, and the NA factor.

We're lacking elite talent, but we have fantastic depth and Blais at the helm.

 

[Hanji]

What to make of Finland? They could do some real damage or just as well implode due to youth and inexperience. I've read their defensive top 4 will consist of 3 1994 borns.

 

[cheerupmurray]

Finland have a great team but a tough schedule. They have Canada, USA and Czech republic in their group, so reaching the quaterfinals will take some effort, qualifing directly for the semifinals will be even harder. The perhaps most likely scenario is that they finnish third in the group and likely face Sweden or Russia in the quarterfinals.

Thats a pretty tough schedule, but if they want to win medals they have to beat theese teams eventually anyway.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Bob Nicholson said (and I may have misunderstoon him) that there are 10 Canadian kids, under the age of 20, in the NHL. Can anyone provide the under 20 kids who could play for team Canada but are in the NHL?

The ones I have (some may have already been sent down)...

Tyler Seguin
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Brett Connolly
Ryan Johansen
Mark Scheifele
Devante Smith-Pelly
Brett Bulmer
Sean Couturier
Erik Gudbranson

 

[MrGeno101]

Russia has a very good offensive as usually. Kuznetsov and Yakupov are the biggest stars, but there also name like Grigorenko, Namestnikov, Khokhlachev, Kucherov, Gusev and Galiev (injured?) and others. The question is how the defense will look. The best player Marchenko is hurt and wont play. Missing Marchenko is a huge loss for Russia, and there are no ''superstar defender'' other than him in this year. But if i have too make a early bet for two teams in the finals i would take Russia and Canada for now, But this could change don't even know who will play for the teams yet..

 

[cheerupmurray]

Bob Nicholson said (and I may have misunderstoon him) that there are 10 Canadian kids, under the age of 20, in the NHL. Can anyone provide the under 20 kids who could play for team Canada but are in the NHL?

The ones I have (some may have already been sent down)...

Tyler Seguin
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Brett Connolly
Ryan Johansen
Mark Scheifele
Devante Smith-Pelly
Brett Bulmer
Sean Couturier
Erik Gudbranson

Jeff Skinner is still eligble. I guess almost all of theese will stay up in NHL? You could perhaps hope for Scheifele and Ryan Johansen, but they could just as well stick.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Jeff Skinner is still eligble. I guess almost all of theese will stay up in NHL? You could perhaps hope for Scheifele and Ryan Johansen, but they could just as well stick.

I forgot about Skinner. He was so good, so young, I forgot.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Pajicz]

What to make of Finland? They could do some real damage or just as well implode due to youth and inexperience. I've read their defensive top 4 will consist of 3 1994 borns.

Yeah, defense will be the major weakness of Team Finland. It will either be very young or very mediocre... Three 1994-born D-men who are almost a lock to make the team are Olli Määttä, Ville Pokka and Rasmus Ristolainen. Pokka has played some games in SM-Liiga, and Ristolainen has actually had a pretty big role in his team. Scored two goals in his first game this year.

Our offense consist such names as Teemu Pulkkinen, Joel Armia, Joonas Donskoi, 1995-born comet Sasha Barkov and the Granlund brothers. So wouldn't be worried about scoring.

 

[Password]

Our offense consist such names as Teemu Pulkkinen, Joel Armia, Joonas Donskoi, 1995-born comet Sasha Barkov and the Granlund brothers. So wouldn't be worried about scoring.

I add Salomäki and Ruuttu, they are locks for the tournament. Salomäki have had a great start of the season (leading his team in points) and Ruuttu just scored his first goal in FEL-1 the other day.

The goalies are looking good as well. Gibson, Aittokallio and Perhonen are the most talented goalies, not clear who will be our starting goalie.

 

[Muuri]

Too bad our coaching is a huge question mark. Helminen has very little experience and SM-liiga team he has been working with this season has played horrible.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

For Slovakia the D ould be really solid this year with 4 drafted D-men,3 of them returning from last year- Marinčin, Jánošík and ČereÅ¡ňák and the surprising Martin Gernát, who´s really been on fire offensively in the dub so far (16 points in 13 games). No idea who the D-men playing in Slovakia that the coach will take will be, but I noticed that 1994 born Patrik Luža, who was on the B ranked prospects by CSS seems to have been playing big minutes with the U20 team in their games in the top and 2nd league. That is if they manage to avoid stupid suspensions like Marinčin and HraÅ¡ko´s were last year. The goaltending is nothing special once again, but I´d say better than last year. On the offensive side they´ll have to deal with the loss of Pánik, so they´ll need guys like Tomáš Jurčo and Marek Tvrdoň to step up. Late 94 born C Marko Daňo might be fun to watch, though he might not be a big factor in the overall result if the coach takes him at all. Overall it could be an intriguing team to watch and at the same time it could be not. But it will be interesting to watch as they will be playing under a new coach after all the years under Å tefan MikeÅ¡. I guess it will all come down to that one game against Switzerland as it did the last two tournaments. That is, if they manage to beat Latvia.

It might not look like it, but Latvia could have a pretty solid team this year actually, specially upfront they´ll have some interesting players in 2012 probable first round pick Zemgus Girgensons, Oilers draft pick Kristians Pelss and Rihards Bukarts, who is the youngest player in the MHL, but has done pretty well so far. He was born on 31/12/1995, so he´d be just 15 to start the tournament.

 

[Fulcrum]

Is Makarov not a good goalie?

He is OK. Is he as good as Bobkov (who was highly touted going in to last year)? No. Who knows, the other Russian keepers last year, sort of came out of nowhere- so maybe the same can happen this year.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

He is OK. Is he as good as Bobkov (who was highly touted going in to last year)? No. Who knows, the other Russian keepers last year, sort of came out of nowhere- so maybe the same can happen this year.

Ok here is a wild stab at it- it's the juniors so anything can happen between the top 6:

Gold Medal game: Canada- Russia (SURPRISE! I hope Russia plays the Czechs in the final, for a change)
Silver game: Czech - Finland
5th - USA or Sweden
6th - Switzerland

How on earth is the U.S. the 5th place team?

 

[cheerupmurray]

He is OK. Is he as good as Bobkov (who was highly touted going in to last year)? No. Who knows, the other Russian keepers last year, sort of came out of nowhere- so maybe the same can happen this year.

Ok here is a wild stab at it- it's the juniors so anything can happen between the top 6:

Gold Medal game: Canada- Russia (SURPRISE! I hope Russia plays the Czechs in the final, for a change)
Silver game: Czech - Finland
5th - USA or Sweden
6th - Switzerland

So Czech rep will face Finland for the silver (despite none of them being in the final)? Sorry but this post just make no sense.

You got to have at least 3 teams from group A in the top-6. At least one of Canada, Russia, Czech and Finland wont even make it to the quarterfinals.

Let's see some real predictions...

 

[Fulcrum]

How on earth is the U.S. the 5th place team?

Let's see your prediction! Would you put Russia or Finland in 5th, or maybe Czech?! All it takes is for them to meet a strong team in the quarters. Or even to loose a couple during round robin.

 

[Fulcrum]

So Czech rep will face Finland for the silver (despite none of them being in the final)? Sorry but this post just make no sense.

You got to have at least 3 teams from group A in the top-6. At least one of Canada, Russia, Czech and Finland wont even make it to the quarterfinals.

Let's see some real predictions...

My mistake, I meant bronze game- not silver.


Group A
-Russia
-Sweden
-Switzerland
-Slovakia
-Latvia

Group B
-Canada
-USA
-Finland
-Czech Rep.
-Denmark

So, to try again:

Gold Medal game: Canada- Russia (SURPRISE! I hope Russia plays the Czechs in the final, for a change)
Bronze game: Czech - Sweden
5th/6th - USA/Switzerland

I would put Finland in there, but considering the group they are in- it's tough to see them beat US, and I do think that Czechs are the dark horse of the tournament and can surprise by upsetting US for example. We'll see