U18: U18 WJC's Poprad & Spiska Nova Ves Slovakia April 13-23.2017.

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Official discussion thread of 2017 U18 WJC's.

Group A
Canada
Latvia
Slovakia
Finland
Switzerland

Group B
Sweden
Czech Republic¨
USA
Belarus
Russia

Last year Finland won U18 WJC gold medal in Grand Forks.
Is Finland gold medal contender again or is USA or Canada winning gold this year.

How to follow U18 WJC's in Finland is YLE broadcasting all Finland's games live-coverage in YLE areena and YLE TV2 or is YLE again under TSN's mercy.

Click to read more...

 

[JimboA]

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[ChicagoBullsFan]

Would love to see Dahlin and Svechnikov at this tournament. Dahlin will be there if Frölunda lose tonight in game 7 vs Skellefteå, otherwise I can't see how it's possible for him to get there in time. And I think Muskegon is a pretty good team, so I guess there's a big risk Svechnikov will miss it too...?

Any other players to keep an eye on, except for the obvious potential '17 1st rounders?

As for TV, C More/TV12 will broadcast Sweden's games (finally).

Kristian Vesalainen and Joni Ikonen are both selected Finland's U18 WJC camp roster.
When Frölunda has released those two for Finland they'll do same for Dahlin.

If Frölunda's SHL team wants Dahlin playing in SHL playoffs then it's possible Dahlin will miss these U18 WJC's.
But that won't matter at all because 2000 born Dahlin is U18 WJC eligible next year as well.

By the way what are Sweden's chances to win a medal in U18 WJC's this year?.
Would be great to see Finland vs Sweden gold medal game again.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Would love to see Dahlin and Svechnikov at this tournament. Dahlin will be there if Frölunda lose tonight in game 7 vs Skellefteå, otherwise I can't see how it's possible for him to get there in time. And I think Muskegon is a pretty good team, so I guess there's a big risk Svechnikov will miss it too...?

Any other players to keep an eye on, except for the obvious potential '17 1st rounders?

As for TV, C More/TV12 will broadcast Sweden's games (finally).

If you want keep an eye on other interesting players who aren't ranked for 2017 NHL draft i recommend you to follow Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
He's 2000 born 188cm ( 6'2) tall center and he plays in Porin Ässät A juniors ( U20 team) Kotkaniemi is highly touted Finnish prospect for 2018 NHL draft.

Other interesting name is Juha Ylönen's son Jesse Ylönen who's also invited Finland's U18 WJC camp.
Ylönen is born 1999 but he's late birthday and that's why he's draft eligible 2018 NHL draft.

 

[joe89]

Would love to see Dahlin and Svechnikov at this tournament. Dahlin will be there if Frölunda lose tonight in game 7 vs Skellefteå, otherwise I can't see how it's possible for him to get there in time.

Last semifinal game 6 is April 12, last game 7 is April 14. So there's definitely time to go to the U18 well in time for the games that matter even with an extended series.

Though if Frölunda wins tonight they are imo going to the finals.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Would love to see Dahlin and Svechnikov at this tournament. Dahlin will be there if Frölunda lose tonight in game 7 vs Skellefteå, otherwise I can't see how it's possible for him to get there in time. And I think Muskegon is a pretty good team, so I guess there's a big risk Svechnikov will miss it too...?

Any other players to keep an eye on, except for the obvious potential '17 1st rounders?

As for TV, C More/TV12 will broadcast Sweden's games (finally).

Kravtsov led his team in scoring in the MHL playoffs and scored in the KHL playoffs, being 2018 draft player.

 

[JimboA]

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[ChicagoBullsFan]

The difference is that Dahlin is a regular nowadays. 7th D and PP2.

Ok, thanks. I've read about Kotkaniemi, didn't know he would play this year



I completely forgot that it's possible to join the tournament after its start Puljujarvi did that last year, right?


Ok, do you think Denisenko/Khovanov will play, or do Russia hesitate to bring underage players?

That Kotkaniemi is Finland's camp roster not mean that he's locked for U18 WJC team.
If all goes well Finland has very good chances to get 7-9 players ( guys like Tolvanen,Heponiemi,Moilanen,Jokiharju,Nyman,Räsänen and Vesterinen) from North-America.

 

[alko]

Any other players to keep an eye on, except for the obvious potential '17 1st rounders?

Slovak team will have some. Milos Roman is the most coveted player for 2018 draft.

 

[VictorLustig]

Swedish camp roster released. Dahlin is on it for now, glad Boqvist made it as well. Biggest omission off the top of my head is Filip Svenningsson who I think deserved to be there.

http://www.swehockey.se/globalasset...-u18-world-championship/a_roster_jwc_2017.pdf

Edit: No Lukas Wernblom is a big surprise.

 

[rickardr]

Swedish camp roster released. Dahlin is on it for now, glad Boqvist made it as well. Biggest omission off the top of my head is Filip Svenningsson who I think deserved to be there.

http://www.swehockey.se/globalasset...-u18-world-championship/a_roster_jwc_2017.pdf

Edit: No Lukas Wernblom is a big surprise.

Not a big surprise in my op, hasn't been playing that good lately.

 

[VictorLustig]

Not a big surprise in my op, hasn't been playing that good lately.

That's probably why then. Still thought he would make it, the coaching staff seems to love him and he was one of very few pure goal scorers available.

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Didnt Wernblom play well at the U18's in Sundsvall?

 

[Eye of Ra]

Where is Nils Höglander?

 

[Wooren]

That group balance though.

Hopefully Lauko makes the Czech team as a 00'. Kvasnica, Gajarsky and Zabransky with an outside chance to make it imo.

 

[ThrashersfanSVK]

That group balance though.

This... Four strongest teams are in one group... Especially from Slovak perspective, it might be tricky. Whoever they play against in quaterfinal, they'll be underdogs.

 

[ulvvf]

Kristian Vesalainen and Joni Ikonen are both selected Finland's U18 WJC camp roster.
When Frölunda has released those two for Finland they'll do same for Dahlin.

If Frölunda's SHL team wants Dahlin playing in SHL playoffs then it's possible Dahlin will miss these U18 WJC's.
But that won't matter at all because 2000 born Dahlin is U18 WJC eligible next year as well.

By the way what are Sweden's chances to win a medal in U18 WJC's this year?.
Would be great to see Finland vs Sweden gold medal game again.

He could miss both this year and next.

This year sweden is the opposite to last years team. Last year the strength was in the forwards, but had a black hole i defense. This year the defense is if everyone comes, one of the stronger ever, but nothing special among forwards. I would guess semifinal.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

He could miss both this year and next.

This year sweden is the opposite to last years team. Last year the strength was in the forwards, but had a black hole i defense. This year the defense is if everyone comes, one of the stronger ever, but nothing special among forwards. I would guess semifinal.

Is Roger Rönnberg promised ice-time for Dahlin in SHL playoffs?.
If / when that's the case how is possible Finland gets Vesalainen and Ikonen but Sweden won't get Dahlin?.

 

[Kshahdoo]

There won't be Kravtsov on Russian team, because he has bad marks at school. Yeah, really.

 

[rickardr]

Is Roger Rönnberg promised ice-time for Dahlin in SHL playoffs?.
If / when that's the case how is possible Finland gets Vesalainen and Ikonen but Sweden won't get Dahlin?.

Dahlin plays in every playoff game right now. Played in 1st line today. 2nd powerplay. Play arount 9-10 minutes every game.

Vesalainen & Ikonen isn´t even in the lineup, thats why they let them leave.

 

[kabidjan18]

Switzerland needs to be careful and tread lightly. Played the Austria U19 team and took overtime to take them 2-1. Our U19 group is a historically bad group, our U18 squad is a lot better, our U17 team with good U16s could probably come pretty close.

I know, they were missing Nico Hischier or Nando Eggenberger etc. Latvia's roster looks bad too, they're definitely still not Switzerland or close on paper. But they need to do a lot better, because there were a lot of legit players on the Swiss rosters who will be in the final roster.

 

[alko]

There won't be Kravtsov on Russian team, because he has bad marks at school. Yeah, really.

What does it mean? How bad?

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Dahlin plays in every playoff game right now. Played in 1st line today. 2nd powerplay. Play arount 9-10 minutes every game.

Vesalainen & Ikonen isn´t even in the lineup, thats why they let them leave.

OK thanks for that information.
By the way why Ikonen didn't play Finland's team in Ivan Hlinka tournament last August was he injured or why Frölunda didn't release him?

 

[rickardr]

OK thanks for that information.
By the way why Ikonen didn't play Finland's team in Ivan Hlinka tournament last August was he injured or why Frölunda didn't release him?

Ikonen didn't play anything with the senior team last season so he must have been injured..

 

[William H Bonney]

USA roster was just announced. Ryan Poehling from St. Cloud State the only non-NTDPer. Farabee and Wahlstrom from the U17s also there.