U20 World Jr. Championship Player Predictions

[bossy22]

I'm now leaning towards Khudobin to start in goal for Russian after seeing him against the QMJHL at the ADT Canada - Russia Challenge.

http://chl.ca/CHLNews0405/1123gs.html

Khudobin, who was the Russian's player of the game on Monday, was strong again in this game, turning aside 10 shots in third period, include a point-blank stop on Lewiston MAINEiacs forward Alex Bourret, who had a goal in Game 1. Khudobin denied all four QMJHL shooters in the shootout to claim the win.

 

[BCCHL inactive]

Olesz didn't pay attention and surfed with his head down, one of the first things players should learn is not to do that. He paid the price. IMHO that rule is stupid anyway.

It is a great rule. The onus has finally been placed on players delivering the hits to not make initial contact with the head just like it is for hits from behind.

Head injuries are the worst of them all. What is more important to you? Seeing a spectacular hit like Phaneuf on Olesz, or keeping players as healthy as humanly possible, so you can actually see them play? (Especially at the junior level where these kids are playing to have a future.)

 

[pei fan]

My personal prediction: Jack Johnson takes home the best defenseman award....What can I say, i'm now the conductor of the Jack Johnson hype train.

Good luck with that.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Good luck with that.

He meant Brian Lee...

 

[espo*]

Under the IIHF rulebook, those hits are banned in hockey. Phaneuf was assessed the appropriate penalty.

Although I agree it was a check to the head, and the penalty assessed was just, it wasn't Phaneuf's intent to injure Olesz.

Penalty or not, Olesz had his head down, and he payed for it. That's hockey for you.

And that's the way it's meant to be.Head down.......body straighthened out on ice,don't know why some people forget that.

 

[bonefizzle]

is ovechkin not to old... isnt he a late 84 birthday

 

[leafaholix*]

is ovechkin not to old... isnt he a late 84 birthday

Late 85.

 

[THE NEXT ONE #87]

"Switzerland

MVP: Gianni Ehrensperger
Leading Scorer: Gianni Ehrensperger
#1 Goaltender: Michael Tobler
#1 Defenceman: Philippe Seydoux
'05 Draftee(s): ??
Can't wait to see: If they can beat Germany."

I believe that Roman Wick will be the MVP and leading scorer of the Swiss team. He is a point per game player in the WHL. Nice to see Seydoux getting some recognition.

I´m from Switzerland so I know a bit of it....

Kevin Romy will be leading scorer for sure.
He´s the best offensive talent since former leading scorer Bärtschi.
Dunno but isn´t ramholt 85? so he would be the leading d-man.

 

[THE NEXT ONE #87]

Aurelio Lemm is swiss best talent of last 20 years
born 1988

 

[chriss_co]

Even if I don't like the hit by Phaneuf in last years WJC, it would be nice to see it go the other way this year. With Olesz knocking Phaneuf out of the tournament..
However, I really hope we don't have to see any hits like that this year. Those type of hits should be banned from hockey, they don't belong in hockey..

I dont think Phaneuf is stupid enough to skate into an opponents zone with the puck and his head down knowing that one of the opposing defencemen is a heavy hitter.

It was a clean hit (although i guess its illegal in IIHF??). Here's hoping for more!

Anywyas... just wanted to say that this year is Crosby's tournament. Last year he was young. This year, he is more experienced, has grown a bit more, and will get more icetime. Time to see what he has.

It'll also be interesting to see how Schremp and his fellow Americans play. Last year they had a lot of returnees. This year its Canada with lots of returnees. I say we win on US soil just like we did in Salt Lake Olympics!

 

[fredez]

Canada

MVP: Sidney Crosby
Leading Scorer: Patrice Bergeron
#1 Goaltender: Devan Dubnyk
#1 Defenceman: Dion Phaneuf
Can't wait to see: Sidney Crosby

USA

MVP: Rob Schremp
Leading Scorer: Rob Schremp
#1 Goaltender: Al Montoya
#1 Defenceman: Ryan Suter
Can't wait to see: Chris Bourque, Phil Kessel, Dan Fritsche


Sweden

MVP: Johannes Salmonsson
Leading Scorer: Robert Nilsson
#1 Goaltender: Heino-Lindberg
#1 Defenceman: Oscar Hedman
Can't wait to see: Heino-Lindberg, Carl Söderberg


Russia

MVP: Alexander Ovechkin
Leading Scorer: Evgeny Malkin
#1 Goaltender: Anton Khudobin
#1 Defenceman: Dimitry Vorobiev
Can't wait to see: Ovechkin, Yemelin (hopefully)


Finland

MVP: Lauri Korpikoski
Leading Scorer: Lauri Korpikoski
#1 Goaltender: Rask
#1 Defenceman: Teemu Laakso
Can't wait to see: Jesse Joensuu

Slovakia

MVP: Marek Zagrapan
Leading Scorer: Marek Zagrapan
#1 Goaltender: Jaroslav Halak
#1 Defenceman: Andrej Meszaros
Can't wait to see: Juraj Gráčik

 

[PanthersRule96]

Canada

MVP: Sidney Crosby
Leading Scorer: Patrice Bergeron
#1 Goaltender: Devan Dubnyk
#1 Defenceman: Dion Phaneuf
Can't wait to see: Sidney Crosby

USA

MVP: Rob Schremp
Leading Scorer: Rob Schremp
#1 Goaltender: Al Montoya
#1 Defenceman: Ryan Suter
Can't wait to see: Chris Bourque, Phil Kessel, Dan Fritsche


Sweden

MVP: Johannes Salmonsson
Leading Scorer: Robert Nilsson
#1 Goaltender: Heino-Lindberg
#1 Defenceman: Oscar Hedman
Can't wait to see: Heino-Lindberg, Carl Söderberg


Russia

MVP: Alexander Ovechkin
Leading Scorer: Evgeny Malkin
#1 Goaltender: Anton Khudobin
#1 Defenceman: Dimitry Vorobiev
Can't wait to see: Ovechkin, Yemelin (hopefully)


Finland

MVP: Lauri Korpikoski
Leading Scorer: Lauri Korpikoski
#1 Goaltender: Rask
#1 Defenceman: Teemu Laakso
Can't wait to see: Jesse Joensuu

Slovakia

MVP: Marek Zagrapan
Leading Scorer: Marek Zagrapan
#1 Goaltender: Jaroslav Halak
#1 Defenceman: Andrej Meszaros
Can't wait to see: Juraj Gráčik

No Czechs??
Czech Rep.

MVP: Rostislav Olesz
Leading Scorer: Olesz/Sindel
#1 Goaltender: Schwarz
#1 Defenceman: Smid
Can't wait to see: Olesz/Frolik

 

[fredez]

No Czechs??
Czech Rep.

MVP: Rostislav Olesz
Leading Scorer: Olesz/Sindel
#1 Goaltender: Schwarz
#1 Defenceman: Smid
Can't wait to see: Olesz/Frolik

I didn't find the Czech roster and wasn't sure who was in and who was out. Do you have a link ?

 

[Captain Conservative]

CANADA

MVP: Sidney Crosby
Leading Scorer: Nigel Dawes
#1 Goaltender: Kevin Nastiuk
#1 Defenceman: Dion Phaneuf
Can't wait to see: Eric Fehr

USA

MVP: Alvaro Montoya
Leading Scorer: Patrick O'Sullivan
#1 Goaltender: Al Montoya
#1 Defenceman: Ryan Suter
Can't wait to see: If the hype about Schremp is justified

Sweden

MVP: Johan Fransson
Leading Scorer: Loui Erikkson
#1 Goaltender: Magnus Akerlund
#1 Defenceman: Johan Fransson
Can't wait to see: Erikkson and Nilson


Russia

MVP: Alexander Ovechkin
Leading Scorer: Ovy
#1 Goaltender: Anton Khudobin
#1 Defenceman: Don't know enough about the roster
Can't wait to see: More Ovy, baby!


Finland

MVP: Lauri Tukonen
Leading Scorer: Lauri Tukonen
#1 Goaltender: Tuukka Rask
#1 Defenceman: Ville Mantymaa
Can't wait to see: Teemu Laakso and Risto Korhonen(hoping the caps can snag one of these guys in the '05 draft



Czech Republic

MVP: Rostislav Olesz
Leading Scorer: Rostislav Olesz
#1 Goaltender: Marek Schwarz
#1 Defenceman: Ladislav Smid
Can't wait to see: How Smid compares with Mezaros


Slovakia

MVP: Andrej Meszaros
Leading Scorer: Stefan Ruzicka
#1 Goaltender: Jaroslav Halak
#1 Defenceman: Andrej Meszaros
Can't wait to see: Mezaros and Zagrapan in action

 

[Captain Conservative]

Good luck with that.

You'll pay!

 

[PanthersRule96]

I didn't find the Czech roster and wasn't sure who was in and who was out. Do you have a link ?

No, but I know Olesz, Sindel, Smid, and Schwarz are on the team and I think it's an obvious choice picking Olesz or MAYBE Sindel as the top scorers. Keep in mind though, Sindel could not stick with the team Olesz is producing DECENTLY on............BUT Sindel is an offensive wizard.

Man, I hope a couple Czech games are on ESPN or ESPN2. With the Fox Sports package in FLA, we get the Northwest Foxsports or whatever carries the UND and Minnesota games, so I hope they televise the games on FOx too.

 

[Robertsson 4-ever]

Sweden

MVP: Johan Fransson
Leading Scorer: Loui Erikkson
#1 Goaltender: Magnus Akerlund
#1 Defenceman: Johan Fransson
Can't wait to see: Erikkson and Nilson

It'll be hard for Ã…kerlund to be the top-netminder as he is not on the team

 

[BlueBleeder]

I'm going with the homer pick and saying Soderburg will lead Sweden in scoring.

 

[User571]

Top TierII goalie?

Who will be the best of the goalies of Belarus, Germany, or Switzerland?

 

[Foppa_Rules]

I think Ovechkin will do a lot better than he did last year in the WJC. The Draft is out of the way so he doesn't have to think about that anymore. He can just do what he does best--play hockey. He said recently that he has "unfinished business" at the WJC. He really didn't like how badly he and the team did last year, whatever the reasons were. Expect a much improved performance from Ovechkin this year. This is his last WJC and he'll be looking to make his mark again.