We’re a few days away from the 2021 World Junior Hockey Championship and the stage is larger than ever. 10 countries are sending their best players under 20 years old for the grandest stage in all of junior hockey. Rogers Place in Edmonton, Canada will host the tournament in a bubble that has had its hiccups but all things considered, the tournament is set to kick off Christmas day in full force.
Some players and coaches were not able to make the trip due to a positive COVID test. Some players have already been forced to self-isolate because of a positive test in the bubble. There could be more coaches and players who test positive as we move forward. But one thing is certain, the World Junior Championship will happen and it will be spectacular.
The Event
Prior to the Christmas day kickoff, there will be four exhibition games. Five exhibition games have already been postponed and due to positive COVID tests, both Sweden and Germany will remain in quarantine until the event starts. On the 22, exhibition games get started with Switzerland taking on Austria at 6 pm EST and Finland facing the United States at 9:30 pm EST. The following day will pit Canada up against Russia at 6 pm EST and Slovakia against the Czech Republic at 9:30 pm EST. All exhibition and tournament games will air on the NHL Network.
Czech Republic Team Preview
The Czech Republic team enters this year’s tournament with a chip on their shoulder after a deflating 2020 performance. This year’s team isn’t expected to be much better and will rely heavily on star Jan Myšák if they want to have any chance of making it out of their group. Myšák is no doubt the leader of this Czech Republic team and is a goal-scoring machine who has the potential to be an NHL superstar. The center knows how to control the flow of games and will need to be the spark plug each night for his team. This is his chance to let the world know who Jan Myšák is.
Sweden Team Preview
With several players and coaches not making the trip to Edmonton from Sweden, this team already has the odds stacked against them. Alexander Holtz and Lucas Raymond, two of the top junior players in the world, will be heavily relied on this year to score, assist, and defend if Sweden is to have any chance of making the Gold Medal Game. The past several years have been promising for the Swedes but they’ve come up empty each of the past eight years. With some personnel back home, this year’s team is playing with low expectations and could be the surprise of this tournament. This could be the year Sweden shows the world that they can win big games when it matters most.
Russia Team Preview
Coming into the 2021 World Junior Championship, Russia will look to avenge their 2020 heartbreaking loss in the Gold Medal Game. Head coach, Igor Larionov, will be looking towards Andrei Svechnikov and Vitali Kravtsov to lead the charge for this year’s team. Although there is no clear superstar on this team, Russia is well-balanced offensively but lacks tremendously in their defensive back. There are plenty of prospects to watch on this Russian team, it’s going to be a matter of if they can put it together to make another deep run in this year’s tournament. The possibility is there, they just need to find a way to close it out this time.
Switzerland Team Preview
Switzerland was the surprise of the 2020 tournament but unfortunately for them, the 2021 tournament won’t have any sort of replication. The odds are severely stacked against them and it will truly take a miracle for them just to make the medal rounds. As of now, there is no superstar talent on the roster but when the stage is brightest, that’s when the best come out to play. Simon Knak, Ray Fust, and Lorenzo Canonica will be looked at to score goals that could create one of the largest upsets in tournament history. But as of now, Switzerland could be the punching bag team’s eye this year.
United States Team Preview
Similar to Russia, the United States is loaded with talent but lacks chemistry. Last year’s tournament was an extreme disappointment and if they aren’t able to pull themselves together as a team, a similar result could be in the cards. From top to bottom, the United States’ roster is rock solid and filled with NHL talent, the pressure is all on the coaching staff though. There were many questionable calls last year that led to their early departure, hopefully, this year bodes differently for them. The United States is projected to score the most goals in the tournament, it will come down to their defensive efforts and Spencer Knight and Dustin Wolf between the pipes.
Finland Team Preview
Similar to the Swedish team, there isn’t much pressure on Finland to make a deep run in this year’s tournament. This should play to their strength this year as they enter the tournament with one of the top goaltenders in the world, Joel Blomqvist, coupled with one of the best defenses. Goal scoring is where this team struggles and they’ll rely heavily on Anton Lundell to be the star he’s supposed to be. Lundell had a disappointing 2020 tournament but enters this year’s tournament on a high note and will look to find the back of the net to lead Finland to the medal round.
Austria Team Preview
If you’re looking for an underdog and a feel-good story, look no further than Austria. Thimo Nickl and Martin Urbanek will be the blueliners who can and are expected to show up for Austria to bolster their defense. The two are regarded as some of the top defensive talents in this year’s tournament and the world will be watching as they put their skills to the test. On the offensive side, all eyes will be on Marco Rossi to carry the torch. The 9th overall pick in last year’s NHL Draft could come away from this tournament as the top offensive player due to his unbelievable playmaking skill set. For Austria, it will be a team effort to create, recreate, and rely on their chemistry if they want to take home gold.
Canada Team Preview
As the favorites, team Canada is projected to lead in nearly every category once the tournament concludes. That includes total gold medals. This year’s team is fast, loaded with talent, and has some of the best chemistry of any team in the tournament. It would be easier to list players who weren’t drafted in the first round than those who were- there are 20. Cole Perfetti, Connor McMichael, Philip Tomasino, Jack Quinn, and Bowen Byram, are the “top” prospects of the team but with a team truly loaded with superstar talent, it’s hard to pick who will produce the most highlights. Permitting they’re able to score and defend, goaltending is the one weakness this team faces. However, if they’re controlling the puck and the game the whole time, their opposition won’t have many opportunities to score many if any goals. Look for team Canada to take home back-to-back golds.
Slovakia Team Preview
Looked at as the little brother in this year’s World Junior Championships, Slovakia has a lot to prove without the pressure other teams face. Slovakia is usually good for a huge upset or two and this could be the year they prove everyone wrong. With a team lacking the offensive power others possess, a stingy defense and excellent goaltender could be their recipe to success. Samuel Hlavaj was excellent in last year’s tournament and if he replicates that success, it could be enough to put Slovakia in the medal rounds. Look for this team to play fast, loose, and without any pressure. They’ll be a fun team to watch this year.
Germany Team Preview
Due to several players not being able to make the trip, it puts the German team at an even bigger disadvantage than they already had. Germany doesn’t have the talent these other teams have any they certainly don’t have the chemistry. If they want to have any chance of making a run, they’ll need top-caliber performances out of John-Jason Peterka and Tim Stützle each night. Germany is a good team, they just aren’t a great team. Lighting up the score column is their only chance of advancing deep into the tournament and that’s a daunting task with the teams they’ll be facing.
This year’s tournament will be different, there’s no doubt about it.
No fans, top prospects who didn’t make the trip, head coaches watching from home, and possible positive COVID tests, are already hampering this year’s tournament. There are plenty of games to keep us interested and sitting on the edge of our seats. Be patient. Be positive. This year’s World Junior Championship is going to be a good one.
Check back next week for junior hockey news. Check us out on Twitter @TJHP and @Nwinansw. We’ll see you next week.
