Toggle sidebar

U18: 2018 U18 WJC's Magnitogorsk & Chelyabinsk Russia.

  • Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates
ChicagoBullsFan

ChicagoBullsFan

Registered User
Jun 6, 2015
6,318
2,102
Finland
U18 WJC's approaching one week per week.
Last Autumn the international media reported very high nuclear radiation values in Chelyabinsk area.

That news caused great concern among NHL teams
causing them to hesitate sent their scouting staff and GM's in Chelyabinsk.

Is Russia's hockey association and IIHF made any official decisions to
concentrate the games in their entirety to Magnitogorsk or replacing Chelyabinsk by another host city.

Which teams are bigger gold medal favorites this years U18 WJC's.
USA has dominated this tournament last 10 years being with medals every time.

Finland has been 3 straight years in gold medal game winning 1 gold and 2 silvers.
But this year could be different than last three.

Finland's 2000 born age group isn't loaded 1st round NHL talent.
Only TOP prospects who are eligible and available to play this year are Anttoni Honka, Rasmus Kupari and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Based on the comments by Finland's U18 head coach Tommi Niemelä Finland will take 3 or 5 underage players ( 2001 born) in the team.

Sweden's 2000 born age group is fantastic and loaded 1st round NHL talent with their bigger stars Rasmus Dahlin and Adam Boqvist without surprises Sweden's should be one gold medal favorites.
But the big question to Sweden's medal chances is that whether Dahlin and Boqvist available Sweden's U18 WJC roster.

Russia is one team which you can't count out of medals when they are playing front of their home crowd. Last years U18 WJC bronze in Slovakia was good result for Russia's U18 team but this year when they are tournament host other result than gold will be disappointment for Russia.

Canada probably won't get all their best players due to CHL playoffs.
But Canada is still good team and if all goes well Canada can make semifinals
USA is defending gold medalist ( once again) and without surprises USA is at least in semifinals.

Czech Republic is potential dark horse. I''m not paid much attention to Czech Republic's 2000 born age group but if / when Jakub Skarek in Czech's net founds his god mode Czech's can go semifinals and compete for medal positions. Getting Filip Zadina in the team would be major add for Czech's but even without Zadina Czech Republic is dangerous opponent to every team.

Switzerland hasn't succeed much in U18 level.
But they have been quarterfinals last years so if Switzerland get their TOP players Kurashev and Eggenberger in the team Switzerland will be quarterfinals again. But making in the semifinals and medal round games would be huge surprise.

Last year Slovakia was U18 WJC host and played very good hockey.
Slovakia lost quarterfinal game which was disappointment for tournament hosts.
How good Slovakia is this year that remains to be seen.

Belarus and France are weakest teams in this tournament and one of these countries will relegated.

Group A ( Magnitogorsk)
Canada
USA
Switzerland
Sweden
Belarus

Group B ( Chelyabinsk)
Finland
Russia
Slovakia
Czech Republic
France
Click to read more...
 
Last edited:
While Chelyabinsk is a classic industrial city with pretty bad ecology, that radiation speculation is a bit too much. First, nuclear pollution wasn't detected in Chelyabinsk itself, closest point with high radiation parameters was 56 km/35 miles away and it was more than half year ago (back in September, iirc). Second, Chelyabinsk is not some small village, it is a 1.2M city with a KHL team playing there the whole year, it would be just weird to worry just about the U18 WJC then, as it lasts only two weeks.

About NHL team scouts not going, TSN mentioned 5 teams not going there and one of those being Calgary. If you look at the Flames' draft history, I doubt that they would go there even without those rumors, I suspect that other 4 teams might be more or less the same drafting-style teams.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pixie and kp61c
Caser said:
While Chelyabinsk is a classic industrial city with pretty bad ecology, that radiation speculation is a bit too much. First, nuclear pollution wasn't detected in Chelyabinsk itself, closest point with high radiation parameters was 56 km/35 miles away and it was more than half year ago (back in September, iirc). Second, Chelyabinsk is not some small village, it is a 1.2M city with a KHL team playing there the whole year, it would be just weird to worry just about the U18 WJC then, as it lasts only two weeks.

About NHL team scouts not going, TSN mentioned 5 teams not going there and one of those being Calgary. If you look at the Flames' draft history, I doubt that they would go there even without those rumors, I suspect that other 4 teams might be more or less the same drafting-style teams.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that information.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Caser
Pan said:
Thanks. But I guess Kurashev and Eggenberger arent eligible for this tournament, are they?
Click to expand...
Nope. Both are 99's, so they're U19 players this season.

Regarding Sweden, Boqvist will be available (if he isn't injured or something else) and Dahlin could be available if Frölunda lose Game 6 tomorrow or a Game 7 on Sunday.
 
Should be wide open this year other than of course the USA being heavy favorites.

Note to the OP, Zadina is not eligible.

Too bad Rimouski will likely be going deep in the playoffs, it would have been nice to see Lafraniere.
 
JimboA said:
Nope. Both are 99's, so they're U19 players this season.

Regarding Sweden, Boqvist will be available (if he isn't injured or something else) and Dahlin could be available if Frölunda lose Game 6 tomorrow or a Game 7 on Sunday.
Click to expand...

What are Rikard Grönborg's plans for Dahlin?.
If Frölunda gets eliminated in SHL playoffs i think Grönborg might take Dahlin to Sweden's IIHF worlds training camp. Yes Dahlin didn't play much in Olympics but maybe he gets bigger role in men's hockey world championships.
 
Jesperi Kotkaniemi is available Finland's U18 WJC roster.
Jesperi's team Porin Ässät got eliminated yesterday's liiga quarterfinals
when Oulun Kärpät won 5th liiga quarterfinal 5-1.
 
ChicagoBullsFan said:
What are Rikard Grönborg's plans for Dahlin?.
If Frölunda gets eliminated in SHL playoffs i think Grönborg might take Dahlin to Sweden's IIHF worlds training camp. Yes Dahlin didn't play much in Olympics but maybe he gets bigger role in men's hockey world championships.
Click to expand...
I honestly have no idea, but I guess it's possible. I would however prefer to see him in the U18 WC with his age group one last time, could be fun to watch.

Some question marks:
Rasmus Sandin - plays on a very good team in the OHL so he will not be there unless there's some clause in his loan deal.
Jonatan Berggren & Albin Eriksson - have played the last two games with Skellefteå in the playoffs because of a suspension and a day-to-day injury.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hockeyfrilla
JimboA said:
I honestly have no idea, but I guess it's possible. I would however prefer to see him in the U18 WC with his age group one last time, could be fun to watch.

Some question marks:
Rasmus Sandin - plays on a very good team in the OHL so he will not be there unless there's some clause in his loan deal.
Jonatan Berggren & Albin Eriksson - have played the last two games with Skellefteå in the playoffs because of a suspension and a day-to-day injury.
Click to expand...

If there is a chance to get Dahlin in U18's then absolutely he should be in the team.
But Dahlin so good and all scouts know that he'll be 1st overall pick this year so he doesn't have much to prove in U18's.

Sweden's 2000 age group is better than Finland's but just only based for NHL talent.
Does Sweden have any 2001 born players who might make in the team this year.

Finland's 2001 age group is very good and Kaapo Kakko is a lock for U18 WJC team this year if he's healthy.
Other interesting names in 2001 age group are Mikko Kokkonen, Leevi Aaltonen,Henri Nikkanen,Veeti Miettinen and Anton Lundell.
But how many of ours 2001 age group are in the team this year that remains to be seen.
 
Mr Writer said:
now that I don't know, but I would have to say no. the only games on the broadcast schedule are Canada and the USA.
Click to expand...

OK thanks.
Then this probably means that YLE sends their own TV staff to Russia.
Russia is Finland's eastern neighbor so it shouldn't be tough task for YLE to go Russia and broadcast Finland's games live coverage's from Chelyabinsk.
 
Tournament's mascot is pretty cute:

DXpedC6XkAEUANh.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chainshot, ecemleafs, Habs76 and 3 others
ChicagoBullsFan said:
OK thanks.
Then this probably means that YLE sends their own TV staff to Russia.
Russia is Finland's eastern neighbor so it shouldn't be tough task for YLE to go Russia and broadcast Finland's games live coverage's from Chelyabinsk.
Click to expand...
Yle has shown our games like two years in a row. I'm sure they will do that this year too. No reason why they wouldn't.
 
ChicagoBullsFan said:
If there is a chance to get Dahlin in U18's then absolutely he should be in the team.
But Dahlin so good and all scouts know that he'll be 1st overall pick this year so he doesn't have much to prove in U18's.

Sweden's 2000 age group is better than Finland's but just only based for NHL talent.
Does Sweden have any 2001 born players who might make in the team this year.
Click to expand...

Team Sweden roster:

1. Olof Lindbom
29. Jesper Wallstedt -02
30. Jesper Eliasson

2. Fredrik Granberg
3. Adam Boqvist
4. Tobias Björnfot -01
5. Filip Johansson
6. Axel Andersson
7. Nils Lundkvist
10. Adam Ginning

11. Oskar Bäck
12. David Lilja
13. David Gustafsson
15. Filip Hållander
16. Samuel Fagemo
17. Jonatan Berggren
19. Nils Höglander
21. Jacob Olofsson
22. Nikola Pasic
23. Lukas Wernblom
24. Albin Grewe -01
25. Linus Nässén
26. Marcus Westfält
 
  • Like
Reactions: clevelandcane
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Top Bottom