WJC: 2021 Medal Finalists/Tourney MVP/Best D-man/Goaltender and All-Star team.

[Czechboy]

Man, a lot of my excitement has been killed with all the players who won't be coming. Here's a list of all the players expected/hoped would attend who will not be in Edmonton:

F Alexis Lafreniere (Canada) - Not released by NY Rangers/Players choice
F Jack Hughes (USA) - Not released by New Jersey Devils/Players choice
F Robert Mastrosimone (USA) - COVID-19
D Alex Vlasic (USA) - COVID-19
G Drew Commesso (USA) - COVID-19
F William Eklund (Sweden) - COVID-19
F Karl Henriksson (Sweden) - COVID-19
F Albin Grewe (Sweden) - COVID-19
D William Wallinder (Sweden) - COVID-19
Coach Tomas Monten (Sweden) - COVID-19
F Patrik Puistola (Finland) - Unknown/Coach's decision
F Aatu Raty (Finland) - Coach's decision
F Maxim Cajkovic (Slovakia) - Disciplinary issues
F Lukas Reichel (Germany) - COVID-19
F Nino Kinder (Germany) - COVID-19
G Tobias Ancicka (Germany) - COVID-19

Please feel free to continue to add. All this group needs is a few more D and they would likely be medal favourites!

Are you sure the guys with Covid 19 can't play? It's December 8th... lots of time to clear up? I knew about Kakko, Cajkovic, Hughes and Laf... but I thought Reichel was going for instance?

 

[Hagstrom]

Are you sure the guys with Covid 19 can't play? It's December 8th... lots of time to clear up? I knew about Kakko, Cajkovic, Hughes and Laf... but I thought Reichel was going for instance?

While the tournament doesn't start until Christmas, teams must enter the bubble in Edmonton by Dec 13th, if I remember right.

 

[novisor]

1-Canada
2-Russia
3-USA
4-Finland

MVP-Byram
Best Forward-Dach
Best Defensemen-Bryam
Best Goaltender-Askarov

I like this answer best. I would be inclined to say Seider if he was playing, however obviously he cannot win best d-man if he doesn't play but more importantly I don't think Germany will make it too far without him either to get their players into contention. This had the roster/group alignment for the Germans to finally move on.

 

[Statsy]

I like this answer best. I would be inclined to say Seider if he was playing, however obviously he cannot win best d-man if he doesn't play but more importantly I don't think Germany will make it too far without him either to get their players into contention. This had the roster/group alignment for the Germans to finally move on.

The group alignment has them running into the teeth of one of the big three in the quarters.

 

[Czechboy]

Are you sure the guys with Covid 19 can't play? It's December 8th... lots of time to clear up? I knew about Kakko, Cajkovic, Hughes and Laf... but I thought Reichel was going for instance?

Germany loses 2 including Blackhawks prospect Reichel for World Junior Championship due to COVID-19 - TSN.ca

Im clearly wrong. Apologies

 

[Czechboy]

The group alignment has them running into the teeth of one of the big three in the quarters.

Unless you finish first in that pool (you get Austria or Czechs) you are in a for a hell of a quarter... US, Sweden or Russia.

 

[ORRFForever]

Unless you finish first in that pool (you get Austria or Czechs) you are in a for a hell of a quarter... US, Sweden or Russia.

Whenever there is a division of 3 big teams, one of those 3 inevitably finishes 4th so don't be surprised if finishing 1st in the other pool equals a tough quarter final game.

 

[ORRFForever]

TSN's World Junior Countdown was on tonight.

Craig Button, who was deeply infatuated with the U.S.'s 2019 draft just 18 months ago (he called them a "dream team"), has found someone new to love...

Button feels this is the best Canadian team since 2005 and we'll run the table. He says "the depth of talent is enormous". He also thinks Russia is our greatest competition and we'll meet in the GMG.

 

[ORRFForever]

I made predictions 2 weeks ago but with all the Covid issues I have to update...

Pool A...

Canada
Finland
Germany
Switzerland
Slovakia

Pool B...

Russia
US
Czechs
Sweden
Austria

Sweden as our quarter final opponent will be tough but, if we can win that game, Canada vs Russia in the finals.

G : Canada
S : Russia
B : USA

Kirby Dach as the top forward and MVP.
Bowen Byram as the top D-Man
Y Askarov or S Knight as top goalie.

 

[ORRFForever]

G - Canada
S - Russia
B - USA

MVP - Dach
F - Dach
D - Byram
G - Askarov

Cozens-Dach-Zegras
Broberg-Byram
Askarov

Looks like I stole your picks. I promise I did mine without looking.

 

[Mathieukferland]

TSN's World Junior Countdown was on tonight.

Craig Button, who was deeply infatuated with the U.S.'s 2019 draft just 18 months ago (he called them a "dream team"), has found someone new to love...

Button feels this is the best Canadian team since 2005 and we'll run the table. He says "the depth of talent is enormous". He also thinks Russia is our greatest competition and we'll meet in the GMG.

I always thought that group was overrated

 

[Statsy]

I made predictions 2 weeks ago but with all the Covid issues I have to update...

Pool A...

Canada
Finland
Germany
Switzerland
Slovakia

Pool B...

Russia
US
Czechs
Sweden
Austria

Sweden as our quarter final opponent will be tough but, if we can win that game, Canada vs Russia in the finals.

G : Canada
S : Russia
B : USA

Kirby Dach as the top forward and MVP.
Bowen Byram as the top D-Man
Y Askarov or S Knight as top goalie.

I don’t think Sweden has lost as much as you think they’ve lost. The two forwards that were going to carry the team are still there. Possibly the tournament’s best D corps is there, and they have a great returning goalie. They’ll also be plenty motivated with their prelim winning streak on the line.

Also, Germany has been hit hard by Covid and you have them placing high in the group.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

I don’t think Sweden has lost as much as you think they’ve lost. The two forwards that were going to carry the team are still there. Possibly the tournament’s best D corps is there, and they have a great returning goalie. They’ll also be plenty motivated with their prelim winning streak on the line.

Also, Germany has been hit hard by Covid and you have them placing high in the group.

I mean Sweden arguably lost their 1C. That is a pretty substantial blow to a spot they were already relatively weak at in my opinion. I think it is pretty clear who will have the best D corps and it really isn't Sweden. I don't see them finishing 4th but 3rd makes sense.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Canada
USA
Russia

MVP - Dach
Best D - Drysdale

Robertson - Dach - Amirov
Drysdale - Byram
Knight

 

[iginlafan77]

I don’t think Sweden has lost as much as you think they’ve lost. The two forwards that were going to carry the team are still there. Possibly the tournament’s best D corps is there, and they have a great returning goalie. They’ll also be plenty motivated with their prelim winning streak on the line.

Also, Germany has been hit hard by Covid and you have them placing high in the group.

I don't think it's crazy to put Germany ahead of Switzerland or Slovakia. Slovaks lost Cajkovic, and Switzerland really just doesn't have any high end talent.

 

[ORRFForever]

I don’t think Sweden has lost as much as you think they’ve lost. The two forwards that were going to carry the team are still there. Possibly the tournament’s best D corps is there, and they have a great returning goalie. They’ll also be plenty motivated with their prelim winning streak on the line.

Also, Germany has been hit hard by Covid and you have them placing high in the group.

As I mentioned before, whenever there is a group of 3 top end teams in one pool, 1 always seems to finish 4th. I chose Sweden.

 

[Statsy]

As I mentioned before, whenever there is a group of 3 top end teams in one pool, 1 always seems to finish 4th. I chose Sweden.

K, let’s dispel this idea right here and now. Yes, it may SEEM like that happens every year but I just went and looked back at the last five tournaments:

2016 Group A
1. Sweden
2. USA
3. Canada

2017 Group B
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Russia

2018 Group A
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Finland

2019 Group B
1. Sweden
2. Finland
3. USA

2020 Group B
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Russia

Clearly when a big 5 team finishes fourth it sticks in people’s minds and when one doesn’t, it simply gets dismissed. I only looked at five years and it didn’t happen in any of them... and those are the five most recent years that should be fresh in our minds.

Looks like we don’t need to bring the “Myth Busters” out of retirement for this one, it just got busted!

 

[Heldig]

TSN's World Junior Countdown was on tonight.

Craig Button, who was deeply infatuated with the U.S.'s 2019 draft just 18 months ago (he called them a "dream team"), has found someone new to love...

Button feels this is the best Canadian team since 2005 and we'll run the table. He says "the depth of talent is enormous". He also thinks Russia is our greatest competition and we'll meet in the GMG.

Canada has 18 1st round picks at forward vying for 14 spots.

On D, the projected top 6 are ALL 1st round picks.

 

[ORRFForever]

K, let’s dispel this idea right here and now. Yes, it may SEEM like that happens every year but I just went and looked back at the last five tournaments:

2016 Group A
1. Sweden
2. USA
3. Canada

2017 Group B
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Russia

2018 Group A
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Finland

2019 Group B
1. Sweden
2. Finland
3. USA

2020 Group B
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Russia

Clearly when a big 5 team finishes fourth it sticks in people’s minds and it when one doesn’t, it simply gets dismissed. I only looked at five years and it didn’t happen in any of them... and those are the five most recent years that should be fresh in our minds.

Looks like we don’t need to bring the “Myth Busters” out of retirement for this one, it just got busted!

Fair enough.

I still think it will happen this year and it will be Sweden in 4th.

 

[Statsy]

I mean Sweden arguably lost their 1C. That is a pretty substantial blow to a spot they were already relatively weak at in my opinion. I think it is pretty clear who will have the best D corps and it really isn't Sweden. I don't see them finishing 4th but 3rd makes sense.

3rd is a possibility, but don’t be surprised if they finish higher than that. And for the record, I would actually take Canada as the number one D in the tournament, but there is no denying that Sweden is absolutely STACKED at the back.

 

[ORRFForever]

3rd is a possibility, but don’t be surprised if they finish higher than that. And for the record, I would actually take Canada as the number one D in the tournament, but there is no denying that Sweden is absolutely STACKED at the back.

I think the Covid issues (both players and coaches) will take it's toll.

 

[Statsy]

I think the Covid issues (both players and coaches) will take it's toll.

Possibly, but my issue was more with your pick of them finishing fourth. Having dispelled that “Big 5 team usually finishes fourth” myth, are you STILL picking them for fourth?

 

[ORRFForever]

Possibly, but my issue was more with your pick of them finishing fourth. Having dispelled that “Big 5 team usually finishes fourth” myth, are you STILL picking them for fourth?

Yup.

 

[Statsy]

Yup.

Alrighty then!

 

[novisor]

The group alignment has them running into the teeth of one of the big three in the quarters.

True. But they've never moved on to the quarters in this tournament so I was looking forward to this being the first time, and seeing what they could do... maybe a big upset? Stutzle, Peterka, Reichel, Seider... those 4 on the ice they are just as deadly as most other nations... so you never know. However, no Seider and now no Reichel (not to mention to Bokk returning from last year) and this team looks as they do in any other given year, but w 2 18 yo high draft picks.