GDT: 2023 World Junior Championship Thread (Clarke, Connors, Salin)

[ScoreZeGoals]

Zellweger has been absolutely atrocious in this game

 

[Trash Panda]

Zellweger has been absolutely atrocious in this game

He definitely fits the mould of a high event defensemen.

Good or bad, shit is happening when he is on the ice.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

Bedard has some warts to his game, but his shot is unreal

 

[King'sPawn]

Conversely, while I said yesterday it was a hit to the head - the German player got as low as reasonably possible to hit Fantilli. Fantilli put himself in a vulnerable position.

The German player's only recourse was not to hit? Absurd.

 

[King'sPawn]

Clarke's rocket makes it 7-1.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Clarke finally got his goal... Canada PP is like automatic against Germany

 

[ru4reals]

Team USA just have no game breakers who you can count on to score when needed. Hughes is a good prospect but the forward depth is just above average. 2021 team was loaded starting with Zegras, Turcs and Arty party. Wouldn't be surprised if they ended up in the same position as last year.

 

[King'sPawn]

Hold up... they're counting the canceled WJCs in winter towards Bedard's goal total during the WJC?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Hold up... they're counting the canceled WJCs in winter towards Bedard's goal total during the WJC?

Of course they are, Team Canada org is a f***ing joke

 

[King'sPawn]

Final Standings after Day 3 (all teams with 2 games played)

Group A
Czechia: 2-0-0-0; 6 pts; +12 goal differential
Sweden: 2-0-0-0; 6 points; +12 goal differential
Canada: 1-0-0-1; 3 points; +6 goal differential*
Germany: 0-0-0-2; 0 points; -10 goal differential*
Austria: 0-0-0-2; 0 points, -20 goal differential

Group B
Switzerland: 0-2-0-0; 4 pts; +2 goal differential
Finland: 1-0-1-0; 4 pts; +2 goal differential
Slovakia: 1-0-0-1; 3 pts; +0 goal differential
USA: 1-0-0-1; 3 pts; +0 goal differential
Latvia: 0-0-1-1; 1 pt; -4 goal differential

If the tournament ended today:
Latvia and Austria would play best of 3. Loser gets relegated and replaced by Norway
Czechia vs USA
Sweden vs Slovakia
Canada vs Finland
Germany vs Switzerland

* goal differential is pending game completion. It is currently 11-2 Canada.

 

[bland]

Hold up... they're counting the canceled WJCs in winter towards Bedard's goal total during the WJC?

At this rate it may not matter, dude's Sittler-ing tonight's game.

 

[King'sPawn]

At this rate it may not matter, dude's Sittler-ing tonight's game.

I'm just saying one of his games was against Austria, and with the canceled tournament, he's getting 2 extra games that normally wouldn't get scheduled. It's just a blocker for future players who could eventually break it in future years.

 

[Trash Panda]

I'm just saying one of his games was against Austria, and with the canceled tournament, he's getting 2 extra games that normally wouldn't get scheduled. It's just a blocker for future players who could eventually break it in future years.

It just makes what Forsberg did all the more impressive.

 

[bland]

I'm just saying one of his games was against Austria, and with the canceled tournament, he's getting 2 extra games that normally wouldn't get scheduled. It's just a blocker for future players who could eventually break it in future years.

I'm with you, its a dubious choice

 

[Schmooley]

At this rate it may not matter, dude's Sittler-ing tonight's game.

Last time I laced em up was about 15 years ago and it was a game against Sittler. Guy was an unreal player. I had to go 100% and he was still toying with me. What a blast from the past!

 

[King'sPawn]

Otto Salin gets a secondary assist on Finland's first goal. They're up 1-0 less than halfway into the first.

 

[King'sPawn]

A second secondary assist for Salin.

Finland up 2-0, Salin has assists on both.

First was a point-to-point pass, which led to a pass into the high slot and a clean shot in the net.

Second was a nice breakout; carry to the neutral zone then a leading pass allowing hid teammate to enter with speed, who passed it to the goalscorer.

Nothing earth-shattering. But it is nice to see him involved in scoring plays in different ways.

Also saved a sure wraparound goal earlier, as his goalie didn't get to the post fast enough.

 

[King'sPawn]

Finland beats Latvia 3-0. Otto Salin had 2 assists and was a plus-2.

Finland currently leads Group B with 7 points. Latvia currently at the bottom of Group B with 1 point. They would need both Slovakia and USA to lose out AND they would need to win tomorrow to avoid the relegation round.

 

[Fat Elvis]

Finland beats Latvia 3-0. Otto Salin had 2 assists and was a plus-2.

Finland currently leads Group B with 7 points. Latvia currently at the bottom of Group B with 1 point. They would need both Slovakia and USA to lose out AND they would need to win tomorrow to avoid the relegation round.

How's he looking? Who's his game similar to?

 

[King'sPawn]

How's he looking? Who's his game similar to?

I have concerns about the translatability of Salin, to be honest. He's a smaller player; while the NHL has afforded more possibilities for smaller players, there's still the question of how he will be able to fend off bigger and stronger players. So, I don't see him as a defensive stalwart.

Conversely, I don't see individual game-breaking abilities that separates him from other players. He skates well, but no separation speed. No creative/flashy means of puck protection. He's more of a puck distributor instead of one who, himself, can take over a game or can hammer the puck.

Of course, development isn't linear, so things could always change. But I don't see him as regular offensive threat like Kimmo Timonen. I think he'll best thrive utilizing his teammates and just being a complementary piece.

As for a similar game? I dunno. Size, style and position, maybe Victor Mete?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I have concerns about the translatability of Salin, to be honest. He's a smaller player; while the NHL has afforded more possibilities for smaller players, there's still the question of how he will be able to fend off bigger and stronger players. So, I don't see him as a defensive stalwart.

Conversely, I don't see individual game-breaking abilities that separates him from other players. He skates well, but no separation speed. No creative/flashy means of puck protection. He's more of a puck distributor instead of one who, himself, can take over a game or can hammer the puck.

Of course, development isn't linear, so things could always change. But I don't see him as regular offensive threat like Kimmo Timonen. I think he'll best thrive utilizing his teammates and just being a complementary piece.

As for a similar game? I dunno. Size, style and position, maybe Victor Mete?

Sean Walker

Kind of the Roland McKeown conundrum--real good at everything, not great at anything, but not big/fast/strong enough to translate average/above average abilities to the NHL in ways other people won't.

 

[King'sPawn]

Sean Walker

Kind of the Roland McKeown conundrum--real good at everything, not great at anything, but not big/fast/strong enough to translate average/above average abilities to the NHL in ways other people won't.

Yeah, for a more local comparison, Walker isn't a bad comparison. I think Walker is more of a shooter though.

On another note, Czechia's tied with Sweden 2-2 with 2:00 left in the third. They're extremely resilient this year, and them beating Canada is no fluke.

 

[King'sPawn]

Standings after today.

Group A
Sweden: 2-1-0-0, 8 points, +13 goal differential
Czechia: 2-0-1-0, 7 points, +11 goal differential
Canada: 2-0-0-1, 6 points, +17 goal differential
Germany: 0-0-0-2, 0 points, -10 goal differential
Austria: 0-0-0-3, 0 points, -31 goal differential

Group B
Finland: 2-0-1-0, 7 points, +5 goal differential
USA: 2-0-0-1, 6 points, +4 goal differential
Switzerland: 0-2-0-1, 4 points, -2 goal differential
Slovakia: 1-0-0-1, 3 points, +0 goal differential
Latvia: 0-0-1-2, 1 point, -7 goal differential

Schedule tomorrow (no Kings prospects playing):
Slovakia vs. Latvia
Germany vs. Austria

If the round robin ended today, it would be:
Sweden vs Slovakia
Czechia vs Switzerland
Canada vs USA
Germany vs Finland

New Year's Eve is the final day of round robin play. Canada plays Sweden. Finland plays USA. Then seeding occurs.

Prospects:
Brandt Clarke: 3 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 Pts, 4 PIM, Plus-3
Otto Salin: 3 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 3 Pts, 0 PIM, Plus-3
Kenny Connors: 3 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 Pts, 25 PIM, minus-1

 

[King'sPawn]

Only 2 games played today. None of which involving Kings prospects. But some stuff is now settled:

Austria and Latvia finish at the bottom of their groups. They will play each other in the relegation round (best of 3). Winner returns next year. Loser goes to the lower division and is replaced by Norway next year. Note this could also change based on how IIHF handles Russia and Belarus. They are banned from all tournaments until further notice.

In Group A, Germany is locked in 4th. So they will play the top seed in Group B.

Sweden plays Canada and Czechia plays Germany. USA plays Finland and Slovakia plays Switzerland

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I honeslty forgot all about this today