Player Discussion 2025 IIHF World Junior Championships: Helenius, Wahlberg, Kleber, Ziemer, Strbak, Panocha - Ottawa - December 26 - January 5, 2025

[Chainshot]

What was the issue in how Canada selected their team? Ive seen it referenced

They left a bunch of skilled guys off the team - some of them not even invited to the "selection" camp in favor of grit/intangibles/compeeetz. Misa, Sennecke, Parekh, Yakemchuk, Greentree... so many. And then lo-and-behold they had a hard time scoring goals. Add in the couple of skill guys they took who play on the same team on the same line and are near the top of their league in scoring in Martone and Rehkopf were never put together on the ice - they would use one or the other a little bit from time to time but they straight up replaced one with the other. Trouble getting up the ice? Not use Akey after not bringing Yakemchuk and Parekh.

Edit - and how could I forget not practicing. The ego, the enormous hubris, of Hockey Canada's big brains to think that a team struggling with special teams and on ice discipline was tired instead of needing on-ice time to get acclimated to one another. The selection stuff is one thing, the lack of adaptation and basics by Cameron and his staff is another that made the selection issues worse.

Hockey Canada absolutely put their foot in it.

 

[KeyserSoze81]

I hate the IIHF site with a burning passion. It needs a complete overhaul.

It's been so terrible for so long. I visit the site every year expecting it to have improved, and it remains an absolute garbled mess. TSN is the best I have found for box scores and highlights.

 

[Ace]

What was the issue in how Canada selected their team? Ive seen it referenced

Chainshot answered already but I wanted to add that criticism of their roster selection was very loud before the tournament played out. People overwhelmingly disagreed with their philosophy. When you’re Canada….you have to deal with the fact that your very best guys aren’t going to be available. They literally could have run a line of Bedard-Celebrini-Benson if they weren’t too good to be released to the tournament. But you’re deep in talent…so the next tier of guys usually carry you through to the medal rounds easily. They chose to leave a lot of talent at home…which, in a funny way, was an overreaction to last year’s loss to Czechia. They wanted gritty workers. They got them. Tough to play against at even strength. In position to take a lot of penalties. Unable to score their way out of holes when the other team scores on power plays.

It had disaster written all over it. And it happened.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Chainshot answered already but I wanted to add that criticism of their roster selection was very loud before the tournament played out. People overwhelmingly disagreed with their philosophy. When you’re Canada….you have to deal with the fact that your very best guys aren’t going to be available. They literally could have run a line of Bedard-Celebrini-Benson if they weren’t too good to be released to the tournament. But you’re deep in talent…so the next tier of guys usually carry you through to the medal rounds easily. They chose to leave a lot of talent at home…which, in a funny way, was an overreaction to last year’s loss to Czechia. They wanted gritty workers. They got them. Tough to play against at even strength. In position to take a lot of penalties. Unable to score their way out of holes when the other team scores on power plays.

It had disaster written all over it. And it happened.

Pre-tournament, most Canadian fans, most years: "Our roster selection is crap!" *

Post-tournament, most Canadian fans, 2025: "And this time we were right!"

* US fans are guilty of this too, to a lesser extent.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Czechia is an opportunistic team that can exploit the defensive zone mistakes the Americans are prone to making. I don't think they can contain the USA's offensive firepower enough to win though. If Augustine is on-form, USA wins.

4-2 for the good guys.

 

[Chainshot]

Czechia is an opportunistic team that can exploit the defensive zone mistakes the Americans are prone to making. I don't think they can contain the USA's offensive firepower enough to win though. If Augustine is on-form, USA wins.

4-2 for the good guys.

I’m not sure about his form - Augustine has had some WTF moments this tournament.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

I’m not sure about his form - Augustine has had some WTF moments this tournament.

Definitely, the Germany game in particular. It's his Gold medal form at the U18 and last year's WJC we want.

 

[truthbluth]

First time I'm catching Sweden. Good lord Whalberg is on a different level, physically, from the rest of this tourney. The Sabres need to have hit on him so bad.

 

[Fjordy]

This Finnish defenseman looked like Jokiharju, and even had the same number.

 

[Ace]

Great pass by Helenius to tie it

 

[Fjordy]

Konsta with apple.

 

[Ace]

It took them forever to see what people in the last row saw on first replay. Death to offsides challlenges

 

[Fjordy]

Helenius win FO, good pass and another apple. Very solid game from Konsta.

 

[Chainshot]

Helenius wins the draw, gets the handle to the left wing forward who puts it in like a shot pass that is deflected in. 2-1 Finland.

 

[Chainshot]

This was his primary on Hemming's PP goal -

 

[truthbluth]

Helenius win FO, good pass and another apple. Very solid game from Konsta.

He went god mode for a bit there on the forecheck.

 

[Fjordy]

He went god mode for a bit there on the forecheck.

There were several such episodes over the two periods, he looks very good, stands out.

 

[Chainshot]

Helenius has elevated for sure.

 

[truthbluth]

Helenius has elevated for sure.

Looks like the best player on the ice. I have NOT liked Pelikka so far.

 

[Chainshot]

Looks like the best player on the ice. I have NOT liked Pelikka so far.

Yeah, feels like he's trying to do too much instead of taking what's there. I know Strbak was trying to do too much as the Slovak #1 which made it clear when he would make mistakes because he was on the ice more than a third of every game. It seems a bit like ASP is having a little of that too today.

 

[Ace]

This announcers love of shootouts cracks me up.

“Overtime coming up. …. AND MAYBE THEN A SHOOTOUT!”

You’re celebrating the vegetables and ignoring the dessert.

 

[jc17]

I've watched 5 minutes of Sweden Finland and in those minutes Helenius and Wahlberg have not been bonding

 

[Ace]

Sweden world junior medal round teams are the playoff Leafs

Konsta going for the gold off a three assist day

 

[Fjordy]

Helenius with three apple.

 

[Chainshot]

I've watched 5 minutes of Sweden Finland and in those minutes Helenius and Wahlberg have not been bonding

Wahlberg had two great rushes in OT.

Helenius should get the primary on the GWG too. Not a good goal for Thelin.