Official 2023 World Junior Championship Thread

[FLYguy3911]

Bedard. Gross.

Another one.

 

[ellja3]

I just hope we can create an upset or two. Really nice roster this year.

 

[BigToe]

@FLYguy3911 I’ve been going back and forth on Cristall and Benson. Can’t figure out which one I prefer.

Michkov looked pretty good today. Don’t understand why people are dropping him.

 

[FLYguy3911]

@FLYguy3911 I’ve been going back and forth on Cristall and Benson. Can’t figure out which one I prefer.

Michkov looked pretty good today. Don’t understand why people are dropping him.

I've seen more Cristall than Benson. My gut tells me they are probably stacked in some order. I get some DY Marner vibes with Cristall. Benson is a do-it-all kind of guy that feels like one of the safer players in the draft.

Trying to think of who Michkov reminds me of. A souped-up Caufield? He runs these lopsided G-A totals, but he's clearly an impactful player, unlike most players that turn out stat lines like that.

edit: this is also the WJC, not the Draft thread sir.

 

[FLYguy3911]

@BigToe Casey got cut.

 

[Magua]

@BigToe Casey got cut.

Nolan Allan is looking better and better.

 

[BigToe]

I've seen more Cristall than Benson. My gut tells me they are probably stacked in some order. I get some DY Marner vibes with Cristall. Benson is a do-it-all kind of guy that feels like one of the safer players in the draft.

Trying to think of who Michkov reminds me of. A souped-up Caufield? He runs these lopsided G-A totals, but he's clearly an impactful player, unlike most players that turn out stat lines like that.

edit: this is also the WJC, not the Draft thread sir.

Oops . I still need to watch more of everyone really, but from what I’ve seen I love them both. I think Cristall has more room to grow while outproducing Benson so I’ll probably end up ranking him higher.

Yea, I watched a shift video of Perron and while he does look good I don’t think he’s close to Michkov. Can’t believe people are ranking him higher.

@BigToe Casey got cut.

So stupid. Makes no sense.

 

[FLYguy3911]

 

[BigToe]

Kiviharju cut too

 

[BillDineen]

Air Canada is among the worst airlines in the world. Sadly BA is going in the same direction. Vueling (discount Iberia) and other low cost carriers are infinitely better.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Need Russia back soon in these tournaments to up the overall competition level back to where it once was. We swapped out a potential gold medal winner in any given year for another relegation level team.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Saw Switzerland not attempting to forecheck and immediately going to a trap and I hammered the under in this one. Finland can’t make a clean pass in the NZ.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I kind of laugh how USA Hockey just doesn’t see Gauthier as a center despite that talking point around him. Nazar not being available & not much behind Cooley that would excite you’d think they would have tried.

They’re probably gonna go as far as that top line & Hughes take them though.

 

[renberg]

I kind of laugh how USA Hockey just doesn’t see Gauthier as a center despite that talking point around him. Nazar not being available & not much behind Cooley that would excite you’d think they would have tried.

They’re probably gonna go as far as that top line & Hughes take them though.

It would be possible to play Gauthier at center and Cooley on the wing but they've found out that that set up isn't as effective as with Cooley in the middle. Just because the blend of this team pushes Gauthier to wing doesn't necessarily mean that he can't play the position in other situations. His play in college this season has shown that he can handle center ice.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

It would be possible to play Gauthier at center and Cooley on the wing but they've found out that that set up isn't as effective as with Cooley in the middle. Just because the blend of this team pushes Gauthier to wing doesn't necessarily mean that he can't play the position in other situations. His play in college this season has shown that he can handle center ice.

I’m not saying he can’t play center I’m just stating USA Hockey with two years at the program & now at this tournament feel Gauthier’s best position is the wing. He was never playing over Cooley as is just a better player/prospect at every step of the way. But with Nazar out who also played center over Gauthier last at the program you’d think it would more so potentially be on the table as an option.

I don’t even necessarily hate Gauthier being tried out at center. I just hope the organization isn’t completely married to it because I think on the wing is still his highest upside position going forward.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Finland had the third best odds entering this thing and have single digit shots through 40 against Switzerland.

Seems like the coach is galaxy-braining this thing.

 

[BigToe]

Finland had the third best odds entering this thing and have single digit shots through 40 against Switzerland.

Seems like the coach is galaxy-braining this thing.

This 5 wide breakout thing is so ugly. Lambert's second team last year did the same thing. Maybe its a finish thing.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Dave Reid loves Brian Zanetti lol.

This Finnish goalie blows everytime I see him.

This 5 wide breakout thing is so ugly. Lambert's second team last year did the same thing. Maybe its a finish thing.

Maybe Lambert just sucks.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I feel like Finland is erratic from year to year in these things. They’ll either win gold or put in a real clunker of a tournament.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Game opened up. My Under isn't looking great now.

 

[FLYguy3911]

The Swedish Blues are sweet.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

I kind of laugh how USA Hockey just doesn’t see Gauthier as a center despite that talking point around him. Nazar not being available & not much behind Cooley that would excite you’d think they would have tried.

They’re probably gonna go as far as that top line & Hughes take them though.

Pretty much just the opposite. Judging by the pre-tournament games, the USA is playing more of a hybrid style with smaller, fast defensemen activating all over the ice.

Players like Brindley, Casey, Stramel and Hutson aren't necessarily big NHL prospects but could have bigger than expected roles.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Dave Reid loves Brian Zanetti lol.

This Finnish goalie blows everytime I see him.


Maybe Lambert just sucks.

Zanetti was pretty good and is 6'3" (and +8 playing for Peterborough). But what does Dave Reid know about defending?

As for Koskenvuo, he's not played much at Harvard - former Jr. Flyer (and Caps draft pick) Mitchell Gibson is the starter - and wasn't real strong against the USA in the pre-tournament game.

It will be interesting to see what the Finns do from here.

 

[ellja3]

USA-Latvia today at 11pm. Shouuuuld I sacrifice my tomorrow's work day slightly or not..

 

[BigToe]

Rosen has been looking a lot better than I expected.