GDT: U18 Round Robin/QF's

[Czechboy]

Not sure how busy this will be so I'll post a generic GDT to discuss the games.

So far the US beat Slovakia 9-0. Czechs are up 3-0 on the Swiss.

Canada vs Sweden coming up!
Finns vs Latvia also coming up!

I'll take Swedes and Latvia to be a shit disturber!

Click to read more...

 

[jj cale]

Let the slaughter begin!! pretty tough to compete with the U.S at this tournament.

 

[WarriorofTime]

The Swiss program has fallen off, I doubt they could hold off Belarus at the U20 these days, but the IIHF Ban keeps them pushed up for now.

 

[Czechboy]

Czechs up 3-0 and on a PP... thing seem under control.

I will say, win or lose (quarter loss) that I like this team and have no complaints. Jiricek would've been great to have but he's been out all season so it's not like it is a shock. We have 80% of our A team but sucks we are missing our only first rounder. Got the goalie I wanted from CHL (he had an outclause for this) and he just got a shutout. Way to go Milota... looking forward to hearing your name on day 2 of the draft.

 

[Czechboy]

Let the slaughter begin!! pretty tough to compete with the U.S at this tournament.

Just ask Slovakia... ouch.

Swedes have been very good at this tourney.

Canada is obviously sending a B or C team due to CHL playoffs.

 

[BerthMania]

I haven't seen the match USA Slovakia, who did stand out?

 

[WarriorofTime]

I haven't seen the match USA Slovakia, who did stand out?

Hagens was best player and had some nifty plays. Eiserman had a hat trick.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

WJC: - U18 WJC Latvia vs Finland game thread.

Team Finland tonight Maalilla: 1 Petteri Rimpinen Varalla: 30 Kim Saarinen 1: 28 Lauri Sinivuori – 19 Konsta Helenius – 32 Emil Hemming 12 Aron Kiviharju – 10 Veeti Väisänen 2: 33 Tuomas Suoniemi – 27 Aatos Koivu – 24 Joona Saarelainen 15 Niklas Nykyri – 4 Mitja Jokinen 3: 37 Markus Loponen...

forums.hfboards.com

 

[Czechboy]

Hagens was best player and had some nifty plays. Eiserman had a hat trick.

Is there any potential goal scoring record for him to catch? Feel like he scored a lot last year... feel like he'll score a lot this year.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Just ask Slovakia... ouch.

Swedes have been very good at this tourney.

Canada is obviously sending a B or C team due to CHL playoffs.

C team is a bit harsh, most teams are eliminated from CHL Playoffs by now. But some other guys that would likely play through things if it were the U20s don't come to heal up for injury and prepare for draft (Lindstrom, Catton most notably)

Is there any potential goal scoring record for him to catch? Feel like he scored a lot last year... feel like he'll score a lot this year.

yeah, he came into today 8 goals behind Cole Caufield for USNTDP record. For just IIHF U18s lifetime mark, Ovechkin has the record with 23, Eiserman had 9 last year, 2nd is Caufield at 18. Catching Ovechkin's total would be Herculean but there's plenty more stat-padding opportunities with Norway, Latvia, QF opponent (likely Switzerland) still to come to reach the Caufield marks that sync up to each other.

 

[Czechboy]

C team is a bit harsh, most teams are eliminated from CHL Playoffs by now. But some other guys that would likely play through things if it were the U20s don't come to heal up for injury and prepare for draft (Lindstrom, Catton most notably)


yeah, he came into today 8 goals behind Cole Caufield for USNTDP record

I said B or C.lol

So he's 5 behind Caufield now? I'll be in shock if he doesn't get that. All this kid does is score. I see he dropped in draft rankings and I'm confused.

 

[jj cale]

Just ask Slovakia... ouch.

Swedes have been very good at this tourney.

Canada is obviously sending a B or C team due to CHL playoffs.

Yep, I mean a team can beat them every so often but the U.S is going to win this thing 8-9 times out of ten and mostly in pretty much a walk. All their best players playing together year round in what can be best described as the old Soviet model, other teams don't stand much of a chance.

The tournament lacks some drama and suffers for it because of that much like the Hlinka-Gretzky does but it's still decent to watch to see the talent on display and for the odd upset.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Yep, I mean a team can beat them every so often but the U.S is going to win this thing 8-9 times out of ten and mostly in pretty much a walk. All their best players playing together year round in what can be best described as the old Soviet model, other teams don't stand much of a chance.

European teams compete regularly as a U18 squad, and have for years, often since U16. There's all these various European competition, Five Nations, Four Nations, etc. things, Swedish kids have played 19 games this year as Sweden U-18 team. Sweden U18 (all) - Roster, News, Stats & more and 20 games as Sweden U-17 last year. Sweden U17 (all) 2022-2023 - Roster, Stats & more

The tournament lacks some drama and suffers for it because of that much like the Hlinka-Gretzky does but it's still decent to watch to see the talent on display and for the odd upset.

I just view everything for what it is and don't think it has to be some big statement.

 

[jj cale]

European teams compete regularly as a U18 squad, and have for years, often since U16. There's all these various European competition, Five Nations, Four Nations, etc. things, Swedish kids have played 19 games this year as Sweden U-18 team. Sweden U18 (all) - Roster, News, Stats & more and 20 games as Sweden U-17 last year. Sweden U17 (all) 2022-2023 - Roster, Stats & more



I just view everything for what it is and don't think it has to be some big statement.

Wasn't aware of that, that's a decent amount of games as a team for sure, how many games do the U.S kids play together?

I view it for what it is too, it isn't a big statement, other then that the U.S has a ton of talent these days and has a sizable edge in this tournament with familiarity. Canada has a serious edge in talent at the Hlinka too, hence why that isn't much of a statement either.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Wasn't aware of that, that's a decent amount of games as a team for sure, how many games do the U.S kids play together?

2 full seasons since the USNDTP is their club team, so many more.

I view it for what it is too, it isn't a big statement, other then that the U.S has a ton of talent these days and has a sizable edge in this tournament with familiarity. Canada has a serious edge in talent at the Hlinka too, hence why that isn't much of a statement either.

I think that's why nothing at U18 level will ever come close to replicating the U20. Canada may get a bit more consistent results now that they are consolidating the U17 thing down, it used to be 5 teams, then 3 teams, now it's 2 teams. So more kids will have been on a team together before with some previously established chemistry. Even without a full complement, Canada probably still has a talent edge, or is at least pretty close, most years if you just look at draft picks.

 

[jj cale]

2 full seasons since the USNDTP is their club team, so many more.

I think that's why nothing at U18 level will ever come close to replicating the U20. Canada may get a bit more consistent results now that they are consolidating the U17 thing down, it used to be 5 teams, then 3 teams, now it's 2 teams. So more kids will have been on a team together before with some previously established chemistry. Even without a full complement, Canada probably still has a talent edge, or is at least pretty close, most years if you just look at draft picks.

I've become more and more worried abut the U20 and how it's becoming more watered down with the top players getting pushed to the NHL after their draft season, it's starting to become telling IMO

Russia being out isn't helping either.

 

[Czechboy]

European teams compete regularly as a U18 squad, and have for years, often since U16. There's all these various European competition, Five Nations, Four Nations, etc. things, Swedish kids have played 19 games this year as Sweden U-18 team. Sweden U18 (all) - Roster, News, Stats & more and 20 games as Sweden U-17 last year. Sweden U17 (all) 2022-2023 - Roster, Stats & more



I just view everything for what it is and don't think it has to be some big statement.

I'll chime in a little from the Czech perspective (which could very well be VERY different from the Swedish one).

We are in all those tourneys every year. BUT... we got silver at Hlinka and then 80% of our roster left for CHL. So we are sending C and D teams to those tourneys. It's a lot of games but not many guys made the final roster. In fact, our final roster hasn't played together (mostly) since last August at the Hlinka.

USNDTP (which I love) are the same guys together all season. Belarus has something similar. I wish the Czechs would adpot it.

But, I don't see much value in a November U18 tournament where the Czechs have maybe 3 guys that will make the final cut (Benak, Jiricek would've and then it thins out fast).

Our U17 and U16 look very strong and I guarantee a lot of them will be gone after Hlinka too! Hard to sustain momentum.

 

[Czechboy]

Yep, I mean a team can beat them every so often but the U.S is going to win this thing 8-9 times out of ten and mostly in pretty much a walk. All their best players playing together year round in what can be best described as the old Soviet model, other teams don't stand much of a chance.

The tournament lacks some drama and suffers for it because of that much like the Hlinka-Gretzky does but it's still decent to watch to see the talent on display and for the odd upset.

Junior Tourneys are very flawed... US have an A team at this. Canada has an A team at Hlinka. The results show it. U20 (as you mentioned) is always missing the best guys... Eg. No Bedard for Canada this year. No Slaf and Nemec for Slovakia and that had to hurt them a lot! They never got that group together for a U20 run. I actually think Czech recent success is because of this.. we have good enough players to get drafted but not good enough to be in the NHL. So we had Kulich and Sale this year for instance.

 

[jj cale]

Junior Tourneys are very flawed... US have an A team at this. Canada has an A team at Hlinka. The results show it. U20 (as you mentioned) is always missing the best guys... Eg. No Bedard for Canada this year. No Slaf and Nemec for Slovakia and that had to hurt them a lot! They never got that group together for a U20 run.

In most cases I wish NHL teams would be patient with guys who are not surefire stars like Mcdavid and Matthews and not rush them into the NHL at 18.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I've become more and more worried abut the U20 and how it's becoming more watered down with the top players getting pushed to the NHL after their draft season, it's starting to become telling IMO

Russia being out isn't helping either.

The way I view it, if a player is in the NHL as a teenager they've essentially "graduated" out of Juniors.

But hasn't it always been the case that there are a number of teenagers playing in the NHL?

 

[jj cale]

The way I view it, if a player is in the NHL as a teenager they've essentially "graduated" out of Juniors.

But hasn't it always been the case that there are a number of teenagers playing in the NHL?

Yeah there has always been a few but now it's getting really loose as it wasn't before. I mean,Kevin Korchinski needs to be in the NHL at 18? he's not Rasmus Dahlin or anything.

I dunno, they seem to be rushing more and more kids I think. It didn't use to be like that.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I'll chime in a little from the Czech perspective (which could very well be VERY different from the Swedish one).

We are in all those tourneys every year. BUT... we got silver at Hlinka and then 80% of our roster left for CHL. So we are sending C and D teams to those tourneys. It's a lot of games but not many guys made the final roster. In fact, our final roster hasn't played together (mostly) since last August at the Hlinka.

USNDTP (which I love) are the same guys together all season. Belarus has something similar. I wish the Czechs would adpot it.

But, I don't see much value in a November U18 tournament where the Czechs have maybe 3 guys that will make the final cut (Benak, Jiricek would've and then it thins out fast).

Our U17 and U16 look very strong and I guarantee a lot of them will be gone after Hlinka too! Hard to sustain momentum.

Yeah, Czech is second to Canada in terms of depleted/hodge-podge roster due to CHL. Even Slovakia, where a lot of kids go CHL, still has that U18 -> U20 club team so they have good familiarity (they did really well last year in this tournament). Not a lot of Swedish kids go to the CHL nor Finnish kids, and many that do wait until Age 18 season.

 

[Eye of Ra]

The Swiss program has fallen off, I doubt they could hold off Belarus at the U20 these days, but the IIHF Ban keeps them pushed up for now.

the same swiss that played an even game vs Sweden in qf?

 

[WarriorofTime]

the same swiss that played an even game vs Sweden in qf?

They've lost their last couple times to Germany at U20, they looked bad against Slovakia and Czechia, Sweden pretty clearly outplayed them but kind of choked to let it even get to OT. Look at recent Drafts, they aren't getting a lot of kids picked these days.

 

[jj cale]

Button just finished saying he thinks Canada is the favourite going into this tournament, he's drinking good scotch today.