World Junior A Challenge 2018 Bonnyville AB Dec 9-16

[BigRangy]

The World Junior A Challenge is surprisingly back in small town Bonnyville, Alberta. This is where Cale Makar first exploded onto the scene a couple years ago. Andrei Svechnikov lit up the tourney as well before finally being drafted a year and a half later.

There doesn't seem to be any super talents on the level of those two players this year, but there will still be some interesting players. Canada finalized the rosters for its East and West teams, notables include future first round picks Alex Newhook and Dylan Holloway, Jets prospect Austin Wong, and a few others.

There is some future NHL talent here, and if it is like the last time the tournament was here, you can watch the games streamed for free on Hockey Canada's website.

As far as I can tell, Russia, the USA, and the Czechs have not announced their teams yet. Russia usually sends their u18 team, so Podkolzin could be playing. Switzerland has withdrawn from the tournament this year, leaving it a 5-team affair.

Regardless, it should be an entertaining tournament and I hope to get out and see a few games myself.

Click to read more...

 

[William H Bonney]

USA Hockey announced their roster awhile back. You can find it here.

There's some nice talent on the team. In terms of NHL hype, the leading forwards are Bobby Brink, Shane Pinto, Robert Mastrosimone and defenseman Ryan Johnson and Mitchell Miller.

 

[William H Bonney]

Russia also announced their roster. Podkolzin will be there, which is great for the tournament.

 

[Boonk]

Russia looks pretty stacked for this years tournament.

 

[Get North]

Canada West looks strong, but USA and Russia have a lot of talent as well. Blaisdell and Rizzo are some other players to look at from a draft perspective for West.

 

[Kipper933]

Really looking forward to it this year. Canada West looks loaded.

Even the Czechs have an interesting roster this year with Teply, Strondala, Blumel, a couple others.

Surprised the Russians left out Spiridonov, strong looking team though.

 

[BigRangy]

Podkolzin has two goals in the pre-tournament game against Canada West. That game is in the third period.

 

[Flynn84]

Surprised the Russians left out Spiridonov, strong looking team though.

And I'm also surprised that Zaytsev is not in the roster since there is a lot of NA guys.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Really looking forward to it this year. Canada West looks loaded.

Even the Czechs have an interesting roster this year with Teply, Strondala, Blumel, a couple others.

Surprised the Russians left out Spiridonov, strong looking team though.

He played his last MHL game on 19.11, which probably means, he's injured.

 

[AmericanDream]

Team USA Tops Canada East, 2-1, in Pre-Tournament Contest
Title is incorrect, US won 3-1

good start for the US, interested to see how well this team does as it has some solid balance and three potential lines that can score...

for those that want the US roster in front of them:

NAME	POS	HT (CM)	WT (KG)	DOB	S/C	HOMETOWN	CURRENT TEAM
Ronnie Attard	D	6-3 (190)	208 (94)	3/20/99	R	White Lake, Mich.	Tri-City Storm
Bobby Brink	F	5-8 (173)	159 (72)	7/8/01	R	Minnetonka, Minn.	Sioux City Musketeers
Matt Brown	F	5-9 (175)	180 (82)	8/9/99	L	Woodridge, N.J.	Des Moines Buccaneers
Connor Caponi	F	5-8 (173)	180 (82)	3/20/00	R	Brookfield, Wis.	Waterloo Black Hawks
Parker Ford	F	5-9 (175)	170 (77)	7/20/00	R	Wakefield, R.I.	Sioux City Musketeers
Ethan Frisch	D	5-11 (180)	185 (84)	10/29/00	R	Moorhead, Minn.	Green Bay Gamblers
Trevor Janicke	F	5-10 (178)	185 (84)	12/25/00	R	Maple Grove, Minn.	Central Illinois Flying Aces
Ryan Johnson	D	6-0 (183)	162 (73)	7/24/01	L	Irvine, Calif.	Sioux Falls Stampede
Luke Johnson	D	5-11 (180)	174 (79)	1/7/99	L	Edina, Minn.	Sioux City Musketeers
Zac Jones	D	5-9 (175)	172 (78)	10/18/00	L	Glen Allen, Va.	Tri-City Storm
Cal Kiefiuk	F	5-8 (173)	180 (82)	2/28/00	L	Macomb, Mich.	Central Illinois Flying Aces
Jack Malone	F	6-1 (185)	190 (86)	10/13/00	R	Madison, N.J.	Youngstown Phantoms
Robert Mastrosimone	F	5-10 (178)	158 (72)	1/24/01	L	East Islip, N.Y.	Chicago Steel
Mitchell Miller	D	5-10 (178)	204 (93)	12/20/01	R	Sylvania, Ohio	Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
Travis Mitchell	D	6-3 (191)	207 (94)	11/25/99	L	South Lyon, Mich.	Omaha Lancers
Griffin Ness	F	5-11 (180)	172 (78)	12/10/99	R	Wayzata, Minn.	Waterloo Black Hawks
Josh Nodler	F	5-11 (180)	204 (93)	4/27/01	R	Oak Park, Mich.	Fargo Force
Ryan O'Reilly	F	6-2 (188)	212 (96)	3/21/00	R	Southlake, Texas	Fargo Force
Blake Pietila	G	5-11 (180)	167 (76)	1/27/00	L	Howell, Mich.	Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
Shane Pinto	F	6-2 (188)	188 (85)	11/12/00	R	Franklin Square, N.Y.	Lincoln Stars
Isaiah Saville	G	6-1 (185)	190 (86)	9/21/00	R	Anchorage, Alaska	Tri-City Storm
Grant Silianoff	F	5-11 (180)	165 (75)	1/4/01	L	Edina, Minn.	Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Boonk]

Daniil Guschin is also another cut but hes an 02.

 

[Kipper933]

TSN is only covering the Bronze and Gold Medal games? For some reason, I thought they aired more than that.

 

[BigRangy]

First game is starting in about an hour.

Stream should be here:

Game Summaries | 2018 World Junior A Challenge

 

[canucks4ever]

Could this team USA or Canada West compete against the OHL, WHL and QMJHL teams that compete in the chl vs russia series, or would they get blown out of the water? Canada West on paper seems much better than Canada East.

 

[BigRangy]

Two quick goals from Podkolzin and the Russians lead Canada East 4-1.

Could this team USA or Canada West compete against the OHL, WHL and QMJHL teams that compete in the chl vs russia series, or would they get blown out of the water? Canada West on paper seems much better than Canada East.

No, I think they would get blown out. The super series is played against the Russian u20 team, and the Russian u18 team is more appropriately leveled for this tournament. That’s not to say that the players aren’t talented, but they’d give up a lot of physical maturity and experience if they were to play a CHL league’s all-star team.

 

[BigRangy]

3rd period about to start in the Canada West-USA game. Both teams are tied at 0.

Russia beat Canada East 5-3 in the game earlier today.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Kinda weird, that Podkolzin looks so great at U18 tournaments, but doesn't impress in the MHL. It usually happens just on the contrary.

 

[FrankGallagher]

Zach Jones, moving up everyones list after this tournament. Ryan Johnson too.

 

[Flynn84]

Kinda weird, that Podkolzin looks so great at U18 tournaments, but doesn't impress in the MHL. It usually happens just on the contrary.

He's good enough in the MHL, it's just his stats are not that impressive.

 

[tigervixxxen]

He's good enough in the MHL, it's just his stats are not that impressive.

7 points with 5 goals in 10 games is impressive enough to me especially for a guy who didn't even play in the MHL last year. It's the VHL, where nobody scores, where he didn't put up much production but the whole Podkolzin doesn't score at home is misleading.

 

[Daneurism]

Zach Jones was very impressive for the states. Ryan Johnson skated well, and showed some good puck movement, but I thought he was more solid than anything.

 

[canucks4ever]

The US already down 2-0 to Canada East, interesting. A team of Ontario and Quebec junior a players are beating a USHL all star team.

Canada West outperforms Canada East almost every year in this tournament. I guess this proves the higher end talent in AJHL and BCHL are a level above the Ontario Junior A leagues.

 

[BigRangy]

The game of the round robin should be going down tonight with Canada West vs Russia in just under 3 hours. If you're goig to watch any game, this should probably be the one.

Stream link is in the OP.

 

[Yakushev72]

This Russian team has looked unbelievably good. Defensively, they have been a bone-crusher. They totally smothered Canada West, preventing them from getting anything going. They hardly ever had the puck when they were on the power play!

 

[Peter25]

This Russian team has looked unbelievably good. Defensively, they have been a bone-crusher. They totally smothered Canada West, preventing them from getting anything going. They hardly ever had the puck when they were on the power play!

It doesn't matter. Most likely the best of them will be ruined in Canadian junior leagues before they turn 20.