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World Junior Madness |
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December 26, 2005, 9:26 AM ET
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More intrepid predictions on the final rankings and potential wildcards to watch for as the 2006 World Junior Championships kick off tonight at Pacific Coliseum.
GOLD: USA
- Hard to predict anything but as this group have dominated every previous level of competition and represent the shining best of American hockey. Second place would be catastrophic. Could they possibly lose? Of course. Goaltending is a question mark, and you have to wonder if they can mentally handle the pressure of being unanimous tournament favorites? What if there are too many chefs and not enough servants?
PLAYERS TO WATCH: I fully second the Nathan Gerbe nomination from our lead story today as he's a pest of the highest order. Also keep an eye on Denver freshman Chris Butler. He's been a rock for the Pioneers and his emergence solidifies an already impressive American blueline. Should be intriguing to see how Bobby Ryan fits into the final equation.
SILVER: Canada
- OK, I confess, I Am Canadian, but logic suggests that the chemistry here is ideal for a relatively youthful squad hell-bent on making their own history in the shadow of last year's red-and-white machine. Justin Pogge looks capable of emerging as the tournament's top goalie, the defense is solid, and up front, coach Brent Sutter has assembled a physically potent attack (Steve Downie, Ryan O'Marra, Dan Bertram, Michael Blunden) that will wear the opposition down.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Jonathan Toews and Andrew Cogliano were terrific in the tuneup matches and should blossom at this event. Watch for speedy offensive dynamo Kris Russell - at both ends - as he gets overwhelmed in his own zone but is absolutely lethal as a fourth man off the rush. Guillaume Latendresse was tops at the selection camp, however not as dominant in the pre-tournie contests.
BRONZE: Czech Republic
- On paper, the Russians have a better team, but the game is played on the ice and the Czechs always seem to play rather well there. Look for their depth up front to become more of a factor as the tournie gets into the later stages. Blueline ace Ladislav Smid has the potential to steal the show.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Zdenek Bahensky was superb against Canada last week, and I really admire their energy and utility players like Karel Hromas, Vaclav Meidl, Tomas Kana and of course the ever-present Petr Kalus. If Marek Schwarz falls on his face, Ondrej Pavelec is a solid alternative - heck even third-stringer Radek Fiala looked magnificent in the warmup game.
FOURTH: Sweden
- Barely missing the podium will be seen as progress for the medal-less Swedes, however this could easily turn into a bronze depending on how the chips fall. With Nicklas Bergfors, Alexander Edler, Freddie Petersson, Johannes Salmonsson all gaining valuable North American experience this season - who knows?
PLAYERS TO WATCH: All draft eyes will be squarely on likely top-10 pick Nicklas Backstrom - a rising star in Brynas this season. Don't forget to track HV71 forward Erik Andersson who has developed in leaps and bounds. Speedy fireball Fred Petersson will be fun to watch as always and if he ever finds his scoring touch in western Canada ?
FIFTH: Russia
- The script is set - Evgeni Malkin parachutes in and carries the Russians to world junior glory, barely eclipsed for gold by the American juggernaut. Well, seriously, Malkin better be real special because this Russian defense appears susceptible to me. Kirill Lyamin and Andrei Zubarev must prove they can defend against elite pace, while Alexei Emelin maintains his discipline - big if's.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Unheralded defenseman Denis Bodrov will improve his draft standing more than most at this tournament. Enver Lisin is a racehorse, deadly in open space. I was disappointed in Alexander Radulov in the warmup game against Canada. He played in a vacuum and displayed no blazing afterburners. Ilya Zubov will be flashy and get his points, but he's a minefield defensively.
