With the IIHF World Junior Championship about 3 weeks away, this is a great time to predict who will win gold, silver, and bronze with my projected lineups.

 

Bronze: Sweden

 

David Edstrom                             Otto Stenberg                Felix Unger Sorum

(NSH, Frolunda SHL)         (STL, Malmo SHL)       (CAR, Chicago AHL)

 

Felix Nilsson                          Anton Wahlberg                    Victor Eklund

(NSH, Rogle SHL)           (BUF, Rochester AHL)          (Djurgardens SWE-1)

 

Linus Eriksson                           Jack Berglund                 Herman Traff

(FLA, Djurgardens SWE-1)    (PHI, Farjestads SHL)   (NJD, Jonkoping SHL)

 

Oskar Vuollet                            Zeb Forsfjall                     Dennis Altorn

(CAR, Skellftea SweHL)         (SEA, Skellftea SHL)    (Leksands IF SHL)

 

Theo Lindstein                        Axel Sandin Pelikka

(STL, Brynas SHL)           (DET, Skelleftea SHL)

 

Viggo Gustafsson                Tom Willander

(NSH, Timra SHL)          (VAN, BU NCAA)

 

Axel Hurtig                            Wilhelm Hallquisth

(CGY, Calgary WHL)             (Jonkoping SHL)

 

Melker Thelin

(UHC, Swe-1)

 

Marcus Gidlof

(NYI, Leksands SHL)

 

Since last year’s gold medal game loss to the US I believe Sweden’s roster is still good enough to win bronze despite Multiple of the top players on last year’s team including former captain Liam Ohgren, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Noah Ohstlund, ect having aged out. Looking at my projected lineup for Sweden I see very little weaknesses, they have such a solid roster.  While they might lack high end talent on offense they have a bunch of solid forwards to round out the top 3 lines. Their top 4 is very good and will likely get a lot of ice time compared to the team’s bottom pair. The goaltending is also one of the better in the contest. I think Axel Sandin Pelikka will be the biggest factor for Sweden in the tournament. The defenseman is a smooth skater with a great shot and is a great in a power play quarterback role. In last year’s world junior championship he scored 2 goals and 4 assists in 7 games and currently has 7 goals and 12 assists in 23 games in the top league in Sweden this season.

 

Silver: USA

USA roster-

 

Gabe Pearault             Oliver Moore               Ryan Leonard

(NYR, BC NCAA)    (CHI, UMN NCAA)         (WSH, BC NCAA)

 

Cole Eiserman             Carey Terrance        James Hagens           

(NYI, BU NCAA)       (ANA, Erie OHL)        (BC NCAA)

 

Trevor Connelly         Danny Nelson          Austin Burnevik

(VGK, PC NCAA)      (NYI, ND NCAA)       (ANA, SCSU NCAA)

 

Joey Willis                         Teddy Stiga            AJ Spellacy

(NSH, Saginaw OHL)      (NSH, BC NCAA)    (CHI, Windsor OHL)

 

Zeev Buium                     Logan Hensler

(MIN, DU NCAA)              (UW NCAA)

 

Cole Hutson                    EJ Emery

(WSH, BU NCAA)         (NYR, UND NCAA)

 

Paul Fischer                    Adam Kleber

(EDM, ND NCAA)          (BUF, UMD NCAA)

 

Trey Augustine

(DET, MSU NCAA)

 

Hampton Slukynsky

(LAK, WMU NCAA)

 

There has been a lot of turnover from last year’s championship team but I still consider them a favorite to make it to the gold medal game. With most of my projected lineup being new to the tournament I expect some growing pains but I still think they will be a problem to the other teams in the tournament. This is such a talented group and it is hard to see the US not at the very least winning the silver if not the gold. I think Ryan Leonard will be the team’s most impactful player in the tournament. Leonard is the typical power forward. He is hard to knock off the puck, drives the net hard and is a good physical presence. He also has good hands and has been a great goal scorer at the NCAA level. In last year’s world junior championship he produced 3 goals and 3 assists in 7 games in the US’s championship campaign but this year I expect more production. He also has 11 goals and 6 assists in 14 games for Boston College this season.

 

Gold: Canada

 

Gavin MacKenna                     Brayden Yager                     Porter Martone

(Medicine Hat WHL)         (WIN, Moose Jaw WHL)           (Brampton OHL)

 

Bradley Nadeau                   Berkly Catton                     Easton Cowan

(CAR, Chicago AHL)       (SEA, Spokane WHL)            (TOR, London OHL)

 

Andrew Cristall                   Jett Luchanko                    Matthew Wood

(WSH, Kelowna WHL)    (PHI, Guelph OHL)                 (NSH, UMN NCAA)

 

Carson Rehkopf                  Cole Beaudoin                   Tanner Howe

(SEA, Brampton OHL)        (UHC, Barrie OHL)              (PIT, Calgary WHL)

 

Sam Dickinson                   Oliver Bonk

(SJS, London OHL)            (PHI, London OHL)

 

Matthew Schaefter            Harrison Brunicke

(Erie OHL)                      (PIT, Kamloops WHL)

 

Tanner Molendyk                    Beau Akey

(NSH, Saskatoon, OHL)     (EDM, Barrie OHL)

 

Carson Bjarnason

(PHI, Brandon WHL)      

 

Jack Ivankovic

(Brampton OHL)

 

With last year’s disappointing quarter final loss to Czechia I think the returners from last year will be motivated. Despite losing their leading goal scorer from last year Macklin Celebrini to the NHL I think the offense has improved. I think the new additions of Gavin MacKenna, Porter Martone, and Matthew Schaefter and the returners being able to step up this year will lead Canada to winning gold. Gavin McKenna is the player to watch for Canada. Despite being the youngest on the team, turning 17 right before the tournament starts I think he will immediately be one of Canada’s most impactful players. The 16 year old uses his elusiveness to open up passing lanes for his teammates and possess a quick, accurate release. So far this season McKenna has 19 goals and 38 assists in 28 games in the WHL.