By Mike Beasley /
CANADA
The Canadian squad will be going for their fifth consecutive gold medal at this year’s tournament in Ottawa. If successful, they will equal their own record set between 1993 and 1997.
Canada will have four returning players from last year’s gold medal squad in the Czech Republic. Defencemen Thomas Hickey (Seattle Thunderbirds) and PK Subban from the Belleville Bulls are back along with forwards Zack Boychuck (Lethbridge Hurricanes) and John Tavares (Oshawa Generals).
2008 finish: gold.
Top dog: F John Tavares. Watch for a strong performance from Tavares as he attempts to solidify his number one ranking for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
Keep an eye on: G Chet Pickard (Tri-City Americans), D Alex Pietrangelo (Niagara IceDogs) and F Cody Hodgson (Brampton Battalion).
Fast facts:
The 22-man Canadian roster consists of 21 players from the CHL with one skater, D Cody Goloubef playing in the NCAA for the University of Wisconsin Badgers…The team is made up of twelve players from WHL, six from the OHL, three from the OHL and one from the NCAA…Both goaltenders Chet Pickard and Dustin Tokarski (Spokane Chiefs) play in the WHL…Four defencemen are from the WHL, three from the OHL and one from the NCAA…The forwards break down like this WHL-6, OHL-3 and QMJHL-3…D Ryan Ellis (Windsor Spitfires) and F John Tavares are eligible for the 2009 NHL Draft…Ten of the 20 NHL drafted players were first round selections. Four were second round picks while one was chosen in the third round.
Medal totals: 24 (Gold-14, Silver-6, Bronze-4).
World Junior tournament record: Most shutouts by a goaltender, (3) Justin Pogge, 2006.
UNITED STATES
2008 finish: fourth.
Top dog: F James van Riemsdyk from the University of New Hampshire and 2007 first round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers led the tournament in scoring last year with 11 points in six games.
Keep an eye on: G Thomas McCollum, D Jonathon Blum and F Colin Wilson.
Medal totals: five (Gold-1, Silver-1, Bronze, 3).
World Junior individual record: Most games played a goalie, (18) Alan Perry, 1984 to 1986.
CZECH REPUBLIC
2008 finish: fifth.
Top dog: F Jan Eberle.
Keep an eye on: D Vladimir Roth, Tomas Kindratek and Michal Jordan.
Medal totals: 14 (Gold-2; Silver-5 as Czechoslavkia; Bronze-1 as Czechoslovakia, 6 as Czech Republic.
World Junior team record: Most goals by one team in one game as Czechoslovakia (21) 21-4 versus Austria in 1981.
RUSSIA
2008 finish: bronze.
Top dog: C Nikita Filatov, the Columbus Blue Jackets first pick, sixth overall in 2008. Filatov is playing in the AHL for the Syracuse Crunch. Was second in tournament scoring last year with nine points.
Keep an eye on: F Dimitri Kugryshev, D Vjateslav Voinov and F Evgeni Dadonov a 2007.
Medal totals: 26 (Gold-3 as Russia, 8 as Soviet Union; Silver-6 as Russia, 3 as Soviet Union; Bronze-4 as Russia, 2 as Soviet Union).
World Junior individual record: Most penalty minutes, (109) Alexander Svitov. most goals (27) Pavel Bure. Tournament record: Lowest GAA (0.77) Ilya Bryzgalov, 2000. Best save percentage (97.17) Bryzgalov, 2000.
FINLAND
2008 finish: sixth.
Top dog: F Niclas Lucenius.
Keep an eye on: G Hari Sateri, D Jyri Niemi, D Joonas Jarvinen.
Medal totals: 12 (Gold-2, Silver-4, Bronze-6).
World Junior individual record: Most years played (4) Reijo Ruosalainen, 1977 to 1980.
SWEDEN
2008 finish: silver.
Top dog: Oscar Moller (Los Angeles Kings).
Keep an eye on: F Mikael Backlund, F Joakim Andersson and D Victor Hedman. Hedman and Tavares are considered to be the top picks in the upcoming NHL Draft. The giant defenceman has just returned from a separated shoulder so he may not be 100 per cent.
Medal totals: 12 (Gold-1, Silver-7, Bronze-4).
World Junior individual record: Record for most points in one tournament, (31) Peter Forsberg, 1993…Most assists (24) Forsberg, 1993…Most goals (13) Markus Naslund, 1993…Most points by a defenceman (14) Peter Anderson, 1985.
|