Another year, another WJC tournament gets underway. Before the tournament begins, I'm going to jump out on a limb and make some predictions
Gold - Sweden
Sweden has the mix to compete with any team at this event. Their defense is as dynamic as could be, they have some intense and hard working offensive talent and they can play an uptempo and energetic style that should be able to wear down any opponent. If they have one weakness, their goaltending has yet to prove that they can steal games internationally, but with the strong defensive corps, that may be a moot point.
Key to Success - Playing their own style and not getting sucked in to the talk
Big Players to Watch: Mika Zibanejad, Oscar Klefbom
Silver - USA
This particular age group has been dominated by American talent, and this tournament will likely be more of the same. The US squad is deep and talented. Jack Campbell has tournament MVP potential and is a likely candidate for another top goaltender award. Emerson Etem is well versed in scorchin up nets in Western Canadian rinks and his supporting cast is potent to say the least. The US powerplay will likely be the most potent in the tournament and with excellent poised and creative defenders like Jon Merrill, there will be a lot of open lanes and puck movement, sending opposition defensive schemes into frenzies.
Key to Success - Walking the fine line between intense and disciplined against other top nations
Big Players to Watch - Charlie Coyle, Jon Merrill
Bronze - Canada
A 3rd place finish would definitely be a huge disapointment for Canadian hockey, but this tournament is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory and in short term competitions anything can happen. Canada starts with a goaltending controversy but Mark Visentin is a capable starter who should settle in well and ease the fears of Canadian hockey fans quickly. If he can't Scott Wedgewood has shown incredible development over the past two seasons and will certainly be able to step right in and impress. The Canadian blueline is stellar, Ryan Murray and Dougie Hamilton are certain to have impressive tournaments, but the whole group will be anchored by Brandon Gormley who is a stud prospect and the kind of player who brings a calming influence to the ice but also knows how to quickly capitalize on chances. Canada is not strong down the middle and this could prove to be a problem as the tournament moves on.
Key to Success - Playing physical, wearing down opponents and using the energy of the home crowds
Big Players to Watch - Ryan Murray, Mark Stone
4th - Finland
Of all the predictions, putting Finland here seems the hardest. This is arguably the best Finnish squad since 2003 in Halifax, and even then it's likely higher in top end skill. Teemu Pulkkinen and Mikael Granlund will lead the charge for the offensive explosive Finns but their offensive talent is deep with the likes of Joel Armia, Miikka Salomaki and young Aleksandr Barkov in the mix as well. The defensive corps has some high end talent as well in all around star Olli Maatta and offensive minded Ville Pokka. There are concerns in net, but the Finns are deep there as well and can find success with any of their goaltenders.
Key to Success - Playing in both directions on all shifts. Not buying into their hype until it's over
Big Players to Watch - Teemu Pulkkinen, Mikael Granlund
5th - Russia
Russia has the talent to repeat, but when it is all said and done they seem to have the most weaknesses of any of the big 5 teams. The top 5 teams all have potential to not only just win the tournament but dominate. Russia's offense will be potent and opportunistic. Making a defensive mistake against Russia will likely result in a puck in your own net. Young Mikhail Grigorenko and Nail Yakupov are poised to turn a lot of heads, even though most scouts will have their eyes already locked dead on to them. Russia has confidence and the skill to back it up, but their D is an area of concern, and the Russians will need to rely on a very structured game to compete against the top nations instead of just running and gunning.
Key to Success - Playing smart two-way hockey, being patient and taking advantage of their opportunities
Big Players to Watch - Mikhail Grigorenko, Nail Yakupov
6th - Slovakia
The Slovaks have some good gritty two-way players and some high end talent with the likes of Tomas Jurco. Their twin towers on D (Marincin and Gernat) will both log major minutes but the Slovaks just don't have the depth to crack the big 5.
7th - Switzerland
The Swiss are another team that just don't have the depth to really push far into the tournament. There isn't much likelihood in any miracle upsets for the Swiss over the top nations this time around, although Gregory Hoffman and Sven Baertschi do put up a very nice one-two punch on offense and they do have the potential to at least scare.
8th - Czech Republic
The Czechs are reeling a bit and missing some of their top talent. With that being said there is a great opportunity for some of their lesser known developing stars to shine. Keep an eye on Tomas Hyka and Radek Faksa as they both have shown strong development over the course of the season so far and are no strangers to playing above their age level.
9th - Latvia
With relegation a likely result for the Latvians in this tournament, the team will not be the pushovers they have in recent years and may be able to salvage a return to the tournament next year with some timely efforts. Zemgus Girgensons and Teddy Blueger will garner a ton of attention and have an excellent opportunity to showcase their skill sets for the abundance of NHL scouts in attendance.
10th - Denmark
The Danish program continues to move forward, but this tournament will likely be chalked up to an experience builder for the program. The country continues to produce talent and fans will be surprised with the level of talent from top to bottom. Niklas Jensen will have to carry most of the offensive load for a team that will have to play some tough and disciplined defensive systems if they want to keep scores tight.
