by Sean Murphy
Friday, Dec 29, 2023We've already seen three full days of action at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Sweden and while there has been one big upset with Germany taking down Finland for the first time in tournament history, the usual suspects sit at the top of the two pools.
Here's a look at how I see the tournament progressing from this point forward.
Current odds to win: USA +162, Canada +162, Sweden +250, Finland +1500, Slovakia +1500, Czechia +3300, Switzerland +15000, Germany +15000, Latvia +50000, Norway +100000
You could argue that only the top five, perhaps six teams listed above have any shot at winning it all at this point. USA, Canada, Sweden and Slovakia are the only remaining undefeated teams.
While the Americans undoubtedly boast the most talented team in tournament from top to bottom, I believe that Canada is well-positioned to peak at the right time and ultimately take the tournament for a third straight year. This is precisely the type of Canadian squad that tends to fare well at this tournament - a little overlooked at the outset but steadily building momentum and coming together as a team. Unlike in recent years, goaltending doesn't appear to be an issue for Canada with QMJHL standout Mathis Rousseau capable of stealing a game at any time and the clear number one between the pipes. In fact, it took Rousseau less than 10 minutes of action to record perhaps the save of the tournament in Canada's opener against Finland.
If you're looking for a dark-horse to pin your hopes to at this stage, Slovakia would appear to be your best bet. The Slovaks have plenty of returning talent from last year's squad that nearly staged a massive upset of eventual champion Canada in the quarter-final round in Halifax. By finishing first or second in their group, they'll draw a favorable quarter-final round matchup (against Finland or Germany) this time around.
The remaining group stage games to watch include Canada taking on host Sweden on Friday in a game that will likely decide the top team in Pool A. The USA will take on Czechia on Friday before an off day on Saturday. A New Year's Eve showdown between the Americans and Slovakia should determine who prevails in Pool B. Shockingly, as a result of a stunning loss against Germany, Finland will likely need a win over Latvia on Friday to avoid a one-game relegation showdown against Norway.
The championship game is scheduled to take place at 1:30 pm et on January 5th in Gothenburg.
Here's a look at how I see the tournament progressing from this point forward.
Current odds to win: USA +162, Canada +162, Sweden +250, Finland +1500, Slovakia +1500, Czechia +3300, Switzerland +15000, Germany +15000, Latvia +50000, Norway +100000
You could argue that only the top five, perhaps six teams listed above have any shot at winning it all at this point. USA, Canada, Sweden and Slovakia are the only remaining undefeated teams.
While the Americans undoubtedly boast the most talented team in tournament from top to bottom, I believe that Canada is well-positioned to peak at the right time and ultimately take the tournament for a third straight year. This is precisely the type of Canadian squad that tends to fare well at this tournament - a little overlooked at the outset but steadily building momentum and coming together as a team. Unlike in recent years, goaltending doesn't appear to be an issue for Canada with QMJHL standout Mathis Rousseau capable of stealing a game at any time and the clear number one between the pipes. In fact, it took Rousseau less than 10 minutes of action to record perhaps the save of the tournament in Canada's opener against Finland.
If you're looking for a dark-horse to pin your hopes to at this stage, Slovakia would appear to be your best bet. The Slovaks have plenty of returning talent from last year's squad that nearly staged a massive upset of eventual champion Canada in the quarter-final round in Halifax. By finishing first or second in their group, they'll draw a favorable quarter-final round matchup (against Finland or Germany) this time around.
The remaining group stage games to watch include Canada taking on host Sweden on Friday in a game that will likely decide the top team in Pool A. The USA will take on Czechia on Friday before an off day on Saturday. A New Year's Eve showdown between the Americans and Slovakia should determine who prevails in Pool B. Shockingly, as a result of a stunning loss against Germany, Finland will likely need a win over Latvia on Friday to avoid a one-game relegation showdown against Norway.
The championship game is scheduled to take place at 1:30 pm et on January 5th in Gothenburg.
