Did you spend a lot on your Christmas presents and wanted to bet on a Canadian win at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships to get back on track? Read this before continuing.
Let's be clear: your idea makes perfect sense. Junior Team Canada has won the event's last two presentations and four of the last six. Say what we will about the globalization of hockey: After a five-year downturn between 2010 and 2014 in which it never won gold, Canada has once again placed itself at the forefront of the international junior hockey scene.
Based on the past, betting on Canada offers interesting prospects for success. But be careful, ÉCJ will not start December 26th as heavy favorites to win a third consecutive gold medal at the Junior World Championships.
Significant absences
All countries are victims of this, talk about it with the United States, who would have liked to bet on Logan Cooley, or with the Swedes, who would dream of seeing Leo Carlsson film their first trio, but Canada is without a doubt the country through the Presence of its members in the NHL is most disadvantaged.
Luckily for them, they received some unexpected help when Boston Bruins forward Matthew Poitras joined the team in Sweden a week ago. His experience will be invaluable, especially since the other returning NHL player, Tristan Luneau, will miss the tournament due to a virus. Fraser Minten and Owen Beck also have brief NHL experience.
Tristan Luneau Photo Agency QMI, Dominic Chan
The fact is, however, that Canada's best young players play in the NHL and have stayed there: Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, Zach Benson, Shane Wright and Kevin Korchinski.
In the case of Bedard and Fantilli, we knew they wouldn't return. As for Korchinski and Wright, they obviously brought an incalculable amount of talent, but also the experience of last year's championship. Only one ECJ player returns from last year, Canadian prospect Owen Beck, and he wasn't even a starter.
However, it happened six times that ÉCJ only counted on a returning player from the previous edition. They have won gold five times.
Sweden master of his own house?
The games are wide open as to who is the real favorite to start the competition, but Canada, the United States and Sweden are at the top of the list.
On the Swedish side there is no denying: they are due! This country has not won gold since 2012 and has won only five medals in the following 13 tournaments: three silver and two bronze.
Expectations for the Swedes are extremely high this year as this group of players born in 2004 is one of the most talented the country has presented in recent years. Led by the strong trio of Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Noah Ostlund and Liam Ohgren, they won the U18 Ice Hockey World Championship in 2022. Players born in 2005, several of whom will be on the team, won silver in the same tournament last year.
Noah Ostlund archive photo, AFP
We therefore cannot ignore the Swedes, who will have nine first-round picks in their team and as many returning players from last year's tournament. In addition, we can bet that the motivation will increase tenfold by hosting the tournament at home.
We cannot rule out Canada's great rivals, the United States, who will be expecting a devastating attack led by Cutter Gauthier, Jimmy Snuggerud, Gabriel Perreault and Will Smith, as well as possibly the best goalkeeping duo of the tournament in Trey Augustine and CH Hope, Jacob Fowler .
What if we made a prediction?
Doubts about Canada are justified… up to a point. Sure, several NHL players are missing and only one veteran from last year is back, but the team will still have eight first-round picks in addition to Macklin Celebrini, who is expected to be the very first pick of the next draft.
The question remains: Does Canada have the same strength as some other teams, including Sweden and the United States?
Personally, I think they won't be far away and will be there until the end.
I began writing this piece before it was announced that Luneau and another defenseman, Tanner Molendyk, would miss the contest. At that moment I saw Sweden win against Canada in the final.
Especially without Luneau, I have to predict a final between Sweden and the USA with a win for the locals.
The ECJ calendar
December 26th 8:30 a.m. c. Finland
December 27th 1:30 p.m. c. Latvia
December 29th 1:30 p.m. c. Sweden
December 31st 1:30 p.m. c. Germany
The 2024 Junior Team Canada roster
Guardian
Mathis Rousseau | Halifax (QMJHL) | Not designed
Samuel St Hilaire | Sherbrooke (LHJMQ) | Not designed
Scott Ratzlaff | Seattle (WHL) | Sabers 2023 5th round pick
defender
Oliver Bonk | London (OHL) | Flyer 2023 1st round of elections
Jake Furlong | Halifax (QMJHL) | Sharks 2022 5th Round Pick
Maveric Lamoureux | Drummondville (LHJMQ) | Coyotes 2022 first-round pick
Jorian Donovan | Brantford Bulldogs (OHL | Senators 5th round pick in 2022
Denton Mateychuk | Moose Jaw (WHL) | Blue Jackets 2022 first round pick
Ty Nelson | North Bay Battalion (OHL) | Kraken 3rd round pick in 2022
Noah Warren | Victoriaville (LHJMQ) | Ducks 2022 2nd round pick
attacker
Owen Allard | Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) | Not designed
Owen Beck | Peterborough (OHL) | Canadiens' second-round pick in 2022
Macklin Celebrini | Boston University (NCAA) | Eligible for the 2024 draft
Easton Cowan | London (OHL) | Maple Leafs 2023 first-round pick
Nate Danielson | Brandon (OHL) | Red Wings 2023 first-round pick
Jordan Dumais | Halifax (OHL) | Blue Jackets 2022 3rd round pick
Conor Geekie | Wenatchee (OHL) | Coyotes 2022 first-round pick
Fraser Minten | Saskatoon (WHL) | Maple Leafs 2022 2nd round pick
Matthew Poitras | Boston (NHL) | Bruins 2022 2nd round pick
Carson Rehkopf | Kitchener (OHL) | Kraken 2nd round pick in 2023
Matthew Savoie | Wenatchee (WHL) | Sabers 2022 1st Round Pick
Matthew Wood | University of Connecticut (NCAA) | Predators 2023 first round pick
Brayden Yager | Moose Jaw (WHL) | Penguins 2023 first round pick