World Juniors

The Napkin

wise ass al kaprielian
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right here
And we're off. I'm amused that the groups are alphabetical.

Group A:
Austria
Canada
Czechia
Finland
Germany

Finland beat Germany
Canada beat Czechia

Group B:
Russia
Sweden
Slovakia
Switzerland
USA

Sweden beat Russia
US and Slovakia on now
 

reggiecleveland

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Oh TSN and the World Juniors.

What broadcast group makes YES Network seem modest about their team's past accomplishments and FOX news seem neutral, Alex, I mean, Mike, I mean, Mayim, I mean Ken?
 

Lupe Whalewatch

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I don't see how any team will make it through this thing without any positives...The US just played Slovakia who just played Sweden. If its there it sort of has to be everywhere, no?
 

Lupe Whalewatch

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1 US goalie and 1 forward were the two positives. The not great news is that they were not roommates. So far both of their roommates have tested negative. they will test entire team tonight and again in the am, and if everyone else is still negative the game vs Sweden is on for tomorrow. If there are further positive tests it sounds like the IIHF will basically be making up the rules as they go.
 

Lupe Whalewatch

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Connor Bedard put on a show tonight with 4 goals. Granted it was Austria, but 4 goals ties the most ever by any Canadian and its the most by any 16 year old in the tournament. The kid is the real deal.
 

Lupe Whalewatch

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Bob McKenzie reporting there were no other positives for the US team overnight. They were tested again this am, with results coming back around 4pm. If the rest of the team remains clear, they will be able to play Sweden tonight. As for the two players who originally tested positive, they tested positive again, so they have one goalie and one forward in covid protocol and out of the tournament.
 

Sausage in Section 17

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The competitive integrity of the tournament is close to being out the window.

If it's just going to result in some strange circumstance where, due to COVID, teams advance through a series of forfeits, they should just pull the plug. What is the point of having what essentially amount to exhibition games during a pandemic?
 

cshea

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This is a clusterfuck. Apparently there's another positive somewhere so another forfeit is on the horizon.

As far as Team USA goes, seems they are still on for tonight pending tests coming back negative. However, some loopholes are behing created. The protocols call for the roomates of players who test positive to also quarantine and they require an extra day of testing before they are cleared. One of the US players who tested positive is a goalie. Stupidly, the team roomed him with another goalie. So, by the rules, they wouldn't have a backup goalie tonight. But if the roomate tests negative, the IIHF will give the roomate an exemption and let him play/sit on the bench. The other player is an F and the roomate is an F but the roomate won't be given the same exemption.

They are making this up as they go.

View: https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/1476262562270306310?s=20
 

cshea

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The IIHF is meeting today to discuss the remainder of the tournament, including a possible cancelation.

View: https://twitter.com/chrismpeters/status/1476271862921453569?s=20


They botched this in every which way. They have strict protocols, but the teams are sharing hotels with the general public. The kids are apparently adhering to the protocols, but in that kind of environment, exposer is inevitible. They either needed to bubble and go with the strict protocols, or relax protocols and expand rosters so teams could still field a team in the event of positives.
 

McDrew

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I'm astonished at how much of handling Covid is just "plow forward and hope" followed by "whoops, who could have seen this coming"?
 

Sausage in Section 17

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Protocols were inadequate for this tournament.

For the second straight year the tournament was in Alberta, but unlike the 2021 event in Edmonton, players and staff were not in a bubble environment that would provide extra protection against the virus. Teams stayed in hotels open to the public, and with the highly contagious omicron variant, even the most vigilant adherence to protocols couldn't totally prevent illnesses.

Several teams expressed frustration to tournament organizers about the bubble environment not being as secure as advertised. Teams in Red Deer shared the hotel with the general public, including a large wedding party.
 

Salem's Lot

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Shows how much of a money grab this tournament really is for the IIHF. They couldn’t even spring for the extra dough to book an entire hotel in Alberta so these kids could be in a bubble?
 

santadevil

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Shows how much of a money grab this tournament really is for the IIHF. They couldn’t even spring for the extra dough to book an entire hotel in Alberta so these kids could be in a bubble?
No doubt. There needs to be some changes in that organization and start firing people for fucking this up this badly

Start with Tardif
 

Lupe Whalewatch

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This sucks

Not that it matters anymore, but the decision by team USA to have two of their goalies share a hotel room given the protocols in place has to rank among the all time dumbest decisions in team history.
 

The B’s Knees

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Haven’t seen it posted anywhere here, but interesting story about the Russian and Czech teams being booted from their return flight from Calgary, supposedly for such things as vaping, drunkenness, and not wearing masks properly.

Lots of various reports out there. Sounds like coach Zubov was as guilty as anyone. And the Czechs may have been mistakenly lumped in with the Russians.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/russian-world-juniors-team-kicked-off-return-flight-home-reports

https://www.dw.com/en/junior-hockey-teams-from-russia-and-czech-republic-ejected-from-plane/a-60310238
 

Lupe Whalewatch

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Haven’t seen it posted anywhere here, but interesting story about the Russian and Czech teams being booted from their return flight from Calgary, supposedly for such things as vaping, drunkenness, and not wearing masks properly.
To be fair, its pretty difficult to smoke while wearing a mask.
 

reggiecleveland

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I taught a kid who ended up leaving the NHL for good money in Russia. He was told by his Russian teammates in the NHL to say he was a non-drinker. He said the coaches, team, would respect a guy who didn't drink at all, especially if it was for religious reasons. but if you drank at all the expectation was you got hammered after every game, there was no middle ground.
 

cshea

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...and we're back. Tournament starts from scratch today. US plays Germany at 10:00.

I believe Lysell is the only Bruin in the tournament, but ropsters may have changed since January.
 

cshea

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Duran had a goal and an assist in USA's 5-1 win over Germany last night.

Lysell and Sweden take on Switzerland at 2:00 pm today./
 

burstnbloom

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...and we're back. Tournament starts from scratch today. US plays Germany at 10:00.

I believe Lysell is the only Bruin in the tournament, but ropsters may have changed since January.
Dans Locmelis is on the Latvia team. I actually watched 2 periods of that game yesterday. guess I'm hockey starved. They were way outclassed by Finland but you can see why they like the kid. He's shifty and skilled. He's also very small and got hung out to dry on a 2 on 1. I came away thinking there is a possibility that he's not JAG.

Riley Duran made team USA also. Others have already chimed in.
 

Lupe Whalewatch

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I watched the first two periods of the US game and had seen enough. Really not much to take away from that game-the Germans had nothing. They didn't get their first shot until 13 or so minutes in. Finishing seemed to be an issue for USA. The German goalie made some nice saves, but also let in two really soft goals, Duran's being one of them. I'm not sure if its just rust, or they don't have the true goal scorers of years past, time will tell. Their D, led by Luke Hughes, looks very strong and will keep them in every game.
 

MiracleOfO2704

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It feels so weird having this in August. Does it give any advantage/disadvantage to a particular team?
Probably not. The one advantage some of the smaller countries (think Czechia, Slovakia, etc.) would have in a group that played together more is wiped out by the fact that the big boys haven’t played for anyone else since, at the shortest, the Memorial Cup. Obviously Hockey Canada has been a bit of a hot mess at the top, but it’d be malpractice if the kids they’re putting out there haven’t been together over the summer.
 

cshea

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The only advantage I can think of is for teams who would have NHL players that would not be released mid-season for the tournament. That doesn't happen a whole lot, however.
 

MiracleOfO2704

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The only advantage I can think of is for teams who would have NHL players that would not be released mid-season for the tournament. That doesn't happen a whole lot, however.
The resident Habs fan was railing the team’s FO for not releasing Juraj Slafkovsky and Filip Mesas to play. So even now, teams are holding kids they think are likely to make the big team out.
 

MiracleOfO2704

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To expand, Lysell’s assist was an open-ice pick battle that he tipped into the path of Ljungman down the center lane, who passed to Rosen and he beat Patenaude 6-hole for the game-winner. He had lots of ice time disruptions, with Sweden taking 3 minors in the last 10 minutes of the first, then a major in the last 7 minutes. Much like the rest of the team, it was a big ball of meh.
 

cshea

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Duran scored again in USA's 7-1 win over Switzerland.

View: https://twitter.com/SpokedZ/status/1557951993150406659?s=20&t=xzk6jBcg8pQscZr9G9eDvw


Seems like a meteoric rise for Duran, at least in terms of the National Team. I didn't realize he had never been part of the program until he made this team.

Starting to go hmm with him a bit. Only 8 goals at the USHL in his draft +1 season, then put up 10 in 38 games as a freshman at Providence, now makes the WJC team as a walk on, so to speak, and has 3 points in 2 games.