WJC 2015 Starting today

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Maybe I'm in the minority but I really love that tournament especially this year since it will the only chance of watching McDavid versus Eichel in a game. I don't really care much about the pre-games but a few tendencies are clear:

~ Canadas top two lines are an offensive juggernaut as expected

~ The US has a very deep and balanced team - to me they should be the #1 challenger for Canada

~ Sweden isn't as good as they used to the team will heavily miss Brodin, Forsberg their goaltending has been supbar so far

~ Finland and team Russia are once again the dark horses and if Saros can repeat his stellar gd performance the Fins could be a very tough to beat team again

So let the McEichel show begin here we go (what a stupid TSN slogan liked every house is inhouse much better...)

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

GO USA!!!

U.S.A U.S.A. U.S.A!!!!

[Ekmanc 586]

Can't wait!!! this is easily one of the highlights of the hockey year for me.

Sadly my dear team Sweden doesn't look as good as previous years, I'll be very happy if we're in the medal contention.

My no.1 wish is that Canada doesn't win though, they haven't won gold since 2009 and if they lose again this year at home in Toronto it would just be amazing

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Can't wait!!! this is easily one of the highlights of the hockey year for me.

Sadly my dear team Sweden doesn't look as good as previous years, I'll be very happy if we're in the medal contention.

My no.1 wish is that Canada doesn't win though, they haven't won gold since 2009 and if they lose again this year at home in Toronto it would just be amazing

Fully agreed with everything and it's starting with a bomb US - Finns should be a dandy and before that watching the Transformers 3 BD so a nice evening :-)

[TheXym 2,606]

Let's Go USA! Here's hoping the Wings prospects all light it up.

Edited December 26, 2014 by TheXym

[wingsfan4795 552]

Yay it's the time of year when wings fans turn against each other!

[TheXym 2,606]

Yay it's the time of year when wings fans turn against each other!

Nope, not me. I have no ill will towards other teams in the WJC.

[Ekmanc 586]

I think we can survive rooting for different teams for two weeks, it's not the end of the world...

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

If all the arrogant Canadians keep calm then we will all be fine.......hahaha j/k...Yeah man I hope our guys do well!!

[Mckinley25 677]

Yay it's the time of year when wings fans turn against each other!

Have you ever read a Game Day Thread?

[marcaractac 3,963]

I have zero faith in Canada's goaltending. I don't even expect them to medal. Goaltending has been their kryptonite in this tournament for a few years now. This year seems worst than ever.

[Ekmanc 586]

I have zero faith in Canada's goaltending. I don't even expect them to medal. Goaltending has been their kryptonite in this tournament for a few years now. This year seems worst than ever.

Fingers crossed

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Don't know if anyone is watching this later but here's the US-Finland result.

Bob McKenzie retweeted
TSN Hockey ‏@TSNHockey 39m39 minutes ago
Final: USA 2, Finland 1 in a shootout at #WJC2015 on #TSN.

[Dabura 12,207]

Larkin looked very good against Finland in a two-way shutdown role.

I didn't really notice Vahatalo.

Edited December 26, 2014 by Dabura

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

Good win for U.S!

[Ekmanc 586]

Sweden win 5-2 against the Czechs, typical junior game, tons of mistakes on both sides.

Holmström looked really really solid though, he centered our first line with Nylander and he had one assist.

Ehn on the other hand was pretty much invisible.

Edited December 27, 2014 by Ekmanc

[marcaractac 3,963]

Although Canada is up, they are playing way too cute. Won't work against the stronger teams. They need to start getting the puckto the net and stop constantly trying to make the perfect pass.

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

Although Canada is up, they are playing way too cute. Won't work against the stronger teams. They need to start getting the puckto the net and stop constantly trying to make the perfect pass.

Why does that sound so familiar?

Sweden win 5-2 against the Czechs, typical junior game, tons of mistakes on both sides.

Holmström looked really really solid though, he centered our first line with Nylander and he had one assist.

Ehn on the other hand was pretty much invisible.

I was reading recaps and it talked about how crisp and precise holmstroms passing was, said his vision is awesome and he and nylander had good chemistry.

I'll try to find it, but I'm in a wormhole of articles.

[marcaractac 3,963]

Why does that sound so familiar?

I was reading recaps and it talked about how crisp and precise holmstroms passing was, said his vision is awesome and he and nylander had good chemistry.

I'll try to find it, but I'm in a wormhole of articles.

Thankfully they started playing a much better north/south game in the second. Hickets also been having a strong game all around.

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

Thankfully they started playing a much better north/south game in the second. Hickets also been having a strong game all around.

Does he look like he will be able to handle the NHL?

Does his size make him look out of place?

[marcaractac 3,963]

Does he look like he will be able to handle the NHL?

Does his size make him look out of place?

Has not been afraid to take or give a hit. He does all the little things right. Not flashy, but very solid.

[dirtydangles 1,328]

Fabbri showed exactly why I was so desperate for Holland to draft him. I like Larkin a lot more now that I have followed him more and I see why it was very convenient to draft him and have him at Michigan but I still feel like we missed out. Fabbri is more of a boom or bust prospect but he is a top line C that can score. I guess we really need to "hit" with our C picks in the coming drafts and Holland felt Larkin was more of a sure thing to reach his potential.

[Smite 399]

Does he look like he will be able to handle the NHL?

Does his size make him look out of place?

I thought Hickets looked a little nervous, seemed to shoot or dump out of the zone a little early leading to easy blocked shots and not allowing the play to develop. As the game went on he seemed to calm down and that went away.

I only really noticed how short he was after the goal celebration he got an assist on and after the game standing on the blueline with his team.

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

I thought Hickets looked a little nervous, seemed to shoot or dump out of the zone a little early leading to easy blocked shots and not allowing the play to develop. As the game went on he seemed to calm down and that went away.

I only really noticed how short he was after the goal celebration he got an assist on and after the game standing on the blueline with his team.

Was it his first game?

Maybe he was just excited and it took him a bit to settle in, but if the only way to tell he's that small is when he's standing still, then awesome.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

There is hardly anything to take out of Canada first game yeah they did beat Slovenia easily but everyone expected that, their real tests will come soon enough. So yeah even if they played too cute there is no way this is going to work against other powerhouse teams.

Sadly missed US - Fin how did Eichel look ?

btw. people made fun of all the empty seats in Sweden Canada isn't doing much better so far but that's to be expected when you are charging up to $ 250 for top seats in a Canada game And make people buying the whole group stage package.

After all this is a juniors tournament not the NHL...