BY PATRICK KING
sportsnet.ca

It's that time of year again. The world junior hockey championships will fill the holiday season with joy for hockey fans in Saskatchewan as the Canadian team looks for its sixth consecutive gold medal.

Sportsnet.ca takes a look at each team, predicts its finish and outlines some players to watch.

Pool A

Canada

The hometown Canadians are icing a roster filled with responsible two-way players and character. Canada has the luxury of depth, which gives them the ability to roll four lines -- all of which are capable of scoring. This team was built to last, and thrive in any style. The attention to defence and stellar goaltending lends itself well to winning tight, defensive games while also able to win in a wide-open track meet style.

Players to watch: Fans unfamiliar with the offensive dynamo, Taylor Hall, will soon pin its hopes on the potential first-overall pick of this summer's draft. Hall excels at creating chances due to his speed and shifty play and will be integral to creating offence for his team.

Much of Canada's success will fall on the shoulders of goaltender Jake Allen. He won't be tested much in the round robin portion of the tournament, as Canada has a relatively easy schedule in Pool A. Allen is a proven money goaltender and should be at his best in crucial situations.

Diggin' for gold: Anything less than a gold medal on home soil will leave an empty feeling for this team. In spite of missing more than a handful of players eligible to play in the tournament to National Hockey League teams, Canada has the makeup of another championship winner. This team should win its unprecedented sixth consecutive gold.

Slovakia

The Slovaks were the darlings of the 2009 tournament, upsetting the favoured Americans in the quarter-finals. Although they finished without a medal (losing to Russia in the bronze-medal game) the Slovaks proved it was not a team to be taken lightly. The country is known to produce big defencemen and skilled forwards, and will need to rely on its forwards to carry them this time around.

Players to watch: Unfortunately for Slovakia, goaltender Jaroslav Janus is ineligible for this year's tournament after his impressive performance helped carry his country to the medal round. Its medal hopes will fall on forwards Richard Panik and Tomas Tatar. Panik has a lot left to prove after a disappointing showing a year ago while Tatar rose to meteoric heights after his performance.

Cinderella repeat: Only seven players are eligible to return from last year's team, which presents a huge problem for the Slovaks. This team will be hard-pressed to repeat the success of last year's tournament. Slovakia won just one medal, a bronze in 1999, since splitting with the Czech Republic and becoming its own republic in 1993. It's unlikely the Slovaks will find the podium for the second time in this year's tournament.

U.S.A.

It has been a long fall from grace for the United States in this tournament. Despite always sending championship-caliber teams, the Americans have medaled just once, a bronze in 2007, since its epic upset over Canada in the 2004 gold-medal game. There is plenty of skill on this year's roster, but a lack of killer instinct has hurt its program in the past. Perhaps the most glaring weakness is the team's omission of a big, bruising defenceman. The defensive core is highly-skilled, but won't intimidate any big forwards from rushing the net.

Players to watch: Jordan Schroeder is the most naturally-gifted forward on this team and will make his third appearance in the tournament. Schroeder exhibited his soft hands in tight in the previous two tournaments and will need to carry his team offensively. After disappointing finishes in his first two cracks, the Vancouver Canucks' first-round pick should have plenty of motivation to succeed in his last tournament.

The strength of this team is from the goaltender out. Jack Campbell, a 17-year-old who won gold at last year's under-18 tournament, has game-stealing abilities. Meanwhile, the duo of defencemen Cam Fowler and John Carlson will be strong in leading the offence, particularly from the transition. This team has the ability to score in bunches.

Pondering the podium?: The Americans will be in a great position to end its medal drought in the weaker pool. However, this team needs to learn to win the big games, and a semi-final berth is definitely attainable. A medal, however, might not be in the Americans' future.

Latvia

The Latvians were too good for Division 1, but barely good enough for the Top Division a year ago.

Latvia was on the wrong end of some lopsided losses during the round robin tournament last year, yet somehow survived in relegation with some big wins over Germany and Kazakhstan. Latvia doesn't figure to be much of a threat to any teams in this tournament and will be playing in relegation once again.

Trap door: The only scenario that could work for the Latvians is by frustrating its opposition by playing the trap. It isn't the most entertaining brand of hockey, but it's the only lifeline a country like Latvia has against Canada and U.S.A. in round robin play. Latvia, along with Austria, is a front-runner for demotion to Division 1.

Switzerland

The Swiss still have in-roads to make in its program, but the development is clearly evident in this year's team. Switzerland boasts a lineup of players who could surprise in this tournament. The most noteworthy players are: defencemen Luca Sbisa and Roman Josi and forwards Nino Niederreiter and Alain Berger.

Sbisa is the most experienced player in the tournament, having played 47 National Hockey League games with the Philadelphia Flyers and Anaheim Ducks. He's a smart two-way defender with a penchant for delivering some bone-crushing, open-ice hits.

Players to watch: In addition to Sbisa, the savvy Josi will also anchor the defence. These two will provide the team with tremendous leadership and two-way play.

Niederreiter, the second-overall pick in last year's Canadian Hockey League import draft, is a talented two-way forward with potential to be drafted in the first round by an NHL team this summer. Berger, a huge forward for the Oshawa Generals, is a gifted goalscorer. If nothing else, this year's Swiss team will buck the trend of a predominant trapping team with limited skill.

Quarter-final qualify: The Swiss have a great opportunity to qualify for the quarter-finals, where anything can happen. Switzerland should have no problem with Latvia and could knock off the Slovaks in the all-important game to decide third place in the pool. Should the Swiss beat those two teams, they would advance to the quarter-finals and have an opportunity to make a huge upset. This year's team is dangerous as an underdog.

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Pool B

Sweden

The bridesmaid in the last two tournaments, Sweden returns with a solid core at every position. The most notable returnee is goaltender Jacob Markstrom. He won't need to look far for motivation after allowing five goals in the gold-medal game to Canada a year ago. He might be the best goaltender in the tournament.

The Swedes will be without defenceman Victor Hedman, who was not made available by the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, Oliver Ekman-Larsson is primed to lead the defence while forward Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson will lead the attack. This team boasts a lot of depth at every position, but might not be quite as strong as the 2008 silver-medal winning team.

Players to watch: Ekman-Larsson was a surprise omission at last year's tournament, made even more glaringly obvious after a dominant Under-18 tournament in April. He has great mobility and vision, which will make his team dangerous with the man advantage.

Paajarvi-Svensson, who is remembered mostly for his overly confident statement prior to facing Canada in last year's tournament, will need to have a tournament for the ages. The Edmonton Oilers' first-round pick has great speed and finishing abilities, but his hands will need to be as quick as his mouth in this year's tournament for his team to capture gold.

Which colour?: The only question for the Swedes is which coloured medal will they bring home. This team is good enough to win its pool and advance to another one-game showdown in the final. At the very least, Sweden should walk away with the bronze.

Russia

Five seconds separated Russia from a date with Sweden for the gold-medal game at last year's tournament, as Canadian sniper Jordan Eberle crushed the hopes of the Russians with his unlikely goal. Losing is one thing the Russians don't tolerate well, particularly when it's against the arch-nemesis Canadians. This year's Russian contingent is strong, but may not be the same championship threat as a year ago. Just like the Canadians and Swedes, there are a few notable players who will not be made available for Russia.

The Russians have a younger crop of talented players, particularly those who are eligible for this summer's draft. Although Kirill Kabanov will miss the tournament due to injury, Alexander Burmistrov and Vladimir Tarasenko lead the crop of promising prospects. Burmistrov, who crossed the pond to play for Barrie in the OHL, is as talented as he is hard working. Tarasenko is another skilled dynamo with the puck, which should make Russian games entertaining for fans.

Players to watch: In addition to Burmistrov and Tarasenko, Maxim Kitsyn and defenceman Dmitri Orlov will lead the offence. Russia always brings a crop of talented players to this tournament and this year's group is no different.

The biggest question will be in goal. Igor Bobkov and Alexander Zalivin looked good in the Subway Super Series. Bobkov would seemingly have the inside track for the starting job.

Medal-worthy: The Russian squad has the talent to medal, but it's unlikely the colour will be gold. Sweden has a stronger team, on paper, in its pool, which means the Russians would likely face Canada in the semis. Another bronze-medal is the most likely scenario for Russia.

Czech Republic

The Czech junior program has taken a step back after winning back-to-back gold medals in 2000 and 2001. It appeared as though the Czechs were ready to join the elite hockey nations, but the country has since produced just one medal, a bronze, in 2005. It doesn't appear as though the medal drought will end in this tournament with a roster that, on paper, doesn't possess the same firepower as teams like Canada or Russia.

One of the interesting aspects of this team is that many of its players currently play in the Canadian Hockey League. Many Czech players made the jump to North America, which can hurt familiarity in tournaments like this, but gives those players the advantage of playing in the smaller rinks.

Players to watch: The firepower up front is there, it's just a matter of finding chemistry in the short tournament. Tomas Kubalik and Andrej Nestrasil suit up together for the Victoriaville Tigres and will be integral parts of the offence. Stepan Novotny, who plays for the Swift Current Broncos, was on fire to begin the season.

The anchor of its defence will be Plymouth Whalers veteran Michal Jordan. A smart, two-way defender, he's as steady as they come and will play in every situation.

Eye the upset: If the Czechs are going to advance to the medal round they will need to surprise some unsuspecting teams in this tournament. One round robin win over Russia or Sweden could mean the difference between the quarter-finals and the relegation round.

Finland

The Finns might be in the best position to medal in the last several tournaments. Finland's last medal was a bronze in 2006, as they failed to advance to the medal round the last couple tournaments. The disappointing finishes should motivate Finland but given its pool, the highest they will finish the round robin is third, which would earn them a spot in the quarter-finals.

Finland boasts a young, but talented group, particularly at the forward position. One of the catalysts will be Mikael Granlund who is quite simply one of the most highly-touted Finnish prospects of the decade. Granlund is a smaller forward with plenty of skill as a playmaker. He could be a difference-maker in the tournament.

Players to watch: In addition to Granlund, the offence will come from Toni Rajala. The 18-year-old joined the Brandon Wheat Kings this season where he has acclimatized himself quite well to the North American game. He was on fire offensively for the Finns in April's Under-18 tournament.

Defenceman Sami Vatanen will provide offence from the back-end. Some have likened Vatanen as the Finnish version of Ryan Ellis. Vatanen will be key to the offence as the team's power-play quarterback.

Rewrite recent history: The Finns have failed to impress in the Under-20 tournament, to the point where they will need a shift in mentality against elite teams. Finland has talent to surprise, but likely won't finish higher than third in the round robin. A quarter-final berth should be attainable, but this team isn't likely going to find the podium.

Austria

It will most likely be a quick showing for the Austrians in Saskatchewan. Placed in the harder pool, it's unlikely Austria will win a game before the relegation round. Its inclusion in the top tournament is a proud moment for the sport in the country but there are many inroads that remain to be done in building the product.

Player to watch: The most recognizable name among players is veteran defenceman Stefan Ulmer. The 19-year-old joined the Western Hockey League's Spokane Chiefs two seasons ago and was a member of the Memorial Cup winning team. Ulmer broke out offensively last season, recording 40 points as a defenceman in a defensive league. He will be Mr. Everything for Austria in this tournament.

Avoiding relegation: The only goal this team will have is to avoid relegation. The bottom two teams from each pool will face each other to determine which two teams will drop back down to Division 1. It will be a lofty goal for the Austrians to survive the purge.