Team Canada enters the WHJC in the unfamiliar role of underdog.
This year's World Junior Hockey Championship will provide a few firsts. It will be the first time in three years the tournament has been held outside of Canada and the first time in six years the Canadians won't be the defending champs.
The Americans are the odds-on favourite with a deep core of returning players from last year's gold-medal winning squad. The United States will have a ton of pressure as they're not only defending its title, but trying to do so on home ice.
The Swedes received a gift from the Ottawa Senators a week ago when they learned goaltender Robin Lehner would be available for the tournament. His impact will be huge, but can he do it all himself?
And what do we make of the surprising Swiss? After knocking off the Russians in the quarterfinals and finishing fourth in last year's tournament, are they ready to join the tournament's elite? These are just a few of many burning questions addressed in anticipation of the world juniors.
Will the Americans repeat?
Odds are, yes, they will. While the tournament favourite doesn't always come out on top, there are a lot of aspects working in the Americans' favour. The potential return of eight players from last year's squad means this team is not only deep, but experienced. As I mentioned in a previous column, the label as tournament favourite hasn't always panned out for U.S.
The United States should have no trouble finishing atop its group. Switzerland will likely pose its toughest challenge and the bye to the semifinals could be determined when the two nations meet in the final round robin game on New Year's Eve. But the remainder consisting of Finland, Slovakia and Germany have been nothing more than also-rans in this tournament.
All the stars are falling in place for the host nation. If goaltender Jack Campbell can regain his form from last year's tournament, it gives the Americans the inside track to gold.
Can Canada overcome an alleged lack of scoring?
It's funny to think, but this may be the first time the likes of Sean Couturier, Louis Leblanc and Brett Connolly were on a team with a perceived lack of scoring. Canada may not have Taylor Hall, Jeff Skinner or Matt Duchene available, but the group of forwards isn't receiving enough respect in some media circles. The forward group is balanced and talented -- it's just not as talented as it could be. Canada will score goals in this tournament, but the wins might not be as decisive as in other years.
How many games can Robin Lehner steal?
No matter how strong the Swedes appear on paper, there's always one position that is seemingly without worry: goaltending. Swedish head coach Roger Ronnberg was hoping for some key returns from National Hockey League teams and was granted that request from the Ottawa Senators with goaltending prospect Robin Lehner.
Lehner was considered by many as the best goaltender in the Ontario Hockey League last season when he suited up for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. This year he began plying his trade with the American Hockey League's Binghamton Senators and hasn't looked out of place. Lehner is a big goalie that uses his size advantageously. He's shown the ability to steal games in the past, which is good news for the Swedes as their chances could hinge on his ability to win games.
Are the Swiss now legitimate contenders?
Switzerland won't gain the same notoriety as the top teams, but that changing of the guard could be in the making. With Benjamin Conz, the little goaltender that could, the Swiss could return up to nine players from last year's fourth-place team.
Switzerland also possesses two of the tournament's most notable forwards in Nino Niederreiter and Sven Bartschi. The duo are part of the Western Hockey League's top team, the Portland Winterhawks -- who are fast becoming the Swiss embassy of the Canadian Hockey League -- and bring a combination of offence and grit.
Switzerland doesn't stand to surprise anyone this time around after last year's ascension. In order to be considered legitimate contenders, the Swiss will need a repeat performance and obtain a medal in this tournament. Respect and tournament positioning is open for the taking in the weaker Group A.
Can Russia bounce back?
The Russian world junior team is a constant mystery. Great talent hasn't always translated into medals for the Russians and the enigmatic nature of the Russian team could be on display once again.
Russia imploded at last year's tournament with a brand of individualized play lacking a team-first concept. The Russians finished a very disappointing sixth in Saskatoon and haven't captured gold since 2003.
There's no question this year's team has talent, a recurring theme amongst the Russians, but the will to succeed and team play over individual play has to be at the forefront. Russia is the ultimate wildcard and it won't take long to figure out how they stack up since Russia's first two games are against Canada and Sweden.
Can Slovakia recapture their 2009 glory?
In Slovakia's case, world junior glory came in the form of a fourth-place finish. The country has just one medal -- a bronze in 1999 -- to its trophy case in tournament history. The 2009 team shocked the United States in the quarterfinals, but couldn't duplicate a similar surprise against the Swedes in the semifinals or the Russians in the bronze-medal game.
Slovakia will ice a roster that is somewhat familiar to junior hockey fans. Guelph Storm forward Richard Panik, who was a member of that 2009 team, will be back for his third tournament while seven more from the CHL will join him. The most notables are defenceman Martin Marincin, an Edmonton Oilers draft pick that played in last year's tournament, and potential first round pick, forward Tomas Jurco.
Slovakia has talent on paper, but may need a few more players to make a name in the tournament for the team to have success. Jaroslav Janus and Tomas Tatar became household names in 2009. It's time for someone else to emerge.
Can Canada provide the upset and win gold?
There's no reason to count them out. While they may not be the most skilled team on paper, Canada can never be underestimated. Some of Canada's greatest triumphs in the world junior tournament came in years they were not favoured to win it all. At least two in the most recent string of five-consecutive gold medals was far from a sure thing, with those coming in 2006 and 2008.
It won't be easy and Canada won't be the favourite, but a tough Group stage could help pave the way for another run. The Canadians will want to finish first in the group not just because it means they would avoid the quarterfinals, but also to avoid a likely semifinal against the Americans. Finishing first in the group would go a long way in getting back on track for the gold medal.
Home ice disadvantage?
It's no coincidence each tournament hosted by the United States is located on a border city. However, the concentration of Canadian fans could be its largest ever with the tournament closely located to the Greater Toronto Area. While this is the first time in three years the tournament isn't hosted in Canada, there will be a large Canadian contingent making it feel like home. Canada will have the home crowd behind them through every game, including if they meet the host Americans at any point. Canada captured gold in each of the last two tournaments hosted by the United States.
Names to watch: The world junior tournament is always a staging ground for players to make a name for themselves. Some of the players who will take the forefront include: Sean Couturier (Canada), Louis Leblanc (Canada), Ryan Ellis (Canada), Jeremy Morin (USA), Jerry D'Amigo (USA), Chris Kreider (USA), Jack Campbell (USA), Nino Niederreiter (Switzerland), Sven Bartschi (Switzerland), Vladimir Tarasenko (Russia), Evgeni Kuznetsov (Russia), Robin Lehner (Sweden), Gabriel Landeskog (Sweden), Adam Larsson (Sweden), Sami Vatanen (Finland), Tomas Jurco (Slovakia), Richard Panik (Slovakia), Martin Marincin (Slovakia), Tom Kuhnhackl (Germany) and Philipp Grubauer (Germany).
