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The high point of the xmas season is soon upon us!

And in this tourament the Latvians are allowed to compete!
They finished in 8th place last year which was just enough to hang on to a spot in this ten team tournament.

Group A:
USA, Finland, Canada, Latvia, Germany

Group B:
Sweden, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Kazakhstan

It seems Canada and the USA will hold selection camps in mid December, but Sweden has already announced its roster:

Forwards
Dennis Altörn, Leksands IF
Jack Berglund, Färjestad BK (PHI)
David Edström, Frölunda (NSH)
Victor Eklund, Djurgårdens IF (2025 NHL Draft)
Linus Eriksson, Djurgårdens IF (FLA)
Zeb Forsfjäll, Skellefteå AIK (SEA)
David Granberg, Luleå HF
Isac Hedqvist, Luleå HF
Felix Nilsson, Rögle BK (NSH)
Otto Stenberg, IF Malmö Redhawks (STL)
Herman Träff, HV 71 (NJD)
Felix Unger Sörum, Chicago Wolves (CAR)
Oskar Vuollet, Skellefteå AIK (CAR)
Anton Wahlberg, Rochester Americans (BUF)

Defense
Rasmus Bergqvist, Skellefteå AIK (MTL)
Viggo Gustafsson, Timrå IK (NSH)
Wilhelm Hallquisth, HV 71
Axel Hurtig, Calgary Hitmen (CGY)
Axel Sandin Pellikka, Skellefteå AIK (DET)
Theo Lindstein, Brynäs IF (STL)
Tom Willander, Boston University (VAN)

Goalies
Marcus Gidlöf, Leksands IF(NYI)
Melvin Strahl, Youngstown Phantoms (CBJ)
Melker Thelin, IF Björklöven (UTA)

Another Björklöven player, d-man Alfons Freij, was cut at the last minute, but will probably get a call-up should any of the named defensemen get injured.

Per, are there any Swedes in this tourny that we should watch for? Need to know who we're drafting, right Mëds?

Cornuck wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06, 2024 8:15 am Per, are there any Swedes in this tourny that we should watch for? Need to know who we're drafting, right Mëds?

I’d say Victor Eklund.

He is playing for Djurgården (Mats Sundin’s old team) in Hockeyallsvenskan and so I see him play against Björklöven. He is moving around, you never know where he is going to pop up, and he has a lethal shot. His father, Christian, is a well known SHL player, and his brother William is playing for the Sharks and doing pretty well.

https://youtu.be/dlWKJ64O56A?si=a-rVGFYUeMHVmRfy

https://youtu.be/KTzGcfSisjU?si=_JmYNAL_ONtRhLKd

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/7 ... tor-eklund

So Sawyer Mynio did make the team.

Canada beat Sweden 4-2 in the dress rehearsal. Björklöven’s backup Melker Thelin was in goal for Sweden, and I think he looked good. Kept Sweden in the game, going into the third with a 2-1 lead. Canada won the shots 44-24 though and in the end they managed to turn the game around.

https://youtu.be/VY9xKpFKZAw?si=cHYJD8AkMDtnAneh

Saw a preview of this tournament from the Province, 3 Canuck defensemen prospects were mentioned as ones to watch: Willander, Mynio and Sansonnens.

Will be keeping a close eye on top 2025 draft prospects

James Hagens - USA
Porter Martone - Canada
Michael Schaefer - Canada
Victor Eklund - Sweden

2026 draft prospect

Gavin McKenna

Sofia Camera really banged it out for the WJC gang

Sandin-Pellika had a hell of a game, hat trick plus an assist, as Sweden beat Slovakia 5-2 in the opener.

Germany is putting up a better fight than expected against the USA.
And as I type this James Hagen scores his second goal of the game. The US leads 4-2.

German goalie….. hey loook I took my mask off!!!

Edit: Karma

Per wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2024 1:12 pm Sandin-Pellika had a hell of a game, hat trick plus an assist, as Sweden beat Slovakia 5-2 in the opener.

Germany is putting up a better fight than expected against the USA.
And as I type this James Hagen scores his second goal of the game. The US leads 4-2.

ASP is the captain and seems to be the best player on the team. Stings a little that we stepped around him at the draft to take another defenseman.

Sandin-Pellika is super impressive. I really hope the Hronek acquisition doesn’t come back to haunt us.

Oh look...someone deflated Jeff O'Neill's head balloon

Cheryl Pounder sounds like the landlady in kingpin

Chef Boi RD wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2024 3:07 pm Sandin-Pellika is super impressive. I really hope the Hronek acquisition doesn’t come back to haunt us.

Yeah a 26 year old all situations defenseman that logs 25 minutes a night locked up for 8 years should be very haunting. Really wasn't Hronek acquired with part of the trade proceeds Allvin got for a slow 28 year old winger disguised as a centre that consistently ran out of gas and bonked out 30 seconds into his shifts?

Blob Mckenzie wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2024 5:02 pm

Chef Boi RD wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2024 3:07 pm Sandin-Pellika is super impressive. I really hope the Hronek acquisition doesn’t come back to haunt us.

Yeah a 26 year old all situations defenseman that logs 25 minutes a night locked up for 8 years should be very haunting. Really wasn't Hronek acquired with part of the trade proceeds Allvin got for a slow 28 year old winger disguised as a centre that consistently ran out of gas and bonked out 30 seconds into his shifts?

Have you seen this Pellika fly? He’s a good player, Blob, very good!