It was déjà vu for 2008-born No. 4 Northern Alberta Xtreme as they successfully defended their championship title at the 2023 Western Canadian Crown Invitational. The tournament, held from Jan. 18-22, saw the largest field of participants in its history, with 24 clubs lacing up their skates.
Teams were divided into six divisions of four teams, and NAX was placed into the Guenther Division. They were joined by the Lethbridge Golden Hawks, Delta Hockey Academy Black and Valley West Giants. The round-robin phase of the schedule proved to be just a warm up for Northern Alberta, as they went 3-0-0 while only allowing two goals.
Granted a quarterfinal-round bye resulting from their first-place finish in the division, the Xtreme’s next test would come from RINK Hockey Academy Winnipeg. Jordan Duguay (2G, 2A) and Nolan Stewart (2G, 1A) would lead the way in a 9-2 victory for NAX.
The stage was set for the Division A championship between the Xtreme and the Calgary Bisons. The Xtreme opened up a formidable 5-1 lead in the first period that they would not relinquish. A large part of securing the win was holding Calgary’s leading scorer, Rhys Jamieson, to just one assist. In total across six games, Jamieson collected seven goals and 18 points.
"X MARKS THE SPOT"
— HNLive (@HNLiveCA) January 23, 2023
The Hosts and defending champs @NAXHockey knocked off a "surprising" but extremely talented @CBHA_Bisons squad in the U15 @cancrowntourney Championship.
Water is wet, ice is cold and @fan960lou calls championship hockey games! pic.twitter.com/Rk2UMLYIx8
Stewart would top the scoring leaderboard for Northern Alberta, notching six goals and 15 points. He was followed closely by Duguay’s four goals and 14 points.
While numerous players put up the points for NAX, the goaltending was preventing opponents from doing the same. The dynamic duo of Parker Snell and Taylor Raynard could not have been better. Snell posted a 3-0-0 record, with a 2.00 goals-against average and .885 save percentage with one shutout. Raynard was unbeatable in the two games he saw action, garnering a 1.00 goals-against average and .952 save percentage.
While not finding the scoresheet in the final game, Daxon Randolph was the Xtreme’s secret weapon all tournament. The 5-foot-11, 161-pound blueliner from Lacombe, Alberta, tallied 10 points (3G, 7A) in five games. He was also named one of the top playoff performers.
Final Score
— Canadian Crown Tournaments (@cancrowntourney) January 22, 2023
Bisons – 4
NAX – 7
Shots 37-21 for NAX
WHL Playoff Performers
NAX – Daxon Rudolph
Bisons – Dalton Forbes pic.twitter.com/kMaiQLNOi5
No. 19 Shattuck-St. Mary’s made sure that they made the most of their appearance at the 2023 John Reid Memorial U15 Tournament. First up were three round-robin contests against the St. Albert Sabres, OHA Edmonton, and St. George’s School.
Michael Berchild (3G, 5A) and Tynan Lawrence combined their skills to lead SSM through their first three games 3-0-0, outscoring opponents 21-3. The club’s semifinal date was next up against Yale Hockey Academy, which they too passed with flying colors en route to a 7-3 win.
OHA Penticton was the lone contender standing in the Sabres’ way to finishing with an unblemished record. It was evident from puck drop that Shattuck’s skill was too much for Penticton to overcome. SSM peppered Micah Davidson with 50 shots, and six found the back of the net through the first two periods. Despite outscoring Shattuck in the third period 2-1, Penticton would fall 7-4.
Zane Torre would pot the most points in the final contest, accumulating two goals and one assist. Throughout Shatuck’s run to the gold medal, Berchild led with 14 points, with Lawrence’s 11 behind him.
THE 2023 JMRT CHAMPIONS 🏆 #JRMT @SSM_Athletics pic.twitter.com/kAjpieVp1M
— John Reid Memorial Tournament (@JRMT15AAA) January 23, 2023
Two Shattuck players would nab Second-Team All-Star honors, with Parkier Trottier and Tyler McCracken both being awarded.
Huge congrats to the JRMT 2023 All-Star teams! Selections were made by scouts in attendance at the tournament. Thank you to our All-Star Team sponsors @lbhtimbermart @roketgear @SFSstalbert for your generous support! pic.twitter.com/DWbgnYkgX8
— John Reid Memorial Tournament (@JRMT15AAA) January 24, 2023
For more coverage of other top youth hockey tournaments like the John Reid around the world, follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.
Each week, World Hockey Hub highlights a few of the most exciting upcoming games in youth hockey.
Two of the top 2009-born teams in Sweden kick off our slate of games to watch this week. Djurgårdens IF battles Södertälje SK on Thursday in a Top-10 tilt. Mississauga Rebels and Toronto Jr. Canadiens tangle in a Top-10 matchup between 2007s in Canada. The week concludes with a weekend series between Chicago Mission and Shattuck-St. Mary’s. Then, a clash in Finland between Kärpät Musta and Kärpät Valkoinen.
After suffering a 6-0 defeat to No. 3 Djurgårdens IF (26-12-7) on Dec. 1, No. 5 Södertälje SK (13-5-6) now has plans for avenging that loss when the two 2008-born opponents meet this week.
 |  |
| Thursday, January 26 Scaniarinken |
In order to do so, however, the dynamic duo of Lexus Zahn (9G, 7A) and Nick Travergård (8G, 8A) will need to be stopped. Both players not only lead Djurgårdens in points, but sit atop their group table in scoring as well. They have been key catalysts to the team’s current eight-game unbeaten stretch.
In the 6-0 outing, Zahn and Travergård each collected three points, showing that they are the true play drivers for the club when it comes to offensive zone time. Patric Hellström and Lucas Brauer will have to step up for Södertälje if there is any chance of emerging victorious. Their dependable, two-way approach to the game has paid dividends, allowing them to record 10 and nine points, respectively.
Pete’s Pick: I don’t expect another blowout for Djurgårdens, but I do believe they will nab the win here for the second time against their group foe. I chalk that loss up to Södertälje still finding its footing as a team. Since then, they have put up numbers against the top Sweden teams.
Craig’s Pick: I’m a Zahn and Travergård fan here too. Södertälje comes out of the gate strong, and maybe even holds onto a lead early. However, Djurgårdens top tandem is too much to overcome. I’ll take DIF 4-2 in a close one.
No. 1 Shattuck-St. Mary’s (39-2-2) will wrap up their season series with No. 11 Chicago Mission (25-12-5) this weekend. It will be the second time the two squads will have battled in close to a week. On Jan. 20, Shattuck defeated Chicago 4-1.
 |  |
| Saturday, January 28 @ 4:10 PM CST Fifth Third Arena |
All games thus far have been tightly contested. With both programs occupying Top 10 spots in the U.S. for the majority of the season, no one was really expecting anything less. What will ultimately settle these final games will be the big blueliners of Chicago taking away space from Shattuck’s frightening attack. All six of Mission’s defensemen are either close to or over six feet, with three also weighing in at 170 lbs.
Granted, Shattuck will have a gameplan to work around this fact given the familiarity between both rosters. However, it does not make the feat of actually dealing with players of that size on the ice any easier.
Ryker Lee and Jack Galanek have been revelations for Shattuck, as they have collected 155 points between themselves. John Delaney was a standout for Chicago in the last two-game series, totaling three points (1G, 2A).
Pete’s Pick: These will be two more close games, with Mission wanting to prove they have what it takes to skate with the truly premier talent of their birth year. Despite being on home ice, which should give them some extra jump, I still think Shattuck skates away with two wins.
Craig’s Pick: I like Shattuck as well. They’re unbeaten in their last 27 outings, and winners of 19 of their last 20. Mission managed a 4-4 tie back in December, jumping out to a 4-0 lead before Shattuck rallied from behind. I don’t see Shattuck playing from a deficit again — at least not by four goals — so I’ll take the Sabres as winners in both games.
The No. 20 Mississauga Rebels (28-8-9) will try to finally get in the win column against the No. 9 Toronto Jr. Canadiens (34-8-3) in their third game of the season on Sunday.
 |  |
| Sunday, January 29 @ 2:15 PM EST Scotiabank Pond 4 |
After skating to a 2-2 tie in their first tilt back in October, the Jr. Canadiens bested the Rebels 5-3 on Dec. 17. Unbeaten in their last four outings, Mississauga will aim to end Toronto’s impressive 12 game unbeaten streak. While on paper this may be looking like a David versus Goliath meeting between two ‘07 programs, Mississauga has held their own against some Top 10 teams in Canada. A highlight of their season was edging out No. 1 Toronto Marlboros, 2-1 in the early weeks of the schedule.
Pete’s Pick: Mississauga has given some top teams headaches this season, and this game shouldn’t be any different. But talent-wise, the Jr. Canadiens hold a significant advantage, and they take this one 4-1.
Craig’s Pick: Jr. Canadiens are the better overall team, but Mississauga to me appears to be a more consistent bunch. You know what you’re going to get from this group on a nightly basis. Toronto can run a bit hot and cold, and may very well come out firing. However, I’m gonna take the Rebels’ consistent approach, as they catch the Jr. Canadiens on an off night. Rebs run 3-2 in this one.
With the continuation series well underway in the next stage of group play in Finland, two 2009 programs prepare to continue their season series. Currently up 2-1 after three games, No. 7 Kärpät Valkoinen (19-4-1) will hope to squash No. 9 Kärpät Musta’s (19-3-2) attempt to even the season series on Sunday.
 | |
| Sunday, January 28 Raksila 2 |
It is a crucial time to be playing the best hockey of the season, and that is the case for these programs. Each is off to a 4-0-0 start in the continuation series of group play. All signs are pointing to fireworks when they clash.
Offense will be on full display in this meeting. At the end of the initial group stage, the two leading scorers hailed from these clubs. Musta’s Joona Väkeväinen totaled 27 goals and 49 points, with Valkoinen’s Niklas Helppi 31 goals and 44 points close behind. Both players have picked up where they left off just a few games into the next batch of group games. In two games, each player has recorded nine points. Kantola Leevi of Musta leads all skaters with 12 points.
Pete’s Pick: I’m inclined to go with Valkoinen here, but I think Leevi’s performance to begin the next stage of group play will get them over the hill and even the season series up. Musta takes a 3-2 final.
Craig’s Pick: I gotta imagine games like these are so exciting for Kärpät — and other clubs that divvy up players into multiple rosters — when you field two teams, and they’re uber competitive and evenly matched head-to-head. In the spirit of good competition, I like Musta to even the season series as well.
Want more coverage of the top teams and top players in youth hockey? Follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube!
On Saturday, The New Jersey Colonials announced their next 12U coach for the 2023-24 season; it will be 15-year NHL veteran Travis Zajac. The former New Jersey Devils forward joins a long list of NHL alumni to return as youth hockey coaches. Most notably in recent memory, Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla and two-time Stanley Cup champion Trevor Daley.
The New Jersey Colonials announce Travis Zajac as the 12U Minor 2012 AAA Head Coach for the 2023-24 season. Zajac joined the Colonials this season as an assistant with the 2012's who are fighting for an AYHL playoff spot. @NJDevils @AYHL @AtlanticDistr pic.twitter.com/UWWd2hYn7W
— NJColonialsYouthHockey (@colonials_nj) January 14, 2023
Zajac, along with countless other former pros, return to the game they know to shepherd the next generation of hockey players. In this case, he will likely lead his son, Zenon Zajac, and his soon-to-be 12U squad through the ‘23-24 season and beyond.
Iginla, Daley and now Zajac, are some of the more notable alumni on the North American youth hockey scene.
The most memorable of all is likely that of Hockey Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis. The former Stanley Cup champion made headlines last season as a youth hockey coach, going from coaching his son’s 13U Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers to the Montreal Canadiens’ bench last February.
Much like Iginla and Daley, Zajac enjoyed a long NHL playing career, last suiting up in the 2020-21 season with the New York Islanders.
Per the club’s release, “Zajac’s coaching philosophy is about teaching real skills that help kids make proper reads, create good habits and stay safe on the ice.”
This year’s Colonials 12U squad is in the midst of a playoff push in the Atlantic Youth Hockey League (AYHL). With the addition of Zajac, the Colonials are hoping it will put their program over the top as an attractive destination in a heavily populated youth hockey region.
Jarome Iginla has been a fixture in youth hockey since officially retiring as a player in 2018. Helping coach the respective teams of his two sons, Tij and Joe, Iginla also helped build the 2006 Boston Jr. Eagles into a top program during the 2018-19 season. The 2008-born Boston Jr. Terriers were also beneficiaries of his services for three seasons as well.
Beginning with the 2021-22 season, Iginla has served as head coach of the RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna’s U15 team. After a successful first season that saw the team skate to a 42-15-1 record, things have picked up where they left off. Currently at 35-6-0, Kelowna has been a constant in the World Rankings since the start of the season. Iginla’s son, Joe, is also a member of this year’s U15 roster.
Iginla also relies on Patrick Wiercioch as an assistant coach. Wiercioch brings a wealth of experience, including an AHL Cup Championship, World Championship Gold Medal and 11 seasons of professional hockey.
For 2009-born Florida Alliance, Trevor Daley steers the ship. Considered a non-traditional hockey market to some,the sport continues to grow at a rapid pace in South Florida. Daley now looks to continue on its trajectory.
As an added perk, Daley’s son, Trevor, is a standout for the Alliance. At the second annual Champions League Tournament last month, he collected 13 points en route to the team winning the championship.
Looking for more news regarding the top teams in youth hockey? Be sure to follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and Discord!
With most youth hockey clubs moving into the second half of their seasons, primetime matchups can be found throughout schedules. One team that took advantage of important dates on their calendar were the No. 17 Bishop Kearney Selects.
First up was a matchup against No. 20 Mount St. Charles, who the Selects dispatched in a 5-0 win. Next, the No. 21 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite were waiting in the hopes a major victory of their own could crack them into the Top 10. Bishop Kearney had other plans, edging out the Penguins in overtime, 5-4.
If the Selects can keep up their torrid streak, their climb up the 2006 world rankings won’t be slowing down anytime soon. With a current 11-game win streak, the sky’s the limit.
2007-born No. 1 Little Caesars proved again just how much of a powerhouse they are this season by sweeping a three-game series against No. 19 Shattuck-St. Mary’s. With just three losses to their name all season, the three wins against Shattuck extended a current five-game win streak.
The No. 10 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers were benefactors of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres’ tough three-game slate against the No. 8 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite. MFJR also bested No. 18 Mount St. Charles with a decisive 5-1 final result to propel themselves into the Top 10.
Taking the series, 2-1 over the Jr. Sabres wasn’t the only impressive marker for the Penguins. They also earned a hard-fought tie against No. 6 Long Island Gulls. That, coupled with two wins against Buffalo, has them holding firm.
The No. 4 Boston Jr. Eagles showed off their stingy defense by holding the No. 17 Minuteman Flames’ explosive offense at bay in two straight games. In total, the Jr. Eagles have only let in 68 goals this season, where the Flames have peppered opposing nets for 263 goals.
Something was bound to give in the two-game set, and Boston proved it had the defensive structure to end up on top. No. 15 Little Caesars also rose in the U.S. standings thanks to also shutting out the Flames, 3-0 in their one-game tilt.
Be sure to check out the complete world rankings, including Top 10s by country and World Top 25s for each of the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 birth years.
Five teams — two American and three Canadian — entered the 2008-born International Silver Stick tournament in their respective WHH Top-10 Rankings on Thursday. All of them would survive pool play before clashing in the single-elimination playoffs over the weekend, including the No. 1-ranked Vaughan Kings.
Ranked No. 1 in the world among U14 teams, Vaughan came into the tournament as winners of 17 in a row. On top of that, they hadn’t allowed a single goal against in four straight games. That impeccable defensive effort would continue throughout their weekend at Silver Sticks. If it sounds familiar, it’s because the Kings won last year’s U13 tournament in Whitby as well.
Running a championship back at one of the most iconic youth hockey tournaments in North America is no easy feat. This year’s run by Vaughan was an historic one though.
Before Silver Sticks, the Kings had posted four consecutive shutouts, including a 3-0 victory over No. 6 York Simcoe Express. When tournament action started on Thursday, they picked up right where they left off with an 8-0 shutout of the Pittsburgh Predators and 7-0 shutout of Fox Motors.
The scoreless streak would be snapped by unranked Barrie Colts on Friday, when they took the Kings to a 2-2 tie.
Pool play concluded with Vaughan earning a top seed in the playoffs. Joining them would be four other teams ranked in their respective Top 10s. In fact, the Kings’ quarterfinal matchup drew No. 10 Peterborough Petes on Saturday night. An opponent that Vaughan defeated 4-2 on Dec. 9th, the playoff rematch followed a similar script with a 3-1 decision this time.
The Soo Jr. Greyhounds defeated No. 8-ranked Toronto Jr. Canadiens in the opposite quarterfinal. The Jr. Greyhounds — a bubble team just on the outside of our latest rankings — boosted their resume with a strong outing, including the 2-1 win over Toronto. That position the Soo in the Kings’ path in a stellar final four matchup. Vaughan again got it done at both ends, winning with its third shutout of the tournament 4-0.
In the championship stood the No. 2 team in the U.S., Chicago Mission. They knocked off No. 5-ranked and cross-town rival Windy City Storm in the quarterfinals, before defeating the Toronto Marlboros in the semifinals.
It only took one goal in the championship, as the Kings ended the tournament the way they started it, with a shutout, 1-0 over Chicago.
The two top-10 teams in the U.S. clashed for 2010 supremacy at Silver Sticks. No. 4 Chicago Mission edged out No. 5 Little Caesars 4-2 in the finale. Mission finished the weekend with a 6-0-1 record in Port Huron. Their final five games of the tournament were all decided by two goals or fewer as the battle-tested top-10 team grinded its way to a Silver Stick championship.
Mission rounded out pool play escaping a Top-10 matchup against No. 9 Buffalo Jr. Sabres with a 2-0 win. Then, they avoided an upset with a 5-3 victory over Brantford 99ers to advance to the elimination rounds.
In the playoffs, Mission edge out cross-town rival and No. 10-ranked Chicago Fury 4-3 Saturday afternoon. On championship Sunday, they had just enough to eliminate the No. 1 team in Canada, Toronto Jr. Canadiens with a 4-3 final. The other half of the bracket saw Little Caesars eliminate the Markham Majors by the same 4-3 score.
The championship between two top teams in America featured plenty of drama. It was the third time these two teams had met this season. Each team claiming a win in the series, the rubber match would not only tilt the scales but earn some hardware as well.. A 4-2 finish gave Chicago the Silver Stick championship, and a sixth consecutive game decided by a narrow margin.
They’re a battle-tested bunch, with 34 of their 51 games decided by two goals or fewer. Comfortable in close games, Mission’s composure paid off big time over the weekend, winning the Silver Stick championship.
Want more coverage of major youth hockey events like the International Silver Stick? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube!
Each week, World Hockey Hub highlights a few of the most exciting upcoming games in youth hockey. Two of the top 2007-born teams in the U.S. kick off our slate of games to watch this week. Shattuck-St. Mary’s plays host to Little Caesars on Friday in a Top-25 tilt. The next day, Dynamo Moscow and Dynamo Spartak tangle in a Top-10 matchup between 2010s in Russia. The week concludes with a double-header on Sunday. First, a matchup in Sweden between Nacka and Täby. Then, a clash in Canada between Toronto Jr. Canadiens and Don Mills Flyers.
2007-born No. 15 Shattuck-St. Mary’s (24-10-3) will kick off the second half of its 2022-23 season with a three-game set against No. 2 Little Caesars (47-3-2).
|  |
| Friday, January 13 @ 7:00 PM MST Shattuck-St. Mary’s Ice Arena |
Caesars likes to score…a lot. With a plus-189 goal differential, it has been nearly impossible for any team to slow down their offense. As a result, this series will come down to the ability of SSM’s goaltending to keep the puck out of the net.
Grayson Hanggi and Garrett Glaser have pretty much split duties between the pipes this season. Glaser has seen action in 19 games compared to Hanggi’s 18. The stat lines for both are also similar. Hanggi has compiled a 11-5-2 record, with a 2.12 goals-against average and .906 save percentage with two shutouts. Glaser is 13-5-1, with a 2.02 goals-against and 9.19 save percentage, with three shutouts.
Both should see action across the three games, and are preparing to face massive amounts of rubber thrown their way from the Motor City boys.
Before the long holiday layoff, Shattuck took two out of three against the No. 10 U.S.-ranked Pittsburgh Penguins Elite.
Pete’s Pick: To come out of a holiday break against the top team in your birth year is a daunting task for anyone. And Caesars just hasn’t lost that often. Just their third loss all season came against the Toronto Marlboros at the Marlies Holiday Classic. It might take a game or two for Shattuck to shake off the rust as well. Pulling off a sweep is tough no matter how talented a team is, so I will give SSM the chance to take one game, but Little Caesars takes the series, 2-1.
Craig’s Pick: Shattuck has only lost three games at home all season. Lots of teams at every age group have traveled to Faribault, Minnesota, to take on the Sabres, just to fall in defeat. It’s a tough barn to win in. However, I actually think Caesars does it not once, not twice, but three times this weekend. LC may be the pound-for-pound best youth hockey team in America. There’s multiple high-level prospects on this team, and I don’t know that anyone in the country can compete with them right now. Series sweep for Caesars.
No. 8 Nacka HK (19-4-4) and its leading scorer Oliver Sundberg will face fellow ‘08 Swedish foe No. 12 IFK Täby HC (21-6-1) on Sunday.
 |  |
| Sunday, January 15 Tibble Ishall |
Sundberg has put up six goals and seven points thus far into group play. Trying to counteract that production will be Max Johanssén of Täby, who currently sits at five goals and eight points.
Those two will try to fill the back of the net, but will have to contend with two of the best goalies in order to do so.
Statistically, Täby’s David Eriksson and Nacka’s Gustav Stengård are the second and third best goalies of their birth year in Sweden, respectively. The numbers for each jump right off the stat sheet. Eriksson has gone 2-1-0, with a 1.67 goals-against and.924 save percentage. Stengård has manned the crease for five games, going 3-1-1 with a 1.42 goals-against and .916 save percentage.
It will be the first time these two teams will meet since Täby bested Nacka, 2-1 in the semifinals at the Folke Filbyter Cup back in October. In that game, Stengard started for Nacka, making 38 saves on 40 shots. Caspar Lampe was the goaltender for Täby.
Pete’s Pick: Given the talent in net for this one, I expect a hard-fought, low scoring game. With each goalie knowing who is on the other end of the ice, the ability to make the necessary saves will be paramount. Stengard and Nacka get the best of Täby in the revenge game, 3-1.
Craig’s Pick: These two clubs are very evenly matched. They follow one another in our World Rankings, and they’ve played each other to one-goal games this season. Viggo Björck scored a pair of goals in their October matchup to give Täby the 2-1 win. I think the outcome again rests on his shoulders. Björck gets on the scoresheet, Täby wins (again). Nacka holds him at bay, and they win. Björck and Täby to win again, this time by a 4-2 finish.
For the fourth time this season, No. 1 Toronto Jr. Canadiens (32-8-1) will lace up the skates against No. 3 Don Mills Flyers (38-4-4) eager to tie the season series up.
|  |
| Sunday, January 15 @ 1:55 PM EST Scotiabank Pond 1 |
The Flyers have gotten the better of the Jr. Canadiens in the first two matchups of the season, by scores of 5-2 and 4-1. In their most recent battle on Dec. 13, Toronto shut out the Flyers, 3-0. Each club has put up at least 150 goals to date, and has not allowed more than 50. With tight defensive units and potent offenses, one of them is bound to cancel the other out.
With the Flyers entering the contest unbeaten in their last nine and the Jr. Canadiens winners of four straight, fans can expect the very best from each team as they hope to continue their success into the start of the New Year.
Pete’s Pick: While the Flyers have been playing stronger competition as of late and getting wins, I think the Jr. Canadiens come out with a little extra fire wanting to tie up the season series. They take a high-scoring 4-3 final.
Craig’s Pick: I wouldn’t wanna face either of these teams at the moment. They’re No. 1 and No. 2 in Canada for good reason. The Jr. Canadiens have suffocated just about every opposing offense they’ve faced… Except one. Don Mills is one of two teams this season to score four or more goals on the Jr. Canadiens, and they’ve done it twice. The Flyers might not tally four goals, but I do think they win. I’m feeling a 3-2 finish here.
No. 10 Dynamo Moscow (15-9-0) hopes to finally end up in the win column in their third game against No. 5 Spartak Moscow (31-7-0) this weekend. Spartak has won the previous two matchups, outscoring Dynamo 11-6.
 |  |
| Logos Saturday, January 14 |
Despite not being able to keep the high-octane attack of Spartak in check in their first outing, Dynamo kept things close in a 5-4 loss on Oct. 22. In that game, Spartak’s leading scorer Artem Korolev got the scoring started in what was a back-and-forth contest all game. For any hope of getting their first win of the season against Spartak, Dynamo will have to contain Korolev’s insane production, currently at 38 goals and 74 points.
Arseniy Rychagov (5G, 14A) and Yegor Groza (5G, 9A) will try to combine their efforts to boost Dynamo.
Pete’s Pick: Spartak has simply been one of the more dominant Russian squads of their birth year, and I don’t expect them to drop this result. They handle Dynamo in a 4-1 win.
Craig’s Pick: Eleven goals against in their previous two games. For Dynamo Moscow to win, they’ve got to do something they haven’t done yet. Stop — or even just slow down — Spartak’s offensive attack. I believe Dynamo can trade goals with Spartak; they’ve done it already this season. However, that also proved to be an ineffective approach. I just don’t think Dynamo is strong enough defensively to beat Spartak here. I’m gonna roll with the favorite to win its third game of the season series.
Want more coverage of the top teams and top players in youth hockey? Follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube!
Five teams closed out the 2022 calendar year with impressive runs in December. It was a big stretch for 2007-born teams like Kiekko-Espoo, Little Caesars, Toronto Marlboros and Täby HC. Not forgetting the performance from ‘06 Spartak Moscow, either. WHH takes a look at a few programs across all countries and birth years that established themselves among the best of the best in youth hockey.
2007-born Little Caesars has been on an absolute tear. Heading into the month of December, they were in the midst of a 35-game unbeaten streak. They carried that hot stretch into last month, where they rattled off 11 straight victories. During that time, they bested two Top-10 teams. No. 10 U.S.-ranked Compuware fell 9-3 and No. 7 Canadian-ranked Southern Tier Admirals, defeated by a final score of 4-1.
Riding that momentum, they then were tasked with a semifinal showdown at the Marlies Classic against the No. 1-ranked ‘07 team in the world, Toronto Marlboros. While Caesars may have come up short in the contest, they didn’t go down without a fight, being eliminated 4-3 in overtime. That was only Caesars’ third loss of the season, bringing their overall record to an impressive 45-3-2.
It was generally a slow month across all birth years for Finnish youth hockey, but top-ranked 2007-born Kiekko-Espoo laced up its skates for five matchups. Winners of all five, the highlight of their schedule was a tilt against No. 4 HIFK on Dec. 10.
In a back-and-forth-affair, K-Espoo placed its faith in Aapo Vannine and Tomas Racz, who both tallied a goal and assist each. Across the club’s five victories of the month, they outscored opponents 35-9.
Kiekko now sits at 25-3-1 overall for the season.
While the victory against Little Caesars was one of the highlights of their December, the Marlboros experienced much more success than that. After kicking off the month with back-to-back losses against No. 10 Mississauga Senators and Vaughan Kings, they got back on track rattling off 12 wins.
Their biggest victories occurred in the Marlies Holiday Classic, where after edging Caesars, the No. 11 world-ranked Halton Hurricanes stood in the Marlies’ way. Staying true to their reputation of an offensive powerhouse, they rolled past Halton 4-1 to nab the gold medal.
Ending the month with a 12-2-0 record and primed with a plus-145 goal differential. The Marlboros will look to continue their extensive win streak into the New Year.
No. 12 IFK Täby HC further proved in December that their spot in the world rankings is no fluke.
And that when it comes to ‘07 Swedish teams, they stand out above the rest.
In six games the club had in group play, five were against programs in the Top 10 of Sweden. First, they topped No. 8 SDE Hockey with a 7-4 win. Then Täby topped Solna SK, 4-0.
‘The season of giving’ continued as Täby handed out , a 7-3 decision to No. 9 Flemingsbergs IK. Then, followed it up with a 4-1 showing against No. 2 Djurgårdens IF. Putting a stamp on the 6-0-0 stretch were victories over No. 5 Södertälje and No. 3 Nacka HK.
Viggo Björck and Isac Nilsson stand as the current team leaders in point scoring. Björck tallied six goals and 15 points. Nilsson just behind compiled six goals and 10 points across the team’s six games.
No. 4 Spartak Moscow did not have the busiest December, but they made sure to get results in the five games they played. Garnering a 4-1-0 record, three of their matchups came against teams not only in the Top 10 of Russia, but among the Top 25 in the world rankings.
A close 3-2 win against No. 5 Dynamo Moscow would kick off their slate of games. But their next meeting with No. 2 CSKA Moscow would be a frenetic, high-scoring affair, with Spartak escaping with a 6-5 win.
No. 18 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl would end Spartak’s eight-game winning streak. The next weekend, Spartak knocked off Lokomotiv 2004 Yaroslavl in a 3-1 decision. One final win, 4-2 over No. 7 Krylia Sovetov, would close out the month for Spartak.
Ivan Kosarev led the team in December with six goals and 13 points. Overall leading scorer Silantiy Kozhushko would pot four goals and nine points.
Want more news from the top teams in youth hockey? Follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for the latest news, highlights and more!
It was quite the successful run for the 2008-born Pelicans at the 2022 Viima Hockey Tournament in Helsinki, Finland. On top of nabbing the gold medal out of a field of top Finnish-ranked opponents, two of their players were named to the tournament’s All-Star Team.
The Pelicans were placed in Group A along with KalPa, Kärpät and Jokerit. Group B featured No. 1 HIFK, Kiekko-Espoo, No. 5 JYP and No. 6 TPS.
The tournament started off rocky for the Pelicans, with a 3-1 loss to Jokerit and a 1-1 tie against KalPa. It seemed as if they were headed to a second straight defeat before defenseman Juho Piiparinen knotted the score late to salvage the tie. For his efforts in the game — and the tournament — Piiparinen was named top defenseman at the Viima Tournament.
After narrowly avoiding disaster, the Pelicans rattled off two straight victories over Kärpät and HIFK. That was enough to gain entry into the championship game.
The finale provided a rematch with KalPa, this time with the gold medal on the line.
And what a final game it was.
After KalPa opened up a 2-0 lead, the Pelicans responded with goals about two minutes apart to even things up. In the second period, Joel Tolvanen would score his second goal of the game to put KalPa back in front, 3-2. However, the Pelicans’ leading scorer, Luka Arkko, used his fifth goal of the tournament to tie the game for a second time.
Late in regulation, Arkko would add to his resume with his second goal of the match and the eventual game winner. Making the comeback all the more impressive was that the Pelicans managed to get four pucks past the top goaltender of the tournament, Kasper Koivunen. He had only let in four goals once in all of KalPa’s previous games.
Arkko would finish the tournament with six goals and 11 points while teammate Piiparinen led all Pelicans defenders with three goals and four points.
With the Pelicans securing gold and KalPa earning a hard-fought silver, K-Espoo edged past HIFK, 4-3, for the bronze.
All-Star Team honorees:
Goaltender:
Kasper Koivunen, Kalpa
Defensemen:
Juho Piiparinen, Pelicans
Nooa Järvenpää, Kiekko-Espoo
Forwards:
Luka Arkko, Pelicans
Oliver Torkki, HIFK
Eemil Saari, JYP
For more coverage of the top youth hockey tournaments around the world, follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.
The 2007-born No. 4 Bishop Kearney Selects laced up the skates against three Canadian opponents last week. After tying the Waterloo Wolves 1-1, their schedule strengthened with dates with No. 5 Halton Hurricanes and No. 8 Peterborough Petes. A 3-1 win against the Petes was secured but the Selects dropped a tough matchup against the Hurricanes, 5-1.
All eyes were on the premier tilt between No. 1 Toronto Marlboros and No. 2 Little Caesars at the Marlies Holiday Classic. More than bragging rights were on the line in this one. It was an opportunity for each club to not only prove their standing within their own country but in the global youth hockey landscape as well.
The Marlboros came into the game winners of 10 straight, while the last loss for Caesars came all the way back on Aug. 28th. An astounding stretch of 46 unbeaten games, which recently included a 4-1 W against No. 23 Southern Tier Admirals. Undaunted however, the Marlboros managed to dig deep and slip out a 4-3 victory, validating their place at the top.
There was movement among the Top 10 for 2008-born Sweden teams, thanks largely to contests from the Folke Lindström Cup. Boo HC, who went undefeated at the tournament to win gold, bumped up to the No. 4 spot. Silver medalists Mälarö Hockey also used a strong showing to slide up to No. 5.
Both sides will try and use the confidence gained from their tournament run to translate into league-play wins. Boo currently has a 2-0-4 record in Sweden’s Group Play, compared to the 5-1-1 record of Mälarö. Stronger results in the win column could mean more upward movement as the second half of the season progresses.
No. 3 Dynamo Moscow attempted to hold onto its grasp of the top spot among 2008-born Russian teams. However, they could not contain the dynamic play of No. 1 CSKA Moscow’s premier point scorers.
This season, Roman Rizvanov has collected 27 goals and 36 points for CSKA. In the game against Dynamo, he factored in on all six goals his squad managed to throw into the back of the net. Following the win, CSKA managed to defeat Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, 5-2, to further bump them to the No. 1 position.
Be sure to check out the complete world rankings, including Top 10s by country and World Top 25s for each of the 2006, 2007, 2008, 200, 2010 and 2011 birth years.
2008-born teams in Sweden got the year-end fireworks started a little early by taking part in the Folke Lindström Cup last week. Hosted by No. 9 Swedish-ranked Malmö Redhawks, ten programs in total were split into two groups for preliminary-round action.
Group A consisted of No. 7 Djurgårdens IF, No. 5 Boo Hockey, Flemingsbergs IK, Limhamn Hockey and the Redhawks. Group B housed the Växjö Lakers, No. 6 Mälarö Hockey, HC Olomouc, Frisk Asker, and Rögle BK.
But it was Boo emerging victorious as the gold medal winners, aided largely by the offensive output provided by Viggo Fors and Olle Andersson.
Fors kickstarted Boo’s run by potting the team’s first two goals of the tournament. It led to an eventual 4-1 win in their first game against Djurgårdens. Andersson also garnered his first points of the Cup by tallying two assists. Following that win, Boo was unsuccessful in their next two attempts at a victory. They would end group play with back-to-back ties against Flemingsbergs and Malmö.
Needing a spark to get back in the win column, Fors (2G, 2A) and Andersson (1G, 1A) stepped up with multi-point performances in a 7-1 triumph over Limhamn. They would collect wins in their next two outings, setting the stage for a meeting against Mälarö for the gold.
Mälarö jumped out to an early lead just 12 seconds into the contest off of Patrick Kleffner’s tournament-leading ninth goal and 14th point. Their lead would then double around eight minutes into the second period. Sensing time slipping away, Fabian Spjuth got Boo on the board with his second goal of the tournament.. Close to three minutes later, Hugo Mikaelsson would knot things up off a fantastic feed from Lukas Svensson. With both sides trading chances to end regulation, the winner could not be found.
After trading chances back and forth to end regulation, both sides would have to dig deeper in a winner-take-all overtime. Ranked No. 5 and No. 6 in the country, it was only fitting that the two needed overtime to settle their differences. Just 31 seconds into the extra frame, though, Fors found the back of the net for the gold-medal winning tally.
In total, Fors (5G, 4A) and Andersson (3G, 6A) would finish leading Boo in points and tied for second with two other skaters for total points across the entire field. Statistically, the top goalie of the weekend also wore Boo’s uniform. Leon Andersson picked up where he left off in group play, leading all goaltenders with a .930 save percentage. He also collected two shutouts as well.
Boo would end their run at 5-0-2, with Malmö (3-2-1) securing silver and Växjö (4-1-1) receiving bronze.
For more coverage of the top youth hockey tournaments around the world, follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.