Each week, World Hockey Hub highlights a few of the most exciting upcoming games in youth hockey. This weekend will be jam-packed with premier matchups to keep an eye on. Shattuck-St. Mary’s will battle Mount St. Charles in a Top-10 tilt on Friday. Heading North of the border for an ‘09 all-Toronto clash between the Jr. Canadians and Marlboros. The week concludes overseas with a matchup between Boo HC and Södertälje SK. CSKA Moscow and Vityaz Podolsk tangle in a Top-10 matchup between 2007s in Russia.
No. 10 Mount St. Charles (28-14-2) has a huge opportunity in its upcoming three-game series against No. 1 Shattuck-St. Mary’s (44-2-2). An opportunity to see how they fare against one of the best teams of their 2006 birth year. It will be the first time this season the clubs will face off against one another.
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| Friday, February 17 @ 3:30 PM MST Shattuck-St. Mary’s Ice Arena |
Winners of their last four, Shattuck has been one of the most offensively gifted teams this season. Seemingly scoring at will, they are equipped with a plus-226 goal differential. Ryker Lee and Jack Galanak have supplied a good portion of the goals, recording 109 and 91 points, respectively. Aside from those two, 13 players have recorded 30 or more points in their campaign.
Mount is looking to get back in the win column coming off a 3-1 loss to South Kent Selects Academy their last time out.
In the two games No. 1 Toronto Jr. Canadiens (38-10-1) and No. 9 Toronto Marlboros (38-15-5) met this season, both resulted in defeats for the Marlboros. Set for the third game of their GTHL series, the Marlboros will attempt to change their fortunes on Saturday.
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| Friday, February 17 @ 8:35 PM EST Etobicoke Ice Sports 3 |
The Jr. Canadiens recently saw a seven-game win streak halted by the Toronto Titans. Despite the blip on the radar, they still are considered among the elite of 2009-born Canadian programs. They can score at will, defend and their goaltending has been solid. Over the last 10 games alone, they are 8-2-0 while outscoring their opposition 39-10.
It has been a different story on the other end of the rink for the Marlboros. 4-5-1 in their last 10, and they have struggled to gain any footing to help their way up the World Rankings. Given the close nature in which they played the Jr. Canadiens in their two losses, Friday’s meeting is a huge opportunity for them to gain some confidence back and begin the final stretch of games on a good note.
The top two 2007-born Russian teams will be going head to head this weekend. No. 1 CSKA Moscow (18-5-2) will square off with No. 2 Vityaz Podolsk (34-3-1) on Sunday.
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| Sunday, February 19 |
Both teams are coming off losses. The last meting between the two was a 4-2 loss for Vityaz back on Jan. 19.
This will be the fourth and final time in the regular season these sides will battle it out, with CSKA currently leading the season series 2-1.
Roman Rizvanov’s 34 goals and 47 points top CSKA’s leaderboards, with playmaker Nikita Esipov’s 10 goals and 42 points sitting in second.
Alexander Zharovsky (39G, 55A), Daniil Terenin (44G, 53A) and Vladislav Lander (26G, 39A) serve as the main trio for Vityaz. A true model of consistency, Zharovsky has been piling up the points at a point per game pace.
No. 4 Boo HC (25-7-6) looks to avenge a 2-0 loss to No. 5 Södertälje SK (14-7-7) back on Jan. 16 when they take to the ice against their ‘08 Swedish foes on Sunday.
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| Sunday, February 19 Björknäs Ishall |
In that loss, Boo goaltender Leon Andersson stopped 20 of 22 shots. Getting a majority of the starts for his squad, he has recorded a 1.29 goals-against average and .943 save percentage to go along with three shutouts. Numbers that are good for second-best in the group. At even-strength play, only 15 shots have found their way past him in all contests.
While no skater for either side is blazing up the top point-getters list, each comes equipped with their own dependable scorers. Boo will be led by Viggo Fors and his 11 points in 15 games, with Hugo Mikaelsson just behind with 10. Södertälje will counter with Patric Hellström and his 11 points across 13 contests.
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The 15th season of the World Selects tournament series will begin on April 25th. Following that day, 12 different events will take place over the following weeks. They’ll be hosted in five exotic locations across six different age groups for both boys and girls international youth hockey players.
The World Selects Invitational has a long and decorated history as one of, if not, the most iconic tournament series in youth hockey today.
More than 650 participants have gone on to be chosen in the NHL Draft. That includes 2022 first overall selection Juraj Slafkovsky (Slovakia Selects), 2021 sixth overall selection Simon Edvinsson (Sweden Selects), 2020 second overall selection Quinton Byfield (Canada) and 2019 second overall selection Kaapo Kakko (Finland Selects). Every NHL roster features at least one name that’s been etched in the World Selects halls of history.
The next wave of top-tier talent in youth hockey will take the stage this Spring. It begins with the 2008 Boys Elite tournament in Nashville, Tennessee, USA on April 25th. The U14 Girls Elite event will take place at the same time 4,600 miles across the globe in Chamonix, France. Also taking place that week is the 12U Boys AAA tournament in Bolzano, Italy.
That trio of events will signify the beginning of a World Selects season of events that will decorate the calendar over the next three months. Here’s a complete list of dates, ages and locations:
World Selects tournaments fall into two categories. The first is the Elite events, where participating teams apply for entry, and go through a thorough vetting process. Those teams compete in the World Selects Invitational. Participants include franchises such as DraftDay Hockey, Eastern U.S. Selects, NorthStar Elite, Premier Ice Prospects, Pro Hockey, Sweden Selects, Finland Selects and other European Selects programs.
In total, 20 different North American programs and 20 European programs will be represented this season. Additionally, teams from more than 18 different countries will take the ice including the United States, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Czechia, Slovakia, France, Norway, Latvia and Kazakhstan, among others.
Teams consist of players that are carefully recruited and selected to compete in the Elite events. These are high-level AAA players capable of competing against the absolute best in the world. These teams typically represent the best youth hockey players their respective countries have to offer. Hundreds of futures NHL players, thousands of NCAA college hockey athletes and countless national team representatives from around the world.
The AAA events provide the same, exotic experience offered in Elite events, but are open to any AAA caliber youth hockey player. Hosted in many of the same locations as the Elite events, the AAA World Selects Trophy tournaments provide players — and teams — with an opportunity to compete, perform and potentially be promoted to compete at Elite events in the future.
World Hockey Hub is the exclusive media provider for all 12 World Selects tournaments and will produce one-of-a-kind content you won’t find anywhere else in youth hockey. Games can be live-streamed on SolidSport, and WHH will have complete breakdowns, commentary, analysis, highlights, photo galleries, interviews and more from some of the top players and teams in the WSI.
Join more than 28,000 people in following WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube. The WHH community will be the first to receive updates as the WSI unfolds this spring. Additionally, you’ll receive announcements regarding upcoming events, future tournaments and other news about the World Selects tournament series.
A packed field of youth hockey teams headed to the Sunshine State to take part in the Florida Exposure Cup over the weekend. The Panthers IceDen, Palm Beach IceWorks, Palm Beach Skate Zone and Rink on the Beach were the host sites for all the action. Three teams were named winners of divisions within the 2007, 2008 and 2009 birth years.
For the 2007 Elite division, teams were divided into two pools. Each team followed a round-robin format, with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals.
Pool A: Chicago Reapers, No. 1 Little Caesars, St. Louis Blues AAA, Omaha Mastery
Pool B: No. 25 Long Island Gulls, Philadelphia Flyers Elite, No. 9 (U.S.) Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers, South Kent Selects
Following round-robin play, the four teams left standing were Little Caesars, the Gulls, Mid-Fairfield and the Reapers. Caesars scored four unanswered goals in a comeback victory against the Reapers to reach the final game. The Gulls’ road to the championship match would prove to be more exciting.
Down 2-1 after the first period, Ethan Wyttenbach scored twice in the second to put his club up 3-2. The Rangers, however, struck again to even things up at 3 and forcing the action to overtime. Following a scoreless extra frame, the Gulls emerged victorious in a shootout, setting up their finale date with Caesars.
Brendan Defeo slid the winning shootout goal five-hole, which was one of the top goals of the week.
Lots of great games and goals from this weekend at the Florida Exposure Cup! Check out LiveBarn‘s Top 5 🏒 pic.twitter.com/nqMRWbVHhP
— LiveBarn (@LiveBarn) February 6, 2023
When you go up against the No. 1 team in the World Rankings, the task is already daunting. Add that it is for a tournament championship into the equation, and the task seems monumental. But the Gulls’ roster seemed unfazed as to who their opponent was, playing them hard throughout regulation, with both goals coming in the first period. Shortly after overtime began, Jared Petruso wired home the game-winning goal to cement the Gulls’ 2007 division championship.
Even more impressive was Long Island’s defensive management of many of the top scorers in the division. This included leading point-getter Nicholas Kasiba. He garnered four goals and nine points across six games, but none in the big game. For Long Island, Wyttenbach would end as the team’s points leader with six goals and eight points.
The 2008 Elite Division was split into four pools of participants, with three in each designated group. Teams played in cross-pool round robin games. In the quarterfinals, Pool A played Pool C and Pool B played Pool D. The semifinal round was then re-seeded.
Pool A: Boston Jr. Eagles, Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers, Wilkes-Barre Scranton Jr. Knights,
Pool B: No. 10 (U.S.) Seacoast Performance Academy, St. Louis Blues AAA, Yale Junior Bulldogs
Pool C: No. 24 Dallas Stars Elite, Florida Alliance, Okanagan Hockey Group
Pool D: Long Island Gulls, North Jersey Avalanche, Philadelphia Flyers Elite
It was a pristine run for Mid-Fairfield, as they went undefeated en route to being crowned champions of the 2008 Division. After slicing through the competition in pool play, they were tasked with overcoming the Avalanche. A tilt that would prove to be their hardest one of the entire tournament.
After jumping out to a 2-0 lead thanks to Mason St. Louis and Joey Salandra, Mid-Fairfield would eventually end the first period up 4-2. North Jersey responded with three unanswered goals to take a 5-4 lead. With second left in the game, Jason Rothstein tied the game up, forcing overtime. From there, Maddox Boyle would net the game-winning goal on the power play, securing the Ranger’s undefeated run among ‘08 teams.
Rothstein led all skaters in total points with 19 (11G, 8A) across six games, with Salandra 18 just behind. Salandra collected four points (1G, 3A) alone in the title game.
Mason St. Louis, son of NHL Hall of Famer and current head coach of the Montreal Canadiens Martin St. Louis, provided fantastic secondary scoring with tallies like the one above. That goal was one of his five on the weekend, and nine total points.
The 2009 Elite Division was also split into four pools of participants, with four in each designated group. Teams played in three round-robin games within their pool. In the quarterfinals, Pool A played Pool B and Pool C played Pool D.
Pool A: Boston Jr. Terriers, Florida Alliance, Milwaukee Admirals, No. 12 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite
Pool B: No. 24 Boston Jr. Eagles, No. 9 (U.S.) Little Caesars, New Jersey Rockets (Elite), PAL Jr. Islanders
Pool C: No. 9 (U.S.) Dallas Stars Elite, No. 22 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers, Mississauga Reps, Wilkes-Barre Scranton Jr. Knights
Pool D: Buffalo Jr. Sabres, No. 18 New Jersey Rockets (Academy), No. 7 St. Louis Blues AAA, Top Gun Hockey
The Eagles got their Exposure Cup schedule off to a shaky start with a 6-2 loss to Caesars. However, they responded with three consecutive wins to finish pool play, their first playoff date was set against the Alliance. Four different goal scorers and a multi-assist game from Jacoby Palmer would ensure the Jr. Eagles’ appearance in the championship game.
A possible rematch between Caesars and the Eagles was possible, but all thoughts of that were halted when Pens Elite brushed off Caesars 7-1. That set up a title game between two world-ranked foes.
Good fortunes continued for Pittsburgh when it took a 1-0 lead into intermission. The Jr. Eagles came out for the second a different team, blazing four unanswered goals in the second to take the ‘09 Elite Division crown. JR Gualberto had a hand in three of the four goals in the period, collecting one assist and scoring twice.
Trevor Daley, Jr. of the Alliance led all skaters in the division with 12 points (6G, 6A). Carter Meyer led the Jr. Eagles with 11 (6G, 5A).
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For a majority of the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite youth hockey program has had several teams among the Top 10 of their respective birth years.
The No. 16 ‘08 squad found a spot in the World Rankings for the first time this season. A sound 7-2 victory over No. 20 Bishop Kearney Selects played a role in that. Xavier Lieb tallied five points (2G, 3A) and Michael Ferentino notched two goals of his own. Even more impressive was Chris Nichols turning aside 27 of 29 shots he faced, holding the normally dynamic Selects offense in check.
For the No. 12 ‘09 Pens Elite, they too found themselves newcomers to the World Rankings. They put their scoring to the test against No. 9 U.S.-ranked Little Caesars and No. 13 Chicago Mission. Both contests were passed with ease by scores of 5-1 and 7-1, respectively. Both wins were also rebounds back into the win column for PPE, as each came after a defeat.
No. 4 SKA Silver Lions gutted out an impressive 6-4 final against No. 5 SKA Strelna, raising them in the Russian and World Rankings. It was also the final contest in the five-game regular season series between the two clubs. Strelna had won the previous two meetings in overtime, so the Silver Lions were able to grab a much-needed win in the finale.
Splitting a two game set with No. 8 Salavat Yulaev was enough for Metallurg Magnitogorsk to claim the No. 10 spot. It is their first time among the Top 10 in Russia for this campaign. Salavat took the first game, with Metallurg securing a 2-1 win in game 2.
The Top 10 for 2010-born Canadian teams saw two new clubs join the fray. No. 9 Markham Majors and No. 10 North Shore Winter Club have found success in recent weeks.
In the midst of a six-game winning streak, the Majors managed back-to-back wins against the North York Rangers and No. 5 Don Mills Flyers last week. Shutting out one of the best attacks of any Canadian program is no easy feat, but credit to the Majors for finding a way.
North Shore replaced a fellow Western Canadian club, the Semiahmoo Ravens, in this week’s rankings. The two teams met for the fifth time this season, with the Ravens falling 8-4. It was the first victory in the series for North Shore, with Semiahmoo winning three others. The two sides tied 3-3 on Nov. 27.
The Rochester Coalition experienced a boost into the No. 9 spot among 2011 U.S. teams with a sweep of the No. 2 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers. The Coalition have had the Rangers’ number all season, winning all three games they have faced off in by a combined score of 11-6. Rochester is in the midst of a three-game win streak that the two victories against Mid-Fairfield kicked off.
Heading overseas, Kärpät Valkoinen has entered the chat for 2008-born Finnish squads. Off to an undefeated 5-0-0 record in the continuation of group play, their latest sets of wins came across some stiff competition. First was a 4-3 win against No. 10 Kärpät Musta before shutting out No. 9 KalPa.
Atte Toivonen led the way with four points (2G, 2A) across the two games. Lukas Kärenlampi nabbed a 38-save shutout against KalPa and stopped 37 of 40 against Musta.
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.
It’s a packed slate of games to watch this weekend. The Vaughan Kings battle Toronto Nationals in a Top-10 tilt on Monday. Tappara Sininen and TPS tangle in a Top-10 matchup between 2008s in Finland. The week concludes with a contest between Flemingsbergs IK and Transgunds. Then, a clash in Russia between CSKA Moscow and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
This tilt will be anything but cozy, as the No. 23 Toronto Nationals (34-12-3) will attempt to notch their first win against No. 13 Vaughan Kings (36-6-2) this season.
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| Monday, January 30 @ 6:55 PM EST Westwood Arena 2 |
In the previous two matchups, Vaughan skated away winners by scores of 5-4 and 4-0. The Nationals know they have the skill to compete with Vaughan, but it will be no easy task. The Kings come in winners of their last seven.
Keep an eye on the blue line for Toronto, as it will be tasked with shutting down one of the best offenses of any 2011-born team. Vaughan has an impressive plus-145 goal differential to date.
Pete’s Pick: While the first game between the two clubs was close, Vaughan showed there might just be more of a skill disparity here than meets the eye. That said, the Nationals will have some extra pep to try and finally nab a win. They will drop a close one, 4-2.
Craig’s Pick: Nats are 4-1-1 since their 4-0 loss to Vaughan earlier this month. And despite being unranked, they’ve actually fared alright against Top-10 opponents with a 5-4-1 record. This month alone, they beat No. 10 Oakville Rangers 4-0 and No. 9 Toronto Titans 5-1. I think the Nats have a good showing here, but ultimately Vaughan wins, 4-2.
No. 3 Tappara Sininen (22-2-5) and No. 5 TPS (21-6-0) should expect fireworks when the two drop the puck on Saturday.
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| Saturday, February 4 Sentteri AL |
Tappara has been unbeaten in six games since the continuation of group play for 2008-born teams began with the New Year. For TPS, it has been a bit of a slower start, settling for a 2-2-0 record in group play. This will be the first head-to-head battle between the two in their group setting.
Statistically, Tappara has been bringing the firepower. The top three point getters in the group all hail from the club. Jonatan Seppälä (5G, 10A), Eemil Mattanen (7G, 7A) and Jermu Myllä (6G, 7A) sit atop the leaderboard.
Attempting to counter that three-headed attack will be TPS’ Miro Aaltonen, who’s knack for finding the back of the net has shown strong. He has buried seven goals in just four games.
Pete’s Pick: These teams have played in some high-scoring games in group play this far, so offense will be a focal point. Tappara’s main players will get it done in this one, boosting them to a 5-2 win.
Craig’s Pick: Whatever the line is on total goals, take the over. I’m expecting a shootout north of eight goals scored in this one. I think that type of game favors Tappara and its high-powered offense. I’ll take the ‘Battle Axe’ to win 6-4.
No. 6 Sweden-ranked Trångsunds (10-3-4) will look to strengthen its resume when it faces off against No. 1 Flemingsbergs IK (33-3-4).
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| Saturday, February 4 Stortorpshallen |
Back on Dec. 19, the two sides skated to a 3-3 tie. Flemingsbergs took a 3-1 lead into the second period before Trångsunds struck twice quickly at the start of the second frame to even the score.
Flemingsbergs has been one of the premier units for the better part of the last two months. Since Dec. 3, they are unbeaten in seven games.
Pete’s Pick: Flemingsbergs took its foot off the gas in the last tilt between these two. I don’t think they underestimate their opponent this time, taking a 4-2 final.
Craig’s Pick: Flemingsbergs may be the better team on paper, but I think Trångsunds proved a lot in that 3-3 tie. The ability to dig themselves out of a 3-0 deficit and outshoot FIK in the process shows they can compete. Players like Jonatan Tapper, Alexandros Tsioulis and Malte Olenius will be ready to prove themselves in the rematch, and get a 3-1 win for Trångsunds.
No. 2 CSKA Moscow (23-2-0) and No. 18 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (15-7-0) will break their stalemate in the season series. A third game this weekend will break the 1-1 tie between these ‘06 Russian teams.
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| Sunday, February 5 |
Yaroslavl got the best of CSKA, 5-3, in the first matchup on Sept. 25. CSKA evened the series up with a 4-1 victory on Nov. 27. Alexei Elblaus and Vadim Dudorov stood out in the two games for Lokomotiv, registering four and three points, respectively. The two forwards are among the highest scorers for their squad. Dudorov has garnered 10 goals and 35 points to lead Lokomotiv, with Elblaus’ 20 points just behind.
Ivan Okunev had been the leader for CSKA all season long, currently with 44 points (21G, 23A).
Both teams have spent the entire 2022-23 season among the Top 10 in Russia.
Pete’s Pick: While Lokomotiv have put together a solid season, CSKA is just a notch above the rest of their birth year. Okunev is the real deal, and he single handedly could win this game for CSKA, but I like their depth better than that of Yaroslavl. CSKA goes up in the season series by the final whistle, 5-1.
Craig’s Pick: Lokomotiv is the only team in Russia with wins over the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the country. They’ve played opponents tough all season long. If — and it might be a big if — Lokomotiv can keep Okunev at bay, they just might steal another upset. Lokomotiv with another upset, 4-3.
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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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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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.
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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.
A packed field of 48 2009-born teams participated in the 2023 Göteborg Ice Hockey Cup last week in Gothenburg, Sweden. One program among the vast field of participants stood out from the pack with a pristine championship run.
That team was Nacka HK.
For those unfamiliar with the tournament, six groups of teams were each split into four divisions. The top two teams from the initial days of play would move on to a new playoff group. From there, a third playoff bracket for the group would be created. Teams in this group would battle to create seeding for the semifinal and final matches.
Nacka began its slate of games in a group with Brynäs IF, Lorenskög IK and Hisingens IK, going 3-0-0 and outscoring them 23-5. The second batch Nacka would be placed into consisted of Brynäs, along with TPS Turku and Bäcken HC. A second 3-0-0 run of play would be in the cards, this time by holding opponents to just seven goals across the three games.
With a 6-0-0 marker to that point, Nacka showed why it was deserving of the No. 5 spot in Sweden in the World Rankings. Their road ahead, however, would get more difficult, with matchups against No. 7 Kållered SK, No. 8 AIK Hockey and No. 9 IF Malmö Redhawks.
Undaunted by the task before them, they dispatched Malmö 3-0 in their opening tilt. After edging out a 5-4 victory over Kållered, they handedly bested AIK 6-0. A third undefeated run set the stage for a seminal appearance against No. 2 IFK Täby HC.
The final two games of Nacka’s run would prove to be the toughest. In a tight, low-scoring 1-0 game, Nacka was able to knock off Täby. The only hurdle remaining in their way to finishing with an unblemished record was a rematch with Kållered.
And the fans would get what they wanted in a spirited final contest between the two.
Gustav Corneliusson would kick off the scoring in the first period, where things would stay until late in the second. Nacka’s offensive dynamo Oliver Sundberg would tie things up on the power play, forcing overtime.
After both sides exchanged chance after chance in a thrilling overtime period, the game headed to a shootout. Sundberg secured a goal on his first attempt, but the next four shooters would miss. Albin Lindström would tie the shootout on the fifth attempt, but then missed his next shot. Sundberg would also miss his second opportunity, as would Wiggo Forsberg. As a result, the win was there for the taking if Sunberg could bury his third chance. With the drama reaching a climactic point, Sundberg played hero once again and beat Kållered’s William Thegerström for the second time in the skills contest.
The bow was put on Nacka’s 11-0-0 record and Series A gold medal.
In total, Nacka’s potent offense was bolstered by Sundberg’s 24 goals and 30 points, good enough totals for second most points of the tournament. Love Lorentzon’s nine goals and 20 points would be second for the team, followed by William Canemyr (8G, 10A) and Carl Eiritz (5G, 11A). Four players nabbing over 80 points across 11 games, proving Nacka has depth most clubs dream about.
No other player at the U13 Nacka Trophy found their name on the scoresheet more than Joakim Dahl. Playing in seven games for Haninge Anchors HC, he tallied 11 goals and 18 points in 11 games. Leading his club all the way to an appearance in the championship game against HS Riga.
After kicking things off with a 10-1 loss to Festival HT, Haninge rattled off five consecutive wins to reach the final match with Riga. Two highlights of their streak were a 9-2 victory over No. 10 SDE Hockey and besting Festival in a rematch, this time in the semifinals, 2-1. Dahl’s best individual performance came against the No. 8 Lindingö Vikings, where he collected four points (3G, 1A).
Despite putting up a valiant effort in the final matchup by Haninge, Riga pushed through in a 5-4 win. They were the only opponent able to keep Dahl from netting any points in a game. Not an easy feat but a large part of why they were able to skate away with the gold medal.
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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).
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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