The 2009-born Toronto Red Wings climbed to No. 7 in the most recent update of the World Rankings. The club rattled off three consecutive wins over No. 8 Toronto Marlboros to kick off their stretch. That run pushed the Red Wings north of 40 wins on the season, and 69 total wins for the ‘09 group dating back to last season.
Unfortunately for the Red Wings, their season came to an end in the GTHL semifinals when they were swept in three games by the No. 2 Don Mills Flyers.
Mikhailov Academy rolled through a three-game stretch against a trio of quality opponents. The team picked up consecutive wins over Khimik Voskresensk, Lokomotiv 2004 Yaroslavl and No. 7 Dynamo Moscow. In those contests, Semyon Kochurin (3G, 2A) and Dmitry Kubanstev (1G, 4A) led the way with five points each. Overall this season, Boris Borin (16G, 32A) and Matvey Cheranev (23G, 24A) have been the mainstays at the top of the leaderboard for the club.
In the 2011-born Russian Rankings, No. 3 Lokomotiv 2004 Yaroslavl and No. 9 SKA Strelna came up big in prime matchups. Timofey Makoedov notched two goals to lead Lokomotiv to a vital 5-1 victory over No. 4 Vityaz Podolsk. Strelna edged a 4-3 victory over No. 10 SKA St. Petersburg, leapfrogging them in the Top 10.
No. 6 North Shore Winter Club’s wins in two important ’10 Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association (PCAHA) matchups were a telling sign of the talent throughout its roster. They took care of business with a 7-2 victory over the Semiahmoo Ravens before potting another six goals in a 6-3 win over No. 7 Burnaby Winter Club. The wins also extended a five-game win streak for the team.
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.
There’s a new club at the top of the ‘07 rankings in Russia, and it’s the first time they’ve been there since Dec. 21st. Following a solid stretch of play that saw them nab victories over No. 3 CSKA Moscow, Atlant Mytishchi and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, Dynamo Moscow is back as No. 1. Mikhail Melikov, the club’s leading scorer, tallied four points in the 9-1 victory over Atlant. This season, he has produced 27 goals and 47 points.
While Dynamo was a familiar name in the No. 1 spot in Russia, a new team cracked the Top 10 among 2007-born teams in the U.S. With a strong 10-2 victory over Compuware, No. 10 Victory Honda’s offensive outburst gave them enough of a jolt to catapult over the previous spot holder. Braden Wade and Nolan Makinski both notched hat tricks and Luc Plante scored a goal and four assists in a five-point night. The victory also continued a nine-game unbeaten streak for the team, which ended the following day with a 3-2 overtime loss to Fox Motors.
The regular season concluded over the weekend, and with it, brought some movement among Top-10 teams. In these final matchups before playoffs, No. 3 Ilves and No. 5 Jokerit experienced some decent boosts from crucial wins. Ilves got its business done in two matchups versus No. 4 Kärpät, winning by scorers of 13-3 and 4-0. In the 13-goal explosion, seven skaters notched two or more points, led by Jalmari Melanen’s one goal and four assists.
Jokerit put forth a solid team effort in a 4-1 victory over No. 6 Lukko. Aapo Niemelä (2G) and Taavi Aarvala (2A) connected for the final two goals of the game, solidifying both the win and two-point performances.
With strong finishes to group play, both Ilves and Jokerit earned spots in the top four of the overall group standings. As a result, they have earned first round byes in the playoffs, along with No. 2 Tappara and No. 1 Kiekko-Espoo. They will now await the winners from the first round to see who they will open their playoff schedules against.
The opening round of Sweden’s U16 SM-playoffs has come and gone, and No. 3 MoDo Hockey has raised eyebrows with its performance thus far. The power trio of Elton Hermansson (3G, 3A), Vincent Wedin (2G, 4A) and Erik Häggblad (1G, 5A) have lifted their club to new heights. By securing wins over fellow ranked opponents like No. 1 Nacka HK and No. 4 Djurgårdens IF, its position among the country’s elite has been strengthened.
The road doesn’t get any easier, as entering the second round MoDo finds itself in the dreaded ‘group of death’ along with top-ranked Nacka, No. 2 Täby HC and No. 6 Södertälje SK.
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.
Each week, World Hockey Hub highlights a few of the most exciting upcoming games in youth hockey. CSKA Moscow and Vityaz Podolsk kick things off with an ‘09 Top-10 tilt on Saturday. Jokerit Blue and Kiekko-Espoo EPS I tangle in a premier matchup between 2007s. The week concludes with Nacka HK dropping the puck in an ‘08 meeting with IFK Taby HC on Sunday.
Will No. 1 CSKA Moscow (34-0-0) ever lose a game this season? In two games thus far, CSKA has ended up in the win column against No. 9 Vityaz Podolsk (24-10-0) both times. It’s a tough task for Vityaz, let alone any Russian team, as this CSKA squad has been one of the best teams in youth hockey this season.
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| Saturday, March 11 |
Vityaz lost in the first game 4-3 before dropping a 10-2 decision in the second. But they have the talent to hang with a team like CSKA. If there is any club that can finally send CSKA home with a loss, it’s them.
For CSKA, look no further than to Nikita Siniken (51G, 61A) and Roman Andreev (52G, 43A). Much has already been discussed and written about these players already, but you can’t deny their incredible chemistry. Add to the fact they have found the scoresheet in every contest this season. The biggest task for Vityaz will be to shut them down and try to make up their production with the top players of their own.
Getting that task will be Kirill Pavlov (57G, 22A) and Artem Perepelov (21G, 14A).
Pete’s Pick: I’m torn. On one hand, I want to see how far CSKA can take their win streak. On the other hand, for a team to finally beat them would be an exciting narrative. But it’s not about what I want, it’s what happens on the ice. Given CSKA’s ability to beat teams in any fashion, coupled with them having the two best forwards of their birth year, they complete the sweep. Vityaz doesn’t make it easy though in a 5-3 final.
Craig’s Pick: I do think we’ve seen just a little bit of complacency lately from the No. 1 team in Russia. That may not be the best word for it, but either opponents are throwing their absolute best at CSKA or, CSKA is taking its foot off the gas ever so slightly. Either way, I think this game is close, and Vityaz even possesses a lead at one point, thanks to players like Pavlov and Alexander Trofimov. Ultimately, CSKA’s win streak survives and they escape with a 4-3 win.
With group play entering its home stretch in Finland, No. 7 Jokerit Blue (17-10-2) and No. 9 Kiekko-Espoo EPS I (15-11-2) will look for some separation in the ‘09 Top 10 with a Sunday matchup.
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| Sunday, March 12 |
It’s been an up-and-down stretch for both clubs in group play to this point. With neither team able to put together a consistent string of success, this matchup may be the jumping off point they both need to finish strong.
In this stage of group play, Luka Ahola and Wilmer Hämäläinen’s five goals and 11 points lead Jokerit, with Veeti Palomäki scoring five goals and 10 points for K-Espoo. Since the start of the season, both players have notched five-point games this season, with Palomäki accomplishing the feat twice.
Pete’s Pick: I’ve gone back and forth on this one for a bit, but in the end I think Jokerit pulls out a win. They’ve skated with slightly more consistency and have competed well against some of the bigger opponents of the group. If this gets into a goal scoring contest, they have the depth to get them over the finish line.
Craig’s Pick: I always like to look at shared opponents as a good measure for upcoming games. Jokerit and Kiekko-Espoo have played six of the same teams in the last six weeks. Against those teams, Kiekko-Espoo is 3-3-0, while Jokerit is 2-3-1. Slight lean toward KE EPS right? Wrong. Jokerit may have a slightly worse record in those games but showed way more compete with each of those six games being winnable. I’m going with Jokerit here, 6-3.
It’s a heavyweight tilt among the ‘08 Swedes when No. 1 Nacka HK (28-5-6) drops the puck with No. 3 Täby HC (25-11-4) this weekend.
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| Sunday, March 12 |
Nacka enters this primetime bout winners of its last four. Täby is coming off a loss to Eskilstuna Linden Hockey in their last outing. In their last meeting back on Jan. 15, Nacka posted six goals en route to a 6-1 decisive victory. In that matchup, Oliver Sundberg, Mikael Kim and Arvid Ermeskog all collected multi-point performances. Sundberg stands as the team leader in overall points as well, and third scorer in group play with 13 goals and 15 points.
Finding the back of the net for Täby’s lone goal was team leader Mille Forslund, who has compiled nine goals and 18 points. Nacka held Forslund and his teammates to just 15 shots on goal, while they peppered Täby netminder Caspar Lampe with 33. Lampe has been one of the more solid goalies in the group, earning a 2.40 goals-against average and .909 save percentage. A testament to the impressive firepower from Nacka to get six past him.
Pete’s Pick: Täby’s defense didn’t have an answer for Nacka last time out, and I don’t think that changes here. While their goaltending numbers don’t jump off the page, that’s not a concern when your club is averaging 3.5 goals a game and have a plus-27 goal differential. Nacka takes another victory here, 5-1.
Craig’s Pick: Significant shot discrepancies always grab my attention. A more than 2-to-1 difference in their last meeting says a lot about how these two teams stack up. Nacka scored late on a power play and a penalty shot, which inflated the score a little bit last time out. I’ll take Täby to keep it closer than the first meeting, but Nacka is just too dominant, 4-2.
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The 2008-born No. 23 Los Angeles Jr. Kings, fresh off stellar showings at the T1EHL Playoffs and Pacific Districts, enjoyed a pleasant bump in the rankings. Downing some of the best teams their birth year has to offer provided the Jr. Kings a track to maneuver their way up the Top 10 U.S. teams. A run of play highlighted by holding off No. 25 Dallas Stars Elite in the 15O division TIEHL title game.
After falling out of the top spot in our last rankings, No. 1 Little Caesars is back at the top of the ‘07 Top 25 thanks to crucial victories over No. 17 Shattuck-St. Mary’s and No. 10 U.S.-ranked Compuware by a combined 19-0. Since their last loss — a 2-1 overtime defeat to No. 20 Long Island Gulls back on Feb. 2 — they have rattled off six consecutive wins.
But they are not the only team back in first place. Pittsburgh Penguins Elite settled back in as the No. 1 squad among 2011 programs by taking care of business against fellow Top 10 opponents. With recent wins against No. 2 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers, No. 8 Rochester Coalition and a two-game split with No. 5 Little Caesars, Pens Elite has proven once again they are the team to beat in the age group. With an impressive week of their own, the South Shore Kings nabbed the No. 10 spot, having beaten the likes of the Jr. Rangers twice and No. 9 Philadelphia Hockey Club.
No. 9 Anaheim Jr. Ducks and No. 10 Philadelphia Hockey Club are back in the ‘09 Top 10 after extended absences. With wins over No. 8 Dallas Stars Elite and No. 2 St. Louis Blues, the Jr. Ducks bolstered their resume enough to be back among the elite after spending the last rankings out on the bubble. Not seeing a spot in the Top 10 since back on Sept. 28th, Philadelphia slid back in as winners of their last 12 as well.
No. 8 Jokerit held their own in three major ‘07 matchups, including a two-game set against No. 1 Kiekko-Espoo. Lauri Kouhia and Rasmus Kämäräinen each collected four points in a 5-2 victory in the first tilt against K-Espoo. In the second, Kouhia and Kämäräinen notched multi-point games once more, but Jokerit dropped a thrilling 6-5 decision in the shootout. The team rebounded with a winning effort against No. 9 Ässät, 6-3 the next time out.
In the 2008 age group, No. 7 Kärpät Musta raised eyebrows with multiple Top 10 victories. First, they dispatched No. 8 Kärpät Valkoinen, 6-3. Next, a 4-1 winning effort against No. 9 KalPa. Taking care of the teams previously ahead of them usually leads to good things, and Musta is a prime example of that fact.
Not to be outdone, but there was one other Finnish club that worked its way back into the Top 10 among ‘08s. KJT Haukat Blue, absent from the Top 10 since Nov. 9th, paved their way back in with three wins; two of them against ranked programs. Handling No. 6 Pelicans Turkoosi and No. 1 HIFK, provided enough of a lift to get them into a No. 10 placement.
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.
From Feb. 8-19, 28 2010-born AAA youth hockey teams participated in the 63rd annual Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. After a stretch of highly competitive and fast-paced action, the Czech Knights were crowned champions on Sunday with a 4-2 defeat of the Detroit Red Wings.
It was not an easy road for the Knights despite being the odds-on favorite to win their third tournament in the past five years. After opening up play with back-to-back victories over Lions Lac St-Louis and Laval Patriotes, the real tests began. The Philadelphia Flyers were on deck, armed with one of the best offenses of any club. The Flyers had outscored opponents by a combined 8-1 in their two contests heading into the tilt.
Tobias Orechovsky was chosen as the netminder to help the Czechs get past the Flyers, which he did in perfect fashion. Orechovsky turned aside every shot he faced en route to a 3-0 victory. He was also in net for their next game against No. 9 U.S.-ranked Buffalo Jr. Sabres, who he also held to no goals in a 1-0 win. Two shutout performances that set the table for a semifinal appearance against the No. 8 World-Ranked Sun County Panthers.
After taking a 2-0 deficit into the first intermission, Lucas Andrejko decided to change the script in the second period. Shortly once things got underway, Andrejko nabbed his fourth point of the tournament by cutting into the Panthers’ lead. Just 43 seconds into the third period, the Knights’ second leading scorer Nicolas Novak would knot things up at two. Robin Mach would eventually net the winning goal to advance the Knights into the championship.
Awaiting them there were the Detroit Red Wings, a squad whose roster was made up of skaters from No. 5 Little Caesars. It was the Red Wings’ first appearance in the final game since 2015, and leading point getter A.J. Moore was focused on propelling his team to a championship. However, it just so happened that Andrejko decided to have his best game of the tournament in this meeting.
With Orechovsky manning the crease once more, the Czechs kicked off the scoring just over two minutes into the opening frame before Moore equalized things just 13 seconds after. The second period would be scoreless but set the stage for a dramatic goal-filled third period. The Knights opened up a 2-1 lead thanks to a pretty passing play between Novak and Andrejko that was put home by Andrej Adamkov. Andrejko would get in on the scoring with a goal just before the halfway point of the period for a 3-1 advantage. Detroit kept things close by cutting into the deficit to make things 3-2 before Andrejko struck again. The powerhouse forward added his second goal and third point of the afternoon to restore the two-goal advantage, which the Knights would not relinquish.
After being held scoreless in the team’s first matchup, Andrejko notched at least one point in the next five, compiling six goals and two assists. Not to be outdone, Orechovsky was perfect between the pipes, going 5-0-0 with two shutouts and a 1.60 goals-against average. Without stellar goaltending, winning the Pee-Wee Quebec is almost impossible. Orechovsky and fellow goalie Matyas Novotny went above and beyond for the Czechs.
Since 2018, the Knights have played in every AAA championship game, going 3-2-0. As a reminder, there was no 2021 tournament due to circumstances surrounding COVID-19. They also were runners up at the 2016 Pee-Wee Quebec.
Head coach Adam Jonak shared words of praise and thanks to his team and to the organizers of the games on his Instagram.
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The 63rd annual PeeWee Quebec is down to eight teams still in the hunt for a championship at one of youth hockey’s most iconic tournaments. An event that began last Friday with 28 teams in the AAA division is now down to the quarterfinals. Who will survive and advance their way to Sunday’s championship, and ultimately be crowned as the best U13 team in North America? Our pair of experts weigh in with complete bracketology of the remaining three rounds from the Videotron Center.
There’s still three different countries in the hunt for a championship at PeeWee Quebec. I think all three will still be in the race come Saturday evening as well.
The Czech Knights have always shown well at this tournament, finishing second in last year’s tournament and winning the championship in the one before that. Tomas Albrecht is one of five players in the tournament to record a hat trick. He did it in Tuesday’s 7-4 win over Laval Patriotes. Matyas Vik and Nicolas Novak have been a steady source of offense as well for the Czechs. I like them to get past the Buffalo Jr. Sabres in the quarters, and then be in a tight one in the semifinals. More on those matchups in a minute.
The other half of the bracket features several potential rematches from contests earlier in the season. Brantford 99ers have already beaten world-ranked No. 22 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite not once, but twice this season. I like leading scorers Gavin Martin and Emry Lowe to make it a trifecta with a third win over PPE to advance to the semifinals. Martin tops all skaters with four goals and seven points through three games in Quebec.
Should the 99ers advance, it will set up yet another rematch with No. 17 Little Caesars, who competes in the tournament as the Detroit Red Wings. Those two teams met back in September, where Caesars coasted to a 6-2 win. Ryder Adams, Ben Slavick and Jack Trupiano have been the best trio in the tournament, accounting for 11 of the Red Wings’ 15 goals. I like them to roll past Brantford Saturday to get to the championship game.
That would leave Sun County Panthers as the lone Canadian representative in the field Saturday night. It’s been a fortuitous draw for the No. 8 ranked team in the world. They’ve taken care of business against three straight American-based teams with a 14-2 goal differential. Czech Knights, on the other hand, have played three games against teams that have all been ranked in their respective countries. That includes a 4-3 win against Lions Lac St-Louis and pulling away from No. 24 Patriotes Laval with three late goals in a 7-4 win. Additionally, they had to knock off the No. 1 ranked team in the U.S., Philadelphia Flyers with a 3-0 win Friday.
The Czechs have been in playoff mode since the tournament started. They’ve been battle tested all week long against top competition in close games. They are also led by a coaching staff that’s gotten multiple teams to the championship game in recent years. Not only do they eliminate Sun County — and the last remaining Canadian team — from the tournament, but they go on to win the championship on Sunday in convincing fashion as well.
You can’t ignore the past history between No. 22 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite and Brantford 99ers. In two previous matchups this season, Brantford was victorious over Pens Elite by convincing scores of 3-1 and 6-2. The thing that will put the 99ers over the top is that two of the top five scorers at the PeeWee Quebec wear a Brantford jersey. As mentioned earlier, Martin (4G, 3A) and Lowe (2G, 4A) have done most of the heavy lifting for the squad, and show no signs of slowing down. Look for them to find the scoresheet once again and lead their team to the semifinals.
Meeting them in that game will be the Detroit Red Wings. Quite some time has passed since Brantford and Detroit met back on Sept. 30th. While Detroit won a lopsided game, many things have changed since then. One constant for the Wings has been the ability of Adams, Slavick and Trupiano to find the back of the net all season. Equipped with the formidable trio, the Red Wings have been able to score at will.
In order to reach the semifinals, they will have to take care of business against No. 23 Burnaby Winter Club. Burnaby has been going up against the best Canadian competition all season long and won’t be rattled by a talented Detroit contingent. Both squads have a talented top line, but the tipping point in the matchup will come down to depth; a facet that benefits the Red Wings more. Detroit will add another result to their win column and will move on to the championship game on Sunday.
The Sabres and Knights’ game will come down to goaltending. Olivia De Lisle, who has started both games for Buffalo had been a rock in the crease, and is a trustworthy last line of defense. It will take a concerted team effort from her and her defense in shutting down the Czech attack. Despite the Jr. Sabres’ best efforts, the championship pedigree of the Czechs will give them a slight edge here to take the win.
After that, Sun County and the Knights will duke it out for the chance to reach the championship game. Given the immense talent and how evenly these two teams match up, this one is going past regulation. Look to leading scorers Carter Trudell or Gianluca Mclure to nab the winning goal in overtime for the Panthers.
Sunday will be an all-out, offensive showcase between the Red Wings and Panthers. In the end, the scoring depth of Detroit will be too much for Sun County to overcome. Even if the main trio of players has a rare off day, there are plenty of other skill players in that lineup to take down even the most talented opponent. The PeeWee Quebec trophy will be taken home by a U.S. club for the first time since 2019.
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2007-born No. 16 Chicago Mission made a huge statement with a 7-0 takedown of No. 17 Shattuck-St. Mary’s, boosting them up a spot in the U.S. and World Rankings. It was the biggest deficit Shattuck has experienced yet this season, proving that no team in the Top 10 for American programs is safe. After two solid wins against No. 25 Mount St. Charles, No. 20 Long Island Gulls too enjoyed a nice bump in the Top 25 for ‘07 teams.
Two ‘09 programs raised their standing as well in the respective Top 10s of their countries.
No. 12 Boston Jr. Eagles secured victories over No. 13 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite and No. 22 New Jersey Rockets. Overseas, No. 7 Dynamo St. Petersburg was led by top scorer Kiril Khristoforov into two matchups against teams directly ahead of them in the Russian standings. They passed with flying colors, defeating No. 8 SKA St. Petersburg and No. 9 SKA Strelna, 5-2 and 6-3, respectively. By passing them, Dynamo also secured the final spot in the Top 25 of ‘09 teams.
No country or birth year experienced more movement than ‘07 Finnish squads. Overall, seven teams switched positions, with the largest move from Lukko from No. 9 to No. 7. Ässät also re-entered the chat and settled into a Top-10 spot after missing out in the last rankings.
Nacka HK recorded a 3-1-0 stretch since the last rankings update, with no win proving more vital than a 6-1 romp of No. 2 Täby HC. The victory propelled Nacka as the new No. 1 among ‘07 Swedes. It was a dominating performance right from puck drop. Täby netminder Vincent Österlund was peppered with 35 shots the entire contest, and three skaters from Nacka recorded multi-point performances. Standing out were Olle Jöstedt (1G, 2A), Olle Därth (1G, 1A) and Matiss Zilitis (2A). Felix Tolke stood firm in his crease, holding back the usually explosive offense of Täby to just the one goal on 25 shots.
The Top 10 of 2011-born U.S. clubs also experienced a shift at the top with the Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers overtaking Pittsburgh Penguins Elite for the No. 1 crown. Both teams faced off against a healthy dose of Canadian competition, often against the same opponents. But when it came time to square off for U.S. bragging rights, Mid-Fairfield edged out a 3-2 win. The victory was the sixth in a row for the Jr. Rangers, while it also snapped the Penguins’ win streak at six.
Hermes Punainen has not been a name frequently heard this season around the ‘08 World Rankings. Playing in Finland, they compete in a stacked group with teams such as No. 4 JYP, No. 7 Kärpät Valkoinen, No. 8 Kärpät Musta and No. 10 KalPa. A bubble team for a majority of this season, a big series or victory could finally allow Hermes to leapfrog into the Top 10. With two crucial wins over KalPa, the time finally came with Hermes making its mark at No. 9. A fellow Finnish team that also played their way into the Top 10 conversation was 2009-born Ilves Florida. They have been off to a pleasant start in the continuation of group play.
Another bubble team hovering around the ‘09 Top 10 for the U.S. has been the Florida Alliance. With two solid showings against No. 4 Penguins Elite and No. 8 Dallas Stars Elite, they squeezed their way into the fray, earning the No. 10 spot.
Two 2011 teams from the U.S. and Russia built up their resumes enough to cross the line from bubble to ranked distinction. No. 10 Chicago Mission defeated the likes of No. 6 Chicago Reapers, former No. 7 Windy City Storm twice and split a two-game set with No. 5 Oakland Jr. Grizzlies. Success that resulted in them taking the No. 10 position. An overtime victory against No. 1 Dynamo St. Petersburg gave No. 10 SKA St. Petersburg enough juice to make it into the top tier of Russia.
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.
Celly Salt is an all-purpose seasoning blend founded in 2020 by a pair of hockey moms. It is trusted by the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks for pre- and post-game meals, among other uses.
In addition to being Celly Salt’s co-owner, Pam Aughe is also a culinary nutritionist. She shares her expertise in the field and how youth hockey players can combine their nutrition with Celly Salt for optimal performance on the ice.
Check out Celly Salt’s Meal of the Month and fuel up before your next big game!
It’s game day. What should you eat to play your best? It may be a little different for each athlete but there are some basic practices that you can follow for peak performance.
Twenty-four hours before game time is when the planning begins. Be sure to eat a carbohydrate rich dinner and drink extra water. One example of a carbohydrate rich dinner is the Celly Salt Game Day Pasta. It’s a whole grain pasta with vegetables for added nutrients and chicken for protein and fullness. Additionally, other examples of carbohydrate rich dinners are: A rice bowl with familiar vegetables and high-quality protein (beef, bison, pork, chicken, turkey, tuna and other fish, seafood, pea protein, tofu and dairy products); Whole grain pancakes and eggs; or Baked potato topped with lean chili. This is the time to avoid new foods that might upset your stomach.
On game day, continue with a high carbohydrate breakfast and lunch. Avoid skipping these important fueling meals. Above all, staying hydrated all day is also important to prevent cramps and fatigue.
A light meal around 2 hours before game time will also prevent fatigue. This could be a smoothie, lean protein sandwich, a banana with nuts or seeds or cereal with yogurt and berries. The size of the meal is dependent on how well you tolerate food before a big game. Limiting high fat items like pizza, fries, ice cream and fried chicken may help you avoid sluggishness or nausea as they take longer to empty from the stomach.
Afterwards, it’s time to refuel. Refueling is within 30 minutes after the game. This will increase muscle growth and strength. Chocolate milk is a quick refueling snack that provides hydration, protein and carbohydrates all in one.
Overall, eat game day smart by filling half of your plate with carbohydrates, eat colorful fruits and vegetables. Also choose high-quality proteins when eating at least three meals per day. Nutrition is an athletes not-so-secret weapon.
A carbohydrate rich meal to fuel muscles so they will be ready for action. Adding vegetables helps with inflammation and adding protein (chicken) for sustained fullness.
Pasta
1 pound whole grain thin spaghetti
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup slice carrots
1 cup snow or snap peas, halved
Sauce
¼ cup natural peanut butter
¼ cup light mayonnaise
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon Celly Salt Sin Bin Fire
1 whole prepared roasted chicken, cut up
Cook’s Note: In the event that athletes suffer from allergies, replace peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or almond butter. Adjust the vegetables to your favorite. Shred any remaining roasted chicken for next day sandwiches. Also, for more heat add extra Celly Salt Sin Bin Fire in the sauce.
JYP Punainen has enjoyed the view from the top among fellow ‘10 Finnish teams for the entirety of the season. Unbeaten throughout 19 games, they have been a dominant force thanks to a high-powered offense fueled by Eliel Halonen. In the team’s first 14 games of group play, Halonen collected an astounding 62 points (44G, 18A) over nine games. Seven of those goals came on the power play and two were short-handed tallies.
Consistency has been the model of Halonen’s game, finding the scoresheet in every game in the first batch of group play matches. His best performance came on Nov. 19 when he totaled eight goals and 11 points against JyKi Valkoinen.
The next two scorers behind him are Veeti Virolainen (17G, 24A) and Kalle Vitanen (23G, 10A). Providing the club with a monstrous three-headed attack that teams were unable to defend. Outside of these three, the roster was provided with a wealth of depth rarely seen on teams at this age level. In fact, 16 total players had put up at least 10 points across the entire slate of competition. Statistical numbers that supplied the team with a plus-162 goal differential.
Halonen and the rest of his cohorts put forth efforts that start right when the puck drops until the final whistle.
With the next stage of group play currently underway, the biggest question was if JYP would be able to keep up its incredible attack and rely on Halonen to continue to lead the way. Through five games thus far, the answer has been a resounding yes.
JYP has flown out of the gates, with a 5-0-0 record. Halonen has picked up where he left off, amassing eight goals and 22 points in four contests. Reinforcing the offensive output with Halonen have been Luca Komu (4G, 10A) and Elias Rantanen (9G, 4A). A special teams star, Rantanen sits first in power-play goals with two, and a short-handed goal to his credit as well.
There are seven games left on the schedule for JYP, including one against No. 3 JYP Musta. While Halonen and company look to continue on their unblemished record, opponents will be eyeing an end to their impressive run. They certainly possess what it takes to be considered among the top tier of their country. Now only time will tell if they can continue their torrid pace.
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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.