Favourites for WJC 2007

With the 2006 tournament finished, who are the early favorites for next year in Sweden? Russia doesn't look as strong as this year, but Canada and the U.S look to have a bunch of returning players. Discuss rosters, players to watch for, etc..

With the 2006 tournament finished, who are the early favorites for next year in Sweden? Russia doesn't look as strong as this year, but Canada and the U.S look to have a bunch of returning players. Discuss rosters, players to watch for, etc..

I think they said Canada could have something like 11 returning players. With the win this year, I'd think you'd have to consider them next years favorites.

I would think the U.S. would be a contender, as we'll also have 11 returning players (potentially):

Frazee
Chorney
Jack Johnson
Erik Johnson
Lee
Mitera
Kessel
Ryan
Gerbe
Skille
Mueller

That would leave room for one more goaltender, two or three defensemen, and seven or eight forwards. Kind of tough to fill in the blanks at this point.

The Canadians will have some younger guys ready to make the jump like Anthony Esposito and John Tavares.... They will be just fine next year

U18 WC 2005 - players born 87:

1. USA
2. Canada
3. Sweden
4. Chechz
5. Russia
6. Slovakia
7. Finland

U18 WC is always a good indicator, although Canada of course didnt have their best team. As i remember it the chechz looked really good.. but lost to Sweden in the bronze a bit surprisingly(well not to me :)).

1. Canada
2. USA
3. Sweden
4. Russia
5. Finland
6. Czech

U18 WC 2005 - players born 87:

1. USA
2. Canada
3. Sweden
4. Chechz
5. Russia
6. Slovakia
7. Finland

U18 WC is always a good indicator, although Canada of course didnt have their best team. As i remember it the chechz looked really good.. but lost to Sweden in the bronze a bit surprisingly(well not to me :)).

That tournament is really skewed towards the Yanks and their Ann Arbor program. Tough for all-star teams to compete against a club team.

Anytime Canada makes the gold medal game, you know they have a very talented year (e.g. Canada got silver last year without: Pouliot, Crosby, Brule, Staal and others).

I would think the U.S. would be a contender, as we'll also have 11 returning players (potentially):

Frazee
Chorney
Jack Johnson
Erik Johnson
Lee
Mitera
Kessel
Ryan
Gerbe
Skille
Mueller

That would leave room for one more goaltender, two or three defensemen, and seven or eight forwards. Kind of tough to fill in the blanks at this point.


I would count on both Johnson's and Kessel being out of the picture

Finland will take bronze and final will be between Canada and Russia. That´s all folks :D.

Rask will be there so we'll get a medal. :snide:

For my part, I have absolutely no idea who we are bringing. One spot is booked though: Varlamov will be in the net.

Canada will stomp a mud hole in everyones as*

cause Stone Cold said so

I would count on both Johnson's and Kessel being out of the picture

Also count out Ryan,with the year he is having he will probably be in the NHL next year

With the 2006 tournament finished, who are the early favorites for next year in Sweden? Russia doesn't look as strong as this year, but Canada and the U.S look to have a bunch of returning players. Discuss rosters, players to watch for, etc..

Canada will be the favourite, no one else! End of story! :yo:

Also count out Ryan,with the year he is having he will probably be in the NHL next year

Well, he didn't look good at the WJC's so he better pick it up. His skating was not very good. I don't think the big ice would help him next year at the WJC's.

I think next years Canada team could very well be better than this past years team with many returnining players. Then guys like Jordan Staal, Little, Sheppard, Esposito, etc, could all add nicely to the offence.

I think next years Canada team could very well be better than this past years team with many returnining players. Then guys like Jordan Staal, Little, Sheppard, Esposito, etc, could all add nicely to the offence.

I think the offence will definitely be better next year. The 6 forwards who won't be back next year are:

Chipchura
Boyd
Pouliot
Blunden
Bolland
Comeau

They'll likely be replaced by guys like:

Setoguchi
Brassard
Staal
Little
Esposito

all of whom have awesome offensive upside. As for the defence, 5 of the 7 can come back, but both Staal and Bourdon can be in the NHL. If they make it, are there any good D-men coming up to replace them?

Canada and the U.S. will be co-favorites with the definitive edge going to Canada. My sleeper is Sweden though.

oh man i cant wait already. lol i leave for this tounry. i hope tavares makes it

Canada without a doubt.

well with Canada having up to 12 players back, the media will undoubtable build Canada as the hands on favorite, and rightfully so.

Best line I've ever heard from Blair McKassey - Hockey Canada scout. "Canada doesn't rebuild, we reload"

Canada will be the favorite to win gold from ever tourney now until the end of time. (lucky the media played us as underdogs this year - helped them)

well with Canada having up to 12 players back, the media will undoubtable build Canada as the hands on favorite, and rightfully so.

Yeah, but what are the chances that Staal, Bourdon and Barker will be back? Pretty slim, I think, turning a rock-solid defence into a big question.

Yeah, but what are the chances that Staal, Bourdon and Barker will be back? Pretty slim, I think, turning a rock-solid defence into a big question.


Barker won't be back because he's over age. Perhaps one of Staal and Bourdon will be back (most likely Bourdon) but it doesn't really matter. Canada will "reload" there is more talent in the pipeline. (example, I bet you last year at this time, when Canada assemble the best team ever, you had never even heard of Marc Staal, Bourdon etc) Not to worry my good friend. Canada breads hockey players.

Canada without a doubt..

Barker won't be back because he's over age. Perhaps one of Staal and Bourdon will be back (most likely Bourdon) but it doesn't really matter. Canada will "reload" there is more talent in the pipeline. (example, I bet you last year at this time, when Canada assemble the best team ever, you had never even heard of Marc Staal, Bourdon etc) Not to worry my good friend. Canada breads hockey players.

If they lose both Barker and Staal that means that Pot Luck will have to play top 4 minutes. Woe be to the team that has to experiance that...

If they lose both Barker and Staal that means that Pot Luck will have to play top 4 minutes. Woe be to the team that has to experiance that...

Sorry, hate to break it to you but Pokulok is overage and won't be back next year. He is an absolute non factor.

The US can only wish they had the Canadian depth.

"Reload, not rebuild"

next year the Price will be right :yo: and here's to hoping that Latendresee if he goes back get's one major kick in the but and starts producing like he's capable of..

Sweden may not have Bergfors who is either their best or second best player. Without him I think they have some trouble even though he was snake bitten this tourney.

anyone care to make roster predictions. ill make a usa roster, i think kessel and ej will be back, but jj is gone. might have missed some, doing this off the top of my head.

forwards
kessel (87)
ryan (87)
skille (87)
gerbe (87)
mueller (88)
nick foligno (87)
pat kane (88)
ryan flynn (88)
justin mercier (87)
dan collins (87)
luke lynes (87)
kyle okposo (88)
mike forney (88)
(alts; vlad nikiforov, justin abdelkader, zach mcvoy, jimmy fraser, tim kraus, chad rau, trevor lewis, blake geoffrion, rhett rahkshani, jimmy o'brien, others)

defense
erik johnson (88)
mark mitera (87)
brian lee (87)
taylor chorney (87)
joey ryan (87)
bobby saguinetti (88)
michael sauer (87)
(alts; chris summers, zach jones, nigel williams, tim kunes, nick petrecki, brandon gentile, others)

goalies
frazee (87)
billy sauer (88)
(alts; connelly, palmer, conway)

Too bad Canada and USA are both in the same pool again next year thanks to their 4th place finish. They will likely both be considered the top 2 teams next year and one of them will have to take the long route to the final.

Looking forward to a Canada vs U.S.A. final. It'll be a nice change from having to mop up the soft Russian teams ;)

Canada and the U.S. have to be considered the favourites. Canada will have potentially 12 players back. They won gold at the 2004 and 2005 Junior World Cup and silver at the WU18. The U.S. will have 11 players back, many of whom were part of the WU18 gold medal team in 2005, and more importantly, something to prove. Finland will be dangerous with Rask, Czechs have some very good talent 1987-born talent and you can't count out the Russians, even though 1987 was not kind to them.

Price should be the goaltender. Parent, Russell and Letang are back for sure on the blue line. Staal already has a contract with the Rangers, so I'd be surprised if he's back. Bourdon might be back, but he nearly stuck with the Canucks this year. If one of those two returns, Canada has the best defence in the tournament. If both are back, they'll be incredibly tough to stop. Marc-Edourd Vlasic was a 1987-born defenceman cut in camp. He has been dynamic offensively in the Q this year and has a chance next year. Haven't heard much about the 1988 Canadian-born defencemen, so I'm not sure if any will step forward and make the team next year.

Lots to like up front. Cogliano, Downie, Bertram, Latendresse, O'Marra, Pyatt and Toews will all be a year older and a year better. 2005 first rounders McCardle and Setoguchi would be good additions, too. Brule is eligible to play next year, but I doubt Columbus will release him. 2006-eligible players like Little, Brassard (who missed being eligible for 2005 by about a week), Sheppard and J. Staal will likely be there, along with 2007-eligible Angelo Esposito. It would not surprise me to see Jon Tavares there, either, even though he doesn't come up until 2009.

Personally I dont think John Tavares will be there next year. We'll have too stacked of a team already. Esposito is the likely 1st overall pick in '07 so he'll be there for sure, but Tavares is still too young. I think he'll be on the '08 and '09 teams which is his draft year.

Either way I can almost guarantee a berth in the gold medal game. I wont guarantee a gold medal cause you never know who is injured or stays with their NHL team.

Canada without a doubt.
Yeah, agree..

P.S.:
Kstati, privet ;)
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i think canada will win !

Brule is eligible to play next year, .


If this is true then wow...he would dominate the tourney.

Bourdon being made aval would depend on the canucks off season. if they sign a couple of dmen like a #3-4 then i would expect Bourdon to be back at the WJC's.

I think that Toews will be the most suprising forward of the 07 tourney as he would finish his chances that he just couldn't this year.

Finland's roster might look something like this:

Tuukka Rask Ilves/Toronto (87)
Niko Hovinen Jokerit (88)
Riku Helenius Ilves (88)

Teemu Laakso HIFK (87)
Timo Seppänen HIFK (87)
Juho Mielonen Ilves (87)
Tommi Leinonen Kärpät (87)
Mikael Kurki Blues (87)
Joonas Lehtivuori Ilves (88)
Eetu Heikkinen Ässät (88)

Perttu Lindgren Ilves (87)
Jesse Joensuu Ässät/NHL (87)
Sami Sandell WHL (87)
Jonas Enlund HIFK (87)
Mikko Lehtonen Blues (87)
Teemu Ramstedt HIFK (87)
Leo Komarov Ässät (87)
Miika Lahti JYP (87)
Oskar Osala OHL (87)
Tommi Huhtala Ilves (87)
Ville Korhonen Ilves (87)
Robert Nyholm HIFK (88)
Joonas Kemppainen Ässät (88)