The United States will look to win back-to-back titles for the first time after beating Canada 2-0 in the 2021 league game. Canada was the last team to do so, winning five consecutive times from 2005 to 2009.
WJC 2022 will be held August 9-20 at Rogers Place in Edmonton. The tournament was originally scheduled for December 26 through January. 5, but postponed to December 29 due to concerns about the coronavirus.
In Group B, the USA play preliminary round matches with Sweden, Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Group A consists of Canada, Finland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Latvia.
Latvia was added to replace Russia, who were banned from international matches for their invasion of Ukraine.
Hughes, the youngest brother of the Vancouver Canucks defenseman QuinnHughes and Devils Center Jack HughesHe had 39 points (17 goals, 22 assists) in 41 games last season as a freshman at the University of Michigan. The 18-year-old defenseman was one of the top 10 nominees for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which is presented annually to recognize the top NCAA men’s hockey player.
“It’s an honor to wear the jersey whenever possible,” said Hughes. “Going back there and trying to defend that is very important to USA Hockey and our country. I think it’s really exciting and we’re going to do our best. We’re going to play game after game and we’re doing that.” really excited as a team.”
[RELATED: World Junior Championship schedule | Group A preview]
The top four teams in each group will contest the quarter-finals on August 17th. The semi-finals will take place on August 19th, the championship and third-place matches on August 20th.
There will be no relegation round, meaning the same 10 teams will compete in WJC 2023 from December 26 to January 26, 2023 in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick. 5.
All games will be shown on NHL Network in the United States and TSN in Canada.
Here’s a look at each team in Group B, in their predicted order of finish:
United States
Coaches: Nate Leaman
NHL Draft Watch 2023: Charlie Stramel, F, USA U-18 (NTDP)
Schedule: August 9, Germany (10:00 p.m. ET); August 11, Switzerland (10 p.m. ET); August 13, Austria (2 p.m. ET); August 14, Sweden (10 p.m. ET)
Outlook: Leaman will build a fast and supporting game on offense and backfield with the help of returning forwards Logan Cooley (Arizona Coyotes), Brett Berard (New York Rangers) and Landon Slaggert (Chicago Blackhawks) and defenseman Brock Faber (Minnesota Wild) , Tyler Kleven (Ottawa Senators) and Hughes. Goaltenders Andrew Oke (qualified for the 2023 draft) and Kaidan Mbereko (qualified for the 2023 draft) both impressed during development camp and are the frontrunners in the battle for game time. Cooley, a freshman center at the University of Minnesota, was a runner-up on the USA Hockey National Team Development Program under-18 team with 75 points (27 goals, 48 assists) in 51 games last season. At the 2022 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, he finished second for the runner-up United States with 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in six games. Stramel (6-foot-3, 212 pounds), a right-footed center who will be a freshman at the University of Wisconsin, last had 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 26 games for the United States U18 team Season. Faber is team captain. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings as a forward to the Wild with the #19 pick in the 2022 NHL draft Kevin Fiala on June 29th.
Video: Jon Paul Morosi and the crew from Team USA in the WJC
Sweden
Coaches: Tomas Monten
NHL Draft Watch 2023: Mans Forsfjall, D, Skellefteå (SWE)
Schedule: August 10, Switzerland (2 p.m. ET); August 12, Austria (2 p.m. ET); August 14, US (10:00 p.m. ET); August 15, Germany (10 p.m. ET)
Outlook: Sweden will have no forwards Alexander Holtz (Devils) or William Eklund (San Jose Sharks) to lead offense but will remain solid in goal with Jesper Wallstedt (Wild), Calle Clang (Pittsburgh Penguins) and Carl Lindbom (Vegas Golden Knights). . and at defenders with Simon Edvinsson (Detroit Red Wings), Helge Grans (Kings) and William Wallinder (Red Wings). Offensively, Monten will rely on Daniel Ljungman (Dallas Stars), Theodor Niederbach (Red Wings), Oskar Olausson (Colorado Avalanche) and Jonathan Lekkerimaki (Vancouver Canucks). Wallstedt will play for Iowa of the American Hockey League this season after holding 12-10-0 for Lulea of the Swedish Hockey League last season with a 1.98 goals-against average and 0.918 percent. The 19-year-old was 2-0-0 with a 1.50 GAA and a .962 save rate at WJC 2022 in December before the tournament was postponed.
Germany
Coaches: Tobias Abstreiter
NHL Draft Watch 2023: none
Schedule: August 9, US (10:00 p.m. ET); August 10, Austria (10 p.m. ET); August 13, Switzerland (10 p.m. ET); August 15, Sweden (10 p.m. ET)
Outlook: Germany will have a hard time reaching their sixth-place finish at WJC 2021 without their top eligible players, forwards Tim Stutzle (Senators), JJ Peterka (Buffalo Sabers) and Lukas Reichel (Blackhawks). Defenseman Luca Munzenberger, who averaged 21:41 ice time in five games at the 2021 WJC, will be heavily counted on. The 19-year-old, selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the third round (No. 90) of the 2021 draft, will be a sophomore at the University of Vermont this season. Goaltender Florian Bugl (2023 draft qualifier), who helped Germany to wins over Slovakia and Switzerland at WJC 2021 and finished with a 2.95 GAA and an .896 save percentage in three games, is returning but will Pushed by Nikita for the starting job Quapp (Carolina Hurricanes).
Switzerland
Coaches: Markus Bayer
NHL Draft Watch 2023: Rodwin Dionicio, D, Niagara (OHL)
Schedule: August 10, Sweden (2 p.m. ET); August 11, US (10:00 p.m. ET); August 13, Germany (10:00 p.m. ET); August 15, Austria (2 p.m. ET)
Outlook: Switzerland relies on goaltenders Noah Patenaude (7-2-2, 2.96 GAA, 0.914 percent) from Saint John and Kevin Pasche (20-19-4, 2.87 GAA, .903) in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Percent). of Omaha in the United States Hockey League to remain competitive. Forward Simon Knak (Nashville Predators) returns for his third World Juniors after captaining ninth-placed Switzerland in 2021. Defenseman Brian Zanetti (Philadelphia Flyers) had 26 points (four goals, 22 assists) in 56 games for Peterborough of the Ontario Hockey League last season and should play a big role. Dionicio (6-2, 207) made his North American debut last season with 31 points (six goals, 25 assists) in 57 games for Niagara and is on NHL Central Scouting’s Players to Watch list for the 2023 draft.
Austria
Coaches: Philip Pinter
NHL Draft Watch 2023: none
Schedule: August 10, Germany (10 p.m. ET); August 12, Sweden (2 p.m. ET); Aug. 13, US (2 p.m. ET); August 15, Switzerland (2 p.m. ET)
Outlook: Austria finished 10th in 2021 and return with hopes of a first win in their fifth tournament appearance (0-17), but it won’t be easy against their preliminary round rivals. It will be without Marco Kasper (Red Wings), the No.8 draft pick in 2022. Forward Senna Peeters, who scored Austria’s only goal and will be playing his third WJC, will expect some attacking play. The 20-year-old recorded 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 34 games for Halifax of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season. Kasper, who signed a three-year entry-level deal with Detroit on July 13, decided to take a break from hockey in August due to a heavy workload at international level and at Rogle BK in the Swedish Hockey League.
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