The winner of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship will probably be from North America, in keeping with three NHL.com writers.
NHL.com deputy managing editor Adam Kimelman, LNH.com employees author Guillaume Lepage and NHL.com employees author Mike G. Morreale every predict Canada and america will play within the gold-medal sport. Kimelman and Lepage consider Canada will win, whereas Morreale is selecting the U.S.
Canada gained the 2022 WJC in August; no workforce has gained consecutive tournaments since Canada gained 5 straight from 2005-09.
The U.S. final gained the WJC in 2021, when it defeated Canada within the remaining sport.
For the reason that present format was adopted in 1996, america has gained 4 of the 5 occasions its performed Canada within the gold-medal sport (2004, 2010, 2017, 2021). Canada gained in 1997.
Every author additionally made his decide for finest goalie, finest ahead and finest defenseman on the event. In addition they selected the highest 2023 Higher Deck NHL Draft prospect, however with a twist — they could not select Canada ahead Connor Bedard, the projected No. 1 decide.
The 2023 WJC will probably be held Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Moncton, New Brunswick. The ten groups will play in two teams. Group A consists of Canada, Sweden, Czechia, Germany and Austria and can play its preliminary-round video games at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax. The US, Finland, Switzerland, Slovakia and Latvia are in Group B, with its preliminary-round video games at Avenir Centre in Moncton.
The highest 4 finishes in every group will play within the quarterfinals Jan. 2. The semifinals are Jan. 4, and the championship and third-place video games are Jan. 5.
All video games will probably be broadcast stay on NHL Community in america and TSN and RDS in Canada.
Kimelman predictions
Group A winner: Canada
Group B winner: United States
Champion: Canada
Second: United States
Third: Finland
Shock star: Caedan Bankier, F, Canada
Greatest goalie: Niklas Kokko, Finland
Greatest defenseman: Simon Nemec, Slovakia
Greatest ahead: Connor Bedard, Canada
Prime 2023 NHL Draft eligible participant (apart from Bedard): Adam Fantilli, F, Canada
Lepage predictions
Group A winner: Canada
Group B winner: United States
Champion: Canada
Second: United States
Third: Finland
Shock star: Nathan Gaucher, F, Canada
Greatest goalie: Thomas Milic, Canada
Greatest defenseman: Olen Zellweger, Canada
Greatest ahead: Connor Bedard, Canada
Prime 2023 NHL Draft eligible participant (apart from Bedard): Leo Carlsson, F, Sweden
Morreale predictions
Group A winner: Canada
Group B winner: United States
Champion: United States
Second: Canada
Third: Czechia
Shock star: Filip Mesar, F, Slovakia
Greatest goalie: Tomas Suchanek, Czechia
Greatest defenseman: Luke Hughes, United States
Greatest ahead: Connor Bedard, Canada
Prime 2023 NHL Draft eligible participant (apart from Bedard): Adam Fantilli, F, Canada
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