Showing Some International Love: World Junior Championship - Division III

Just one more World Junior tournament to go. Bulgaria host the Division III group, a group consisting of just as many Asian countries as European ones (plus Mexico and New Zealand).

Note: Most information from the IIHF website.

Roster

Bulgaria
Goalies: Nikola Nikolov (Slavia Sofia),  Radosvet Petrov (Slavia Sofia), Dimitar Videnov (Slavia Sofia)
Defensemen: Nikolay Bozhanov (CSKA Sofia), Viktor Chebishev (Slavia Sofia), Bozhidar Feraliev (Red Star Sofia), Alexandar Ivanov (Slavia Sofia), Kristian Radovanov (Slavia Sofia), Aleksandar Vasilev (HC Benatky)
Forwards: Valentin Botsev (Slavia Sofia), Maksim Eftimov (HC Mlada Boleslav), Alberto Filipov (Red Star Sofia), Tomislav Georgiev (Slavia Sofia), Ivan Hodulov (SHK 37 Piestany), Bogdan Ivanov (HC Benatky), Momchil Krastev (Slavia Sofia), Martin Nikolov (HC Benatky), Hari Papazov (CSKA Sofia), Edgar Shelupets (CSKA Sofia), Martin Talev (Slavia Sofia), Vasil Videnov (Slavia Sofia)

China
Goalies: Shengrong Xia (Harbin), Qingchen Yu (Qiqihar)
Defensemen: Chi Feng (Harbin), Qing Liu (Qiqihar), Guocheng Ma (Harbin), Shuchao Zhang (Qiqihar), Tianyi Zhang (Harbin), Zhibo Zhang (Harbin), Zhihao Zhang (Qiqihar), Jianbo Zhao(Qiqihar)
Forwards: Jiachang Bao (Harbin), Peng Ji (Harbin), Hang Li (Qiqihar), Ning Li (Harbin), Yongshen Liu (Qiqihar), Tianxiang Xia (Harbin), Cheng Zhang (Qiqihar), Shanghang Zhang (Harbin), Wenquinghuai Zhang (Qiqihar), Ziyang Zhu (Harbin)

Mexico
Goalies: Richard Albrecht (Teotihuacan Priests), Allan Cukier (Mayan Astronomers)
Defensemen: Raul Bonilla (Zapotec Totems), Miguel Colas (Aztec Eagle Warriors), Kaleb Flores (Teotihuacan Priests), Eugenio Juarez (Teotihuacan Priests), Gustavo Martinez (Agaves Jalisco), Francisco Padilla (Zapotec Totems)
Forwards: Bruno Arjona (Toros Monterrey), Cuauhtemoc Balcarcel (Pumas Distrito Federal), Rodrigo Cepeda (Aztec Eagle Warriors), Jean Cobo (Aztec Eagle Warriors), Ruben Cuevas (Mayan Astronomers), Mauricio Gutierrez (Tigres Metepec), Aldo Miguel Hernandez (Mayan Astronomers), Diego Linares (Aztec Eagle Warriors), Kevin Mattingly (Leon Leones), Andres Perez Galicia (Teotihuacan Priests), Alejandro Raya (Mayan Astronomers), Diego Romero (Guadalajara Jalisco)

New Zealand
Goalies: Aston Brookes (Southern Stampede), Liam Henare (Gore)
Defensemen: Mitchell Frear (Southern Stampede), Aaron Henderson (Botany Swarm), Josh Louw (Canterbury), Blake McCombe (Auckland), Ben Roth (Dunedin Thunder), Lucas Roughan (Gore), Evan Terlesk (Auckland), Josh Williams (Canterbury)
Forwards: Callum Burns (Southern Stampede), Tristan Darling (Dunedin Penguins), Frazer Ellis (West Auckland Admirals), Keegan Harnett (Botany Swarm), Connor Harrison (Southern Stampede), Cameron Lang (Gore), Alex Taylor (Canterbury)

Turkey
Goalies: Tolga Bayburtlu (Erzurum GSK), Bartu Baykan (Gumus Patenler)
Defensemen: Batuhan Akay (Kocaeli Izmit), Berk Arcak (Hitit Spor Akademisi), Alihan Demirer (Kocaeli Izmut), Firat Erdem (Baskent Yildizlari Ankara), Emre Faner (Erzurum GSK), Muhammed Kalkan (Erzurum GSK), Gokhan Peker (BB Ankara)
Forwards: Dogu Bingol (BB Ankara), Fatih Faner (Erzurum GSK), Dogukan Gonulal (Baskent Yildizlari Ankara), Abdulkadir Inanc (Erzurum GSK), Doruk Kamis (Kocaeli Izmit), Ali Kara (Izmir BB), Mehmet Kiraz (BB Ankara), Baris Sesli (Baskent Yildizlari Ankara), Gokalp Solak (Baskent Yildizlari Ankara), Berk Ustun (Bogazici Paten SK), Ogun Uzunali (Kocaeli Izmit)

United Arab Emirites
Goalies: Salem Al Awi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Eisa Al Blooshi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Abdulla Al Dhaheri (Abu Dhabi ISC)
Defensemen: Hamad Al Dhaheri (Abu Dhabi ISC), Mohammed A Al Dhaheri (Abu Dhabi ISC), Mubarak Al Jaberi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Ahmed Al Ketbi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Mohammed Al Ketbi (Abu Dhabi ISC)
Forwards: Nasser Al Blooshi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Abdulla Al Dhaheri (Abu Dhabi ISC), Khaled Al Dhaheri (Abu Dhabi ISC), Mohammed J Al Dhaheri (Abu Dhabi ISC), Mubarak Al Kaabi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Khalifa Al Mahrouqi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Sultan Al Mansoori (Abu Dhabi ISC), Mubarak Al Mazrouei (Abu Dhabi ISC), Jumaa Al Muhairbi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Salem Al Romaithi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Hazza Al Saedi (Abu Dhabi ISC), Salem Al Yafeai (Abu Dhabi ISC)

Schedule

January 14
China vs. Turkey
New Zealand vs. Mexico
United Arab Emirates vs. Bulgaria

January 15
China vs. New Zealand
Turkey vs. United Arab Emirates
Mexico vs. Bulgaria

January 17
Mexico vs. Turkey
China vs. United Arab Emirates
New Zealand vs. Bulgaria

January 18
United Arab Emirates vs. Mexico
Turkey vs. New Zealand
Bulgaria vs. China

January 20
New Zealand vs. United Arab Emirates
Bulgaria vs. Turkey
Mexico vs. China

Notables

• New Zealand has a Canadian assistant coach that is 2 years older than me. I feel underachieved.
• This is UAE's first go-around at the U20 level.

Prediction

1 (Promoted) - Mexico
2 - China
3 - New Zealand
4 - Bulgaria
5 - Turkey
6 - United Arab Emirates

I see this playing out just like last year (with two changes). Being relegated from Division II last year, Mexico will be wanting to get back. China 's only lost last year was against eventual winner Iceland, so they should be able to put up a bit of a challenge for promotion. New Zealand will end up just over .500 and Bulgaria will end up just below .500. Turkey and UAE are interesting. While Turkey only registered 1 goal last year, UAE is very new to this level. I'm guessing Turkey's experience saves them this time and allows them to get a win. Next year, things may change.