Friday, December 12, 2014

Showing Some International Love: 2015 World Junior Championship - Division II Group B Preview

For the second year in a row, Spain host Group B of the Division II tournaments. Australia, Iceland, and Serbia all return in hope to earn a promotion. Croatia was relegated from Group A last year and will be looking to get back into that group for next year. Rounding out the teams is the newly-promoted, who will look to stay up in Division II for another year.

Note: all information from the IIHF website.

Rosters

Australia

Goalies:
Name
Team
Nicholas Novysedlak
Brisbane Whalers
Charlie Smart
Perth Lightning

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Zachary Boyle
Adelaide Adrenaline
Jamie Campbell
Perth Lightning
David Mahood
Perth Lightning
Daniel Pataky
Sydney East Coast Rebels
Alastair Punler
Perth Lightning
Luke Shafren
Newcastle Northstars
Kieren Webster
Perth Lightning

Forwards:
Name
Team
Saxon Air
Sydney Heat
Anthony Barnes
Boondall Buccaneers
Kayne Fedor
Adelaide Adrenaline
Sam Hodic
Melbourne Ice
Casey Kubara
Sydney Ice Dogs
James Marino
Sydney Canterbury Midgets
Remy McGuiness
Adelaide Adrenaline
Yucca Reinecke
Sydney East Coast Rebels
Tomas Sak
Perth Hawks
Jordan Williams
Perth Northern Vikings


Belgium

Goalies:
Name
Team
David Blasband
Caen Drakkars
Keanu Evers
IHC Leuven

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Jentl Buelens
White Caps Turnhout
Toon de Schepper
Lower Austria Stars St. Polten
Frank Neven
Liege Bulldogs
Mathias van den Bosch
Phantoms Deurne
Arne van Espen
Olympia Heist op den Berg
Brain Vandenberk
HYC Herentals

Forwards:
Name
Team
Quintin Bollue
IHC Leuven
Stef Coolen
White Caps Turnhout
Virgil Delbrassine
Iserholn Roosters
Yannick Dockx
Kolner Jung-Haie
Kevin Glassee
Olympia Heist op den Berg
Emiel Goris
HYC Herentals
Bryan Henry
Karhu-Kissat Helsinki
Bram Klijsen
Tilburg Trappers
Andy Kolodziejczyk
Haskey Hasselt
Lukas Tambeur
IHC Leuven
Patrick van Noten
HYC Herentals
Brent van Rooy
HYC Herentals


Croatia

Goalies:
Name
Team
Vilim Rosandic
HC 05 Banska Bystrica
Ivan Ruzic
Medvescak Zagreb

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Toni Boric
Mladost Zagreb
Bruno Kegalj
KHL Zagreb
Nikola Kopricanec
Medvescak Zagreb
Luka Matosic
Mladost Zagreb
Martin Milic
Mladost Zagreb
Dominik Petrinsak
Mladost Zagreb
Marin Plesko
Medvescak Zagreb

Forwards:
Name
Team
Ivan Jankovic
KHL Zagreb
Luka Jarcov
KHL Zagreb
Josip Jazbec
Medvescak Zagreb
Leonardo Jovic
KHL Zagreb
Kristian Krnic
Mladost Zagreb
Matko Martinic
Mladost Zagreb
Matija Milicic
KHL Zagreb
Luka Novak
KHL Zagreb
Mak Pavicevic
HC Letci Letnany
Renato Platuzic
Medvescak Zagreb
Jan Smolec
Mladost Zagreb
Tibor Stancic
KHL Zagreb
Luka Vukoja
ESC Wedemark Scorpions


Iceland

Goalies:
Name
Team
Nicolas Jouanne
Skautafelag Reykjavikur
Atli Valdimarsson
Bracebridge Blues

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Ingthor Arnason
Skautafelag Akureyrar
Jon Arnason
Valerenga Oslo
Robert Gudnason
Skautafelag Akureyrar
Andri Helgason
Almaguin Spartans
Kristinn Hermannsson
Skautafelag Reykjavikur
Brynjar Magnusson
Bjorninn Reykjavik
Sigurdur Thorsteinsson
Skautafelag Akureyrar

Forwards:
Name
Team
Solvi Atlason
Skautafelag Reykjavikur
Bjarki Johannesson
Skautafelag Reykjavikur
Aron Knutsson
Bjorninn Reykjavik
Kristjan Kristinsson
Bjorninn Reykjavik
Baldur Lindal
Skautafelag Reykjavikur
Markus Maack
Skautafelag Reykjavikur
Daniel S Magnusson
Skautafelag Reykjavikur
Elvar Olaffson
Bjorninn Reykjavik
Matthias Stefansson
Skautafelag Akureyrar
Hafthor Sigrunarson
IFK Ore Furudal
Gudmundur Thorsteinsson
Skautafelag Reykjavikur


Serbia

Goalies:
Name
Team
Matija Ganic
Partizan Belgrade
Jug Mitic
Beostar Belgrade

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Ivan Anic
MAC Budapest
Aleksandar Kolaric
Beostar Belgrade
Todor Kuveljic
Partizan Belgrade
Ugljesa Novakovic
Beostar Belgrade
Pavle Podunavac
MAC Budapest
Nikola Stojanovic
Crvena Zvezda Belgrade
Vuk Trajkovic
Beostar Belgrade

Forwards:
Name
Team
Nikola Barackov
Skedsmo IHK
Vojin Dragovic
Partizan Belgrade
Ivan Glavonjic
Beostar Belgrade
Lazar Lestaric
National Sports Academy
Lav Mitic
Beostar Belgrade
Lazar Novakovic
Partizan Belgrade
Petar Novakovic
Beostar Belgrade
Sinisa Pajic
MAC Budapest
Relja Radosavljevic
EHC Linz
Marko Tadic
Beostar Belgrade
Djordjije Terzic
Partizan Belgrade
Luka Vukicevic
Beostar Belgrade
Andrej Zwick
Vasas Budapest


Spain

Goalies:
Name
Team
Ignacio Garcia
SAD Majadahonda
Jhon Sebastian Varela
FC Barcelona

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Bruno Baldris
CH Jaca
Inigo Gainza
FC Barcelona
Alfonso Garcia
SAD Majadahonda
Marc Paul
CG Puigcerda
Ignacio Vicente
CH Jaca

Forwards:
Name
Team
Daniel Alvarez
CHH Txuri-Urdin
David Arbues
CH Jaca
Ander Arrinda
CHH Txuri-Urdin
Paul Cerda
Richmond Generals
Angel Fernandez-Pola
SAD Majadahonda
Patricio Fuentes
CHH Txuri-Urdin
Marcus Garcia
Geneve Futur Hockey
Gaston Gonzalez
CH Jaca
Luis Jose Hernandez
SAD Majadahonda
Manuel Manero
Notre Dame Hounds
Pablo Pantoja
CH Jaca
Lucas Poch
FC Barcelona
Sergi Pous
Upper Canada Cyclones
Ignacio Solorzano
CHH Txuri-Urdin


Schedule

December 13
Belgium - Australia
Serbia - Croatia
Spain - Iceland

December 14
Croatia - Australia
Iceland - Belgium
Spain - Serbia

December 16
Croatia - Iceland
Serbia - Australia
Spain - Belgium

December 18
Iceland - Serbia
Belgium - Croatia
Australia - Spain

December 20
Serbia - Belgium
Australia - Iceland
Croatia - Spain

Notes
  • Didn't look too far into it, but I didn't see any NHL connections.
  • Oldest team: tie - Australia, Belgium, Croatia, Serbia, Spain (average age is 18)
  • Youngest team: Iceland (average age is 17)
  • Lightest team: tie - Belgium and Iceland (161lbs)
  • Heaviest team: Croatia (181lbs)
  • Shortest team: tie - Belgium, Iceland, Spain (5'10")
  • Tallest team: tie - Australia and Croatia (6'0") 
  • Too bad this tournament wasn't in Australia, then they could say "NOT IN (David) MAHOOD!"
Prediction

1 (Promoted) - Croatia
2 - Spain
3 - Australia
4 - Serbia
5 - Iceland
6 (Relegated) - Belgium

It might be a close one, but I see Croatia edging out the rest for the top spot and a promotion to Group A. Spain came oh-so-close last year, and will make the top of the standings interesting. I can see Australia bouncing back from last year and finishing third. Went back-and-forth on the bottom-half of the standings. I say Serbia and Iceland do enough to stay in this group for another year. As for Belgium, they could make it interesting, but they end up being my odd team out and ending up back in Division III.

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