Sunday, December 14, 2014

Showing Some International Love: 2015 World Junior Championship - Division I Group A Preview

Italy is the host of this tournament, and will look to stay in this group after earning a promotion from Group B last year. Austria, Belarus, Latvia, and Slovenia all return in hopes of earning a spot in the main tournament next year. Newly-relegated Norway are hoping their stay in Division I will be a short one.

Note: most information from the IIHF website.

Rosters

Austria

Goalies:
Name
Team
Stefan Muller
Pikes Oberthurgau Romanshorn
Thomas Stroj
KAC Klagenfurt

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Dominic Hackl
Vienna Capitals
Stefan Hrdina
Bay State Breakers Rockland
Daniel Jakubitzka
Vienna Capitals
Erik Kirchschlager
EHC Linz
Philipp Lindner
Red Bull Salzburg
Ramon Schnetzer
Kloten Flyers
Thomas Vallant
KAC Klagenfurt

Forwards:

Name
Team
Florian Baltram
Seattle Thunderbirds
Sascha Bauer
Vienna Capitals
Stefan Gaffal
EHC Linz
Ruslan Gelfanov
VSV Villach
Lukas Haudum
Sodertalje SK
Mario Huber
HC Innsbruck
Lukas Kainz
Red Bull Salzburg
Damon Puntus
GCK Lions Zurich
Maximilian Reisinger
Wichita Falls Wildcats
Marco Richter
Madison Capitols
Dario Winkler
Red Bull Salzburg
Ali Wukovits
Farjestad Karlstad

Belarus

Goalies:
Name
Team
Maxim Gorodetski
Neman Grodno
Konstantin Kozlovski
Dynamo-Shinnik Bobruisk

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Danil Bokun
Dynamo-Shinnik Bobruisk
Roman Dyukov
Yunost Minsk
Stepan Falkovski
Yunost Minsk
Kristian Khenkel
Yunost Minsk
Yegor Kudin
Dynamo-Shinnik Bobruisk
Vitali Martsul
Dynamo-Shinnik Bobruisk
Sergei Stankevich
Yunost Minsk
Nikita Ustinenko
Dynamo-Shinnik Bobruisk

Forwards:
Name
Team
Dmitri Ambrozheichik
Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Artur Buinitski
Dynamo-Shinnik Bobruisk
Dmitri Buinitski
Dynamo-Shinnik Bobruisk
Oleg Buyak
Dynamo-Shinnik Bobruisk
Vyacheslav Fadeyev
Dynamo-Shinnik Bobruisk
Dmitri Gerasimovich
Yunost Minsk
Nikolai Logvinyuk
Dynamo-Shinnik Bobruisk
Vladislav Misnikov
Dynamo-Shinnik Bobruisk
Vladislav Novik
Dynamo-Shinnik Bobruisk
Alexei Shantyka
Dynamo-Shinnik Bobruisk
Maxim Valkov
Yunost Minsk
Igor Varivonchik
Dynamo-Shinnik Bobruisk


Italy

Goalies:
Name
Team
Simone Armand Pilon
HC Valpellice
Daniel Morandell
SV Kaltern

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Philipp Beber
HC Eppan
Massimo Cordiano
HC Lugano
Daniel Costa
HC Gherdeina
Gregor Lanziner
Alexandria Blizzard
Maaximilian Ploner
Ritten Sport
Ivan Seeber
WSV Sterzing-Vipiteno
Ivan Tauferer
Ritten Sport

Forwards:
Name
Team
Luca Barnabo
HC Lugano
Davide Conci
HC Pergine
Federico Cordin
HC Valpellice
Matteo Dantone
SHC Fassa
Ronny de Zanna
SG Cortina
Riccardo Lacedelli
SG Cortina
Alex Lambacher
Alder Mannheim
Jose Antonio Magnabosco
Asiago Hockey
Giovanni Morini
HC Lugano
Paolo Morini
HC Lugano
Simone Olivero
Asiago Hockey
Fabrizio Pace
Asiago Hockey
Joachim Ramoser
Red Bull Salzburg


Latvia

Goalies:
Name
Team
Matiss Kivlenieks
Forest Lake High School

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Kristofers Bindulis
Soo Eagles
Karlis Cukste
HK Riga
Ralfs Grinbergs
HK Riga
Janis Jaks
Rio Grande Valley Bees
Maksims Ponomarenko
Lorenskog IK
Kristians Rubins
VIK Vasteras
Kristaps Zile
HK Riga

Forwards:
Name
Team
Rodrigo Abols
HK Riga
Rudolfs Balcers
Stavanger Oilers
Oskars Batna
Bismarck Bobcats
Bruno Birzitis
Soo Eagles
Martins Dzierkals
HK Riga
Haralds Egle
Madison Capitols
Edgars Homjakovs
Platina Chisinau
Ruslans Ignatovics
HK Riga
Roberts Locans
BIK Karlskoga
Rudolfs Maslovskis
HK Riga
Romans Nekludovs
Platina Chisinau
Frenks Razgals
HK Riga
Gatis Sprukts
HK Riga


Norway

Goalies:
Name
Team
Fredrik Gronstrand
Mora IK
Theodor Hestnes
Frisk Asker

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Christian Bull
Lillehammer IK
Magnus Haugen
Storhamar Dragons
Christian Kaasastul
Frisk Asker
Andreas Klavestad
Leksands IF
Jesper Nipe
Stjernen Fredrikstad
Mattias Norstebo
Brynas Gavle
Emil Sateraas
Brynas Gavle

Forwards:
Name
Team
Petter Gronstad
Lorenskog IK
Anders Henriksen
Stavanger Oilers
Magnus Henriksen
Lorenskog IK
Mats Henriksen
Manglerud Star Oslo
Ludvig Hoff
Lincoln Stars
Henrik Medhus
Stavanger IK
Colin Olsen
Valerenga Oslo
Thomas Olsen
Valerenga Oslo
Ole Petter Overgaard
Storhamar Dragons
Martin Ronnild
Brynas Gavle
Markus Soberg
Windsor Spitfires
Hakon imset Stormli
Lillehammer IK


Slovenia

Goalies:
Name
Team
Tomaz Trelc
Olimpija Ljubljana
Zan Us
HC Orli Znojmo

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Kristjan Cepon
Olimpija Ljubljana
Ales Jeklic
HC Olomouc
Andraz Kompolsek
Olimpija Ljubljana
Luka Kraigher
HC Olomouc
Jan Lampic
Triglav Kranj
Miha Logar
Olimpija Ljubljana
Luka Zorko
Atlant Mytishi

Forwards:
Name
Team
Gasper Glavic
Mladi Jesenice
Sebastjan Groselj
Triglav Kranj
Sebastjan Hadzic
Olimpija Ljubljana
Matic Jeklic
HC Olomouc
Zan Jezovsek
HK Celje
Tilen Kalan
Triglav Kranj
Luka Maver
Topeka Roadrunners
Tim Ograjensek
HK Celje
Nik Pem
Mladi Jesenice
Kristof Potocnik
Triglav Kranj
Nik Simsic
Sodertalje SK
Nik Unuk
IFK Ore Furudal
Luka Vincec
Olimpija Ljubljana


Schedule

December 14
Slovenia - Belarus
Austria - Latvia
Italy - Norway

December 15
Norway - Austria
Latvia - Slovenia
Belarus - Italy

December 17
Latvia - Belarus
Norway - Slovenia
Italy - Austria

December 18
Austria - Slovenia
Belarus - Norway
Latvia - Italy

December 20
Norway - Latvia
Belarus - Austria
Slovenia - Italy

Notes
  • Austria has all the NHL connections of note. They have former Blues goalie Reinhard Divis (video coach) and former Blackhawks coach Alpo Suhonen (team leader) on staff. 
  • Kind of surprised that Latvia cut a couple of CHL players. Rihards Bukarts was recently injured, so that is unfortunate (he was over a point per game with the Brandon Wheat Kings). As for Georgs Golovkovs, he's had a decent year with the Drummondville Voltigeurs, scoring 22 points in 26 games.
  • Sticking with Latvia, I assume this will get fixed soon, but how are they allowed to carry just one goalie? Although it is funny that they take the only goalie on their preliminary roster not playing in Europe.
  • Oldest and Youngest team: all teams have an average age of 19
  • Lightest team: Latvia (176 lbs)
  • Heaviest team: Slovenia (194 lbs)
  • Shortest team: Austria (5'11")
  • Tallest team: tie - Belarus, Italy, Latvia, Norway, and Slovenia (6'0") 
  • Damn you Slovenia for cutting a couple pun-able names!
  • The shock if Austria won the tournament may be enough to register on the (Marco) Richter scale.
Prediction

1 (Promoted) - Belarus
2 - Norway
3 - Latvia
4 - Slovenia
5 - Austria
6 (Relegated) - Italy

It's hard to judge who might emerge from the top three. I'm going out on a limb and saying that Belarus finishes above the rest and earns the promotion. Norway and Latvia will be close though, but in the end I have them finishing second and third (respectively). I can see Slovenia and Austria switching places from last year. As for the host, Italy might not be good enough to stay up in Group A. They will finish last and be relegated to Group B.

No comments:

Post a Comment