2016 World Junior Championship - Division II Group A Preview

Estonia gets to host this year's edition of the U20 Division II Group A tournament. Returning to the group with them are Croatia, Lithuania, and the Netherlands, as all four teams look at gaining a promotion to Division I. Romania joins the group after winning Group B last year, and will look to hang around for another year. Japan rounds out the group, having been relegated after refusing to play in last year's Division I Group B tournament.

Note: most information from the IIHF website.

Rosters

Croatia

Goalies:

Name	Team
Leon Junker Djuric	Medvescak Zagreb
Vito Nikolic	Medvescak Zagreb

Defensemen:

Name	Team
Borna Crnec	KHL Zagreb
Marin Joja	KHL Zagreb
Nikola Kopricanec	Medvescak Zagreb
Luka Kramaric	Mladost Zagreb
Domagoj Poljak	KHL Zagreb
Jan Smolec	Medvescak Zagreb
Patrik Stancic	KHL Zagreb
Tomo Trstenjak	Mladost Zagreb

Forwards:

Name	Team
David Bublic	Medvescak Zagreb
Dominic Rene Canic	Pacific Coast Academy Prep
Stjepan Cizmadija	KHL Zagreb
Bruno Ficur	Mladost Zagreb
Leonardo Jovic	KHL Zagreb
Hrvoje Kriksic	KHL Zagreb
Sven Paulovic	Medvescak Zagreb
Matija Stubicar	KHL Zagreb
Leo Sutevski	Mladost Zagreb
Jan Tadic	KHL Zagreb
Vjeko Vrbancic	Mladost Zagreb
Josip Vuglac	Medvescak Zagreb

Estonia

Goalies:

Name	Team
Daniil Erport	Tallinn HC Viking
Bogdan Valjaikin	Kalix UHC

Defensemen:

Name	Team
Grigory Barancukov	Atlant Moscow Region
Hendrik Paul Laosma	Helsinki HJK
Saveli Novikov	Tallinn HC Viking
Dmitri Patrusev	Narva PSK
Jegor Petrov	Tallin HC Viking
Mihkel Sinikas	Espoo Blues
Ed Slessarevski	Haukat Jarvenpaa

Forwards:

Name	Team
Georg Ermel	Haukat Jarvenpaa
Daniil Fursa	Hermes Kokkola
Kristofer Jogi	Espoo Blues
Morten Arantez Jurgens	Espoo Blues
Nikita Kozorev	Minnesota Magicians
Dmitri Kuznetsov	Tartu Kajakas
Vladimir Nestertsuk	Haukat Jarvenpaa
Maksim Simonov	Haukat Jarvenpaa
Nikita Smirnov	GrIFK Kauniainen
Valentin Sverdlov	Connecticut Junior Rangers
Risto Teppan	Salo Kiekkohait
Kirill Volkov	Narva PSK

Japan

Goalies:

Name	Team
Yujiro Isobe	Meiji University
Yuuki Mizuta	Toyo University

Defensemen:

Name	Team
Daiki Aoyama	Kushiro Konan HS
Yuki Iwamura	Bushukan HS
Shunya Kawaguchi	Toyo University
Kengo Koba	Kushiro Konan HS
Yusuke Kon	Komazawa Tomakomai HS
Michihiro Kyoya	Meiji University
Hiroshi Matsui	Hosei University
Akihide Watanabe	Toyo University

Forwards:

Name	Team
Daichi Igari	Komazawa Tomakomai HS
Atsuki Ikeda	Meiji University
Koki Ishikura	Toyo University
Wataru Matsui	Bushukan HS
Yushi Nakayashiki	Oji Eagles
Taiki Namae	Kushiro Konan HS
Daichi Saito	Chuo University
Jin Sawade	Bushukan HS
Ryo Shimizu	Shirakaba Gakuen HS
Masaki Tokoro	Toyo University
Hiroya Tokuda	Bushukan HS
Keitaro Yasuda	Elite Hockey Academy

Lithuania

Goalies:

Name	Team
Laurynas Lubys	SaiPa Lappeenranta
Artur Pavliukov	Coulee Region Chill

Defensemen:

Name	Team
Daniel Benilov	KJT Edustus
Arvidas Domeika	Grodno
Lukas Jonuska	AIK Harnosand
Tomas Krukovski	Esmark Stars
Paulius Macijauskas	Rice Prep Knights
Dominykas Motiejunas	SaiPa Lappeenranta
Edgar Protcenko	Energija Elektrenai

Forwards:

Name	Team
Dominik Bogdziul	Binghamton Senators
Edvinas Boroska	Energija Elektrenai
Ilja Cetvertak	Energija Elektrenai
Mark Kaleinikovas	HK Liepaja
Emilijus Krakauskas	EHC Biel
Laisvydas Kudrevicius	Energija Elektrenai
Denis Kuzminov	Southern Maryland Sabres
Arturas Laukaitis	El Paso Rhinos
Patrik Misiuk	Team Illinois
Dino Mukovoz	Belye Medvedi Moscow
Ignotas Ragas	Richmond Generals
Lukas Zukauskas	AIK Harnosand
Dominik Bogdziul	Binghamton Senators

Netherlands

Goalies:

Name	Team
Ruud Leeuwesteijn	Tilburg Trappers
Jorrit Vos	Heerenveen Flyers

Defensemen:

Name	Team
Jonne de Bonth	Tilburg Trappers
Martijn Geerligs	Red Eagles Den Bosch
Sebastian Kragt	Eindhoven Kemphanen
Christian Maier	KAC Klagenfurt
Noah Muller	Dusseldorfer EG
Vince van de Kraak	Eindhoven Kemphanen
Niek van der Meulen	Heerenveen Flyers

Forwards:

Name	Team
Leef Boer	Zoetermeer Panthers
Wessel Copier	Nijmegen Devils
Joey Geurts	Geleen Smoke Eaters
Max Hermans	Nacka HK
Lucca Kluijtmans	Eindhoven Kemphanen
Luuk Lambregts	Red Eagles Den Bosch
Bas Tammerijn	Zoetermeer Panthers
Tobie Tjin-A-Ton	Amsterdam Gs
Mick Trimp	Zoetermeer Panthers
Jorn van Soest	Eindhoven Kemphanen
Ties van Soest	DEG Dusseldorf
Diordy Vols	Hijs Hokij Wolves
Kai Willems	Geleen Smoke Eaters

Romania

Goalies:

Name	Team
Ors Adorjan	CSS Miercurea Ciuc
Daniel Uruc	Steaua Bucharest

Defensemen:

Name	Team
Elod Antal	SC Miercurea Ciuc
Florin Creanga	Steaua Bucharest
Robert Ferencz-Csibi	Progym Gheorgheni
Tihamer Gyorfy	Debreceni HK
Andrei Haraga	Corona Brasov
Tamas Salamon	CSS Miercurea Ciuc

Forwards:

Name	Team
Andrei Anton	Steaua Bucharest
Eduard Casaneanu	CSS Miercurea Ciuc
Andrei Filip	Steaua Bucharest
Balasz Gajdo	Steaua Bucharest
Lorand Kollo	Progym Gheorgheni
Koppani Marton	Debreceni HK
Rajmund Marton	SC Miercurea Ciuc
Tamas Reszegh	KLH Chomutov U20
Szilard Rokaly	Ocskay Academy Szekesfehervar
Zoltan Sandor	SC Miercurea Ciuc
Zaharia Stefan	Steaua Bucharest
Otto Szopos	DVTK Jegesmedvek Miskolc
Robert Timaru	Steaua Bucharest
Andrei Vasile	Toronto Predators

Schedule

December 11
Romania - Croatia
Estonia - Japan
Lithuania - Netherlands

December 12
Japan - Croatia
Netherlands - Romania
Lithuania - Estonia

December 14
Japan - Netherlands
Lithuania - Romania
Estonia -  Croatia

December 16
Croatia - Lithuania
Romania - Japan
Netherlands - Estonia

December 17
Japan - Lithuania
Croatia - Netherlands
Estonia - Romania

Prediction

1 (Promoted) - Lithuania
2 - Japan
3 - Croatia
4 - Estonia
5 - Netherlands
6 (Relegated) - Romania

Lithuania seems like the best team on paper, so I have them winning the tournament. The year Japan took off could hurt them. While they may pose a challenge, they'll fall short and be stuck in Division II for another year. Croatia and Estonia battle it out for third place, which I can see Croatia sliding into that spot. The Netherlands hung on by the skin of their teeth last year, and I expect them to do so this year. Romania's stay in Group A will be short lived, as a last place finish bumps them back down to Group B.