The Official WJC Thread

[DMT]

I hate "official" threads, so I had to make one. Post any info or anything else regarding the tournament here.

According to the Forum today, the Betty will play host during the WJ to a free event involving the Stanley Cup and several NHLer's signing autographs.

[jk]

I think US practices are open to the public. Has anyone attended? I'm curious about how the UND-connected kids look, especially how Lee is adapting to the quicker pace.

jloos, you're a hockey junkie; have you been there?

[YaneA]

Well, since you started it...

I still have plenty of pro-USA hats to give away, an act of random kindness and senseless beauty, from hockey fan to hockey fan. They're free. [There's no catch; no sales person will call. ; ) ]

Some are spangly, some are more subdued, some have flag decorations or hockey players and catchy slogans. Kids will like them as well as adults! Just PM me with your seat number (specify when you'll be at the Ralph--i.e. day, game) and I can deliver them this weekend or next.

C'mon USA fans: let's show our "gang colors" on our own turf.

[NDFlyer]

Word around the campfire is that this could be the best Canadian junior team---ever. They average 6 feet, 1 inch, 203 lbs. Return at least 11 players from last year's squad. Avg age is well over 19.

[DMT]

Word around the campfire is that this could be the best  Canadian  junior team---ever.  They average 6 feet, 1 inch,  203 lbs.  Return at least 11 players from last year's squad.  Avg age is well over 19.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Canada has to be the favorite to get the gold. They are going to be very good. They cut 2 of the top 3 scorers in the WHL.

[NDFlyer]

Totally agree that they are the favorites. They have every reason to be motivated and would love nothing more than to win it on American ice. They are very well coached. Expect them to be fast, hard hitting and have good special teams.

Still, though, they are gonna have to go out and earn it.

[#1siouxfan22]

I wonder if its just NHL players that went to UND or some random guys.

[driscol]

Stafford article;

Home Boy

By Brenda Haugen

Special to usahockey.com

Drew Stafford has had quite a year.

In June, the 6-foot-2-inch, 204-pound forward was picked by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the NHL draft.

[Mad Man]

Word around the campfire is that this could be the best  Canadian  junior team---ever.  They average 6 feet, 1 inch,  203 lbs.  Return at least 11 players from last year's squad.  Avg age is well over 19.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How can the avg age be well over 19? It's an under 20 tourney. What is Canada cheating using overage players to win the championship.

[DMT]

Hockey News picks the US to win the tourney.

[Cratter]

15,000 in attendance at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg for a Canada exhibition.

[PCM]

Slovakia won the game in Grafton against Belarus 3-1. It was very chippy affair in the third period. The Slovak captain took a stick to the face and had to leave the game. I've never seen so much blood on the ice. One of the Slovaks then beat the hell out of a Belarusian who'd slashed him. Overall, I thought Slovakia was a much better team.

[NDFlyer]

Mad Man,

It is possible to be well over the age of 19 and still be under the age of 20.

Do you agree?

[Sioux_Hab-it]

Hockey News picks the US to win the tourney?

I thought they hired hockey experts at Hockey News. Sorry, but team US doesn't have a Zach Parise in this years line-up or the supporting cast. Team USA were fortunate to beat Germany 5-3 last evening. Meanwhile Canada has crushed Finland 6-0 and Switzerland 5-0. I still believe the US can medal but it will take a full team effort to do so. When Russia and Canada finally meet in the playoffs the Gold medal will be decided.

[driscol]

I received the most recent Hockey News magazine which included about 10 pages of the World Junior Tournament. In there they predicted the US would end up in 5 or 6 place? Of course this article also mentioned that one of the most exciting players on the US team is AJ Thelan who's not playing. It also mentioned that Robbie Shremp played last year which also isn't true. What a stupid magazine.

[Sioux_Hab-it]

DMT was pointing out that the Hockey News picked the US to finish first on their website.

[star2city]

From USA Today:

US Skaters Expect Tough Sledding at World Juniors

From the Toronto Globe & Mail comes this article with a number of inaccurate statements:

Players can thank eccentric multimillionaire for palatial arena

[driscol]

DMT was pointing out that the Hockey News picked the US to finish first on their website.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No kidding? I'm just pointing out that you think they would be consistent with their writing.

[ethanm]

ESPN has a story with predictions for all the teams. They have the US finishing fourth and Canada winning it.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?id=1952465

The story mentions Brian Lee (apparently from Moorehead High) as a name to know on the US team

Brian Lee, 17, was a surprise pick for the team ahead of others like A.J. Thelen and Jack Johnson, but Sandelin calls the 6-foot-3 player from Moorehead High School in Minnesota one of the top young players in the country. "Brian's a pretty exciting player to say the least," said Jack Barzee, a USA Hockey player evaluator and amateur scout.

[Mad Man]

Mad Man,

It is possible to be well over the age of 19 and still be under the age of 20.

Do you agree?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, 19 is 19, well over the age of 19 is 20 and up.

I will agree the Canadians are on average an older team since most are 85's with a couple of 86's and one 87. While most of team USA are 86's.

[SiouxMeNow]

15,000 in attendance at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg for a Canada exhibition.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In part because of the very good promotional skills of team Canada - tickets were $5 Canadian What is that? Like $3.50 US?? Ketchup for your hotdog will be more than that at the Ralph. I'm not going to bitch about the Ralph and USA Hockeys pricing structure but it seems like if they would have made single game tickets a little cheaper than $40 for US and Canada games - they would have been sold out for every US/Canada game a long time ago. Hell - if you want to park in REA's lots - it's $100 ALONE for the tournament I know they put up a big guarentee to host the tourney and need to make their money back but there's a lot of nickel and diming going on that's turned a lot of people off. I've got Canadian friends who are waiting until the Medal round to come down (I guess GF Hotels piling on and boosting their rates 100-200% didn't help either but that's another story)

[Jay21]

Tickets were only 5 dollars Canadian for the University of Manitoba Bisons vs Team Canada scrimmage games, and there were two of those. For the Finiland and Switzerland games, tickets started around 14 to 17 dollars Canadian.

[AZSIOUX]

here we go again!!!!!!! $$$$, the ralph, the ralph, the ralph..

merry christmas everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[#1siouxfan22]

Is the Canada v. Slovakia game on espn 2 also?

[Sioux_Hab-it]

Unfortunately, with no Center Ice this winter, Team Canada's games will only be televised on the Canadian Network TSN. I am hoping that some of the local sports bars here in Colorado Springs will be able to pick them up.