2012 World Junior Championship Viewing Guide
It’s definitely one the most wonderful times of the year.
Hockey fans look forward to Christmas; Die hard hockey fans look even more forward to Boxing Day and the start of the World Junior Championships!
This is hockey at its finest. Players playing with that youthful passion for the game and that sense of national pride that one can only imagine they get when donning their country’s colours. Fans cannot help but get caught up in the emotion evoked by the intense and exciting action that naturally ensues.
Many of the players do not yet possess professional contracts. Some have not yet been drafted. All involved want to make the ultimate positive impact to help in their quest to play at even higher levels. For some, this will be the pinnacle of their hockey careers. But at the forefront and focus of all is the crest on the front of the jersey – there are dreams of a Gold Christmas. Of course, some nations would be quite ecstatic to have a Silver or Bronze Christmas when the tournament reaches its climax.
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This page will serve as THW’s “Home Page” for WJC coverage. Bookmark and check back often as more articles will be added highlighting team previews, players to watch, predictions and other unique and exclusive coverage from The Hockey Writers unique collective of sportswriters. Click on the respective link to be taken to the full article.
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Latest THW World Juniors Update:
World Juniors Player Spotlight: Nikita Gusev – The Undrafted Artist
- Comparing the Russian hidden gem to a painter!
Stories from the 2012 WJHC: Czech Goalie Mrazek Making Friends and Enemies
Evgeny Kuznetsov (BridgetDS /Flickr)
- Comparing the Russian dynamo to a surgeon!
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Essential Links:
-
World Junior Roster Breakdown by NHL Team by THW’s Ryan Pike
- Schedule: via IIHF
- WJC 2012 Home Page: via Hockey Canada
- Message Board: HFBoards dedicated WJC forum
- Rosters & Stats: Elite Prospects
- NHL.com WJC Articles
- TSN Coverage
- Live Streams: Info from IIHF
- A Beginners Guide to the World Juniors by Chris Peters (United States of Hockey)
- Puck Worlds team preview series of articles by Bruce Peter
- 2012 WJC: Things You did not Know by THW’s Salim Valji
Players To Watch
Jonathan Huberdeau: Quebec’s Latest Sensation
World Juniors Player Spotlight: Nikita Gusev – The Undrafted Artist
Brendan Gallagher’s No Small Threat
World Juniors Player Spotlight: Evgeny Kuznestsov by Chris Ralph
The Rise Of Team Canada’s Mark Stone by David O’Connor
5 Players To Watch In The 2012 World Juniors (David O’Connor)
Nail Yakupov – The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile (Chris Ralph)
2012 Draft Eligible Nail Yakupov is one to watch on Team Russia at WJCs {Metcalfe Photography}
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Team Specific
Canada
2012 WJHC: Canada Finishes off Finland in Opening Game by Salim Valji
WJC 2012: Questions Surround Hosts Team Canada (Salim Valji)
Will Team Canada’s Starting Goalie Please Stand Up (Andrew Sykes)
The Next Ones – Boone Jenner – NHL 2011 Draft Prospect Profile: Jenner-ating Old Time Hockey Flashbacks (Chris Ralph)
Breaking Down Canada’s World Junior Roster (David O’Connor)
The Next Ones – Ryan Strome – NHL 2011 Draft Prospect Profile: Strome Wasn’t Built in a Day (Chris Ralph)
Profiling The OHL’s Representation On Team Canada (Andrew Sykes)
Team Canada: Thirty Years Of The Game At Its Best (Book Review) (Chris Ralph)
Czech Republic
Stories from the 2012 WJHC: Czech Goalie Mrazek Making Friends and Enemies
2012 WJC: Politics Playing a Role in Selection of Czech Team
Denmark
2012 WJHC: Can Denmark Avoid Relegation?
Finland
2012 WJHC: Finland Upsets United States 4-1
2012 WJC: Is Team Finland the Tournament Darkhorse?
Latvia
World Juniors: Latvia Captivates Calgary Crowd Even In Loss To Slovakia
World Juniors Team Latvia Preview: Zemgus Girgensons And Beyond
Russia
World Juniors Player Spotlight: Nikita Gusev – The Undrafted Artist
- Comparing the Russian hidden gem to a painter!
- Comparing the Russian dynamo to a surgeon!
Russia’s Triple Threat Searches For Gold
Slovakia
World Juniors Player Spotlight: Tomas Jurco
World Juniors Team Slovakia Preview: Puck Magician Jurco Key To Success
Sweden
Looking At Sweden’s World Junior Roster
Switzerland
Hockey in Switzerland: NLA, NHL and World Juniors Updates
United States
Stories from the 2012 WJHC: Czech Goalie Mrazek Making Friends and Enemies
2012 WJHC: Previewing Finland/US Game
2012 WJHC: US Focused as They Prepare to Face Czech Republic
Stories from 2012 WJC: Scrutiny Surrounds US Defenceman Jon Merrill
Which Hockey East players will be named to the USA WJC evaluation camp roster?
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Follow on Twitter for plenty of updates leading up to and during the tournament: @ChrisRalphTHW
Latest posts by Christopher Ralph (see all)
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