In the last U18 Worlds game, Sweden beat Russia for gold two years ago.
photo: Steve Kingsman / HHOF-IIHF Images
The IIHF is adding Texas to its list of first-time tournament hosting venues, and the Americans are among the favourites to win it all at the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. Canada, however, will have its strongest team in years because of the pandemic, and the Swedes also have a powerful group of under-18 players. What makes this event particularly odd is that because it was cancelled in 2020 because of COVID-19, there are no returning U18 players. There are, however, a few who played at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship earlier this year in Edmonton.
All games can be watched live on TV or live stream. Check out the broadcast list here.
And here is what to look for from each of the ten teams in Frisco and Plano (ordered based on final placings from 2019):
Sweden
The Swedes won their first-ever U18 gold two years ago, beating Russia, 4-3, in overtime thanks to a Lucas Raymond golden goal. The two most notable players to watch this year are forward Fabian Lysell and defenceman Simon Edvinsson. The 18-year-old Lysell plays for Lulea and has distinguished himself for his skating and his ability to both score and be a playmaker. Edvinsson plays for Frolunda and is big and strong and is effective at both ends of the ice. Both players are draft eligible in 2021, so expect them to be at the top of their game.
Russia
Silver medallists in 2019, the Russians also have two stars who will lead this team to whatever success they may have – VHL forwards Fyodor Svechkov (Lada Togliatti) and Nikita Chibrikov (St. Petersburg). Chibrikov isn’t the biggest player on the ice, but he plays above his weight class. He’s hard to knock off the puck and has a great shot, and as is the norm for any Russian his skating is his finest asset. Svechkov, a native of Togliatti, just turned 18 and is the top-rated Russian prospect in the upcoming draft in a year not strong on Russians. The two-way centre is likely a late-first-rounder and will try to help his country win gold for the first time since 2007.
United States
The U18 is the premier event for USA Hockey, which has a special centralization program to prepare players year-round for the tournament. The Americans have won ten gold medals in 21 years, but only once in the last four (2017). Chaz Lucius missed a significant amount of time at the beginning of the season with a knee injury, but if he is healthy, he will show off his trademark scoring touch. Two other fine talents from the NTDP are Isaac Howard and Sasha Pastujov. In all, the Americans have five 2004-born players.
Canada
Heavy on OHL talent with 13 players because the league never got off the ground this year, Canada will be on everyone’s radar not only because of the usual reason that it is a medal contender but because coach Dave Barr has named 15-year-old Connor Bedard to the squad. He isn’t draft eligible until 2023, but he is very much considered a generational talent along the lines of Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. Bedard played briefly in Sweden before the WHL started up, and since then he has 28 points in 15 games with the Regina Pats playing against mostly 18- and 19-year-olds. In a typical year, Canada doesn’t have its best players at this event because many are in the CHL playoffs, but this year is a bit different. It last won gold in 2013, but this year other top prospects are able to play, notably Dylan Guenther, Brandt Clarke, and Mason McTavish.
Belarus
Belarus has enjoyed limited success at the U18, but this current period marks its most successful as it is playing at the top level for the fourth straight year. In all, it has played in ten of the previous 21 editions, finishing as high as 5th twice, including 2019. This year most of the team’s best players are playing in Russia, including defencemen Ilya Gavrilov and Pavel Kamko. Forward Nikita Tarasevich moved to North America as a young teen to play for Little Caesars and then for the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. He has committed to Michigan State, but in the meantime will try to help his country flourish in the top pool another year.
Czech Republic
The number of Czechs in the NHL has plummeted over the years, from a high of 80 in 2002/03 to just 34 last year. Experts argue that the desire to play in the CHL has harmed their development more than helped, but if this year’s U18 team is an indication, things might be changing. Not one player is playing junior in Canada (although that might change in another year as they reach a more traditional CHL age), and only four are not in the Czech Republic. Three are playing in Finland this season – defenceman Tomas Hamara and forwards Jaroslav Chmelar and Jakub Kos – and one in Switzerland – Simon Marha. Of the homegrown talent, Stanislav Svozil might be the best. The blueliner played for the Czechs at the World Juniors earlier this year and is the top-ranked Czech in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
Finland
The Finns placed a disappointing 7th last year after having won a medal the previous four years in a row (two gold, two silver). In all, they have eleven medals to shot in their U18 history. Perhaps the player to watch these weeks is Samu Tuomaala, a forward with Karpat Oulu. He can put the puck in the net from anywhere in the offensive end. And since you can’t teach scoring, it’s an asset every team values the most from a player. Another Samu, Salminen, is also a player to watch. He has been a dominant force with Jokerit in Finland’s junior league this season and has continued to improve the last two or three years.
Latvia
This is only the ninth U18 for Latvia since the tournament began in 1999, but the Latvians had their best finish ever two years ago when they placed 8th. Their goal, of course, will be to remain in the top pool under coach Olegs Sorokins, who is back for a third year with the U18s. The Latvians didn’t play in the U20 earlier this year because the Division I-A was cancelled, so this team is very light on experience at the top international level. Roberts Cjunskis and Darels Dukurs are playing in Switzerland this season. Cjunskis has lived in Lugano for several years and has developed into a sizeable talent.
Switzerland
The Swiss finished 9th in 2019 and have won only one medal at the U18, a silver in 2001 after stunning Finland, 4-2, in the semi-finals. Attilio Biasca was the only Swiss on this U18 team who played at the World Juniors in January. He has spent the current season with the Halifax Mooseheads in the Q. Although he had a rough time at the U20 level, and has struggled with injury since, he seems to be healthy now and will be an important part of any success the Swiss might have in Texas.
Germany
The Germans are back in the top level for the first time since 2015, and Ziesche is back as U18 coach for the first time since 2017. The Germans have shown a determined effort to connect their U18 and U20 teams, so for many of these players this is part of a two or three-year program to move their development along as fully as possible. Forward Bennet Rossmy, a 17-year-old, has played much of the last few seasons in the Czech Republic, with Liberec, before returning to Germany to play for second-tier Lausitzer Fuchse. Yannik Proske is another prospect who isn’t eligible for the draft until 2022 but worth keeping an eye on.
All games can be watched live on TV or live stream. Check out the broadcast list here.
And here is what to look for from each of the ten teams in Frisco and Plano (ordered based on final placings from 2019):
Sweden
The Swedes won their first-ever U18 gold two years ago, beating Russia, 4-3, in overtime thanks to a Lucas Raymond golden goal. The two most notable players to watch this year are forward Fabian Lysell and defenceman Simon Edvinsson. The 18-year-old Lysell plays for Lulea and has distinguished himself for his skating and his ability to both score and be a playmaker. Edvinsson plays for Frolunda and is big and strong and is effective at both ends of the ice. Both players are draft eligible in 2021, so expect them to be at the top of their game.
Russia
Silver medallists in 2019, the Russians also have two stars who will lead this team to whatever success they may have – VHL forwards Fyodor Svechkov (Lada Togliatti) and Nikita Chibrikov (St. Petersburg). Chibrikov isn’t the biggest player on the ice, but he plays above his weight class. He’s hard to knock off the puck and has a great shot, and as is the norm for any Russian his skating is his finest asset. Svechkov, a native of Togliatti, just turned 18 and is the top-rated Russian prospect in the upcoming draft in a year not strong on Russians. The two-way centre is likely a late-first-rounder and will try to help his country win gold for the first time since 2007.
United States
The U18 is the premier event for USA Hockey, which has a special centralization program to prepare players year-round for the tournament. The Americans have won ten gold medals in 21 years, but only once in the last four (2017). Chaz Lucius missed a significant amount of time at the beginning of the season with a knee injury, but if he is healthy, he will show off his trademark scoring touch. Two other fine talents from the NTDP are Isaac Howard and Sasha Pastujov. In all, the Americans have five 2004-born players.
Canada
Heavy on OHL talent with 13 players because the league never got off the ground this year, Canada will be on everyone’s radar not only because of the usual reason that it is a medal contender but because coach Dave Barr has named 15-year-old Connor Bedard to the squad. He isn’t draft eligible until 2023, but he is very much considered a generational talent along the lines of Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. Bedard played briefly in Sweden before the WHL started up, and since then he has 28 points in 15 games with the Regina Pats playing against mostly 18- and 19-year-olds. In a typical year, Canada doesn’t have its best players at this event because many are in the CHL playoffs, but this year is a bit different. It last won gold in 2013, but this year other top prospects are able to play, notably Dylan Guenther, Brandt Clarke, and Mason McTavish.
Belarus
Belarus has enjoyed limited success at the U18, but this current period marks its most successful as it is playing at the top level for the fourth straight year. In all, it has played in ten of the previous 21 editions, finishing as high as 5th twice, including 2019. This year most of the team’s best players are playing in Russia, including defencemen Ilya Gavrilov and Pavel Kamko. Forward Nikita Tarasevich moved to North America as a young teen to play for Little Caesars and then for the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. He has committed to Michigan State, but in the meantime will try to help his country flourish in the top pool another year.
Czech Republic
The number of Czechs in the NHL has plummeted over the years, from a high of 80 in 2002/03 to just 34 last year. Experts argue that the desire to play in the CHL has harmed their development more than helped, but if this year’s U18 team is an indication, things might be changing. Not one player is playing junior in Canada (although that might change in another year as they reach a more traditional CHL age), and only four are not in the Czech Republic. Three are playing in Finland this season – defenceman Tomas Hamara and forwards Jaroslav Chmelar and Jakub Kos – and one in Switzerland – Simon Marha. Of the homegrown talent, Stanislav Svozil might be the best. The blueliner played for the Czechs at the World Juniors earlier this year and is the top-ranked Czech in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
Finland
The Finns placed a disappointing 7th last year after having won a medal the previous four years in a row (two gold, two silver). In all, they have eleven medals to shot in their U18 history. Perhaps the player to watch these weeks is Samu Tuomaala, a forward with Karpat Oulu. He can put the puck in the net from anywhere in the offensive end. And since you can’t teach scoring, it’s an asset every team values the most from a player. Another Samu, Salminen, is also a player to watch. He has been a dominant force with Jokerit in Finland’s junior league this season and has continued to improve the last two or three years.
Latvia
This is only the ninth U18 for Latvia since the tournament began in 1999, but the Latvians had their best finish ever two years ago when they placed 8th. Their goal, of course, will be to remain in the top pool under coach Olegs Sorokins, who is back for a third year with the U18s. The Latvians didn’t play in the U20 earlier this year because the Division I-A was cancelled, so this team is very light on experience at the top international level. Roberts Cjunskis and Darels Dukurs are playing in Switzerland this season. Cjunskis has lived in Lugano for several years and has developed into a sizeable talent.
Switzerland
The Swiss finished 9th in 2019 and have won only one medal at the U18, a silver in 2001 after stunning Finland, 4-2, in the semi-finals. Attilio Biasca was the only Swiss on this U18 team who played at the World Juniors in January. He has spent the current season with the Halifax Mooseheads in the Q. Although he had a rough time at the U20 level, and has struggled with injury since, he seems to be healthy now and will be an important part of any success the Swiss might have in Texas.
Germany
The Germans are back in the top level for the first time since 2015, and Ziesche is back as U18 coach for the first time since 2017. The Germans have shown a determined effort to connect their U18 and U20 teams, so for many of these players this is part of a two or three-year program to move their development along as fully as possible. Forward Bennet Rossmy, a 17-year-old, has played much of the last few seasons in the Czech Republic, with Liberec, before returning to Germany to play for second-tier Lausitzer Fuchse. Yannik Proske is another prospect who isn’t eligible for the draft until 2022 but worth keeping an eye on.