How Hävelid will match the back side, which has the potential to be one of the tournament’s best, becomes a luxury problem. The goalkeeping will be interesting to follow, it is perhaps the part of the team that has the most question marks around it with Hugo Hävelid, Melker Thelin and Kevin Reidler. The question marks mostly concern who it is that will be number one. During the preparations against Switzerland and the USA in Ängelholm, Hävelid and Thelin each got a start.
It has been ten years since Sweden last organized a JVM, when the tournament was played in Malmö. Sweden lost the final against Finland that year. Sweden opens the tournament against Latvia on Boxing Day.
– Having all the Swedish fans behind me will only help us, I think. I know, I played in Halifax where there were 11,000 Canadian fans booing us. It was hard to play. So I know how it feels, so I see it as an advantage to have all the Swedish fans behind me, says Sandin-Pellikka.
WATCH – GROUP A
Sweden, Finland, Canada, Germany and Latvia.
Sweden faces tough opposition in the group. Partly Finland on New Year’s Eve, but also the reigning champions Canada on December 29, who will defend their gold from last year when the team defeated the Czech Republic in the final. Canada brings a lot of interesting players to the team – one of them is Macklin Celebrini, who is a candidate to be selected No. 1 in the draft in 2024. Celebrini comes to the JVM off a fall that included 25 points (10+15) in 15 games in Boston University. Another hot name in Canada’s squad is Matthew Poitras, who scored 13 points (5+8) in 27 NHL games with the Boston Bruins this season.
The Finnish team was eliminated by Sweden last season and of course want to stir the pot now that the Swedes are playing at home. Finland starts the tournament against Canada, keep an eye on the promises Emil Hemming who debuted in Liiga this season and Konsta Helenius. Both are hot names ahead of this summer’s draft.
Notable from Finland is that Joakim Kemell, drafted by the Nashville Predators and who played AHL hockey this fall, is not included. Defender Aron Kiviharju (injured) will not play either.
WATCH – GROUP B
USA, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Slovakia and Norway.
The USA is one of the favorites to go all the way. In recent years, the country has been dominant on the U18 side, although it hasn’t ended up with gold every time. Now their 2004 and 2005s get the chance to shine at a JVM as well. And there are many interesting names to keep an eye on. Cutter Gauthier, born in Skellefteå, but now in the Philadelphia Flyers organization is one of those names. Last year, Gauthier scored ten points (4+6) in seven games for the bronze-winning USA. He is one of seven players who are in this year as well.
Last year’s sensations the Czech Republic, who upset Canada in the final, are said to have good confidence going into this tournament. It was the country’s first JVM medal since the bronze in 2005. A lot of players are participating again this year and the hope is to be able to fight for a medal.
Norway are new to the tournament this year. Here, forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygård is worth keeping an extra eye on. Mora players are tipped to go high in the 2024 draft, and have scored six points in 22 games in the HockeyAllsvenskan this year.
2023-12-23 14:54:55
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