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On Dec. 26, 2023, Team Canada will begin the defense of their most recent World Junior Championship (WJC) when the tournament starts in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Ultimately, all eyes will be on them as they prepare for their first event without former first-overall pick Connor Bedard. Bedard tallied 23 points in seven games last year to power his country to their second consecutive championship.
Since 2020, Canada has been in the Gold Medal game every year, winning in 2020, 2022, and 2023 while losing to Team USA in the 2021 finale. Even though other nations in the tournament have made significant strides to contend yearly, this tournament usually comes down to a showcase between the two North American countries.
Team Canada is looking to three-peat as Gold Medalists for the first time in over a decade
Considering Canada has the most Gold Medals at the World Junior Championships (20), it's surprising to learn that they have only won the tournament three years in a row twice (once from 1993 to 1997 and most recently from 2005 to 2009).
As the reigning champions, they have the biggest target on their back heading over to Sweden and will only return with one player from last year's winning team, Owen Beck. Unfortunately, the 19-year-old only skated in three games last year because of injury but will be counted on as a Team Canada leader with a roster featuring 18 NHL-drafted prospects.
Statistically, Team Canada will deploy a lineup with 11 NHL first-round draft picks. They will also have four second-round picks, one third-rounder, and two selections from the fifth round.
Surprisingly, only the Anaheim Ducks loaned Tristan Luneau for the tournament, who has seven games of NHL experience, while skating in the AHL for six games.
Moreover, forward Macklin Celebrini, the projected top pick in 2024, is the only skater in the lineup under 18. He is set to make his WJC debut at 17, on loan from Boston University.
Although experience is vital for tournaments like this, team chemistry is far more critical since these skaters don't get to spend a lot of time bonding together and need to get on the same page in a short period to play a handful of essential games in less than two weeks.
Team USA relying on experience for an eighth possible medal in the past decade
Last year, Team USA went 4-1-0-2 at the tournament, claiming the Bronze Medal in a wild 8-7 contest against Team Sweden. Earlier today, the country announced its final roster and will return seven skaters from last year's team.
Interestingly, they are bringing back players who are already NHL prospects, including three first-rounders plus four second-round selections, which provides the team with invaluable experience, something Canada doesn't bring to the table this year.
Of course, Canada's final roster is loaded with NHL prospects, just like Team USA, which currently has 22 drafted players, with three skaters eligible for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
Considering there is more pressure on Canada to win a medal with the majority of the country tuning in for every contest, it is safe to say that Americans have come to embrace this tournament. That has shown over the years, with five Gold, one Silver and five Bronze Medals since 2000.
Unlike other top hockey countries, the United States has a national junior development program. This allows the best skaters in the country to play together for an entire season instead of getting plucked from various leagues and thrown together for a quick tournament, only to disband immediately after.
As mentioned, chemistry is any team's most significant asset at the World Junior Championships. Since Team USA will bring back several key members from the Bronze Medal team in 2023, they would appear to have an edge over some of their opponents.
However, there have been years when teams return with multiple players, and for some reason, the bounces don't go their way, and chemistry just isn't there. Furthermore, with the tournament on the other side of the globe this year, skaters must adjust to new time zones and routines after traveling to Sweden.
Recently, there have been surprises and upsets at the tournament as the rest of the world catches up to the two North American powerhouses who have earned at least one medal in every tournament since 1998, except the last time Sweden (Malmö) held the event in 2014.
Unfortunately, Canada and the United States will not play in the round-robin this year. If they are to meet, it would be in the playoffs and possibly with a shot at a medal, boosting TV ratings in North America ahead of the tournament set to take place in Ottawa next year.
