World Junior Championships 2018: city Penguins preview

The best young players in the world are about to start their annual tournament. There won’t be much representation for the Pittsburgh Penguins

World Junior Championships 2018: city Penguins preview

The week between Christmas and New Years’ is one in every of the most effective times for hockey prospect looking, because the annual World Junior Championships takes place with the most effective young players underneath twenty years previous showcasing their skills.

The problem for the city Penguins? Most the most effective eighteen and nineteen year olds within the world have already been written and known with initial and second spherical picks that city has listed away. There won’t be abundant to look at in terms of players with Penguins’ ties, tho' there ar some draft eligible players in 2018 that the team might continually (maybe) get next summer if they keep a number of those picks.

With that disclaimer out of the manner, here’s your temporary

Sweden

The team to look at for Pens fans, for sure, being as they need the sole player city written. Filip Gustavsson, Pittsburgh’s second spherical choose in 2016, is about to be the beginning goalie for the Swedes. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman had the subsequent notes recently on Gustavsson:

Gustavsson hasn’t had his best season up to now at the professional and international level, however i feel in him as a player and prospect. He’s a big, sensible goalie with fine vigour for his size. He’s shown before over the years he will play at a high level and can possible be the beginning goalie for Scandinavian nation.

And from last weekend’s SWE/USA warmup game:

Gustavsson was arguably Sweden's best player within the game, and he was the primary name their coach Tomas Monten named once asked for guys UN agency created a positive impression. the large hockey player ought to plenty of pucks that were moving across his crease, was aggressive in setting apart angles and ne'er appeared out of position.

Finland

Sadly, no Penguins ties on the team this year. city alternative 2016 second spherical choose Kasper Bjorkqvist has aged out, and therefore the alternative prospect, 2016 fifth rounder Niclas Almari couldn’t crack an excellent, super deep Republic of Finland defense that options six (SIX!) former NHL initial spherical draft picks. in a very traditional year, Almari might need created the Finnish team, but alas, this can be no traditional year for the Finns defensively.

Canada

I don’t suppose Pittsburgh’s had a tie to Team Canada since Derrick Pouliot, which fits to indicate that city hasn’t had a high draft choose in a very long, long time. Unless city keeps their 2018 initial rounders and drafts a Canadian, this trend is unlikely to alter.

USA

There are not any Pens prospects with Team USA this year either. There aren’t even any children with city or Pennsylvania ties to the team either, that is pretty uncommon from years’ past as there’s been a growing city affiliation to the team.

Team USA is taken into account a small favorite to repeat as champions, therefore since the bulk of our audience is yankee, there’s a minimum of one reason to listen to the present tournament.

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So, that’s regarding it. If you’re a city Penguins fan you have got virtually nothing to look at for during this year’s World Junior Championships. tho' you are doing have the last a pair of Stanley Cup DVD’s you'll be able to watch instead, that is additional fun anyways.