Chasing Gold Again One Year Later

For the next couple of weeks, I will be spending much of my time and energy towards articles for this very tournament. It’s the only platform that has allowed me a major title, medal, or championship from any of my teams in all sports since becoming an avid fan. This is one of the most exciting times of the year for hockey and the WJC does not disappoint.

For those who aren't familiar with the IIHF World Junior Championship, it’s a hockey tournament that features the youngest and most hockey-bred players in each of the ten qualifying countries in the world. It’s an absolute hotbed of upcoming talent that we are lucky to see previews of; and, it’s also a chance to see some hockey played in good ole red, white, and blue. This is where the best players in the NHL have first been showcased before making a career in the NHL. Anyone from Gretzky to Ovechkin, and Crosby to Kane, have played in this competition. Think, olympic hockey but younger — basically similar to what we will be seeing in the Olympics this coming year now that professional players will no longer take part in it. Fortunately though, you get to see this not once every four years, but every single year.

Now that we’ve got that sorted, Team USA is going for their first ever back-to-back gold medal finish after defeating Team Canada in an electric shootout bout in this tournament last time. 

Repeating as a champion on any stage is daunting, but when you have older teenage kids competing, it gets a little crazy. Pressure is a factor now, more than ever for these young guys.

Although USA was able to do it last year, do they have what it takes now that most of the team has changed from a year ago? Will they have a Jordan Greenway, a Troy Terry, or a Charlie McAvoy? If there’s one thing you need in this tournament, it’s speed. The game consumes you and moves through the pace of young and hearty legs. They will need powerful, fast bodies to navigate both carefully, and skillfully through the style of play the WJC demands.

Some players that can certainly fill this void are some returnees from last year’s successful squad. Players like Kiefer Bellows and Adam Fox can build off of their skill and experience from last year. Ryan Lindgren was sick and could not play with the aforementioned teammates and the rest of the USA squad, but can certainly help as a healthy defenseman this time around.

Every year, USA plays Canada at least once because they are always in the same group together. It’s usually on New Year’s Eve, but this year it’s a couple of days earlier on the 29th. What’s so special this year though, is that this installment of a classic hockey rivalry will be taken outdoors. The WJC has never featured an outdoor game until now and being that the competition is in Buffalo this year, I’m sure there will be plenty of American and Canadian fans present. If USA vs Canada wasn’t entertaining enough, now we get to see them battle in what could be a snowy, late afternoon matchup exposed to the elements outside.

Ever since the first year I watched when John Carlson scored a no-look 2-on-1 wrister top shelf in overtime to seal the gold medal against Canada in 2010, I just couldn’t help but lick my chops every year right around Christmas time. The only gift I ever want now is to see a USA gold medal team.

Source photo credit: Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / Getty | thescore.com