4 Countries Unveil WJC Camp Rosters

December is World Junior Championship month on The Pipeline Show. As one of our four "Majors" on our seasonal calendar, you can expect a lot of talk focusing on the 2013 WJC. 

Today the preliminary and camp rosters of four different countries were named. A quick rundown follows after the jump.

One To Watch: Columbus Blue Jackets

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Columbus fans are probably tired of hearing about prospects, the future and what will be "one day". But it is true that the Blue Jackets have good things on the way and really, better days should lay ahead in the not too distant future.  

Already respectable on the blueline at the NHL level, there are more d-men in the system like David Savard, Nick Holden, Teddy Ruth, Cody Goloubef, Austin Madaisky and Mike Reilly with promise. Add 2nd overall pick Ryan Murray to that mix and recently acquired Tim Erixon and Columbus may even be considered "deep" at the position. 

I still think getting Boone Jenner in the second round of 2011 is great fortune for Columbus and will be a quality player one day. Michal Chaput had an excellent Memorial Cup tournament and T.J. Tynan, although very undersized, is an odds beater. 

But the position that is most highly scrutinized in the organization is between the pipes. I personally like Allen York and really approve of the selection of Joonas Korpisalo as well although I'm disappointed to here he has signed to play in Finland instead of playing in the WHL with Prince George. 

That said, it's another netminder that I have circled on my "must follow" sheet for this coming year. 

WJC team by team preview: Sweden

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Merry Christmas everyone. We are now just one sleep away from the start of the - in my opinion - the best tournament around. With that in mind we present to you our final two team previews. Later today we'll profile Canada, but right now it's the Swedes we dive into.

Pool A - Calgary
First Game vs. Latvia December 26th, 3:30 pm mst

3 Keys to Success

1- Mika Mania - The Ottawa Senators took Mika Zibanejad 6th overall in June and thought seriously about keeping him in the capital city for the season. Instead after 7 games they sent him back to Sweden to play in the Elite league and to eventually excel at the World Junior Championship. He's big, fast, skilled and scored twice against Canada in pre tournament play. Most of the offence should come through him this year for team Sweden.

2 - Don't mess with the Johan? I'm still not sure who Sweden is taking for goaltenders as they still have 3 listed on their roster, or maybe they bring 3. I'm just guessing but I think they'll go with Johan Matsson and Johan Gustafsson. The latter played very well in defeating Canada in pre tournament play and both the Johan's are bigger. Sweden in the past has had great goaltending and whoever they take will have to live up to the standards left behind by Jacob Markstrom and Robin Lehner.

3- Foppa 2.0 - Anytime you have a Forsberg on your Swedish hockey team ears perk up. There could be two Forsbergs on the team if Anton makes it as a goaltender, but all eyes will be on Filip starting Boxing Day. He's projected to be a top 5 pick come June and as the youngest player on Team Sweden will need to fight for his ice time on a older team. Sweden has shown in the past it will give a young players ample ice time, but whether Forsberg gets the same treatment as Adam Larsson and Victor Hedman did remains to be seen.

Wild Card

In past years Sweden has come in as heavy gold medal contenders and failed to live up to the hype. This year they weren't generating a lot of buzz - until they beat Canada that is - and maybe that's a good thing. Can the Swedes really fly under the radar? I asked Anton Lander the other day who he would rather beat, Canada or Finland? Remember Canada beat the Swedes the last two years they played for gold. Lander, a former captain for team Sweden said in Canada he'd rather beat the hosts, otherwise it would be Sweden all the way. If Canada and Sweden meet let's hope the pace of play is as good as it was Friday night.

Expectations: Sweden might not be the flavour of the tournament going in, but make no mistake they expect to challenge for gold and at the very least win medal.

Prediction: 4th place,losing to their arch rival Finland.

Swedish U20 Roster Leaked

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The Swedish World Junior team roster was to be announced tomorrow but as is common in today's world, a leaked listing has made it's way to the internet and some intrepid Swedish fans have jumped all over it. I suppose this should have a disclaimer that it's potentially a fake but message board talks appears to accept that it is real.

Here's a breakdown:

Top 5 Tuesday

Right now there isn't a European in the top 10 of CHL scoring, but a quick glance at the rookie scoring leaders and several imports lead the way. Having said that most teams don't succeed without a successful "Euro" and with that The Pipeline Show presents 5 players to watch for in this summer's CHL Import draft.

5. Tomas Tatar-Slovakia


Tatar was easily the most dynamic Slovakian at the World Junior Championship in Ottawa this year, piling up 7 goals and 4 assists in 11 games. He certainly caught the eye of my co host Guy Flaming with his superior skills and flare for celebrating.

We at TPS thought he might have been show boating a little, but after speaking with Oilers prospect, and Tatar WJC teammate, Milan Kytnar, we came to find out he's not a hot dog and just "didn't know what to do for celebrations." At 5.11 and 170 pounds, Tatar is being projected as a late second round pick right now for the upcoming draft, but should be a top 5 pick in the import draft, especially if he shows a willingness to come overseas and improve his game. A conversation with his countrymen Kytnar might help to sway him.

4. Jacob Josefson-Sweden

A versatile forward who can play both C/LW who is projected to be a top 10 pick in this June's NHL draft. However he might be a risk reward type guy for a CHL team. He might stay in Sweden until the WJC, then bolt for Canada, much like Mikael Backlund did recently, joining Kelowna. (By the way Backlund is scheduled to join Guy and myself tonight on TPS) Backlund's reason for leaving his home country was a lack of playing time. Josefson suffered a similar fate during the WJC in Ottawa where he failed to register a point. The 6.00 187 pound pass first player is strong on the puck and very smart, and could turn an average player into a sniper. The Rockets picked up Backlund 43rd overall in 2007, so watch for a team to take a chance on Josefson.



3. Robin Lehner-Sweden

Last year a Swedish netminder was the 3rd pipeman to be taken, as Florida snatched Jacob Markstrom with the first pick in the 2nd round. This year history could repeat itself as Robin Lehner is projected by ISS to be a 2nd rounder and the 3rd best goaltender available. The sweet stats on this Sweede are his size. He's 6.03 and 200 lbs, and reportedly moves extremely well. Lehner is said to have a never quit attitude who has the ability to win games by himself. There are a number of CHL teams who could use a stand out tender, including next year's Memorial Cup hosts, which could be the carrot dangled in front of him that gets him across the pond.

2. Stanislav Galiev-Russia

The first of 2 Russians on the list, and guy who's already used to the North American game. Galiev is currently with Indiana of the USHL where he's racked up 18 goals, 23 assist for 41 points in just 39 games. At 6.01 and 182 lbs the slick forward can dangle with the best of them and as a sizzling shot. Right now he's a top 20 pick for 2010, and I'd be shocked if he didn't jump to the CHL next year where he would get more exposure than the always improving USHL. Galiev could be the 2nd player picked even though a guy like Magnus Svensson-Paajarvi is a better prospect, there is a greater chance that Galiev will play in the CHL.



(Like Barry Manilow, Kirill "Copacabana" Kabanov is also of Russian ancestry)
1. Kirill Kabanov-Russia

Affectionately dubbed, "Copacabana" by TPS, Kabanov impressed me at the World Junior A Challenge in Camrose this past November. More so for his passion than his talent, even though his passion/temper landed him in hot water with the referees and his coach. The 6.03, 176 pound Left Winger who's a right handed shot, notched 3 goals, 4 assists and 12 penalty minutes in just 4 games for a very young Russian squad. It's not the first time he's dominated the point and penalty minute sheet in an international tournament either. At the 2008 World U-17 tournament, Kabanov had 11 points in 5 games to go along with 28 penalty minutes. Can dominate a game with his all world skill and will challenge Taylor Hall to be the first overall selection in the 2010 NHL entry draft. Will want to up his draft stock and that will come by jumping to the CHL.

You can here the November interview TPS did with Kabanov, where he basically told us there was a CHL bidding war for him here.



Tonight on TPS we're all over the map starting with Boston University goaltender Kieran Milan. The Edmonton product led his Terriers past rival Northeastern in the final of the Beanpot tournament with 23 save performance in a 5-2 win. From there we hope to speak with Springfield Falcon forward Ryan Stone whom the Oilers picked up in the Mathieu Garon trade with Pittsburgh a few weeks back. We'll find out how Stone is adjusting to Springfield where life has not been fun lately. Stone played junior hockey in Brandon, the same league as the Kelowna Rockets (okay it was a cheap way to mention the Wheat Kings) where Mikael Backlund is trying to lead the Rockets deep into the playoffs. So far so good for Backlund who has 13 points in 13 games for Kelowna who has clinched a playoff spot, hasn't lost in their last 9 regulation games, and could sneak into 3rd in the west. Finally from the WHL we'll check out the USHL where 2009 draft prospect John Moore plays for the Chicago Steel. The USHL is an underrated league that is starting to produce a large number of NHLers. You can catch the show live from 7-9 PM mountain time on the TEAM 1260 in Edmononton, or online around the world at http://www.thepipelineshow.com/. But as Guy likes to say, if you miss it live, click the archive.

Top 5 Tuesdays: 2009 WJC Swedes

On Monday afternoon Sweden released their 21-player roster for the 2009 World Junior Championship in Ottawa and with that in mind here are 5 players I'll be watching with varying degrees of interest.

5. Victor Hedman (D)
6'6, 220 lbs - Modo (SEL)
He's ranked #1 by both ISS and Redline Report for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He's 17-years-old and is already in his second season with Modo in Sweden's top men's league. Pundits and publications are saying he's the next Chris Pronger; a guaranteed franchise player. So why is he 5th on my list?

It's certainly not because I think he's any less than the budding superstar that those in the know have been envisioning for the last couple of years. I will be watching him for sure, but how much debate can there be on a player so roundly applauded? I have yet to have a single scout tell me that they have any concerns about him. Not one.

I'll be watching but I don't think there's much left to discover with Hedman - he's already the next big blueliner.

4. Erik Karlsson (D)
5.11, 163 lbs - Frölunda (SEL)

He's not big but he garnered so much hype in the weeks leading up to the draft (post U18) that quite frankly, I want to see if he lives up to the billing he was given. He's in the SEL but his stats suggest he's either struggling or not playing much of a role (3 points in 22 games) but the Senators drafted him 15th overall in 2008 because of his supposed offensive upside. He did have 7 points in 6 games at last year's WJC in Prague but I'm interested in seeing if he can rediscover that offensive flair after being held off the scoresheet so much with the men. I bet he can.

3. Jacob Markström (G)
6'4, 185 lbs - Brynäs (SEL)

I'm really intrigued by this goalie. He's got terrific size, his 2.37 GAA and .918 save percentage in 19 Elite League games this year suggest an 18-year-old worth paying a great deal of attention to. The Florida Panthers drafted him 31st overall in 2008 and I know for a fact that the Edmonton Oilers had him ranked much higher than that on their list.

On a strictly immature and personal level... I drafted him in my fantasy league with the 31st pick as well so call this a scouting mission of my own.

2. Magnus Svensson-Pääjärvi (LW)
6'1, 198 lbs - Timrå (SEL)

He's the second highest rated Swede for the 2009 NHL Draft but I think there is some debate about how high he will end up in the rankings. Most I've spoken with so far consider Hedman-Tavares then Cowan-Duchene the almost automatic top 4 but others suggest that a strong performance in Ottawa could get MSP some attention.

Like Hedman, Svensson-Pääjärvi was a 16-year-old playing in the U20 WJC for Sweden in Prague. He only had a couple of points there but he also had three in the SEL (as a 16-year-old) last year as well. How's he doing? Let's just say that dude has some skills. Here's a clip from this past September:



1. Mikael Backlund (F)
6', 198 lbs - Västerås (SEL)
He got a long look from the Calgary Flames at training camp but didn't do enough in pre-season to stick with the NHL club. Back in Sweden, Backlund plays for Västerås in the Allsvenskan, the league below the SEL where his club team was relegated to a couple of years ago. There he has 7 points in 14 games, slightly ahead of the pace he set last year when he scored 13 points in 37 games at the same level.

The Oilers took some flak for taking Riley Nash when they traded up in 2007, some of that criticism at the time was from me; I'm 3 for 4 with Oiler 1st round picks in the last couple of years during the TEAM 1260's draft coverage... but I predicted Backlund when the Oilers made their move up in 2007. Since then I've kept waiting for Backlund to prove me right and the Oilers wrong but frankly his stats don't scream 'NHL stud' like yoou would expect a player of his hype to have.

He had 7 points in Prague at the 2008 WJC and he should be Sweden's top guy in Ottawa this time around. He turns 20 next March and if Västerås appears headed for another Allsvenskan seeding in 2009-10, I would assume this is a player that the Flames would like to add to their organization at either the NHL or AHL level. I'm looking at this tournament as a way to gauge whether he should be Calgary bound or headed to Quad City.

The Swedes will have a strong team, there is little doubt of that. Peter Loubardias, a good friend of The Pipeline Show, suggested to me that Sweden will be exceptional in Ottawa but perhaps even better in 2010. Aside from the five names I have already mentioned, the 2009 roster is packed with players of interest; Mattias Tedenby (NYR), Simon Hjalmarsson (STL), David Ullstrom (NYI) and Joakim Andersson (DET) included.

Canadians are proud of our hockey history and tradition but sometimes I think we get a little caught up with being the dominant nation on the planet when it comes to sticks and pucks. Sweden has a pretty established record of its own with some individual hi-lights that still stand the test of time today; Markus Naslund still holds the record for most goals scored by a single player in the tournament with 13 back in 1993 while Peter Forsberg is the king when it comes to most assists (24) and points (31) done that same year. Defenceman Peter Andersson holds the record for defensive scoring in a single tournament with 14, set in 1985.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Swedes will be worth watching as they look to get revenge on Canada for the result of the 2008 Final game.

Final Note: It eluded me when I looked over the roster last night but... Oilers prospect Johan Motin is not on the list. He's in his 3rd year in the SEL but apparently isn't good enough for the WJC. That's not a good thing.

Washington 1st rounder, Anton Gustafsson is also a noticeable absentee. He was taken 21st overall in 2008 but has 4 points in 10 games in the Allsvenskan league. I assume he's either hurt or just really, really struggling.

(photos courtesy http://eliteprospects.com/index.php)
(WJC record stats courtesy TSN.ca)