photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation / Matt Zambonin
The 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey U20 World Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden will feature hockey that’s as unpredictable as it’s exciting. Questions abound.
Could a non-North American team win the gold medal for the first time since Finland in 2019? Will it be tears of joy or despair for the host nation? Might the Czechs medal again? Or will another nation end its long podium drought?
Here is a pre-tournament ranking of the 10 competing teams. This ranking is based on the author’s assessments and does not reflect any official opinions of the IIHF.
1. Canada
2023 finish: Gold
3 players to watch: Macklin Celebrini (F), Denton Mateychuk (D), Matthew Savoie (F)
How do you bet against the two-time defending champs? It’ll be exciting to see how Celebrini responds to the spotlight as the projected #1 overall NHL draft pick in 2024. Granted, this squad isn’t quite as flashy as previous editions headlined by MVPs like Connor Bedard and Mason McTavish. And goaltending, as usual, remains a question mark heading in. Forward Owen Beck is the lone returnee.
Still, Canada traditionally finds ways to pull together. Anything but making the final for the seventh time in eight World Juniors would be a major comedown for coach Alan Letang’s group.
2. United States
2023 finish: Bronze
3 players to watch: Cutter Gauthier (F), Lane Hutson (D), Will Smith (F)
On paper, the U.S. forwards – including a smorgasbord of NHL first-round picks – look poised to shred opposition goalies. To illustrate, in 2023, Gauthier potted seven goals at the men’s IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Smith led the IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship with 20 points, just one point shy of Nikita Kucherov’s single-tournament record.
Coach David Carle’s blue line is deep, solid, and gifted. Goalie Trey Augustine will be hungry for redemption after allowing five goals in last year’s 6-2 semi-final loss to Canada. The U.S. last triumphed in 2021.
3. Sweden
2023 finish: Fourth place
3 players to watch: Filip Bystedt (F), Jonathan Lekkerimaki (F), Axel Sandin-Pelikka (D)
Stunningly, the Juniorkronorna have only won the World Juniors twice (1981, 2012). Even without a blue-chip centre like…
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