#Canada National Junior Team

[hughesapalooza]

Tell them how the crowds went wild

wjc team canada + long live by taylor swift

[chunkletskhl]

37 years ago today!

Canada vs. Soviet Union "Punch-Up in Piestany", World Junior Championship 1987

[intheupside]

addressing the boys in the locker room and living his ted lasso dreams

also there’s an athletic article about it:

“It was a roller coaster,” Crosby told The Athletic of the game, shaking his head and smiling. “I feel like there’s been a lot more eyeballs, a lot more attention on this team.”

Crosby, wearing Canada’s red home kit, watched one of the more thrilling games of Copa America. Canada took an early lead thanks to Jacob Shaffelburg, who not only comes from the same province as Crosby, Nova Scotia, but is just the second men’s national team player from the province. Canada’s very own ‘Maritime Messi’.

Venezuela tied the game thanks to captain Salomon Rondon’s long-range chip in the 64th minute but Canada looked composed through penalties and midfielder Ismael Kone scored the winning spot-kick.

And not long after Canada entered their locker room to continue celebrating, Crosby joined them.

“Crosby said it was an ‘Unbelievable Canadian moment,’” defender Alistair Johnston said. “He said ‘The penalties were insane’ and something that he couldn’t even imagine doing.”

Crosby then singled out what midfielder Jonathan Osorio called the “guts of the group” to step up and score in penalties. “They look like a real tight-knit group,” Crosby said.

Crosby’s visit to Canada’s dressing-room soon began trickling out on social media but it wasn’t planned. Crosby said that every summer he and a group of teammates from his days playing junior hockey for Rimouski Oceanic in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League organize a trip together. This year, once Canada qualified for the quarterfinal, they made the decision to travel south to Arlington.

It was only in the hours leading up to the game that a mutual friend of one of the Canadian players extended an invite to Crosby to come into the dressing room.

As he made his way around the room, Canadian players beamed. Osorio said Crosby nabbed Shaffelburg’s jersey postgame.

“I got to see a Nova Scotia legend,” Shaffelburg said. “I’ve always looked up to (Crosby). To meet him was unbelievable.”

Crosby then encouraged the team for the future and reminded them how proud they have made Canadians.

“His words mean a lot,” goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau said. “But it’s an example of how we are slowly changing things for our country.”

Crosby then posed for a photo with the entire team. He’s no stranger to winning over the hearts of an entire country, having scored arguably the most important goal in Canadian sports history to win the 2010 Olympic gold medal over the United States.

And Crosby understands what so many others are coming to learn as well: This Canadian team is becoming a truly special one.

“The way they reacted after (Venezuela’s tying goal) — it’s a tough goal to give up, but they kept coming,” Crosby said when asked what makes this team special.

Canada is no stranger to having heroes visit the team: Famed astronaut Chris Hadfield joined them for a pre-game speech before their 2022 World Cup opener.

But Crosby’s star status is as radiant as they come in Canada. For generations, Canada’s national team was looked at as an afterthought. Qualifying for the World Cup began to change the perception of the team at home. Yet what they have lacked as of late are results against top teams to earn more fans.

That’s changing, and Crosby isn’t just witness to it. Against Venezuela, he was part of it. “With the games that they’ve put together, they’re only going to get more and more (attention). It’s fun to see. They deserve it. It seems like they’re a really great group of guys,” Crosby said.

This Canadian team is tasked not just with winning matches as they’ve done under new head coach Jesse Marsch; they also understand it’s their responsibility to continue to grow a game that might enjoy heavy participation among children but still falls behind hockey in terms of national popularity.

“What a legend to have on our side,” Marsch said of Crosby. “This is important for us in 2026 (at the World Cup with Canada hosting alongside the U.S. and Mecico). We want to feel the power of the entire nation.”

Now, the team is looking at Crosby’s endorsement as another example of their own star in Canada growing brighter.

“You can tell how much it means to the team that we are taking that next step in Canadian pop culture,” Johnston said. “You could see that we’re reaching a bigger crowd than just the football mad crowd. We’re inspiring a lot of people.”

Canada’s next chance to inspire will undoubtedly be their most difficult test yet: A semifinal against world champions Argentina.

As difficult a test as it might be, Canadian players all agree they believe more people than ever will be watching their team. And that includes Crosby.

[jackhues]

3 + 1 - sidney crosby

notes: i hope you guys like this, first fic for 'it's the most wonderful time of the year', had lots of fun making this!!

likes are good, reblogs are better <3

part of naqia's end of the year celly!

gif not mine

i. (1994)

you'd known sidney your entire life. one of the first memories you had with him was fighting him for the last hockey stick in the store.

well, it wasn't the last hockey stick. but it was the last one of all the types you used to play. it just so happened to be the only one sidney used.

after a game of rock, paper, scissors (you won), sidney got mad and demanded a best of three. maybe it was the defiant look in his eyes at only seven years old, but you decided he could have the stick.

"are you sure?" he asked, now looking hesitant about taking the stick.

you nodded, "i'm sure. they'll get one of the sticks i use in a few days. you can have this one. i'll just steal my brother's stick until then."

sidney grinned, "thanks, y/n."

you smiled back at him, feeling the start of a friendship. you'd lived near him your entire life, but you'd only begun talking to him because of hockey.

"just don't forget to send me a card when you go to one of your tourneys," you told him.

you and sidney laughed over that, before heading back home with your parents. it was after this day that you began to say hi to each other in the halls of school, that you decided to pair up for projects, that you became friends.

over the two months it took until christmas morning, you forgot about what you'd told him. but sidney didn't forget his promise.

and it was on december twenty fifth, that you received a post card in the mail from some place in quebec. a seven year old sidney had tried his best to make the letters look pretty, writing on the side, 'merry christmas, and thanks for the hockey stick, y/n. it helped me win!'

you peered in the envelope, finding a picture of sidney hoisting his giant hockey trophy. you smiled at that.

even though he was so far away, it felt like you were celebrating christmas together.

--

ii. (2004)

'sidney patrick crosby, you have got to be kidding me! you have a huge hotel, you're in finland, and you've got some of the best people with you. and yet, you're saying you wished you were here playing pond with the rest of us? you're crazy. anyways, make sure you score a goal or something, and have lots of fun! honestly, not scoring is fine if you have fun. good luck at the world juniors! i'll be cheering you on from back home :))'

you signed off the letter, sealing it and placing it to the side to deliver later.

at seventeen years old, sidney had become the only under-18 player at this year's world junior tournament for team canada. it was a thing to celebrate, but sidney was upset he would be missing the town's annual christmas pond hockey game.

you and him had played together on the same team for the last nine years, winning every time. this was the first time he wouldn't be here to help your team defend the title.

but that was okay, you thought as you packed up your christmas gear and made your way to the pond.

because sidney was going to play on your t.v. tomorrow, at the national level. it was his first time playing for canada, and you knew he was excited for that.

he just wasn't a fan of missing the small things.

it was why he'd began sending you letters and post cards as he moved around for tournaments and hockey games. they were cute souvenirs, and you didn't mind sending him a letter back.

you just wished he could've been here to celebrate christmas with the rest of you.

--

iii. (2009 - pretend ft was invented a year earlier)

"merry christmas, love."

you smiled, "merry christmas sid."

sidney adjusted his phone, fixing the facetime so you could see him better. you laughed as he struggled for a minute, finally getting a proper angle.

"don't move!" you said. "there, perfect. now your entire face is on my screen."

he laughed as he shook his head to himself.

the two of you had been friends for thirteen years before he worked up the courage to ask you out. and for the last two years of your relationship had been amazing. there were ups, like seeing him win the stanley cup, and there were downs, like seeing him take some uncalled for hits.

but you were happy. and so was sid.

the two of you had planned to celebrate christmas together in pittsburgh, until a family emergency had you coming back to nova scotia last minute.

everything turned out fine, but it was just too late to get a ticket back to pittsburgh.

even so, you and sid had found a way to work around that.

the two of you spent most of the day on the phone with each other, talking and laughing together. it wasn't what either of you had planned, but you made it enjoyable.

it was a great christmas.

--

iv. (2012)

"sidney, will you get down here already?"

"i'm coming, i'm coming," he called from upstairs.

you sighed, waiting for your husband to get up and get downstairs. christmas morning was the one morning you were happy to get out of bed, but it was also the one morning sid wanted to sleep in.

sam, sidney's dog, came down the stairs, curling around by the christmas tree as he waited for sid with you.

a few minutes passed before sidney made his way downstairs, eyes half closed but a sleepy smile plastered on his face to greet you.

"good morning, love," he pressed a kiss to your forehead. "merry christmas."

"merry christmas," you smiled, pressed a kiss to his jaw. "we eating breakfast first or presents first?"

"mmm, breakfast," sid decided.

"i knew you were going to say that," you laughed, pulling him along to the kitchen.

you'd already prepared breakfast before he came down. some eggs, sausage and bread. it was a good way to pass the time as you waited for sid to get downstairs.

the two of you took your seats, laughing as you ate breakfast and discussed how far you'd gone in life together.

"you almost tripped on the ice," he reminded you.

"no one told me i had to go out on the ice after you guys won," you argued. "i was so excited over you guys winning the stanley cup, i didn't even notice i was being ushered to the ice until i took my first step."

sid laughed as the two of you slowly made your way to the living room.

"here, open my present first," he said, rummaging under the tree to pull out a long, rectangular box.

the two of you had started the tradition of opening all of your sentimental gifts before the other cute ones. and even though you wanted to go first this year, you supposed it was alright if sid got this one.

you unwrapped the box, pulling out a familiar hockey stick. one that you'd given sidney eighteen years ago.

"oh my god," you muttered, tears building up in your eyes.

"i found it in my parent's garage last summer," he shrugged a little. "i remembered how badly you wanted it. and even though it's too small now, i thought you'd like the memory."

"i love it," you grinned, wiping the corners of your eyes. "it's absolutely perfect. i'm putting this up next to that picture of you holding up the trophy."

sid laughed at your response, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

"you can do whatever you like with it."

you put the stick to the side, your hands slightly shaky as you grabbed another, much smaller, box. "here. now open my present."

sid took the box from your hands, unwrapping it and opening it. he stared at the contents of the box, unable to form a sentence as he looked between the box and you.

"you -- this -- seriously?" his eyes shined as he stared at you.

you nodded, feeling the tears build up yourself. "we're having a baby."

sid laughed, pulling you in for a hug. "oh my god, this is amazing. a baby, you and me."

the two of you held each other that day, celebrating christmas together.

[gotta-winwin]

SEVENTEEN'S CYANA'S PROFILE

૮꒰◞ ˕ ◟ ྀི꒱ა > BASIC INFO

NAMES ->

birth name ── cyana yue chinese name ── 岳安娜 (yue an na) korean name ── 유소연 (yu so yeon)

NICKNAMES ->

seventeen ── nana, yue, yeonie vernon/joshua ── cy, anna minghao/jun ── 月亮 (yue liang / moon) wonwoo ── yana

BIRTHDATE & LOCATION ->

birthdate ── dec 27 1999 birthplace ── vancouver, canada residency ── vancouver, canada (1999 - 2016) los angeles, california (2016 - 2019) seoul, korea (2019 - present) nationality ── chinese-canadian ethnicity ── chinese

LANGUAGES ->

english ── 98% (fluent) chinese ── 60% (can speak, cannot read or write) korean ── 10% to 80% (from debut to present)

PHYSICAL DETAILS ->

height ── 160cm (5'2") weight ── 47kg (107lbs) blood type ── AB hair color ── brown (naturally) eye color ── brown

GENDER/SEXUALITY ->

gender ── female sexuality ── bisexual pronouns ── she/her relationship status ── unknown

૮꒰◞ ˕ ◟ ྀི꒱ა > CAREER

NAME ->

stage name ── cyana hangul ── 시아나 origin ── when deciding her stage name, she decided to continue the name she used as a child actor in the states to keep continuity.

INDUSTRY ->

company ── disney junior (2016-2019), pledis entertaiment (2019-present) trainee period ── 4 years in acting, singing and dancing

IN SEVENTEEN ->

debut age ── 19 years old subunit ── vocal team positions ── main vocalist, sub dancer, co-producer, visual, twin maknae representative emojis ── 🐰 individual fandom name ── cyans

૮꒰◞ ˕ ◟ ྀི꒱ა > PERSONAL

MBTI ->

infj-t > [the advocate] description ── an advocate excels in creativity and imagination, and is known to be a perfectionist. They have intuitive understanding of complex systems and human nature, sensitive to criticism and have a tendency to internalize stress. They're able to make strong connections with people easily although shy.

PHOBIAS->

autophobia — fear of being alone agoraphobia — fear of large crowds

LIKES ->

late night walks, dogs with soft fur, black cats, diy activities, harry potter universe, watching movies and tv shows, heart to heart talks, skinship, arranging flowers, writing lyrics

DISLIKES ->

loud noises, jumpscares, horror movies with children or dolls, crowded spaces, misinformation, eggs, swallowing pills, hot weather, casual cruelty

FAVOURITES ->

color — lilac purple, sky blue, navy movies / tv shows — harry potter (specifically POA), criminal minds, grey's anatomy, modern family, the office, little women, one piece, falling into your smile, american psycho, the perks of being a wallflower emojis — 😭😰🤗👍🤍 season — autumn / spring

[stereax]

hi hello hey !!!

Are you already tired of Four Nations Faceoff? Don't want to watch Auston Matthews wail on the Finnish lack of d-corps tonight? Don't have a way to watch it?

Or: Do YOU want some relatively low-stakes hockey that's highly French, starting at 7 PM Eastern time?

After the success of Wednesday Night in the Dub, the QMJHL took a look at the WHL and said "we're gonna do the same thing, but in Quebecois" and enter: Duel du jeudi soir!

This week's matchup is the Gatineau Olympiques vs the Rimouski Océanic. Rimouski is the second-best team in the Q, with a .730 points percentage, and have already clinched the playoffs. Gatineau is... the second-worst team in the Q, with a .347 points percentage. And last week on DDJS they got shitcanned 9-4. So it's likely enough they get shitcanned again this week. But it'll be fun! And in French!

Also, if you're a Pens fan, you probably know the Océanic as Sidney Crosby's junior team. Did you know the Olympiques are Claude Giroux's junior team? Now you do!

Here's some players I'm keeping my eye on:

Rimouski

Mathieu Cataford (#77): MATCAT! MATCAT!!! Beloved VGK prospect, part of the Jack Eichel trade actually! Doing sicko stuff in the Q. Had a torrid start to the season (36 pts in 20 games) but has slowed down considerably since then, partially because he was part of Team Canada at the WJC! "Our beautiful energy guy from the Q", as van @puckpocketed calls him <3. One of only two Q players to be at the WJC actually, the other being Ethan Gauthier, beloved Volt (hangs up Chekhov's Gun on my wall). Third on the team in points. Played for the Halifax Mooseheads for his first years in the Q, including dragging them through what I understand is a Season From Hell in 23-24, but got shipped up to Rimouski when the Mooseheads decided they needed to rebuild.

Lou Levesque (#67): Boybestfriends with MatCat! Honestly don't know much else about him except that the Océanic got him in part because MatCat wanted his friend from Halifax. Doesn't look like they're linemates right now, though.

Keep an eye out for Alexandre Blais (#22), the leader of the team in points, and Jacob Mathieu (#81), team leader in goals. Also Jonathan Fauchon (#16) who casually leads the entire Q in points but isn't the team leader because he was traded to Rimouski midseason. Blais-Fauchon-Mathieu seems to be their top line, with MatCat as 2C.

Gatineau

Jérémie Minville (#27): Carrying this god damn team on his back, so help him God. Had a shooting percentage of 4.9% with Rouyn-Noranda, including his second year with a shooting percentage of 1.9%. He is a winger. Got traded to Gatineau and remembered he was elite apparently and cranked out a 38G season. He has 29 on the year already this season, too. Also he's from Drummondville (polishes Chekhov's Gun).

Jan Golicic (#21): Only Guy Drafted on the Olympiques. Tampa Bay draft pick. Slovenian! Import drafted to the Q and chose to play with this team instead of trying his luck in the USHL-NCAA pipeline. God bless him, truly.

Lukas Landry (#17): VOLT! Former Drummondville Voltigeur (shoots Chekhov's Gun repeatedly can you tell I have a favorite team in the Q CAN YOU TELL YET). Also he's 5'8". I know nothing else about him :3

Gatineau is what I like to call a "goalie explosion chamber"; they brag about their top goalie having a .878 save percentage and five wins, and they have had one shutout all year. They play at the Centre Slush Puppie and have an open casting call for people who want to play music before their games on the Budweiser Stage. I don't know if they're real?

Lyam Jacques

Lyam Jacques (#22, Gatineau): VOLT! VOLT! VOLT! FORMER VOLTIGEUR! And from Drummondville too!

That's not the important thing about him, though. The Volts acquired him this year and let him play a few games for the home team before trading him off to Gatineau. Where did the Volts get him from, you may ask?

Rimouski. Who cut the veteran forward after 2.5 seasons. And traded him to the Volts for a 2025 7th-round pick. (Which, by major junior standards, is basically future considerations.) And then the Volts played him a few games and shipped him off to Gatineau for a 2027 5th.

Is Lyam Jacques good? Not really; he accrues far more penalty minutes than points. Is he playing? Nope, he's been a consistent healthy scratch for Gatineau since he got there. (EliteProspects is lying to you!) Which is saying something, given that Gatineau is such a bottom feeder @neonfretra is naming it after a Cuda player.

But in MY head this is the Lyam Jacques bowl <3 Two teams fighting over a mid-at-best fourth liner, like God intended <3 Loser has to keep him, no take backsies <3

Are you in? Great! You can watch DDJS FREE on YouTube here! (They archive past DDJSes too!) The game tonight starts at 7 PM Eastern :D

And if that doesn't convince you... well...

Hope to see you in the #ddjs lb tag tonight!!

[maxenceandrebisset]

NHL for rookies || pt. 1

Basic knowledge of hockey and its rules is expected going into this.

══════════════════════════════════════════

Overview of this part:

Teams - history, the Original six, important staff members

League structure - conferences, divisions

Season structure - preseason, regular season, mention of the playoffs (will be a separate post)

Organizational structure - the Board of Governors & the commissioner

══════════════════════════════════════════

NHL or the National Hockey League is the most esteemed professional ice hockey league in the world, founded more than one hundred years ago in 1917.

It belongs to the "Big Four" leagues — NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL — which are the most prominent and wealthiest professional sports leagues in the US and Canada.

══════════════════════════════════════════

TEAMS

Currently, there are 32 teams — 25 in the US and 7 in Canada.

In the beginning (1917) though, there were only two — Montreal and Toronto.

After Boston, Chicago, Detroit, and New York Rangers joined in the 1920s, they formed what is to this day known as Original Six.

They served as the league's only teams for 25 seasons until further expansion happened.

To this day, the Original Six has the most combined Stanley Cup titles in the league.

They are among the most valuable teams in the NHL, as well as the most scrutinized and harshly judged by the public and experts.

Generally, it is considered a privilege to play for any of the Original Six teams (even though they haven't belonged to the most successful ones for a while).

══════════════════════════════════════════

Important staff members in the teams' structures — aside from the coaching staff:

GM (general manager) is the person who:

hires, fires, and supervises the head and assistant coaches, scouts, and all other hockey operations staff members

negotiates contracts with players and their agents or their current teams

responsible for acquiring and trading players

oversees the drafting process

calls up or sends down players to/from the AHL

manages the salary cap

President of the Hockey Operations:

above the GM in the organizational structure — oversees him

serves as a buffer between the GM and the team owner — ensures the hockey department aligns with the ownership's vision

can veto the GM on decisions

sets long-term direction — rebuilding...

handles high-level negotiations and disputes

.

.

.

Scouts — two types - amateur and professional:

Amateur scouts evaluate young, draft-eligible players in junior, college, and international leagues.

Their goal is to identify future NHL talents

Because of that, they travel extensively all over the world.

Their task is to put together a profile of young players that talks about the player's skating, hockey IQ, skill, and potential.

They also interview players, coaches, and families to evaluate the kid's character.

Professional scouts evaluate players already in pro hockey (NHL, AHL, European leagues).

They help with trades, free-agent signings, and call-ups.

Their job is to analyze players on other teams and find trade targets — players that would fit the specifics the team is currently looking for.

Provide reports on players the team may face in the upcoming games.

Tracks team's own minor-league prospect for potential call-ups.

══════════════════════════════════════════

LEAGUE STRUCTURE

The teams are divided into TWO CONFERENCES, based on the geographical positions — Eastern and Western.

Each conference is then further divided into TWO DIVISIONS.

The Eastern Conference has Metropolitan and Atlantic divisions.

The Western Conference has Central and Pacific divisions.

══════════════════════════════════════════

The map of the NHL divisions.

══════════════════════════════════════════

STRUCTURE OF THE SEASON

The NHL season is divided into:

A preseason (that covers September and early October) includes...

Development camp and prospect tournaments that feature prospects the teams have drafted (both signed and unsigned), as well as specifically invited players from any other hockey league who haven't been drafted or signed by any NHL team yet but whom the teams are interested in.

Training camp begins in mid-to-late September.

The team invites and evaluates around 50 players to put together their roster for the follow-up season and begin the training.

Even the players who are considered stable members of the roster attend this camp and are expected to prove themselves to the coaches.

Primarily it is for the young prospects who have the potential to make the team to show up and convince the coaches that they deserve a spot on the roster & for the new additions (traded players) to show their abilities and how they click or not with the new team.

It is followed by 6-8 exhibition not-for-the-record games that allow the coaches to evaluate their choice of the roster for the following season by seeing it play a game against other teams.

══════════════════════════════════════════

A regular season (till mid-April)

Predefined schedule — since 2021 the regular season consists of 82 games, out of which half is at home and half on the road.

To be precise, 26 out of those games they play against the teams from their division; 24 against the teams from the teams from the other division of their conference; and 32 remaining against every team in the other conference — two (home and road) against every team.

2 points are awarded for a win, 1 point for losing in overtime or a shootout, 0 points for a loss in regulation.

══════════════════════════════════════════

The playoffs (from April to the beginning of June)

Details will be explained in another part as there are a lot of important details that need to be said and explained.

══════════════════════════════════════════

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

The ruling and governing body of the NHL is the Board of Governors.

Each team appoints a Governer — usually, it's the owner of the club — and two alternates.

The board establishes the policies of the league, concerns itself with the salary caps for member clubs, approves purchase/sale/relocation of a team, hires/fires the commissioner, and others.

It meets twice per year in June and December.

The chief executive of the league holds the title of the commissioner.

He leads the negotiations on behalf of the league and appoints officials for all games.

The position was established in 1993 and it has yet to experience a change as it still is Gary Bettman who is not a very well loved person among fans.

If you're asking why he's still the commissioner, it's because he made the owners of the clubs filthy rich back in the day (still does) and works primarily for them (not us, the fans) — satisfying all of their needs, and taking most of the bullets for them.

And since the owners of the clubs are mostly old filthily rich men, you can't expect progressive thinking from them, including a fair rotation on the spot of the commissioner — because what if there came someone who would go against them, right?

══════════════════════════════════════════

What to expect in the future parts:

Draft explained

Playoffs explained

Salary cap and contracts explained

How taxes nowadays make some teams more lucrative than others

Rebuilds explained

...and many more

══════════════════════════════════════════

[chirpingfromthebox]

TORONTO (February 10, 2025) – The Toronto Sceptres have announced two updates to the roster today following the league’s international break. Forward Laura Kluge has been signed to a Standard Player Agreement (SPA) for the remainder of the 2024-25 Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season, and forward Sarah Nurse has been placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR).

“We are excited to welcome Laura back to our organization,” shares General Manager Gina Kingsbury. “Laura had a great training camp with us and left a great impression on our entire team. She will add to our team both on and off the ice.” The 28-year-old from Berlin, Germany was part of Toronto’s 2024-25 Training Camp, appearing in two mini-camp games. In her first appearance against Minnesota, the teams played a three-on-three overtime following regulation and Kluge scored in the OT period. A veteran on the German National Team, Kluge has represented her country at seven World Championships in the top division and most recently helped her country earn a berth in the 2026 Winter Olympics with two assists in three qualification games last week. Kluge played four NCAA seasons at St. Cloud State from 2017-21 and produced 52 points in 99 games and ranked within the top-15 career leaders in many Huskies categories including game-winning goals and assists. Kluge then spent three seasons with ECDC Memmingen of the DFEL and scored 73 points in 38 regular season games, and 24 points in 12 playoff games. The team captured the league championship in 2023 and 2024. Earlier in the 2024-25 season, Kluge played for the DFEL’s Eisbären Juniors Berlin and recorded 16 points in 14 games. Per the Players Association, salary terms of contracts will not be disclosed. Kluge will wear number 25 for the Sceptres, and Anneke Rankila will now wear number 13. Nurse suffered a lower-body injury during Game 4 of the Rivalry Series on Thursday while playing for Canada’s National Women’s Team and will be out of the Sceptres lineup indefinitely. Through 15 regular season games, the 30-year-old from Hamilton, ON contributed five goals and seven assists for 12 points.

[sergeifyodorov]

I thought that all of Canada's 2018 world junior's team were banned from international competition. Do you know how Cale Makar is allowed on the 4 nations roster?

I do! Cale et al are only banned from IIHF competitions -- so, the Olympics, the World Championships, World Juniors (although they're obviously not eligible anymore). The Four Nations is not an IIHF sanctioned tournament; it's created and organized by the NHL.

[maplerunner0207]

For Sinc

Just a little something for the GOAT. Thanks Sinc.

You’re sitting in the changing room, soothing music pumping through your headphones. Your teammates and the staff bustle around you, downing electrolytes and getting final treatments.  It’s showtime: Portland vs. Gotham. You’re not starting, but you assume you’ll be subbed in for Reyna around the 60 minute mark if all goes well. You hope that the Thorns can get the win. It’s been a tumultuous season, and you’ve all had to deal with a lot of shit along the way. But mostly, you hope you can send Sinc out on a high note. You close your eyes, and think back to your first interaction with the woman who had been your childhood hero.

You were 16, still in high school, and fresh out of junior team camp. Canada’s Next Superstar is what the sports journalists had called you, even going so far as to liken you to a young Jessie Fleming. It was a lot of pressure. But then your parents had gotten a call from head coach Bev Priestman. You had been selected, at only 16 years of age, to train with the senior team in a September camp. To say you were elated was an understatement. Which is how you found yourself, jetlagged and luggage burdened, tripping over your feet as you entered your assigned room at the team hotel.

“Can I help you with that?” you heard a voice chuckle. Blushing and looking up from the suitcase you had unceremoniously tripped over, you locked eyes with Christine Sinclair. The Christine Sinclair. So much for first impressions. “Oh, uh-sure thanks.” She grabbed a few of your bags, leaving you standing in the doorway, mentally slamming your head against the wall and cursing your two left feet. She set your bags down on the bed closest to the door and beckoned you to come in. “So, it’s your first senior camp, huh?” she said with a knowing smile. “Yeah,” you replied. “You’re pretty young,” she countered, after a few moments of silence. “Yeah,” you said a little quieter. “Hey, I’m not trying to scare you,” she laughs, “I just want you to be comfortable here. We’ve had plenty of young girls on the national team, and they’ve all turned out ok. You can ask-” “Jessie,” you cut in, “Jessie Fleming. She was younger than me. I’m 16.” She stared at you, then said, “You remind me of her, when she was your age. You know, I think you two will get along pretty well.”

And so began your national team journey. Christine was right. You and Jessie did get along. Vanessa called it the “wallflower alliance”, but you kind of just clicked from the get go. There was a silent understanding between the two of you to be the first on the field for extra passing and touch drills. And with all of the bubbly and enthusiastic personalities of the team, silence was exactly what you needed sometimes. Sure, you liked being around people, but you had always functioned best independently. And you were an observer. This same quality had saved you from a fair share of havoc from the team’s pranksters. But it also enabled you to read people with a scary accuracy.

Before even stepping foot on the national team, you had known that Christine Sinclair was a world-class football player and leader. She was an all-time great in Canada Soccer history. But after getting to know her, you found that Christine Sinclair was a giver. She touched lives in meaningful ways. If you had to choose a single embodiment of good in the world, you would choose Sinc. From reaching out to any struggling team member after a rough game, to coming over to your lonely apartment to celebrate Thanksgiving after you had signed with Portland, Sinc showed how deeply she cared about so many others. And even after going out of her way to help seemingly anyone but herself, Sinc hated recognition for any act of goodwill. It was something you really admired and also despised about her.

Which is why you slip your headphones off and stand up on your seat. “Can I get everyone’s attention!” The changing room stills and all eyes turn towards you. You fight down a blush and clear your throat. “I just want to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you Sinc.” You turn your body towards her as your other teammates start cheering and urging you on. “You’ve inspired a whole generation of girls and boys in this sport, including me. And that young girl all those years ago in my first senior camp is so grateful for the role model and caring figure that you’ve been. We’ve all been lucky to have you leading this team. Through ups and downs, you’ve always worn this badge with pride. And now, when we go out tonight to defend it, just know that we’re doing it for you too.” She smiles up at you. Rallying one last shout, you say, “For Sinc!”

[yanxioustrikas]

dmitri

link to the latest art of dmitri

this post is simply called dmitri, and this is hopefully everything you need to know about them! or just some fun facts lol

(this was sitting in draft since SUMMER, and since there is another rise of ocs in supablr, i thought this would be a good opportunity to revise and post this)

biography

full name: dmitri mikhailovich sokolov

pronouns: he/they

sexuality: bisexual

gender: genderfluid

age: 16 (debut), 17 to 18 (super league junior career), 19 to early 20s (post-super league junior)

birthday: may 23

height: 191 cm/6'3 ft

nationality/citizenship: russian-south african

ethnicity: russian + cameroonian

residence(s): st. petersburg, russia (birthplace), johannesburg, south africa (permanent), toronto, ontario, canada (for uni)

language(s): russian, french, english, afrikaans (fluent in first three, limited proficiency in afrikaans)

significant other: hiram rochichaud-power

family

father: mikhail sokolov

mother: nadine bahanag

sibling(s): matvey (older brother; oldest), avdotya (older sister; middle)

pet(s): squeaky (white maine coon cat)

super league junior profile

team: invincible united junior fc

jersey number: 17

position: midfielder + captain

award(s): rookie of the year, star of the match (x10), slj captain of the year (x2)

post-secondary profile

type: university

location: toronto, ontario, canada

program: fashion design - bachelor of design

varsity sports team: men's ice hockey - goaltender

extracurricular clubs: francophone club, visual arts club, cameroonian student association, literature club

possible future career: fashion designer, fashion journalist, or dressmaker

hobbies and interests

ice hockey

soccer

visual art (won a few high school awards for his artworks)

creative writing

sewing and designing

flute

dance (contemporary ballet)

russian and french literature

cooking (not great at it so they call their sister for help lol)

making mocha

strawberries

extra stuff about his family because they all have interesting lives lol

mikhail (father), he/him

a therapist, specializing in cognitive behavioural therapy and psychotherapy, and is among the best psychologists in johannesburg

did practicum at the oasis, and used to work for cognito fc for a year

ex-ballet dancer from a wealthy (and horrible) classical ballet family in moscow

other interests include dance (for old time sake and to pass on the sokolov techniques to his kids), sudoku, pilates, cooking

nadine (mother), she/her

a corporate lawyer working at one of south africa’s high-ranking law firms

cousin of el matador’s female lawyer (both also attended the same law school)

during her youth, she played defence for the u-18 cameroon's women's national soccer team

other interests include yoga, cardio, playing piano, reading classical books

matvey (brother), he/him

a flute player studying at a prestigious conservatory in london, england

has a huge platform on various social media for showcasing his passion for music

part-time job as a music tutor

other interests include reading philosophical literature, working out, photography, playing ice hockey at a recreational league (defender), dance

avdotya (sister), she/her

a food science major and a culinary enthusiast

was a contestant (two-time champion) at a national (russian) junior chef competition

currently co-president for her university’s culinary club

other interests include painting, playing intramural ice hockey (forward), dance, weightlifting, journaling

squeaky (cat), he/him

a male cat who is very talkative and friendly

was adopted from a shelter in johannesburg at 5 months olds

loves to watch the birds from inside the house, but never chases them if outside

dislikes eating fish itself, will eat if the fish is eaten with something else in the bowl

the kids love hockey and dance sm

[misshoneyimhome]

i have more of a cute ask then a smut one but going back to the interview will did in sweden, what if it was him getting asked if he’s single and he starts talking abt his gf and how much he loves her and it’s all cute

Bb, you had me at cute ask ❤️ I’m all with you on this one, because let’s face it, that boy may not fall easily, but when he does, it’s deep 😉

➼｡ﾟ

Cause All of Me, Loves All of You I William Nylander

William had grown used to being in the spotlight.

As a star player for the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team, his exceptional talent had consistently garnered attention. However, in recent years, he had found himself in the spotlight even more.

Currently on a global series tour, the team had the pleasure of playing in what he considered to be his hometown of Stockholm. Despite his birthplace being in Calgary, Canada, Sweden had always felt more like home to William. His familial roots lay in Sweden, and everything from the language to the traditions and homey cuisine resonated deeply with him, reflecting his strong connection to Swedish culture.

And as the team arrived in Stockholm, the media naturally focused their attention on the charming 27-year-old. Interviews, signing sessions, and a flurry of media engagements ensued.

Yet, none of this could have prepared him for what was about to unfold next.

William had been asked to appear on a national Swedish talk show hosted by the charming Bianca, to which he’d graciously accepted. It was nothing like he’d ever done before, but since he’d done numerous of interviews, he figured it might be enjoyable to give it a shot.

And as he sat comfortably in the make-up chair, nearly ready for the show, you quietly peeked in to check on him.

Him. Your boyfriend. William Andrew Michael Junior Nylander Altelius.

_

You had met him several months back, and casually dated for weeks before deciding to elevate your relationship to a more serious level.

Though he had shared snippets of his life on social media, he had never directly mentioned you. During interviews he’d deliberately avoided any mention of girls or dating, focusing solely on hockey, as instructed by managers. Not that you minded at all.

The spotlight belonged to him, not you. And you respected his desire to keep his private life just that - private - and to shield his loved ones from the unpredictable nature of the media.

At first, it had stung a bit, the thought that he might be embarrassed or not serious about you. However, following a heartfelt conversation after a minor disagreement, you came to understand his reasons for keeping your relationship private – he wanted to shield you from potential scrutiny.

And as time passed, your relationship evolved, and eventually, neither of you fretted much about others' opinions.

_

With a gentle stride, you approached him, a smile gracing your lips as you glanced at him through the mirror, feeling immensely proud of your remarkable man.

"Ready for the big spotlight?" you teased lightly, eliciting a soft laugh from William.

"Sure," he replied nonchalantly.

"Feeling okay, darling?"

William nodded gently. "Yeah, I suppose I'm just a bit nervous... I've never done anything like this before."

"You'll be brilliant, Willy," you reassured, leaning against the make-up stand, gazing down at him with a tender expression. "Everyone will adore you."

"What if I mess up?" he asked timidly, despite knowing he had been well-prepped and having years of experience in media work. Nevertheless, a faint sense of uncertainty lingered within him.

"Come on, babe, you've practically aced situations like this a million times," you reassured him with a comforting smile. "If they start digging into your personal life, smoothly turn the conversation back to hockey. And if they bring up anything negative about your career, family, or anything else that makes you uneasy, just flash them that stunning, confident smile of yours and throw in a cheeky comeback."

Your words seemed to soothe William; his tense muscles gradually relaxing as he regained control over his racing heartbeat.

"And in the worst-case scenario, use the political strategy - answer a question with another question. Journalists hate that," you chuckled, your unconventional communication advice amusing William.

"Wow, babe, you should be in PR," he jested, earning a playful huff from you.

"Yeah, right. Dealing with people and the media all day? No thanks, I'm good sticking to my desk," you retorted with a wink, teasingly.

And amidst your shared laughter, the crew arrived to usher William away and prepare him for the interview.

"See you later, babe," he murmured, planting a gentle kiss on your lips as he rose from his seat. "You'll be backstage the whole time, yeah?"

"Of course," you replied with a soft smile. As William exited the dressing room, your gaze lingered on the man you deeply loved, observing him getting ready for the show, a profound sense of pride and happiness filling you.

And as the stage lights prepared to illuminate and the show was set to commence, William felt the heat more than expected. The temperature seemed much higher than he'd anticipated, so despite his initial confidence in his casual attire for the night, the loose jacket gradually became too much. Eventually, he opted to ditch it, appearing on stage solely in a white tank top.

Your eyes fixated on him as he shed the jacket, causing you to gently bite your lower lip at the sight. "Fuck, he looks good," you thought, simultaneously feeling a twinge of disappointment as he exposed his impressive physique to the world.

But quickly shaking off the feeling, you reminded yourself that you'd be the only one appreciating his body later tonight. That is until Bianca remarked on his toned physique, and Marinna, sweetly and slightly embarrassed, delicately touched his upper arm while praising his defined muscles.

And she wasn't wrong.

William did indeed possess an impressive physique. His body bore the results of elite sports training - muscles finely sculpted and defined, with a hint of thickness that hinted at his love for food, almost rivalling his passion for hockey.

Among his many physical attributes, his thighs stood out, at least in your opinion. They were solid, strong, and defined, and overall, your favourite spot to snuggle up against.

Then there was his torso - a well-built frame adorned with a light smattering of chest hair that you often playfully ran your fingers through.

And those arms, strong enough to envelop you in a tight embrace, effortlessly lifting you as if you weighed nothing at all.

You understood precisely how the two women felt, sitting next to your boyfriend, their eyes lingering on him with a hint of desire. And a slight smirk danced on your lips.

The show went on smoothly. William handled each question with professionalism, infusing his responses with his trademark laughter, showcasing both his expertise and his enjoyment.

However, it was the subsequent line of questioning that caught you completely off guard. Bianca, far from being subtle, dove straight in with her probing questions.

"So, you're single?" Bianca inquired, obviously aiming to captivate the attention of anyone eager to hear that coveted 'yes' slip from William's lips.

And though you half-expected that response, considering he'd never publicly acknowledged your relationship, his words proved you wrong.

"No… No, I'm actually not," William chuckled.

Your heart sank at his announcement of his relationship status, fully aware that this would be broadcasted worldwide, potentially sparking a flurry of quotes and discussions across the internet.

"Aha, and who's the lucky person?" Bianca inquired, maintaining her professional tone.

William paused, contemplating how much to reveal. He understood that you preferred a low-profile existence, and his management had advised keeping his dating life discreet for as long as possible.

Yet, an overwhelming urge surged within him to pour out everything he adored about you. He wanted the world to know; how you crossed paths, seamlessly integrating into his chaotic life, adjusting effortlessly to his roller-coaster schedule. He yearned to shout out his love for you, to express how incredible you were for standing by his side through every high and low, and to proclaim your stunning beauty, kindness, and unwavering care. He wanted everyone to know it all.

However, composed he tried to remain, a broad grin crossed his face as he began, "She's this wonderful person who entered my life a few months back, and luckily for me, she decided to stick around," he added a casual jest, though he could feel his heart racing and his cheeks turning a faint shade of pink, by the mention of you.

"So, you've been together for a while?" Bianca probed.

"Um, only a couple of months… It took me ages to ask her out and convince her to go on a date with me," he chuckled, lightly rubbing his slightly sweaty hands together, excitement coursing through his body.

"Wait, she didn't want to go out with you at first?" Bianca chuckled lightly. "Wow, she must be out of her mind - how did that go?"

William couldn't hide his pure excitement as he started talking about you. "Oh, she definitely is! I mean, she's just so amazing and wonderful, probably way out of my league," he blurted out, his words running ahead of his thoughts. "She's intelligent, funny, and initially, she kept laughing whenever I asked her out because she thought I was joking. But on my fifth attempt, she finally agreed to give me a chance."

"On your fifth try? That's keeping a man on his toes," Bianca remarked, intrigued by the unfolding tale.

"Oh yeah, she definitely didn't make it easy, but it only made me want to get her to say yes more," William confessed, his eyes reflecting the nostalgia of those initial weeks after meeting you.

"So, what changed her mind about you?" Bianca inquired, observing William as he pondered his response.

"Honestly, I'm not sure - perhaps someone convinced her that I'm an alright guy and she should give it a shot," he answered, his words not far from the truth.

In reality, when William had persistently pursued you, and you had turned him down multiple times due to his overly confident yet enticing demeanour, it was Auston Matthews who convinced you to give William a chance. With his own charm, Auston had convinced you by highlighting how much William desired not just a physical connection but found your energy and personality irresistible.

"And things worked out in the end?" Bianca probed further.

"Well, somehow, yes," William continued. "I managed to take her out on a few dates, but relying solely on charm didn't work. I had to prove that I meant everything behind my words and eventually express how I truly felt."

As William delved into a more emotionally charged aspect of the conversation, his voice gradually relaxed. Expressing deep feelings had never been his forte, a pivotal moment in your relationship when you had urged him to be straightforward and honest because you couldn't read his thoughts.

This nudged him to make a genuine effort to articulate his innermost feelings, leading to heartfelt conversations about your emotions for each other.

Bianca smiled, noticing the interview taking on a more romantic tone, and then Marianna joined in.

"Did she make you ask?" she sweetly inquired. "Did you have to ask her to be your girlfriend?"

"Oh, absolutely," William chuckled again. "Yes, I had to ask directly, otherwise, she said it didn't count."

Laughter and smiles filled the studio as William's infectious laughter resonated once more.

The situation had unfolded just as William described.

He hadn't initially considered discussing labels, content with enjoying your company. But you, well acquainted with boys like him, knew their tendency to keep a girl around until they grew bored and moved on. So, you diplomatically and casually laid down the options: either you were dating with a view to be serious or simply good friends with benefits - exceptionally good benefits, of course.

So, realizing that to keep you exclusively for himself, William needed to take a more direct approach, and eventually he asked you directly, to which you naturally responded with a 'yes'.

As the interview gradually drew to a close, you found yourself unable to contain your amusement. Though slightly taken aback by William's sudden honesty and directness in discussing you, you couldn't help but smile.

Amidst the final applause and the cameraman calling "cut," William stood up and made his way backstage to join you before meeting up with his friends and family.

A smile graced your lips as you welcomed your man with open arms, both of you enveloping each other in a deep, affectionate hug followed by a tender kiss.

"You were amazing, babe," you gently praised after parting from the embrace, gazing up at him with sparkling eyes.

"Yeah, you think so? I hope I didn't share too much - I felt like I just kept talking and talking, and-"

"Willy," you interrupted his rambling. "You were perfect, love - I'm just surprised you said all those things about… us."

"Well, I just wanted everyone to know how much I love you… and," he exhaled softly, as if it were a relief to finally share his deep thoughts. "I can't stop thinking about how much I want you around all the time and… I never want you to leave me."

In that fleeting moment of profound tenderness, your heart quickened at his heartfelt words.

"Willy… I'll never leave you. I love you so much, and I'll always be by your side," you whispered gently, still wrapped in his embrace, feeling the reassurance as his arms tightened around you, drawing you closer.

"Promise?" he softly asked, his eyes reflecting a hint of concern.

"I promise," you almost breathed out, drawing him into another deep kiss.

For a moment, it felt as if the world had faded away, leaving both of you lost in the intimacy, until Calle's voice abruptly shattered the intimate bubble.

"Jeez, Willy, you might as well have proposed on stage with that speech about your girl," he chuckled loudly as he and the other Swedes joined you.

"Oh, please don't give him any ideas," you laughed lightly, with a hint of seriousness, gently pulling back from William's embrace, though his arm remained securely around your waist.

"Don't worry about that," Calle teased further. "He's already got it all planned out."

William chuckled along with his friend's playful banter, knowing that there might indeed be a hint of truth in it. At least in his heart, he was set on making you his completely one day, ready to offer you half of what he owned and all of his heart.

[thenhlteaissuperhot]

The Bruins are effortlessly funny - or the aftermath of Poitras being sent home from the Juniors by the Czech team

"In case you don't know the Czech national anthem, Lauko will sing it for you. You have probably heard it at the end of the game." - Montgomery

Reference to this Twitter teasing from Lauko after Canada's loss:

[whirlpool-blogs]

Hughes poised to follow Eichel, Matthews as NHL’s next great American

November 11, 2017

This week, nearly 200 of the best teenage hockey players from five nations descended on northern British Columbia for Hockey Canada’s World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. It’s a tremendous event, in most cases the first major international tournament for skaters who will go on to form the backbone of the national teams for the globe’s major hockey powers.

Even though the players are 16, or in a few cases 15, the speed and skill is outstanding. Two-thirds of the first-round picks in last summer’s NHL draft played in the 2015 tournament. For major-league scouts, it’s an early opportunity to get a look at the best prospects who are going to be available two years down the line. 

This year, there’s no doubt that Jack Hughes is the best of them. 

The Americans have sent some great players to the event in recent years. Jack Eichel went in 2013, putting up three points in five games for a team that finished third. Auston Matthews fared better the next year, with eight points in six games and a gold medal. 

Hughes compares favourably to both, especially in his work with the National Team Development Program generally and with his performance at this event. He has 11 points through five games, and this iteration of Team USA will finish no worse than second. 

This doesn’t necessarily mean Hughes will match the early careers of Eichel and Matthews. Colin White outscored Matthews by an order of magnitude at the 2014 tournament; Sonny Milano did the same to Eichel the year before. All are good players, but to do what Eichel and Matthews did, Hughes is going to need to have two monstrous development years between now and the 2019 NHL draft.

The man entrusted by his nation to ensure that development happens is John Wroblewski.

Even by the standards of this tournament, which is used to develop coaches for the national program in the same manner as players, Wroblewski is young. He came up through the national program with Ron Hainsey, whose playing career is still going strong in the NHL, but at age 36 Wroblewski is already a seasoned coach. A decade behind the bench has taken him to the ECHL (where he was voted coach of the year by his peers in 2012) and AHL, as well as to the junior level and tournaments like this one. 

For Wroblewski, what sets Hughes and linemate Cole Caufield apart is the work they do when the scouts aren’t watching.

“The thing that I’ve always been impressed with those guys is just their day-to-day, how they carry themselves,” Wroblewski said. “They’ve got the skill but it’s also their passion for the game and how hard they practice. They’re in the shooting room before practice and afterwards and asking for video and learning all the time. There’s not a drill they take off either. Hughes is always asking for our hardest drills, our angling drills and our skating drills. He’s a kid that appreciates the grind.”

Put another way, Hughes practices like the son of a coach, which he is. Jim Hughes coached in the AHL, KHL and NHL and then had a long run as the Toronto Maple Leafs’ director of player development. Jack’s older brother Quinn is a top prospect for this summer’s draft and his younger brother Luke is already on the radar for 2021. 

Asked about the value of a family with such ties to the game, something he shares with teammates like Danny Weight, Ryder Rolston and Alex Turcotte, Hughes offered a fairly typical hockey soundbite. 

“We all love the game here,” he said, shrugging. “We’re all just trying to play our best and work hard every game. Our work ethic is there every game and that’s what we’re striving for.”

The pivot to work ethic, the desire to reflect all merit on the team as a whole rather than the individual; both of these are typical hockey virtues and don’t offer much insight on the individual other than that he’s internalized those values. In context, though, it’s perhaps telling that Hughes’ first thought when asked about his hockey heritage was love of the game. 

In some ways that’s obvious, in others counterintuitive. We often refer to the endless hours in the gym, in the video room and at practice as work, because it is a tremendous amount of work. But when Wroblewski says that Hughes “appreciates the grind” it’s because he, like so many other elite athletes, revels in it. 

“I’ve been around some really special players through this program throughout the years and from a young age they have that knack of what it takes to put in the effort,” the coach explained. “For guys like that it’s not work. For guys like that it’s a desire and it’s a passion and it’s something that burns inside them.”

It’s easy to see Hughes’ passion on the ice, and it’s not just that he competes. His vision, his ease with the puck, his apparently effortless skating all betray a joy for the game and imply an underlying love for the detail and hard work that it takes to develop those skills. His off-ice stoicism may offer little evidence of that love, but his game is steeped in it.

[sunskate]

IAMO 2024-25 season wrap-up:

2024-25 is complete for IAMO, now that Worlds is done. many teams have been finished since December and January, so probably are pretty far along with their 2025/26 FDs. curious what the off-season work looks like. probably everyone is making their 90s playlists and learning the new RD rules

it must be a fun time of year when they can work on basics, refresh their off ice training and dance classes and get charged up creating new programs

Layla Veillon/Alex Brandys 🇨🇦CAN jr 18/19 yo: they improved on their JGP scores by about 10 pts from last season. they made headway on the reversed part of the pattern. their skating is gorgeous - their one foot at one of the competitions made me cry in the stands it was so beautiful. they're projecting more than ever. the upper body softness and expressive arms that would make their presentation even better is i hope the next step. they were affected a bit by G/T coming back to juniors with the age rule change - i kept feeling like the international judges were seeing them more clearly than Canadian ones at home because of the 2 other strong teams who are aging out. Layla and Alex go into next season as the top Canadian junior team and by far the most experienced. their last 2 FDs were character pieces to vintage movie scores, so curious how IAMO will switch it up as they aim for Junior Worlds in Tallinn

Athena Faith Roberts/Eric Alis 🇪🇸ESP 19/22 yo: they were a fun addition - they have good energy and a nice connection on and off the ice as far as i can tell. she got a nice comment from Ben Agosto about her moves and her presence at Nebelhorn. this was their first senior season, and they've adapted well to their new training home after moving from Wing/Lowe sometime around Feb/March 2024

Olivia Josephine Shilling/Leo Baeten 🇧🇪BEL 28/24 yo: another team who just completed their first season at IAMO - this was their 3rd season together and were with Igor before this. they've progressed to look stronger and more secure. they missed the new tech minimum for Euros by only .44, but if they continue growing their skating skills at this rate, it's looking promising for the upcoming season. their international high scores were Ice Challenge and Santa Claus Cup, but i think they looked more grounded and smooth later on, at Egna and Tilburg, and that allowed them to show their connection and warmth

Charlie Anderson/Cayden Dawson 🇨🇦CAN jr 19/19 yo: their first season together - she moved back to juniors after a year at senior for more opportunities and time to grow. he moved from Carol Lane's school. she attracted some attention for wearing one of Tessa's memorable dresses as well as Madi's. she moves like a natural dancer, and this partnership feels like it clicked right away. we're going to see them at Next Gen and a JGP or two pretty sure

Olivia Corneil/Alexandre Emery 🇨🇦CAN jr 18/? yo: their 2nd season together, their first as juniors. they just missed going to Nationals but have grown as a partnership since their first year at Novice. not sure how old he is, but i think they're age eligible to remain juniors. they're a tall team - it seems like it can take a little extra time to gel or find balance, but when you do, there's such an upside to long lines, and you could see the work they did this season on foundations. IAMO is good with bringing out the inner performer in shyer skaters, and it's been great to see him open up over time to match her

Alyssa Robinson/Jacob Portz 🇨🇦 CAN 21/23 yo: i'm all for sending juniors out, but Skate Canada will send a junior team who formed 6 weeks before NextGen camp all the way to Asia but not send a beautiful team like this one to a single Challenger outside Canada. it's so frustrating!! 😩 because these two are able to sustain emotion in a program in a way that feels mature and deep. they have lovely lifts. they have range. they need more competitive experience and feedback from judges outside their own fed. i'm going to come up and fight Skate Canada if they don't support these two again this next season 😭 i love this team and want to see them get opportunities

[grantmentis]

2024 u18 Women's Worlds Information

What: The biggest junior tournament for women's hockey, featuring the top players from 8 of the best IIHF countries

When: January 6th to January 14th

Full schedule available here (it will even convert to your time!) Since this takes place in Switzerland, most of these games will be early morning for North American's, but there's a few afternoon starts.

Where: Zug, Switzerland

Where to watch: The following will host at least some of the games. Sadly a lot are only showing games in their country and medal games (for example, in the round robin, TSN and NHL Network are only showing USA, Canada, and Slovakia.) There are also some alternate sources to watch if you do not have access to these channels, and I'm happy to connect if you're an active account on here if you DM me

TSN

RDS

NHL Network

SVT Sweden

Discovery Finland

Swiss digital / ringier sports

Format: There is an initial round robin round among each of the two groups, group A and Group B.

Group A contains Finland, Canada, Czechia, Germany

Group B contains Sweden, United States, Slovakia, Switzerland

After that, the teams will play a cross-over Quarter-final game in the following format (via wikipedia)

Who: Below the cut is the rosters for each team, a few notable players, and what the main goals for each team will be

Switzerland

(Text version available here and here)

2023 Finish: 7th place

What to expect: Switzerland has had a rough few years in the tournament, having had to play to avoid relegation the last two years. If they can stay out of the relegation game

Players to watch: Ivana Wey had 4 assists last world juniors, and is currently playing on a beyond stacked SWHL B team where she's seen a lot of ice time and scored a lot of goals. 15 year old Norina Müller is one of the youngest forwards on the roster, and has seen some time in a SWHL A team this year, which is impressive experience especially at her age.

USA

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2023 finish: 3rd place/Bronze

What to expect: USA was upset by Sweden in last years semifinals, and is hoping to make it back to the medal game and upset the favorites and their rivals in Canada

Players to watch: Captain Maggie Scannell is in this tournament for a third time and was one of the best players last year, with 8 points in 5 games. 17 year old Boston College commit Ava Thomas is one of the many excited prospects coming out of the Philadelphia Jr Flyers program in recent year. She has dominated in many national tournaments before with speed that she utilizes well, and is a must watch as she makes her intentional debut.

Sweden

2023 Finish: silver

What to expect: Last year, Sweden had a huge victory over the USA to make the finals only to experience a disappointing 10-0 finish. This year, they will want revenge and a gold medal, maintaining a lot of the same group.

Players to watch: Hilda Svensson was the top scorer on the team and she has only gotten better, as one of the top scorers on SDHL team HV71. Isabelle Leijonhielm is playing in this tournament for the third time, and has taken a pretty big step at the SDHL level this year despite being on a struggling team and has a knack for getting shots through traffic

Slovakia:

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Last year: 6th place finish

What to expect: Hope to continue to build on last year, but unlikely to move much in the standings, and show more depth

Players to watch: If you don't already know about Nela Lopusanova, you should look her up and instantly see what a sensation she is. Won best player of the tournament last year after scoring 9 goals and 3 assists in 5 games including a michigan goal, and has spent the past year at one of the best prep schools in north america. Her teammate, Ema Tothova, has also spend the past year getting better, and is one of the top scorers in the EWHL. The two will almost certainly be linemates and a must watch for this tournament

Canada

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Last year: First/Gold

What to expect: Last year, Canada steamrolled everyone to victory, and much of the same roster is back and expecting to do it again. People have named this as one of the best u18 rosters we have seen.

Players to watch: Caitlin Kraemer had 10 goals last tournament, so eyes will be on her to repeat that great performance. Defender Chloe Primerano will be making her exciting u18 worlds debut after dominating the CSSHL U22 by having one of the best season ever recorded and becoming the highest scoring defender of all time in the league in just 45 games

Germany

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Last year: Was in u18 Division I group A and was promoted!

What to expect: Germany will mainly be trying to avoid relegation and stay in the top division, a lot of the key player that helped with promotion have aged out sadly

Players to watch: Anastasia Gruß was one of the top scorers last tourament with 5 points in 5 games. Emilija Birka and Mathilda Heine will be two of the youngest playres at this tournament at only 14 year old, so it will be interesting to see how they impact the roster

Finland

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Last year: Fourth Place

What to expect; This is a team that wants to medal, and has more depth than teams like Switzerland or Slovakia, but may not have the star power to fully compete for a medal. Sanni Vanhanen aging out is a huge loss, and don't have some of the elite goaltender prospects to make up for that like they have in the past. That said, it's still Finland, and there are many players poised to break out. Such as the following!

Players to watch: Emma Ekoluoma has been great both in the Finnish top League (naisten liiga) as well as in international competition this year. Nelly Anderson is a 16 year old defender who made major steps this year and was impactful as she played more games in Naisten Liiga, and I'd expect her to get some big minutes

Czechia

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Last Year: Fifth Place

Expectations: Medal! There's a lot of reason to believe this group can take a big step this year as Czechia has reaped the rewards of investing in their women's program the past few seasons

Players to watch: Adéla Šapovalivová was the top scorer for Czechia last year, and this year she enters as one of the top scorers in the SDHL where she plays against many senior level players. Same for Tereza Plosová, a university of minnesota commit who has already been a consistent producer in the SDHL and played on the Czech senior team. Goaltender Daniela Nováková looked good in an extremely small sample size at last years tournament, so we will see if she can build on that