Previewing 'World Juniors'

It's that time of year again. Yes, the holiday season, but also time for the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Junior Championship, featuring the top under-20-year-old hockey players in the world.
The World Juniors offers elite hockey and rosters filled with future NHL players. It all starts on Boxing Day, Dec. 26 with games split between Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.

The international tournament started in 1974. It's grown in popularity each year and has become a must-watch event for hockey fans everywhere, especially Canada (NCAA March Madness is the best comparison), Europe and the U.S. All games will be televised on NHL Network in the U.S. and TSN and RDS in Canada.
Historically, Canada has dominated the tournament with 18 gold medals. But last January the United States upset Canada to earn fifth gold all time.
Ten teams qualify for the tournament each year and are split into two groups of five. Each group plays a qualifying round-robin tournament. Teams that finish in the top four in each group will move on to the medal rounds which will feature cross over games.
Local fans have watched the World Juniors for years to see players they've cheered for with one of the state's four Western Hockey League teams (Everett Silvertips, Seattle Thunderbirds, Spokane Chiefs, and Tri-City Americans) as well as Oregon's Portland Winterhawks.
The extra draw this season is Seattle Kraken fans have a rooting interest in the World Junior Championships for the first time. Yes, the Kraken will be represented by their first-round pick Matty Beniers as a center and alternate captain with Team USA for the second straight year while fourth-rounder and defenseman Ville Ottavainen will compete for Team Finland.
Several current Kraken players played in the World Juniors on their way to the NHL. None had a more memorable goal than Jordan Eberle.
The Seattle leading scorer's moment came during the semifinal game of the 2009 tournament. Eberle's Team Canada trailed Russia 5-4 as time was running out. Eberle, then 18 years old, took a pass off the boards from John Tavares and scored a 6-on-5 goal to tie the game with six seconds left.
Watch: Jordan Eberle scores tying goal in 2008 World Junior Championships
Canada won in a shootout, advancing to win it all by defeating Sweden in the gold medal game.
Will there be an Eberle moment this year? Can the United States stun the hockey world for a second straight year?
It all begins Sunday with the Gold Medal handed out Jan. 5. The games are televised live on the NHL Network and here's what to watch for.

Future Kraken on display

During last year's tournament, Beniers was one of the youngest players on Team USA and the only skater who had not already been drafted by an NHL team. He earned a ton of minutes and opened eyes among the NHL scouting community and his stock took off at a rocket pace.
Beniers is back and named alternate captain of the American contingent. It will afford a chance for Kraken fans to get a good look at the University of Michigan star, who is off to a red-hot start for the top-ranked Wolverines.
Beniers and the USA will open the tournament in Red Deer on Dec. 26 with a game against Slovakia.
North American fans have had a limited opportunity to watch Ottavainen since he's been in Europe the past two seasons - after spending 2018-2019 playing in the Ontario Hockey League.
He's a big defenseman who has been playing in top leagues in Finland and has a chance to impact a World Junior team that is seemingly in contention every tournament. Ottavainen will be in action with the Finns starting on the Dec. 26 against the Germans in Edmonton.

Will it be Canada, a USA repeat or another country winning it?

Canada is always a threat to win it all and this season is no different. The squad is again loaded with NHL Draft picks - all but two have been drafted -- including 2021 No. 1 overall pick Owen Powers, who happens to be Beniers' teammate at Michigan.
The USA club is one of the fastest and that could put them in medal contention. They aren't as stacked as last year's gold-medal winners, but the U.S. has become a junior power. Beniers will be joined by fellow Wolverine and first-round (4th overall to the New Jersey Devils) pick in Luke Hughes.
Other teams to watch include the Russians, who are loaded with skill players, as is Sweden and Finland.

Local players on display

Both the Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds will have players representing their home countries at the tournament.
Fans can watch Anaheim Ducks 2021 second-round pick, defenseman Olen Zellweger on Team Canada along with fellow defenseman Ronan Seeley, who was drafted in the seventh round of the 2020 Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes. Both play for Everett.
The two blueliners will be joined by Silvertips teammate and forward Michal Gut who will play with the Czech Republic for the second straight year.
Columbus Blue Jackets 2020 third-round pick Sam Knazko joined the Thunderbirds after the season began but the offensive defenseman will be off to the World Juniors to play for Slovakia.

The future of the future

Most of the players in the World Juniors are 19 years old and already drafted by an NHL team. There are some notable exceptions this year and some exciting players to get a look at.
For Canada, Shane Wright made the club, and the 17-year-old is widely considered by draft experts to be the top pick in the upcoming NHL Draft. Wright is playing in the OHL with the Kingston Frontenacs this season and has 30 points in 22 games.
Joining him in the red and white of Team Canada will be 16-year-old Connor Bedard who plays for the Regina Pats with Kraken second-round pick Ryker Evans. He'll be just the seventh player to crack the Canadian roster at age 16 - he joins players like Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid among others.
Bedard is eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft as is Russian Matvei Michkov, who is a goal-scoring machine that could push Bedard for the top pick.

USA and Canada round-robin schedule plus final rounds

All games on NHL Network in the U.S. and TSN and RDS in Canada
Sunday, Dec. 26 -- Prelims Canada vs. Czech Republic (4 p.m.)
Sunday, Dec. 26 -- Prelims USA vs. Slovakia (6:30 p.m.)
Tuesday, Dec. 28 -- Prelims USA vs. Switzerland (1:30 pm)
Tuesday, Dec. 28 -- Prelims Canada vs. Austria (4 p.m.)
Wednesday, Dec. 29 -- Prelims Canada vs. Germany (4 p.m.)
Wednesday, Dec. 29 -- Prelims USA vs. Sweden (6:30 p.m.)
Friday, Dec. 31 -- Prelims Canada vs. Finland (4 p.m.)
Friday, Dec. 31 -- Prelims USA vs. Russia (6:30 p.m.)
Sunday, Jan. 2 -- Quarterfinals
Tuesday, Jan. 4 -- Semifinals
Wednesday, Jan. 5 -- Medal Games