The United States will win the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, according to three NHL.com writers.
NHL.com deputy managing editor Adam Kimelman and NHL.com senior draft writer Mike G. Morreale predict the U.S. will end Canada's hopes of a third straight gold medal in the championship game. LNH.com staff writer Guillaume Lepage believes the U.S. will defeat Sweden in the final.
Canada is the two-time defending tournament champion. No country has won three in a row since Canada's run of five straight from 2005-09.
It would be the sixth time the U.S. has won the WJC gold medal, and first since 2021. It defeated Canada in that tournament's championship game as well.
Since the current format was adopted in 1996, the U.S. has won four of the five times it has played Canada in the gold-medal game (2004, 2010, 2017, 2021). Canada won in 1997.
Each writer also made his pick for best goalie, best forward and best defenseman at the tournament. They also chose the top 2024 NHL Draft prospect, and were unanimous there as well, choosing Canada forward Macklin Celebrini, the projected No. 1 pick.
The 2024 WJC starts Tuesday and runs through Jan. 5 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Ten teams will make up two groups. Group A consists of Canada, Sweden, Finland, Germany and Latvia, and will play its preliminary-round games at Scandinavium. The United States, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland and Norway are in Group B, with its preliminary-round games at Frolundaborg.
The top four finishers in each group will play in the quarterfinals Jan. 2. The semifinals are Jan. 4, and the championship and third-place games are Jan. 5.
All games will be broadcast live on NHL Network in the United States and TSN and RDS in Canada.
Kimelman
Group A winner: Canada
Group B winner: United States
Champion: United States
Second: Canada
Third: Slovakia
Surprise star: Michael Hrabal, G, Czechia
Best goalie: Trey Augustine, United States
Best defenseman: Axel Sandin Pellikka, Sweden
Best forward: Matt Savoie, Canada
Top 2024 NHL Draft eligible player: Macklin Celebrini, F, Canada
Lepage
Group A winner: Sweden
Group B winner: United States
Champion: United States
Second: Sweden
Third: Canada
Surprise star: Samuel St-Hilaire, G, Canada
Best goalie: Jacob Fowler, United States
Best defenseman: Lane Hutson, United States
Best forward: Cutter Gauthier, United States
Top 2024 NHL Draft eligible player: Macklin Celebrini, F, Canada
Morreale
Group A winner: Canada
Group B winner: United States
Champion: United States
Second: Canada
Third: Czechia
Surprise star: Filip Mesar, F, Slovakia
Best goalie: Michael Hrabal, Czechia
Best defenseman: Denton Mateychuk, Canada
Best forward: Cutter Gauthier, United States
Top 2024 NHL Draft eligible player: Macklin Celebrini, F, Canada
