#World Juniors

Rebuilds in the NHL are different. There can be tanking for long periods of time, or really short rebuilds where teams rebound quickly and become contenders. One thing that helps a short rebuild is lottery luck. Teams like New Jersey and the New York Rangers have been able to flip around rebuilds quickly and construct contending teams by winning…

The NHL just wrapped up the 2023 Winter Classic and is now looking ahead towards the 2023 NHL All-Star game in South Florida. That means we are officially in the second half of the season, and we are getting ever so close to the 2023 NHL Draft. The consensus number 1 overall pick to go in this year's draft is Connor Bedard and he has already made…

The Montreal Canadiens have hit the halfway point of the 2022-23 season and while their overall record is better than last year at this time, it's clear the team is still suffering through rebuilding pains and the roster remains a work in progress with significant holes to fill. The arrival of 2023 means that the fun is about to begin for the front…

It's no surprise that after an abysmal first half, the Chicago Blackhawks are in the running for the highest odds to land the number 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. What if they actually land it? If the Blackhawks land the top pick in the draft, the list of'What ifs' and'Who to draft?' is longer than a hot summer day in the sweltering…

As the World Juniors tournament came to a close and Canada took the gold medal in a thrilling overtime win, the chatter around top prospect Connor Bedard did not quiet down. He scored a thrilling goal to send Canada to the medal game, and was named the MVP for the entire tournament. The buzz around Bedard, who is expected to go first overall in the…

Welcome to Blackburn's Big Board, a weekly check-in on the hockey things that I currently care about. It'll go a variety of ways, including teams that are earning my attention, players of note, storylines generating buzz and any other hockey topics that my weird brain finds compelling. The 2023 World Junior Championship concluded last week after an…

One hopes that, by now, Bo Horvat has gotten used to being the centre of attention in Vancouver.On Sunday afternoon, Horvat notched his 29 goal on the season in a losing effort to the Winnipeg Jets, bringing him into a tie with Alex Ovechkin for fourth in league scoring and gaining him plenty of notice.The night prior, however, was perhaps more…

Move over, Connor McDavid. There is a newer, younger and hotter Connor on everyone's radar: Connor Bedard. The consensus first-overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft just increased the hype with a record-setting performance at the World Juniors. And he has not slowed down. Thus, a handful of NHL teams are shamelessly tanking in hopes of winning…

There were moments during this year's World Juniors where Team Canada, the prohibitive favourites, were pushed to the brink. The continued development of international players over the past few decades has laid the foundation for parity in men's international hockey we historically aren't accustomed to, and it can lead to stretches (or full games)…

With the Winter Classic wrapped up and the Edmonton Oilers set to host the Calgary Flames for a new rendition of the Heritage Classic this October, it's time for the NHL to find a new formula for their outdoor games. The Heritage and then the Winter Classic were incredible spectacles and productions when they first arrived on the scene. José…

Watching the World Juniors led every person who follows hockey to the same conclusion: Drafting Connor Bedard will be franchise-altering. With the season nearly half over, teams far outside the playoff picture may start experimenting with their lineups in ways that might make them less competitive in the near term. Give young players an outsized…

If you want to dance, you got to pay the band. And if you want to bet against 2023 IIHF World Junior Champion Canada, you have to wear their jersey for Jordan Eberle. Seattle Kraken forward Matty Beniers made good on a friendly wager he lost to Eberle, wearing a Team Canada jersey to practice on Friday. Beniers, fresh off being named a 2023 Pacific…

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be buyers before the March 3 trade deadline, meanwhile the San Jose Sharks are at the other end of the spectrum, as general manager (GM) Mike Grier will look to sell off some of the team's assets. This is likely going to include star forward Timo Meier and if this is indeed the case, Leafs GM Kyle Dubas needs to be…

It was about this time, seven years ago, that the hockey world was agog about a Canadian teenager named Connor. That one, surname McDavid, had arrived at the World Junior Hockey Championship as the almost-certain first overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft, off a stellar junior career with gaudy point totals and a string of ridiculous…

Coming off a pair of dramatic wins in the semifinals, Canada and Czechia will meet in the IIHF U20 gold medal game tonight in Halifax as the heavily favored Canadians (-420) will look to avenge their only loss of the tournament back in the Boxing Day opener. With Czechia possibly emptying the tank yesterday vs. the Swedes and the Canucks getting…

Czechia humbled Canada in the WJC opener, but the host nation and pre-tournament favorites have dominated since, and will look to exact revenge in Thursday's final. See why our WJC picks are all over the faves. Coming off a pair of dramatic wins in the semifinals, Canada and Czechia will meet in the IIHF U20 gold medal game tonight in Halifax as…

Connor Bedard was a highly touted prospect before the IIHF World Junior Championships got underway. However, playing in Canada and putting on one of the most impressive showings in recent memory has only increased his profile. The next step is to lead Canada to the gold medal. First, comes a semifinal showdown on Wednesday night against the U.S.…

Canada and Team USA meet at the 2023 World Juniors on Wednesday, January 4. Faceoff is set for just after 6:30 PM ET at Scotiabank Centre (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada), and the game will be live on NHL Network and TSN. Now, both teams are trying to get to the Final on Thursday. The Americans are currently a one-goal betting underdog and the total…

It was about this time, seven years ago, that the hockey world was agog about a Canadian teenager named Connor. That one, surname McDavid, had arrived at the World Junior Hockey Championship as the almost-certain first overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft, off a stellar junior career with gaudy point totals and a string of ridiculous…

Welcome back to another day of NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are happening and gives our predictions for each one, breaking down head-to-head and other factors that may play in. We also have a featured game of the day, which is considered must-watch TV. Today's featured game for NHL Predictions is the…

Last Word on Hockey presents The MnM Hockey Podcast. The latest addition to the stable of LWOH Hockey Podcast Content. Every week, Alex Metzger and Chace McCallum will share their thoughts on the news of the week, have a variety of guests from the world of hockey as well as spending some time on original segments. Sit back, listen, and enjoy some…

Editor's note: Alex Crowe is a junior journalism major and serves as a senior sports reporter at the Northern Star. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the Star. This is an opinion piece. The 2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships have arrived, giving Chicago Blackhawks fans a chance to watch up-and-coming talent amidst Chicago's…

Some of the Ottawa Senators' top prospects are ready to take on the world. The Senators are well-represented at the 2023 IIHF world junior championship that got under way Boxing Day in Halifax and Moncton. General manager Pierre Dorion, assistants Trent Mann and Ryan Bowness along with the rest of the scouting staff will be keeping a close eye on…

Buffalo Sabres prospect Isak Rosen has been up and down in Rochester, but he put up big numbers in Game 1 of the IIHF World Juniors. Isak Rosen has had his moments with the AHL's Rochester Americans this season, putting up 15 points, 3 goals, and 12 assists in 25 games. The rookie hasn't been great, but he hasn't been bad either. Contrast this…

The 2023 World Junior Championship is set to take place on Dec. 26 and Winnipeg Jets fans have plenty of reasons to tune in this year. Rutger McGroarty and Chaz Lucius will play within Team USA's top six, and Brad Lambert will fill the role of a top-six center for Team Finland. This article will go over a few things to look for from these prospects…

Logan Cooley is tearing it up at Minnesota with 25 points (ten goals) in 19 games. His ability to shoot the puck cannot be underestimated. Chaz Lucius has enjoyed some chemistry with Lucius and has 19 points in 24 games for the Golden Gophers. Rand Pecknold (Team USA Head Coach) has a more balanced squad with only one real question mark -…

As we approach the holiday season and end of the calendar year, it's time we take another look at the NHL Sour Rankings and rank the teams putting their worst foot forward in an attempt to secure the best odds at the first overall pick. Unless one of these teams has a 2019 St. Louis Blues-level turnaround, there is a good chance that one of them…

The Vancouver Canucks are emerging from the holiday break jolly, full of beer, and in the midst of a six-game winning streak. After having their last five games postponed because of the rising number of COVID cases in the league, as of writing, the Canucks will return to the game action for the first time in 13 days in Anaheim against the Ducks on…

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Scroll Philly sports headlines on the smartphone and there's plenty about Jalen Hurts and the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles. The Phillies are in a pennant race. The Sixers have two of the biggest stars in the NBA in Joel Embiid and James Harden. The Union is one of the best teams in Major League Soccer. The Flyers? They are on…

Patrik Laine can remember it like it was yesterday. He was just 11 years old at the time, a young hockey fan rather than the star he has become today. When Tappara, the professional team he grew up rooting for in his hometown of Tampere, Finland, hosted the Florida Panthers in an exhibition game back in 2009, Laine was there to support his squad in…

The Calder Memorial Trophy race is always fun to follow as it gives us a great look at what we can expect for the future. Check out the latest Calder Trophy odds including favorite Matty Beniers. In every sport, there's always excitement around the new class of rookies and what they can do to make an impact for their respective teams. Some don't…

Time for another prospect report! I'm surprised I've been able to do one per week so far. I was expecting it to be less frequent, but I've also been able to watch more games for some prospects than I thought I would. So it's been easy to switch between different players. There's still a few I haven't seen at all so far this year, but for now I have…

The fantasy season is upon us. Another year of tears of joy and heartbreak. To help you along, here's your fantasy outlook for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Last season: 37-38-7, 6th Metro, 21st overall. GF: 14th, GA: 28th, PP: 24th, PK: 20th. Never count out the Jackets. With a "why not us?" mentality that seeps through the organization starting from…

With the NHL season arriving, now is the time for fans and bettors to really start perusing the futures markets. There's no shortage of markets for fans to wager on, from picking your team to win the Stanley Cup to betting on various of player awards. We searched the futures bets available at NorthStar Bets high and low to pick out some of our…

After looking like a traditional expansion team in the 2021-22 season, the Seattle Kraken enters the new NHL season with significantly lower expectations. Sharps bet online on the Kraken's outright odds last season to deflating effects. Seattle finished with 60 points, which was the worst in the Pacific Division and second-worst in the Western…

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Scroll Philly sports headlines on the smartphone and there's plenty about Jalen Hurts and the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles. The Phillies are in a pennant race. The Sixers have two of the biggest stars in the NBA in Joel Embiid and James Harden. The Union is one of the best teams in Major League Soccer. The Flyers? They are on…

Johnson is one of the top forward prospects in all of hockey. We have all seen by now just how dynamic he can be with the puck on his stick; he's a play driver who can hold onto the puck and set up teammates, or unleash a nasty shot that often fools a goaltender. But to this point in his career, through the NCAA level, World Juniors, World…

When P.K. Subban announced his retirement from hockey this week, just a couple weeks after we learned Carey Price is out for the year and his career may also be done, one question came to mind. What are the odds? It seems entirely remarkable that arguably the two greatest Hamilton Bulldog grads would finish at the same time. That thought then led…

If you don't like reading entire previews or prefer the Twitter version of things, here's the 2022-23 DU Hockey season preview: The Denver Pioneers are still really, really good at hockey. Now, for the rest of you…about this time a year ago, questions were swirling around the Pioneers' program. Just a few months removed from missing the NCAA…

BRIGHTON, MA - With Boston Bruins training camp now underway, it's the time for storylines and narratives to begin to take hold, impressions made with the new B's coaching staff and at the end of it all a roster that will be ready to start the regular season less than a month from now. So with that in mind, here's five burning questions facing the…

The Philadelphia Flyers are a bit of a mess. The 2022-23 NHL season is on the horizon and it's hard to really find any real reason to be optimistic about this team other than the Head Coach having a reputation to turn water into wine. If you're looking to bet on the Flyers this season, it probably seems like a waste of money. But just because the…

The Sharks have been one of the better teams in the NHL for many years and a Stanley Cup contender as well. As the core of Logan Couture, Erik Karlsson, and Brent Burns are on the back nine of their career and some serious questions in goal, the team is poised to enter the rebuild era. The Sharks will miss the post-season this year and will receive…

This week marks the first steps towards the 2022-23 NHL season and it starts with NHL teams assessing the future assets of their organization. Across the league, NHL clubs will fan out across the continent for rookie tournaments or series, mostly running from Sept. 15-19. Shortly thereafter, NHL players will convene at their respective training…

The Washington Capitals saw Haakon Hanelt take the ice for Team Germany to open the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships against the United States on Tuesday. And though it was a loss for Germany, the club still gave its best effort and held its own against a powerhouse Team USA that features Luke Hughes, Logan Cooley and more. Meanwhile,…