The time is nigh. With the 2024 world juniors starting on Dec. 26, some of THN.com's contributors bravely guess the medallists and top players.
With the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship kicking off on Dec. 26, there is no better time than now to look at some of the predictions our staff at The Hockey News has for the event.
From medal rounds to the tournament all-star teams, some writers and editors here at The Hockey News provided insight into what might happen.
Those who participated in this exercise filled out a poll with their best guesses as to what might go down once we kick off the marquee junior hockey event on the calendar. Here are the contributors who took part:
Ryan Kennedy (Editor in Chief)
Tony Ferrari (NHL Draft/Prospect Analyst)
Jonathan Tovell (Web Editor)
Jacob Stoller (Features/Columns)
Adam Kierszenblat (WHL Site Editor)
Joely Stockl (OHL Site Editor)
Rick Stephens (QMJHL Site Editor)
Dylan Loucks (NCAA Site Editor)
Carol Schram (Features)
Adam Proteau (Columns/Features)
Lyle Richardson (Rumor Roundup Writer)
Top Forward Predictions
Top forward was easily the most diverse assortment of predictions. Matthew Savoie, Jiri Kulich and Will Smith received two votes. Five other players also received a vote.
Kennedy: Jiri Kulich (Czechia)
Ferrari: Filip Mesar (Slovakia)
Tovell: Will Smith (USA)
Stoller: Matthew Savoie (Canada)
Kierzenblat: Will Smith (USA)
Stockl: Rutger McGroarty (USA)
Stephens: Cutter Gauthier (USA)
Loucks: Liam Ohgren (Sweden)
Schram: Jiri Kulich (Czechia)
Proteau: Macklin Celebrini (Canada)
Richardson: Matthew Savoie (Canada)
Top Defenseman Predictions
It was a two-horse race for top defenseman, with Axel Sandin Pellikka getting four votes and American Lane Hutson getting plenty of love with seven.
Kennedy: Lane Hutson (USA)
Ferrari: Axel Sandin Pellikka (Sweden)
Tovell: Axel Sandin Pellikka (Sweden)
Stoller: Lane Hutson (USA)
Kierzenblat: Lane Hutson (USA)
Stockl: Lane Hutson (USA)
Stephens: Lane Hutson (USA)
Loucks: Axel Sandin Pellikka (Sweden)
Schram: Axel Sandin Pellikka (Sweden)
Proteau: Lane Hutson (USA)
Richardson: Lane Hutson (USA)
Top Goalie Predictions
Trey Augustine is expected to be the American starter and received four votes, but his backup, Jacob Fowler, received three votes, which is a testament to the strong goaltending the Americans have. Adam Gajan, the Slovak hero from last year’s tournament, received three votes as well.
Kennedy: Adam Gajan (Slovakia)
Ferrari: Trey Augustine (USA)
Tovell: Trey Augustine (USA)
Stoller: Jacob Fowler (USA)
Kierzenblat: Adam Gajan (Slovakia)
Stockl: Trey Augustine (USA)
Stephens: Jacob Fowler (USA)
Loucks: Scott Ratzlaff (Canada)
Schram: Trey Augustine (USA)
Proteau: Adam Gajan (Slovakia)
Richardson: Jacob Fowler (USA)
World Junior Championship MVP
Much like the top forward, the tournament MVP was an interesting array of players. No one received more than two votes with Lane Hutson, Will Smith and Matthew Savoie all getting two apiece. Trey Augustine was the only goalie chosen for the award.
Kennedy: Lane Hutson (USA)
Ferrari: Filip Mesar (Slovakia)
Tovell: Will Smith (USA)
Stoller: Matthew Savoie (Canada)
Kierzenblat: Will Smith (USA)
Stockl: Rutger McGroarty (USA)
Stephens: Lane Hutson (USA)
Loucks: Liam Ohgren (Sweden)
Schram: Trey Augustine (USA)
Proteau: Macklin Celebrini (Canada)
Richardson: Matthew Savoie (Canada)
End of Tournament All-Stars
Kennedy: F Jiri Kulich, F Macklin Celebrini, F Cutter Gauthier, D Lane Hutson, D Zeev Buium, G Adam Gajan
Ferrari: F Filip Mesar, F Filip Bystedt, F Matthew Savoie, D Axel Sandin Pellikka, D Seamus Casey, G Trey Augustine
Tovell: F Will Smith, F Jonathan Lekkerimaki, F Matthew Poitras, D Axel Sandin Pellikka, D Lane Hutson, G Trey Augustine
Stoller: F Matthew Savoie, F Ryan Leonard, F Filip Bystedt, D Lane Hutson, D Axel Sandin Pellikka, G Jacob Fowler
Kierzenblat: F Will Smith, F Jonathan Lekkerimaki, F Filip Mesar, D Lane Hutson, D Axel Sandin Pellikka, G Adam Gajan
Stockl: F Rutger McGroarty, F Macklin Celebrini, F Kasper Halttunen, D Lane Hutson, D Denton Mateychuk, G Trey Augustine
Stephens: F Cutter Gauthier, F Macklin Celebrini, F Jonathan Lekkerimaki, D Lane Hutson, D Axel Sandin Pellikka, G Jacob Fowler
Loucks: F Macklin Celebrini, F Liam Ohgren, F Jimmy Snuggerud, D Axel Sandin Pellikka, D Lane Hutson, G Scott Ratzlaff
Schram: F Jiri Kulich, F Cutter Gauthier, F Matthew Poitras, D Axel Sandin Pellikka, D Denton Mateychuk, G Trey Augustine
Proteau: F Macklin Celebrini, F Cutter Gauthier, F Jonathan Lekkerimaki, D Lane Hutson, D Denton Mateychuk, G Adam Gajan
Richardson: F Matthew Savoie, F Cutter Gauthier, F Noah Ostlund, D Lane Hutson, D Denton Mateychuk, G Jacob Fowler
Bronze Medal Game Predictions
Canada and Slovakia were both chosen three times to win the bronze medal, while Sweden and Finland got two votes each. Czechia snuck in on one ballot as well. Slovakia was also chosen as the most popular loser in the bronze medal game with both them and Finland finding their way onto three ballots.
Kennedy: Sweden over Slovakia
Ferrari: Slovakia over Canada
Tovell: Canada over Finland
Stoller: Finland over Czechia
Kierzenblat: Slovakia over Finland
Stockl: Slovakia over Sweden
Stephens: Canada over Slovakia
Loucks: Canada over Czechia
Schram: Czechia over Slovakia
Proteau: Sweden over Finland
Richardson: Finland over Sweden
Gold Medal Game Predictions
Every single ballot had the American team in the final, but only five had them winning it all. Canada and Sweden each appeared as the winner on three ballots, which means the Americans were the most popular loser in the gold medal game as well with six.
Kennedy: USA over Czechia
Ferrari: Sweden over USA
Tovell: USA over Sweden
Stoller: Canada over USA
Kierzenblat: Sweden over USA
Stockl: USA over Canada
Stephens: USA over Sweden
Loucks: Sweden over USA
Schram: USA over Sweden
Proteau: Canada over USA
Richardson: Canada over USA
The 2024 world juniors last from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2024, in Gothenburg, Sweden.
