The medal round is about to begin at the 2024 IIHF U-18 World Championships. Here's a look at the top performers from each nation to this point.
The medal round is about to begin at the 2024 IIHF U-18 World Championships. Here's a look at the top performers from each nation to this point.
The preliminary round and quarterfinals are done at the U-18 World Championships in Zug, Switzerland. To get to this point, each team has had players rise to the occasion
Canada
Chloe Primerano is the best player in the tournament. She's one of the best players in the world for that matter, and we're not talking about at the U-18 level. It would be shocking to see her excluded from Canada's senior national camps beyond this season. Her puck skills and skating, always seemingly keeping her body open to attacking in any direction, or pivoting and dishing, Primerano can explode into openings and exploit teams by drawing attention to herself before finding a now open teammate. She leads the tournament in scoring, is closing in on records, and seems a lock to be named the tournament MVP and Top Defender.
Honorable Mentions: Few have scored like Caitlin Kraemer in the history of Canadian international play. That's a statement, but when you consider Kraemer broke Canadian records held by Marie-Philip Poulin in this tournament...it's true. Abby Stonehouse, does it all. She plays a bit like Alex Carpenter with a bit of Jamie Lee Rattray mixed in. Fast, pesky, and able to make plays. Most of all, Stonehouse has a motor that never stops, and she's willing to go anywhere and battle anyone to get a puck.
Switzerland
It was a tough tournament for the Swiss. In truth, they have one line that can compete at this level, and the deeper you go into their lineup, the more evident it becomes that Switzerland needs to find a fix for their women's development plan if they hope to stay competitive. Naemi Herzig was unable to find the scoresheet in this tournament despite firing 17 shots, but she was also taking on a heavier load on the defensive side of the puck. Although she's a scorer, and didn't score, it actually showed the versatility she's capable of at a higher level.
Honorable Mention: Looking at the future of Swiss hockey and players who can step in to join Lara Stalder and Alina Muller in moving the nation forward, Ivana Wey will be one of Switzerland's stars for the coming decade. She's creative and offensively gifted. Much like Herzig, she couldn't get her normal game into gear, but it's no knock to her capabilities. On the blueline Alena Rossel averaged more than 27 minutes per game. It's an astonishing number and shows how much Switzerland relied on the defender. She's mobile and closes gaps well, but the waves of skill coming at her were often too much to deal with alone.
Finland
Despite finding themselves playing for a medal, the Finns are surprisingly thin this year. Emma Ekoluoma has almost single handedly carried Finland's offense. Sitting second in tournament scoring Ekoluoma was a one-woman show scoring a hat trick in Finland's 3-2 win over Czechia to avoid a semi-final against Canada, and also scored a hat trick against Germany. Now that she's a known quantity, it will be interesting to see how she manages in the medal round.
Honorable Mention: When looking at players who you can point to and say, 'that's a future national team player,' Tuuli Tallinen is probably the best bet on Team Finland. She's been the backbone of Finland's efforts regardless of the zone. Tallinen is a player who we could see come to North America to play NCAA hockey given her skillset. Kerttu Kuja-Halkola can have big moments. She's a goalie who can rise to the occasion and keep her team in games they have no business being in. To win a medal, Kuja-Halkola will need one or two of those games. She was stellar against Czechia in the preliminary round.
Czechia
If it wasn't for Canada's Caitlin Kraemer, Adela Sapovalivova would be the easy pick for top forward at this tournament. Her agility and quickness with the puck are elite, and she's proven it as a top six player in the SDHL, earning a commitment to Wisconsin, and through her performances not only at the U-18 level but with Czechia's senior national team. Sapovalivova is the real deal and will be a player PWHL teams will continue to watch closely over the next four years.
Honorable Mention: To every Batman there's a Robin, and to Sapovalivova there is Tereza Plosova who has had her share of scoring chances, but at this tournament has played a secondary set-up role. To upset a big team, or win a medal, Plosova is going to need to come in with a big game to take some focus away from Sapovalivova. Adela Fromova has eaten big minutes on Czechia's blueline as the only defender averaging more than 20 minutes per night. She's also contributing offensively getting pucks to the net and providing a powerplay threat from the point.
Slovakia
Before you gasp, Slovakia's most important player at this tournament has not been Nela Lopusanova, instead, that honor goes to netminder Livia Debnarova. The biggest knock on Debranova is a little one, her size. Against better teams that aspect of her game will be exposed, but so far, her quickness and unwillingness to give up on plays has been enough.
Honorable Mention: There are glimmers of hope Slovakia may soon replicate the success of their men's hockey program in consistently producing top talents on the women's side. Nela Lopusanova is not just Slovakia's best player at any level, she's one of the most dynamic offensive talents in the world. She's creative, she's powerful, and she loves to score. The fire she shows in big moments when Slovakia scores is infectious. Slovakia does have other forwards on the rise like Ema Tothova, but it remains Lopusanova's world, and we're just living in it. Alexandra Mateickova has been a pleasant surprise in this tournament. Slovakia expected her to be their top blueliner, but it was unknown how much her move to play in Finland would elevate her game. The answer is substantially. Slovakia does not have a league capable of developing these players, and Mateickova found a path to keep growing, and the results are obvious.
Sweden
While top spot here could go to Hilda Svensson, in this instance it's going to Ebba Hebqvist who is not only contributing as a playmaker, but is driving play with her pace and puck pursuit. She earned a spot on Sweden's senior national team for a reason, and it's her ability to contribute both on and off the puck that facilitated that opportunity, and has her as Sweden's on and off ice leader at this tournament. Honorable Mention: Hilda Svensson is Sweden's top offensive threat, and rises to the level of competition with ease. The Swedes are building a bottom up program that is starting to pay dividends by funnelling a depth of supporting players into the program. It's helped alleviate the focus on Svensson, which at times looks like it's given her more of a chance to be creative. Mira Hallin is one of those players who has benefitted from regular reps in the SDHL this season where she's playing well. That play has carried over to the U-18s.
USA
Everyone predicted Maggie Scannell to be USA's top player heading in and she hasn't disappointed. Her combination of size and skill, which she's honed at Shattuck St. Mary's at times is reminiscent of Taylor Heise. While Scannell may not have that ultimate upside, it's a testament to her skills and game breaking potential to have any comparison made with the PWHL and USA national team star.
Honorable Mention: Beyond Scannell, there were questions in the summer about woh would step forward to provide secondary scoring, and Josie St. Martin answered that call. The Stillwater High product is in her third U-18 World Championship and finally broke out as an above point-per-game player. On the back end Ellie Dimatos deserves recognition for her play alongside Rose Dwyer. She's been an offensive catalyst from the back end, but to get USA something more than silver, the American blueline will need to transition in to full on shutdown mode.
Germany
The only Hoppe for Germany in this tournament is to avoid relegation, but that looks like a tall task. To achieve that Hanna Hoppe and the rest of Germany's blueline are going to need to hold off Switzerland's top line. Hoppe has played in all situations for Germany, and is one of the few players getting pucks on net for the nation. She's put herself on the radar of recruiters, but this is a weak squad where she's being asked to do a lot.
Honorable Mention: From the best blueliner to the best forward, Anastasia Gruß hasn't recorded a point, but it's not for lack of trying. Germany just doesn't have the talent or depth. Gruß has been Germany's top threat, but she's been relegated to a defensive role for the vast majority of games.