The 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship kicks off on Christmas Day for the first time since 2005 with three round-robin games on tap from the bubble in Edmonton.
All of the games can be seen on TSN and streaming on TSN.ca, the TSN App and TSN Direct.
Switzerland vs. Slovakia – 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT on TSN3/5
The World Juniors round robin starts off with action in Group A as Switzerland takes on Slovakia. Both teams advanced to the quarterfinals in last year’s edition in the Czech Republic before falling to the Russians and Canadians respectively.
Switzerland does not have any NHL prospects on this year’s roster while Slovakia has two in Los Angeles Kings fifth-rounder Martin Chromiak and Columbus Blue Jackets third-round pick Samuel Knazko.
Germany vs. Finland – 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on TSN3/5
Headlined by Ottawa Senators third overall pick Tim Stuetzle, Germany comes into the 2021 WJC after beating Kazakhstan in relegation last year.
Joined by Buffalo Sabres second-rounder John-Jason Peterka up front, Stuetzle and the Germans look to take the next step forward and reach the quarterfinals to avoid the relegation round. One of Germany’s biggest obstacles is COVID-19. After eight players tested positive prior to the tournament, they were unable to play a pre-competition game due to quarantine.
Finland comes into the tournament with 16 NHL prospects on their roster including Florida Panthers first-round pick Anton Lundell, Winnipeg Jets first rounder Ville Heinola and Ottawa Senators second-round pick Roby Jarventie. Brad Lambert, eligible for the 2022 NHL Draft, notably makes the team as a 17-year-old.
The Finns look to improve on last year’s fourth-place finish, after losing in the bronze-medal game to rival Sweden.
United States vs. Russia – 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT across the TSN Network
The nightcap game is a battle of heavyweights with the United States taking on Russia in a Group B showdown. The Americans are looking to rebound after finishing a disappointing sixth in last year’s tournament, losing 1-0 to the Finns in the quarterfinals.
The U.S. returns eight players from last year’s squad, including Montreal Canadiens first-round pick Cole Caufield, Anaheim Ducks first-rounder and last year’s leading scorer Trevor Zegras and Kings’ fifth overall pick Alex Turcotte. Other notable names include Panthers first-round pick Spencer Knight in net and 2020 Ottawa Senators fifth-overall pick defenceman Jake Sanderson.
For the first time in years, the Russians will have a new face behind the bench as Igor Larionov takes over from Valeri Bragin as head coach. After taking home silver in 2020, the Russians are bringing an overhauled and inexperienced roster to Edmonton.
After struggling during his first go at the WJC last year as a 17-year-old, Yaroslav Askarov (Nashville Predators first-round pick) is expected to be the No. 1 in net for the Russians after a strong start to his KHL season.
Up front, the Russians have two returnees in Vancouver Canucks first-round pick Vasily Podkolzin, who returns for his third WJC and Maxim Groshev, a Tampa Bay Lightning third-rounder. The other first-round picks on the Russian roster are forwards Rodion Amirov (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Yegor Chinakhov (Columbus Blue Jackets) and defenceman Shakir Mukhamadullin (New Jersey Devils).
VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Canucks announced Tuesday that defenceman Alex Edler will sign a one-day contract in order to officially retire as a member of the NHL team.
The signing will be part of a celebration of Edler’s career held Oct. 11 when the Canucks host the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Canucks selected Edler, from Ostersund, Sweden, in the third round (91st overall) of the 2004 NHL draft.
He played in 925 career games for the Canucks between the 2006-07 and 2020-21 seasons, ranking fourth in franchise history and first among defencemen.
The 38-year-old leads all Vancouver defencemen with 99 goals, 310 assists and 177 power-play points with the team.
Edler also appeared in 82 career post-season contests with Vancouver and was an integral part of the Canucks’ run to the 2011 Stanley Cup final, putting up 11 points (2-9-11) across 25 games.
“I am humbled and honoured to officially end my career and retire as a member of the Vancouver Canucks,” Edler said in a release. “I consider myself lucky to have started my career with such an outstanding organization, in this amazing city, with the best fans in the NHL. Finishing my NHL career where it all began is something very special for myself and my family.”
Edler played two seasons for Los Angeles in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He did not play in the NHL last season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.
The sixth-ranked Canadian women will face World Cup champion Spain in an international friendly next month.
Third-ranked Spain will host Canada on Oct. 25 at Estadio Francisco de la Hera in Almendralejo.
The game will be the first for the Canadian women since the Paris Olympics, where they lost to Germany in a quarterfinal penalty shootout after coach Bev Priestman was sent home and later suspended for a year by FIFA over her part in Canada’s drone-spying scandal.
In announcing the Spain friendly, Canada Soccer said more information on the interim women’s coaching staff for the October window will come later. Assistant coach Andy Spence took charge of the team in Priestman’s absence at the Olympics.
Spain finished fourth in Paris, beaten 1-0 by Germany in the bronze-medal match.
Canada is winless in three previous meetings (0-2-1) with Spain, most recently losing 1-0 at the Arnold Clark Cup in England in February 2022.
The teams played to a scoreless draw in May 2019 in Logroñés, Spain in a warm-up for the 2019 World Cup. Spain won 1-0 in March 2019 at the Algarve Cup in São João da Venda, Portugal.
Spain is a powerhouse in the women’s game these days.
It won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2022 and was runner-up in 2018. And it ousted Canada 2-1 in the round of 16 of the current U-20 tournament earlier this month in Colombia before falling 1-0 to Japan after extra time in the quarterfinal.
Spain won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2018 and 2022 and has finished on the podium on three other occasions.
FC Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati (2023) and Alexia Putellas (2021 and ’22) have combined to win the last three Women’s Ballon d’Or awards.
And Barcelona has won three of the last four UEFA Women’s Champions League titles.
“We continue to strive to diversify our opponent pool while maintaining a high level of competition.” Daniel Michelucci, Canada Soccer’s director of national team operations, said in a statement. “We anticipate a thrilling encounter, showcasing two of the world’s top-ranked teams.”
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024
TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced cookie brand Oreo as the team’s helmet sponsor for the upcoming NHL season.
The new helmet will debut Sunday when Toronto opens its 2024-25 pre-season against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena.
The Oreo logo replaces Canadian restaurant chain Pizza Pizza, which was the Leafs’ helmet sponsor last season.
Previously, social media platform TikTok sponsored Toronto starting in the 2021-22 regular season when the league began allowing teams to sell advertising space on helmets.
The Oreo cookie consists of two chocolate biscuits around a white icing filling and is often dipped in milk.
Fittingly, the Leafs wear the Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s “Milk” logo on their jerseys.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.
