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World Juniors preview, nation by nation

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Sweden

Despite a cornucopia of talent, Sweden’s latest gold medal drought stretches back to 2012. The Juniorkronorna’s only other title came in 1981. They settled for bronze in 2020 and 2022. For 2023, the Swedes enter with a respectable, strong roster. But it’s hard to label them as favourites versus Canada, Finland, or the United States.

Goaltender Carl Lindbom, 19, enters as the starter. Lindbom didn’t play in August despite being on the roster. The 2021 seventh-round pick of the Vegas Golden Knights has excelled with a 1.78 GAA and 93.6 save percentage for Djurgarden in 21 HockeyAllsvenskan games this season.

The blue line is decent but unspectacular in the absence of Detroit Red Wings prospect Simon Edvinsson. There’s just one 2022 returnee in Ludvig Jansson, drafted this year in the fourth round by the Florida Panthers. The Sodertalje product, 18, went pointless in four outings in Edmonton. Skelleftea’s Axel Sandin-Pellikka is a potential 2023 first-round pick and will look to make an impression at age 17. Rogle’s Adam Engstrom, a 19-year-old making his World Junior debut, also brings a good skating game, if not much offence.

Sweden’s strongest suit is its forwards. This is Fabian Lysell’s last chance to dominate at a World Juniors at age 19. The top Boston Bruins prospect has racked up 19 points in 20 AHL games with Providence so far this year. Buffalo’s 2021 first-rounder Isak Rosen has also come out strong in his first AHL campaign with Rochester. Lysell and Rosen need to bring their A-games, but they should also get some offensive support.

After struggling with Djurgarden, Jonathan Lekkerimaki – chosen 15th overall by Vancouver this year – yearns to rediscover the form that brought him the 2022 U18 Worlds scoring title with 15 points. Noah Ostlund (16th overall to Buffalo) and Liam Ohgren (19th overall to Minnesota), Lekkerimaki’s Djurgarden teammates, have been quite productive in Allsvenskan, though. And Orebro’s Leo Carlsson, just 17, has impressed with 14 SHL points in 24 games.

Perhaps the best reason to believe in gold is head coach Magnus Havelid’s recent record. He’s taken over from Tomas Monten, whose run lasted from 2017 to 2022. Havelid, a 51-year-old Enkoping native, guided Sweden to victory at both the 2019 U18 Worlds in Ornskoldsvik and the 2022 tournament in Landshut. In 2019, Havelid had a stacked roster, including Lucas Raymond, Alexander Holtz, and Philip Broberg. This year, his Swedes surprisingly rode goalie Hugo Havelid (Magnus’s nephew) to victory. They got outshot 93-38 on aggregate in their semi-final and gold-medal wins over Finland and the U.S. respectively.

Bottom line: this coach finds a way. And that’s what Sweden needs at the World Juniors.

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Edler to sign one-day contract to retire as a Vancouver Canuck

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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 Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Sixth-ranked Canadian women to face World Cup champion Spain in October friendly

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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.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024

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Maple Leafs announce Oreo as new helmet sponsor for upcoming NHL season

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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.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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