Canada Juniors at the WJC

[Ironhead]

The WJC begins in just over a week from today.
WJC is the World Junior Hockey Championship, for those not in the know.


I have a few questions for everyone.

Do you like junior hockey ?
Outside of this event do you follow junior hockey ?
Do you watch, look forward to this event every year ?
Do you think Canada will win their sixth in a row ?





I follow junior hockey both major and tier 2. I look forward to this championship every year and it was the best junior news I could have hoped for when Canada announced the start of the Program of Excellence in the early eighties.

I think this will be our sixth in a row.


Go Canada Go !

 

[insidevoice]

I do enjoy Junior hockey and kick myself for not attending more 67s games. I think WJC hockey is better to watch than a regular season NHL game. The junior players are more intense than their pro counterparts. And the talent level is astounding for young men 19 and under. Ottawa was fortunate enough to host the WJC last year and I had the pleasure to attend all the games Canada played and all of the playoff round as well. And Canada has got to be the favourite seeing it is on home soil again, no?

 

[sleazure]

I really enjoy the juniors. Seeing guys like Corey Perry, Dion Phaneuff, Kyle Wellwood, and Matt Stajan on their way up (let's not talk about Steve Downey), then watching them in the pros.

One time I was watching, and after the second or third time I'd asked myself, "wow, why didn't that kid fall down?", I realized there is a *lot* less diving in this league than in the NHL.

There is so much more integrity at this level. Talented young amateurs, all giving their best. You won't see this kind of intensity before the playoffs in the NHL.

 

[Ironhead]

And Canada has got to be the favourite seeing it is on home soil again, no?

It is indeed in Canada this year(2010) and yes we got to be the favorite once again.
Next year(2011) it will be in Buffalo, NY., cannot get much closer to home, followed by Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta in 2012.

 

[21pro]

Head Coach and Ass GM for a jr. A team... guess I'm interested... one of my former summer students, Alex Pietrangelo is on it again.

 

[new2game]

answer in order of being asked...

..yes I like junior hockey

...yes I follow it, more in the last year since our junior team, the Windsor Spitfires got a new arena..and it is actually a place you don't mind going to and has some amenities

...yes I look forward to this event, as others have said, high quality of play, and knowing some of the players from following the OHL...


I would say they have an excellent chance of winning a sixth. Remember though, it took an incredible last second play to keep them moving on in this tournament last year...a lot of the games are close...OK...I'll say they will win # 6

N2G

 

[Kitwat]

The WJC is the only hockey I watch these days. I can't stand the boredom of watching the NHL variety, particularly the long regular schedule of meaningless games.
However, I am not happy with the chippy play our team demonstrated against Sweden. Especially the elbow thrown by our captain Cormier. If I see any more of that garbage I won't watch but I will be cheering for Sweden. I can't stand goon antics and won't cheer for any Cdn. team that employs them.

 

[pdson2]

The WJC is the only hockey I watch these days. I can't stand the boredom of watching the NHL variety, particularly the long regular schedule of meaningless games.
However, I am not happy with the chippy play our team demonstrated against Sweden. Especially the elbow thrown by our captain Cormier. If I see any more of that garbage I won't watch but I will be cheering for Sweden. I can't stand goon antics and won't cheer for any Cdn. team that employs them.

If you were really watching the game you would have seen Sweden taking cheap shots all game long.

 

[gladheateher]

How's Taylor Hall?

 

[new2game]

Agreed....

If you were really watching the game you would have seen Sweden taking cheap shots all game long.

..gotta watch that game a little closer Kitwat...the Swedes got exactly what they deserved....including that elbow...



Taylor Hall is ready to go by all accounts...don't want to lose him for the Memorial Cup run...


N2G

 

[Ironhead]

However, I am not happy with the chippy play our team demonstrated against Sweden. Especially the elbow thrown by our captain Cormier. If I see any more of that garbage I won't watch but I will be cheering for Sweden. I can't stand goon antics and won't cheer for any Cdn. team that employs them.

I am not bleeding heart apologist for Canada.

I love the way we play the game and if other counrties cannot handle it, then get the fuck out of our way. If they stand between Canada and the Gold Medal, they should prepare to taste some pain. Hockey is a tough and violent game and we play for keeps.
If it is too much for Sweden or Russia or Finland then go back to kicking a ball around Europe, because they will get run over on the ice.

I have heard many times and I suspect you have too, that the other countries want to beat us, Canada. They may not win the Gold, so go after the next best thing ... beating Canada.

Wayne Gretzky said it best "They hate us(Canada). They may say something different to you guys(reporters) after, but on the ice they tell us they hate us."

 

[Kirk Lazarus]

I am not a fan of the WJC. The fact that TSN over hypes it turned me off to it. Canada seems to be in the only country to care about the WJC as it hosts every other year.

 

[gladheateher]

However, I am not happy with the chippy play our team demonstrated against Sweden. Especially the elbow thrown by our captain Cormier. If I see any more of that garbage I won't watch but I will be cheering for Sweden. I can't stand goon antics and won't cheer for any Cdn. team that employs them.

then go watch figure skating

 

[JohnLarue]

then go watch figure skating

I would rather watch paint dry than figure skating
OK sometimes the chicks are pretty hot & worth a peek, but any sport with judges is a colossal wast of time

 

[scouser1]

This tournament is the only junior hockey I do watch but the novelty is wearing thin quickly. Sure I do love watching Canada win anything but come on 5 in a row and going for a 6th!!

Part of what I love about sports is thats its basically unscripted drama, you dont know what will happen next so you are hooked. With this tournament this is beginning to be hardly the case, like an article in the paper mentioned this is turning into the Canada Cup junior style. This year its in Saskatchewan, next year in Buffalo, the following back to Canada in Alberta.

So we are looking at 2013 before any other country gets a chance to host it, and the Europeans already think the WJC is pointless, this just furthers their belief.

 

[Ironhead]

This year its in Saskatchewan, next year in Buffalo, the following back to Canada in Alberta.

So we are looking at 2013 before any other country gets a chance to host it, and the Europeans already think the WJC is pointless, this just furthers their belief.

It was supposed to be every third year in Canada because it is so well attended here. The Euro countries are welcome to it, but do not seem to be stepping up.
When did Buffalo become apart of Canada ?

WJC pointless ?
So is the rest of the world ready to admit we are the best ?

 

[Julian]

It is my favourite hockey to watch but I really wish Canada wasn't always such a heavy favourite that definately takes away from it.

 

[scouser1]

It was supposed to be every third year in Canada because it is so well attended here. The Euro countries are welcome to it, but do not seem to be stepping up.
When did Buffalo become apart of Canada ?

WJC pointless ?
So is the rest of the world ready to admit we are the best ?

I said Buffalo then back to Canada, and well talking to many Americans they wish that Buffalo was really part of Canada

we might be the best at 20 and under level but beyond that we have competition, in the Russians, the Swedes, the Finns, Czechs, Slovaks etc and thats healthy and good for everyone.

 

[Keebler Elf]

It is my favourite hockey to watch but I really wish Canada wasn't always such a heavy favourite that definately takes away from it.

Canada might be the heavy favourite but they rarely run away with the tournament. The last time that happened was a few years back when they absolutely dominated every other team. If that was the norm the tournament wouldn't be that great. But it's not and it was a nice one-time thing to see Canada dominate the way we always hope they will. But normally Canada is in tough against the Russians, US, and sometimes the Swedes/Czechs. Last year was a real thriller.

I look forward to the World Juniors every year. It's become part of my Christmas holidays and was a major reason for my purchase last year of a HDTV. There's nothing like watching the World Juniors in HD! I watch every Canadian game in the World Juniors (and other games if they're aired) whereas I don't watch the Stanley Cup at all. There's something "pure" about the WJC that the NHL just doesn't have. Maybe it's the obvious emotions of the players.

I have some worry this year that Canada is in a weaker division and won't have tough competition until the US on New Years Eve. On the other hand, Canada's mantra has always been to get better with every game so they'll have the chance to work out all the kinks against weaker opponents. I can't recall the last time Canada was in such a weak division (no Czechs, no Russians, no Swedes).

They looked good today against Latvia. Not sloppy at all.

 

[Keebler Elf]

WJC pointless ?
So is the rest of the world ready to admit we are the best ?

You need to take a look at the history of the tournament. Canada hasn't dominated; Russia is right there with them all the way.

We're in a Canada peak right now but there were some grim times in the late '90s.

There's much greater competition in the WJC than there is in the womens' equivalent. Canada really runs away with that one (with the exception of the US).