2013 World Junior Championship Viewing Guide

 

It's the most hockeyful time of the year.

Hockey fans look forward to Christmas; Die hard hockey fans look even more forward to Boxing Day and the start of the World Junior Championships!

This is hockey at its finest. Players playing with that youthful passion for the game and that sense of national pride that one can only imagine they get when donning their country's colours. Fans cannot help but get caught up in the emotion evoked by the intense and exciting action that naturally ensues.

Many of the players do not yet possess professional contracts (although the NHL Lockout does make this year an exception in that regard). Some have not yet been drafted. All involved want to make the ultimate positive impact to help in their quest to play at even higher levels.

For some, this will be the pinnacle of their hockey careers. But at the forefront and focus of all is the crest on the front of the jersey ' there are dreams of a Golden Christmas. Of course, some nations would be quite ecstatic to have a Silver or Bronze Christmas when the tournament reaches its climax. Others will take the utmost satisfaction in simply avoiding relegation.

This is what players will be battling for at #2013WJC. How do you like the new medals? twitter.com/IIHFHockey/sta'

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) December 20, 2012

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This page will serve as THW's 'Home Page' for WJHC coverage. Bookmark and check back often as more articles will be added highlighting team previews, players to watch, predictions and other unique and exclusive coverage from The Hockey Writers unique collective of sportswriters, as well as the best links for coverage elsewhere.

Click on the respective link to be taken to the full article.

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The Host: Ufa, Russia

• World Junior Hockey Journal: Essential Information About Ufa, Russia

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Latest THW World Juniors Update:

• World Junior Roster Breakdown by NHL Team by THW's Ryan Pike
• 2013 World Junior Championship Predictions by Shawn Reznik
• 2013 World Juniors: The Essential Canadian Twitter Guide

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Essential Links:

• World Junior Roster Breakdown by NHL Team by THW's Ryan Pike
• Schedule: via IIHF
• WJC 2013 Home Page: via Hockey Canada
• Message Board: HFBoards dedicated WJC forum
• Rosters & Stats: Elite Prospects
• NHL.com WJC Articles
• TSN Coverage
• Buzzing The Net (Yahoo Sports)

 

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Players To Watch

• Ten International Players to Watch at Other World Juniors
• Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is Headed to Calgary
• Nail Yakupov ' The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile (Chris Ralph)
• QMJHL Players at the World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia
• Alex Galchenyuk Primed for World Junior Dominance
• Jonathan Drouin Storming His Way Through the Draft Rankings
• Five Calgary Flames prospects poised for World Juniors
• 2013 World Juniors: Edmonton Oilers Edition
• World Juniors 2013: Three Washington Capitals Prospects To Watch
• 'Tis The Season: 2013 WJHC ' Florida Panthers Edition

 

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Team Specific

 

Canada

• World Juniors 2013: Team Canada ' The Forwards
• World Juniors 2013: Team Canada ' The Defencemen and Goaltenders
• World Junior Journal: Did Team Canada Brass Get Final Roster Right?
• Breaking Down Canada's WJC Roster
• Is Malcolm Subban Canada's Next Great Goaltender?
• 2013 World Juniors: Ryan Murphy Finally Makes Canada's Roster

• The Next Ones ' Ryan Strome ' NHL 2011 Draft Prospect Profile: Strome Wasn't Built in a Day (Chris Ralph)
• Team Canada: Thirty Years Of The Game At Its Best (Book Review) (Chris Ralph)
• World Junior Journal ' Team Canada Needs MacKinnon, Drouin and Shinkaruk
• JC Lipon This Year's Tanner Pearson?
• 2013 World Juniors: Canada's Goaltending Conundrum
• Brett Ritchie Making His Case for Team Canada

 

Czech Republic

• Team Preview (Puck Worlds)
• Radek Faksa ' The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile ' Ascending Up the Ranks
• Tomá' Hertl ' The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile

 

Finland

• Team Preview (Hockey's Future)
• Teuvo Teräväinen ' The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile ' As Exciting as The TiVo
• Ville Pokka ' The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile

Germany

• Team Preview (Fantasy Hockey Scouts)

Latvia

• Team Preview (Puck Worlds)
• World Juniors Player Spotlight: Teodors Blugers Interview and Profile
• World Juniors: Latvia Captivates Calgary Crowd Even In Loss To Slovakia (2012 Flashback)

Russia

• Team Preview (Defending Big D)
• Final Impressions from the 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge
• Canada, Russia Renew Rivalry With 2012 Challenge Series

Slovakia

• Team Preview (Hockey's Future)

Sweden

• Team Preview (Hockey Prospectus)
• Mikael Wikstrand: The Lone Senators Prospect in Ufa
• Filip Forsberg ' The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile
• Senators to Zibanejad: 'No Ufa For You'
• Sebastian Collberg ' The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile And Interview

  

Switzerland

• 2013 WJC Preview: Switzerland has intensity but lacks star power (Hockey's Future)
• The Next Undrafted Gem? Sven Andrighetto

 

United States

• For everything USA Hockey related, check out the United States of Hockey blog by Chris Peters
• Alex Galchenyuk Primed for World Junior Dominance
• Maple Leafs Prospects: Tyler Biggs Displays Pugnacity
• Minnesota Wild Prospect Mario Lucia's Headed to Russia
• Garrett Sparks Reveals WJHC Mask
• USA Hockey: Winning the Race to the Wrong Finish Line
• Team USA World Junior Championship Evaluation Camp Predictions
• Jacob Trouba ' The Next Ones: 2012 NHL Draft Prospect Profile
• No World Juniors For Noesen

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From the THW Archives:

• World Juniors: Team Sweden Makes History In Gold Medal Win Over Russia
• World Juniors: Team Canada Avoid 'Murray's Law' Against Finland To Win Bronze
• The Comeback That Wasn't: Another Canada-Russia Epic at the WJHC
• World Juniors Player Spotlight: Evgeny Kuznestsov by Chris Ralph
  • Comparing the Russian dynamo to a surgeon!
• World Juniors: Top 10 2012 NHL Draft Eligible Prospect Performances
• World Juniors: Top 10 2012 NHL Draft Eligible Prospect Performances Part 2: Overagers
• 2012 World Junior Championship Viewing Guide

 

 

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Follow on Twitter for plenty of updates leading up to and during the tournament: @ChrisRalphTHW

 

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.