By Scott Lowe – MYHockeyRankings.com

They say that good things come to those who wait, and that certainly should be the case for Gothenburg, Sweden, starting on Tuesday with the opening faceoff of the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship.

Gothenburg was slated to host the WJC in 2022, but that year’s tournament was moved to Halifax and Moncton in the Canadian Maritimes because of the pandemic. Finally, after a prolonged wait, Gothenburg gets to show itself off to the world and host what has become one of the most anticipated competitions on the international hockey calendar each year.

The 2024 WJC marks the seventh time that Sweden will host the tournament, but it will be the first time hosting for Gothenburg. According to the consensus pre-tournament odds, the host Swedes have the third-best chances of winning the gold behind the United States and Canada and just ahead of Finland.

While the 2024 WJC may not have the household-name star power that the 2023 tournament offered thanks to top NHL draft-pick Connor Bedard, who seems to be finding his way onto nightly NHL highlight reels playing for the Chicago Blackhawks, this year’s tourney still is full of the usual top professional prospects and figures to deliver the high-level, fast-paced style of play that has made it must-see TV in hockey households around the globe.

For the uninitiated, the WJC features the top Under-20 male players in the world representing 10 nations and competing from Dec. 26 through Jan. 5.

North American hockey fans have been spoiled in recent years as the last three tournaments have been held in Canada as a result of a series of decisions to reschedule dates and locations during the COVID outbreak. This year, North American enthusiasts will have to get up bright and early to catch all the action with games beginning at 6 a.m. EST every day because of the time difference.

The good news, however, is that all of the games will be televised live in Canada on TSN and in the United States by NHL Network. Live streaming also will be available on TSN.ca and the TSN app as well as on FUBO. And don’t fret; most games featuring the United States and Canada are scheduled at somewhat reasonable start times.

Tournament play begins on Tuesday, Dec. 26 at 6 a.m. EST with Slovakia taking on Czechia. Canada begins defense of its 2023 title Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. with a challenging opening-day matchup against Finland, followed by the United States taking on Norway at 11 a.m.

Below is the pool breakdown for the 2024 WJC.

Each team plays the other teams in its pool to determine seedings for the playoff round. The top-four finishers in each pool advance to the quarterfinals, while the fifth-place teams play each other to avoid being relegated to a lower division in 2025. The top seed from each pool plays the fourth-place team from the opposite pool in the quarterfinals while the second- and third-place teams also face off

 

WJC 2024 Pool Breakdown

Pool A: Canada, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Latvia

Pool B: Czechia, United States, Slovakia, Switzerland, Norway

Czechia’s surprise showing at the 2023 WJC, along with the continued ban of Russia by the IIHF, has shifted the balance of power in the pools. The Czechs knocked off Sweden in the 2023 semifinals before suffering a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime loss to Canada in the gold-medal game, Meanwhile, the United States, which fell to Canada, 6-2, in the semifinals, captured the bronze medal with a thrilling 8-7 victory against Sweden.

Those results, paired with the finishes of the other nations, means that the runners up and third place-Czechs and Americans find themselves placed in Pool B with Slovokia, Switzerland and Norway. That leaves Canada with the daunting task of facing Sweden and Finland in pool play.

Historically speaking, Canada has captured the most medals among nations competing in 2024 with 35, followed by Sweden with 20, Finland with 17 and the U.S. with 14. Of those 35 total medals for Canada, 20 have been gold. The United States and Finland are tied for second place with five first-place finishes, while the Swedes have captured the gold twice.

In recent years, Czechia’s 2023 silver medal marked the only time in the past three years that a nation other than Canada, Finland, the U.S. or Sweden had placed among the top three. Canada has captured the last two gold medals and three of the last four, with the U.S. earning gold in 2021. Finland is the only country besides Canada and the U.S. to place first in the last 11 years, winning the gold in 2019, 2016 and 2014.

 

A Look at the Favorites

As usual, the United States and Canada are favored to compete for the gold medal at the 2024 WJC, with the U.S. getting a slight nod over the defending champs as the pre-tournament odds-on favorite.

The two teams met in a pre-tournament game Dec. 23. Washington Capitals first-round draft pick Ryan Leonard scored twice for the U.S. in a 6-5 overtime victory to earn player-of-the-game honors, while Ottawa Senators draft pick Jorian Donovan, who had just arrived to join the Canadian team, was named his side’s top performer.

Montreal Canadiens draft pick Lane Hutson scored the OT game-winner and assisted on the first U.S. goal by Quinn Finley.

As usual, both North American teams’ rosters are stacked with players who already have been drafted and players who soon will be drafted by National Hockey League teams. The U.S. roster includes 10 first-round picks as the Americans look to improve on their fifth- and third-place finishes the last two years.

Will Smith, the No. 4 2023 selection by San Jose is expected to skate with Boston College teammates, Gabe Perreault, the No. 23 pick by the New York Rangers, and Leonard, the No. 8 selection, on what arguably has been the Americans’ top pre-tournament line. They are joined on the roster by another B.C. teammate, Cutter Gauthier, the No. 5 draft selection by Philadelphia

U.S. Head Coach David Carle hopes to employ an up-tempo, attacking style that capitalizes on transition opportunities with a team that makes up for what it may lack in size with tremendous speed and skill to go along with a nice mix of grit. Swift-skating defenseman Zeev Buium from the University of Denver is a player to watch for the 2024 Draft, and Hutson has been a standout NCAA defenseman for Boston University the past two seasons.

Canada hopes to capture a third-consecutive WJC gold medal with only one player, forward Owen Beck, returning from last year’s team. Beck, who played in three games at the 2023 wjc, is joined by nine players who were chosen in the first round of the NHL draft either in 2022 or 2023. Beck was drafted by Montreal.

The Canadians possess a ton of depth and skill up front. Similar to last year when future No. 1 NHL draft pick Connor Bedard was Canada’s youngest and best player, 17-year old Boston University freshman Macklin Celebrini may end up being the top overall selection in the 2024 draft and should open some eyes in Sweden. He ranks fourth overall in NCAA scoring. Another forward, Matthew Poitras, has been in the Boston Bruins’ lineup most of the season and has 13 points in 27 NHL appearances. Two other Canadian forwards, Fraser Minten and Matt Savoie, have played in the NHL this year with Toronto and Buffalo, respectively, and provide depth and skill up front for Head Coach Alan Letang.

Both the U.S. and Canada are looking for one of their goalies to step up and take control of the net during pool play.

Sweden’s 2024 team has many players who captured gold at the U18 World Championship in 2022 and returns nine team members from its 2023 fourth-place WJC roster. But the skill and experience of center Leo Carlsson, who is playing for the Anaheim Ducks, certainly will be missed. Forward Filip Bystedt, a San Jose Sharks draft pick, had 10 WJC points a year ago to tie for the team lead, and goaltender Hugo Havelid helped lead the 18U to the gold medal in 2022 and projects to be an NHL draft pick in 2024. Red Wings draft pick Axel Sandin Pelikka bolsters a solid blue-line corps. All told, Sweden’s roster includes nine NHL first-round picks and 13 prospects drafted in the first two rounds.

Finland’s roster features 12 NHL draft picks, nine of whom were selected in the first three rounds, but is a little light on big-game and big-time experience. Kasper Halttunen, who captained Finland’s U18 team last spring, was a second-round pick of the San Jose Sharks. He has averaged almost a goal per game playing in the Ontario Hockey League for the London Knights. Youngster Konsta Helenius is a top-rated forward prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft and is averaging nearly a point a game in the top Finnish professional league. The play of goalie Niklas Kokko, a third-round pick of the Seattle Kraken, should go a long way toward determining the fate of the Finns. If he can keep them in games or even steal a game or two while the young forwards develop chemistry, Finland could be the surprise team of the 2024 WJC. Defenseman Arttu Karki, a Vegas draft pick, leads all OHL defensemen in goals.

Czechia, coming off its first appearance in the WJC gold-medal game since 2001, captured its first medal since 2005 last year. This year’s team includes nine NHL draft picks, and defenseman Adam Jiricek is projected to be a first-round selection in 2024. Forward Eduard Sale, who was selected 20^th overall by Seattle in 2023, notched six points in seven games at last year’s WJC, but team’s medal hopes might rest on the shoulders of goaltender Michael Hrabal, drafted 38^th by Arizona in 2023.

The complete 2024 WJC Game schedule with broadcast information can be found below:

Tuesday, Dec. 26

Games	Time (EST)	Broadcast Info
Slovakia vs. Czechia	6 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Finland vs. Canada	8:30 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
USA vs. Norway	11 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Sweden vs. Latvia	1:30 p.m.	TSN/NHL Network

Wednesday, Dec. 27

Games	Time (EST)	Broadcast Info
Slovakia vs. Switzerland	6 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Finland vs. Germany	8:30 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Norway vs. Czechia	11 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Latvia vs. Canada	1:30 p.m.	TSN/NHL Network

Thursday, Dec. 28

Games	Time (EST)	Broadcast Info
Switzerland vs. USA	11 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Germany vs. Sweden	1:30 p.m.	TSN/NHL Network

Friday, Dec. 29

Games	Time (EST)	Broadcast Info
Norway vs. Slovakia	6 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Latvia vs. Finland	8:30 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Czechia vs. USA	11 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Canada vs. Sweden	1:30 p.m.	TSN/NHL Network

Saturday, Dec. 30

Games	Time (EST)	Broadcast Info
Switzerland vs. Norway	11 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Germany vs. Latvia	1:30 p.m.	TSN/NHL Network

Sunday, Dec. 31

Games	Time (EST)	Broadcast Info
USA vs. Slovakia	6 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Sweden vs. Finland	8:30 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Czechia vs. Switzerland	11 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Canada vs. Germany	1:30 p.m.	TSN/NHL Network

Tuesday, Jan. 2

Games	Time (EST)	Broadcast Info
Quarterfinal	6 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Quarterfinal	8:30 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Quarterfinal	11 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Quarterfinal	1:30 p.m.	TSN/NHL Network

Thursday, Jan. 4

Games	Time (EST)	Broadcast Info
Relegation Game	5 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Semifinal	9 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Semifinal	1:30 p.m.	TSN/NHL Network

Friday, Jan. 5

Games	Time (EST)	Broadcast Info
Bronze Medal Game	9 a.m.	TSN/NHL Network
Gold Medal Game	1:30 p.m.	TSN/NHL Network