Monday preview: Feeling each other out

Břeclav Group

Finland vs Canada (15:30 CET, 9:30am ET)

After winning the title on home ice last year, Canada begins defence of its Hlinka Gretzky Cup against Finland, a team that has established itself as a force in recent years in the U18 and U20 categories. However, Finland has never won this event and hasn’t won a medal since 2012.

Canada has won this event 22 out of 28 years and will be favoured again. Although last year’s tournament MVP Alex Lafreniere – who is currently projected by many sources to go first overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft – is missing from the Canadian roster, the team is still stacked with talent, including centres Quinton Byfield and Cole Perfetti, who could potentially both be top-five picks.

In addition to their largely Finnish-based roster, Finland also has three players from the CHL – including defenceman Kasper Putio, who was the first pick in the Import Draft by the Swift Current Broncos – and two who play in the USHL. The only 2003-born player on either team in this game is Finnish forward Brad Lambert, whose father is Canadian and whose uncle is former NHLer Lane Lambert.

Czech Republic vs Switzerland (19:00 CET, 1:00pm ET)

The big event in Břeclav on opening night is the host Czechs taking on Switzerland. If either team has any thoughts of advancing to the semi-finals, they have to see this game as a must-win.

Rallied on by their home fans, the Czechs have unsurprisingly done well at this event when they play in Břeclav, finishing first in 2016 and medalling four out of five years between 2013 and 2017. The Swiss have never finished higher than sixth.

The top-ranked player for either team in this game is Czech winger Jan Myšák of HC Litvínov (#19, pictured), who already has a year of pro hockey under his belt.

Piešťany Group

Russia vs USA (15:30 CET, 9:30am ET)

This is a rematch of the bronze-medal game from last year in Edmonton, although the rosters for each team bare little resemblance to each other. Both teams have won this event in the past but it’s been a while for each - the USA last won in 2003 and Russia in 1995. Both will have their eyes on at least getting to the semi-finals but that’s no guarantee with Sweden in the group as well.

Players to watch for Russia include goaltender Yaroslav Askarov and forwards Vasili Ponomaryov, Marat Khusnutdinov and Daniil Gushchin. Gushchin, who plays for the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks, will be facing three teammates on the American roster.

As for the Americans, they’re always a bit of an unknown in this tournament but have fared well in the past with players not part of the National Team Development Program. A player to watch this year could be forward Blake Biondi, who is committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Slovakia vs Sweden (19:00 CET, 1:00pm)

As is the case in Břeclav, the group host starts in the evening game in Piešťany as well. There, the Slovaks face a tough test in Sweden.

Despite usually co-hosting, Slovakia has never won this event and hasn’t medalled since 1998. Last year in Alberta was the first time since 2009 that the Slovaks avoided the seventh-place game. Sweden won this event once in 2007 and since then has frequently been in the mix for medals. The Swedes will have their eyes on the big prize this year.

Despite missing some of their bigger prospects, the always deep Swedes do have some very talented players here, including defencemen Helge Grans and Emil Andrae and forward Zion Nybeck.