What: Junior WC in ice hockey.
When: 26 December–6 January.
Where: Halifax and Moncton, Canada.
TV: Broadcast on SVT’s channels and SVT Play as well as Viaplay and TV6.
+ Sweden’s group stage matches
December 26: Sweden-Austria, Halifax, at 19.30 Swedish time, SVT2/SVT Play.
December 27: Germany-Sweden, Halifax, 7.30 p.m., SVT2/SVT Play.
29 December: Sweden–Czech Republic, Halifax, 7.30pm, TV6/Viaplay.
January 1: Canada–Sweden, Halifax, 00.30, TV6/Viaplay.
In Group B, the USA, Slovakia, Switzerland, Finland and Latvia play.
Russia, which is suspended after the invasion of Ukraine, was supposed to host the championship but was stripped of the host.
+ New national team captain
Tomas Montén has quit as the national team captain for the Junior crowns and Magnus Hävelid is new at the helm. Hävelid immediately showed an open line when he announced at the squad release in early December that Carl Lindbom is the declared first goalkeeper and Victor Stjernborg is the team captain. Something that national team captains usually wait to comment on.
Hävelid also knows what it takes to win. During his time as national team captain for Småkronorna, he helped lead Sweden to two golds at the U18 WC. The latest gold came last spring, where the core was made up of several players who are now in the JVM team.
+ Can the trend be broken?
Since Sweden won JVM gold in 2012, three national teams have shared the gold. Canada, the last winner, has four, and Finland and the United States have three each. The favorite in the usual order is the home nation Canada, who have super talents like Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli and Shane Wright in their team.
But anything can happen in a tournament and if there is any team that should be able to fight for the gold in addition to Finland, the USA and Canada, it is Sweden.
Everyone in the team has to work hard and take their roles. Then we can win gold, said the Junior crowns’ star forward Leo Carlsson before the tournament.
+ Back to normal
The corona pandemic canceled the tournament last year and it was played instead in August this year. But the interest was cool and the tournament was far from the audience party it usually is. Now it’s back to normal. JVM is played over Christmas and New Year and there is expected to be a large crowd in the stands.
+ That’s how it went last time
Sweden took bronze this summer after defeating the Czech Republic in the match for third prize. Canada won against Finland in the final.
From that squad, there are seven players in this year’s edition of the Junior crowns.
Sweden has won the JVM twice, in 1981 and 2012, and in total there have been five medals. In addition to the gold, there is silver in 2018, bronze in 2020 and 2022.
+ The Swedish squad
Goalkeepers: Ian Blomquist, Västerås, Marcus Brännman, Dubuque, Carl Lindbom, Djurgården.
Backs: Elias Pettersson, Örebro, Oskarshamn, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Skellefteå, Victor Sjöholm, HV71, Calle Odelius, Djurgården, Adam Engström, Rögle, Ludvig Jansson, Södertälje, Jakob Norén, Modo.
Forwards: Fabian Wagner, Linköping, Fabian Lysell, Providence, Noah Östlund, Djurgården, Filip Bystedt, Linköping, Isak Rosén, Rochester, Liam Öhgren, Djurgården, Leo Carlsson, Örebro, William Strömgren, Brynäs, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Djurgården, Milton Oscarson, Örebro, Victor Stjernborg, Växjö, Oskar Pettersson, Rögle, Simon Robertsson, Skellefteå.