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It's the most wonderful time of the year.The IIHF World Junior Championship is here.Once again, the best under-20 hockey players from around the globe will convene to determine which nation has the best crop of juniors. This time the setting is Canada, where the hometown team is aiming for back-to-back gold. boasts a roster jam-packed with NHL first-round draft picks 20 of 25 and NHL-caliber talent, including team captain and Blackhawks forward Sterling Brown Jersey Kirby Dach.Don't expect this to be a cakewalk, however; Team Canada will face stiff competition from Ru sia, which it defeated in the gold-medal game last year;a highly skilled American squad; and a Swedish roster that sports an Oilers prospect, Philip Broberg, as captain.WORLD JUNIORS: As always, the World Juniors are expected to be packed Danuel House Jersey with big goals, big saves and ever bigger wins. With national pride on the line, the battle for gold will be fierce. Here's all you need to know about the tournament.Whereis the 2021World Junior Championship? The 2021World Junior Championship will take place in Edmonton, Alta.This year's tournament originally was scheduled to be held in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta., but the need for a secure bubble led Hockey Canada to move the entire event to where the NHL played summer hockey.The WJC is set to hit the ice in both cities, with fans fingers cro sed in 2022.This year marks the third time Edmonton will host World Juniors games. In 1995, Canada topped the podium; in 2012, Sweden won and the Canadians finished third in Alberta's capital.When will the 2021 World Junior Championship take place?Because teams are playing on just one rink at Rogers Place, this year's tournament includes an extra day of competition. The tournament will begin Christmas Day witha tripleheader.The group stage, with two groups of Clint Capela Jersey five teams each, will spanthe first sevendays of competition and end on New Year's Eve. The eight surviving teams will have New Year's Day off before returning to action for the quarterfinals on Jan. 2. The winners of those games willadvance to the semifinals two days later. The bronze-medal and gold-medal games will take place Sunday, Jan. 5.How has COVID-19 impacted the tournament?From the jump, the tournament has felt the pandemic. The location was changed to a bubble in Edmonton. Then came the positive cases. Canada spent 14 days in quarantine during its selection camp before sending a handful of players home. Team USA lost two key players, John Beecher and Thomas Bordeleau. Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Sweden were impacted as well.MORE: What channel is the World Junior Championship John Wall Jersey being aired on? TV channel (U.S.): NHL NetworkLive stream (U.S.): TV channel (Canada): TSNLive stream (Canada): TSN DirectIn an unprecedented move, every World Juniors game will be aired live on NHL Network and TSN.Which teams are in the 2021 World Junior Championship? Ten teams, divided into two groups of five, are participating.Group A Group B CanadaRu siaFinlandSwedenSwitzerlandUSASlovakiaCzech RepublicGermanyAustriaWhen is Canada vs. USA?For now, this year's tournament will not see a Battle of North America.With the two countries in different groups, fingers and toes will have to be cro sed that they'll square off in a do-or-die matchup.WORLD JUNIORS TEAM GUIDES: | Full schedule for the 2021 World Junior ChampionshipParticipating teams are each guaranteed four group-stage games. Teamsthat advance to the final day of competition (bronze-medal or gold-medal game) will play seven contests total David Nwaba Jersey .(All times Eastern) FRIDAY, DEC. 25 Switzerland 0, Slovakia 12 p.m.TSN, NHLNGermany 3, Finland 56 p.m.TSN, NHLNRu sia 5, USA 39:30 p.m.TSN, NHLNSATURDAY, DEC. 26 Sweden 7, Czech Republic 12 p.m.TSN, NHLNGermany 2, Canada 166 p.m.TSN, NHLNUSA 11, Austria 09:30 p.m.TSN, NHLNSUNDAY, DEC. 27 Finland 4, Switzerland 12 p.m.TSN, NHLNSlovakia 1, Canada 36 p Houston Rockets T-Shirts .m.TSN, NHLNCzech Republic 2, Ru sia 09:30 p.m.TSN, NHLNMONDAY, DEC. 28 Austria 0, Sweden 46 p.m.TSN, NHLNSlovakia 3, Germany 4 (OT)9:30 p.m.TSN, NHLNTUESDAY, DEC. 29 USA 7, Czech Republic 02 p.m.TSN, NHLNCanada 10, Switzerland 06 p.m.TSN, NHLNAustria 1, Ru sia 79:30 p.m.TSN, NHLNWEDNESDAY, DEC. 30 Finland 6, Slovakia 02 p.m.TSN, NHLNSwitzerland 4, Germany 56 p.m.TSN, NHLNRu sia 4, Sweden 3 (OT)9:30 p.m.TSN, NHLNTHURSDAY, DEC. 31 Czech Republic 7, Austria 02 p.m.TSN, NHLNCanada 4, Finland 16 p.m.TSN, NHLNSweden 0, USA 49:30 p.m.TSN, NHLNSATURDAY, JAN. 2 QF: Ru sia 2,Germany 1NoonTSN, NHLNQF: Finland 3, Sweden 23:30 p.m.TSN, NHLNQF: Canada 3, Czech Republic 07 p. Gerald Green Jersey m.TSN, NHLNQF: USA 5, Slovakia 210:30 p.m.TSN, NHLNMONDAY, JAN. 4 SF: Canada 5, Ru sia 06 p.m.TSN, NHLNSF: USA 4, Finland 39:30 p.m.TSN, NHLNTUESDAY, JAN. 5 Bronze: Finland 4, Ru sia 15:30 p.m.TSN, NHLN9:30 p.m.TSN, NHLNWhowon the 2020World Junior Championship? Canada won the gold medal last year, defeating Ru sia in the final. It was the nation's 18th title.WORLD JUNIORS 2020: Christian Wood Jersey | Who has won the World Junior Championshipsin the last 10 years?YearWinnerHost country2020CanadaCzech Republic2019FinlandCanada2018CanadaUnited States2017United StatesCanada2016FinlandFinland2015CanadaCanada2014FinlandSweden2013United StatesRu sia2012SwedenCanada2011Ru siaUnited StatesWhich countries have won the most medals at the World Junior Championship? Country Gold Silver Bronze Total Canada189532Ru sia*13131137Finland54615United States42612Sweden211619Czech Republic+25714Slovakia0022Switzerland0011* Includes medals won as the Soviet Union and CIS + Includes medals won as Czechoslovakia |
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