The World Junior Championship of hockey for 2020, also known as the IIHF World Junior Championship, is set to begin exhibition play on December 20, 2020. Here’s all Flyers fans need to know in terms of scheduling, and what to look for.
Schedule
Sunday, December 20 – Exhibition Play
6:00 p.m. – USA vs. Switzerland
9:30 p.m. – Finland vs. Czech Republic
Monday, December 21 – Exhibition Play
2:00 p.m. – Austria vs. Germany
6:00 p.m. – Sweden vs. Canada
9:30 p.m. – Russia vs. Slovakia
Tuesday, December 22 – Exhibition Play
6:00 p.m. – Finland vs. USA
9:30 p.m. – Switzerland vs. Sweden
Wednesday, December 23 – Exhibition Play
2:00 p.m – Slovakia vs. Austria
6:00 p.m – Canada vs. Russia
9:30 p.m. – Czech Republic vs. Germany
Friday, December 25
2:00 p.m – Switzerland vs. Slovakia
6:00 p.m. – Germany vs. Finland
9:30 p.m. – Russia vs. USA
Saturday, December 26
2:00 p.m. – Sweden vs. Czech Republic
6:00 p.m. – Germany vs. Canada
9:30 p.m. – USA vs. Austria
Sunday, December 27
2:00 p.m – Finland vs. Switzerland
6:00 p.m – Slovakia vs. Canada
9:30 p.m – Czech Republic vs. Russia
Monday, December 28
6:00 p.m. – Austria vs. Sweden
9:30 p.m. – Slovakia vs. Germany
Tuesday, December 29
2:00 p.m. – USA vs. Czech Republic
6:00 p.m. – Canada vs. Switzerland
9:30 p.m. – Austria vs. Russia
Wednesday, December 30
2:00 p.m. – Finland vs. Slovakia
6:00 p.m. – Switzerland vs. Germany
9:30 p.m. – Russia vs. Sweden
Thursday, December 31
2:00 p.m. – Czech Republic vs. Austria
6:00 p.m. – Canada vs. Finland
9:30 p.m. – Sweden vs. USA
Saturday, January 2
12:00 p.m. – Quarterfinal: TBD
3:30 p.m. – Quarterfinal: TBD
7:00 p.m. – Quarterfinal: TBD
10:30 p.m. – Quarterfinal: TBD
Monday, January 4
6:00 p.m. – Semifinal: TBD
9:30 p.m. – Semifinal: TB
Tuesday, January 5
5:30 p.m. – Bronze Medal Game: TBD
9:30 p.m. – Gold Medal Game: TBD
The great thing about this years tournament is that all games will be televised on the NHL Network for the first time. Flyers fans will be able to evaluate the Flyers 2020 second round product in Emil Andrae, and high profile prospects such as Cam York and Bobby Brink.
Cam York
York has established himself as one of the top Flyers prospects in just a matter of a few years. It’s to no secret as to why, he’s just poised, confident, and infusing this young talented Michigan team with confidence.
This young 19-year-old in York is off to a terrific start to the NCAA season thus far. He has tallied two goals, and three assists in eight games played. York is very good with gap control as he’s like a leech on his opponents, and suffocates his opponents at the blue line. He has become excellent with quick zone exits, which leads to him joining the rush up the ice.
Bobby Brink
Brink has a wicked blast, as he can shoot from anywhere, but Brink can do it accurately in the same token. If a Defenseman has the guts to stand in the way of his hard slap shot…good luck, or better yet…good riddance. Fletcher moved up and selected Brink to help aide the Flyers with secondary scoring in the future, and to restock the Right Wing position. This young Flyers team seems destined for success in the future, with all the young budding prospects to include Joel Farabee, Morgan Frost, German Rubtsov, Cam York, Isaac Ratcliffe, Wade Allison, Linus Sandin, David Kaše, and Tanner Laczynski. Of course, now we can add Brink to the mix of budding young prospects, as he may make his NHL debut within the next few years. For the season, he has registered three assists in three games played.
Emil Andrae
Fletcher stumbled upon a gift in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft in the way of Emil Andrae from HV71. Andrae is 5’9 183 pounds that transitions well from offense to defense. Fletcher knew the importance of snagging a Defenseman, as it has become apparent that he wants to restock the Flyers cupboard with Defensemen. Will they all work out? Maybe not, but some will.
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Andrae was born on February 23, 2002, in Vasterviks, SWE. He breathed, and started playing the sport of hockey practically from birth. His passion for the game found himself playing for the HV71 team. For the season, he registered 11 goals, and 27 assists for a total of 38 points in 40 games played for the HV71 H20 Super Elite team.
The young 18-year-old prospect in Andrae can play both Left-Hand and Right Hand Defense. Andrae is a 200 foot player, that is as fast as they come, but needs to work on his shot more. He doesn’t have the hardest shot, but it’s very accurate and he’s able to get pucks through traffic on net. If he develops his shot more, then that could make up for his lack of size, as he is as physical as they come.
If one saw Andrae play this season for HV71 in the pre-season they noticed he tallied five goals and five assists in 10 games played. They would have instantly noticed that his hockey IQ vastly improved from the prior year. Andrae is becoming a really versatile player that has impeccable gap control.
It will be a fun tournament. Asides from watching these three prospects play, Team Canada is loaded and ready to go. Two under the radar teams that could have great tournaments are the Czech Republic and Finland (Spear headed by RHD Ruben Rafkin).
