VANCOUVER – December 29^th, 2021

Big news today as the IIHF announced that they will be canceling the World Junior tournament indefinitely and no date has been announced to as when or even if they will be rescheduling the tournament. This comes as a huge blow as Canada was heating up and were dominating their games thus far. There were supposed to be four games played today but two of those games had to get forfeited due to positive test results. With so many games having to be forfeited and the tournament was only in the preliminary round, the IIHF felt as if they had no choice but to cancel the tournament. Up to five on ice officials also tested positive for Covid and the committee thought they would run out of on ice officials to call the games if nothing was done.

In Vancouver Canucks news, two players tested positive earlier today before the morning skate along with a coaching staff member and were all put on the Covid 19 protocol list. No player tested positive yesterday before the team boarded their jet, all three positive test results came today. Players that tested positive were Forwards Brock Boeser and Phillip Di Giuseppe, the name of the staff member was not released. Both players didn’t skate this morning for precautionary reasons. It is unlikely that the game tonight versus the Anaheim Ducks gets Canceled but you never know with the NHL. The Ducks also have four of their own players in Covid Protocol as of now but two of those players are already out on injured reserve.

In NHL news the league announced today that they would be cutting down isolation requirements to only five days to players who test positive for Covid but that doesn’t apply to Canada. Canada still requires ten days in isolation if put in Covid 19 protocol. There are 25 teams based in the U.S. and only seven in Canada. This only applies to the U.S. teams because of the stricter regulations in Canada. Players and staff can only return in five days if there are no symptoms.

The NBA and NFL have already lifted many restrictions like cutting the isolation requirement in half, and by not placing players and staff members who test positive but are asymptomatic on the Covid 19 list. These easier regulations make it easier to continue playing games and not having to postpone them. The NHL already lifted their self-isolation requirements, so I fully expect the league to follow suit on other regulations too. The NHL so far has postponed 75 games due to Covid 19 so it’s highly unlikely they will want to do more and lose any further revenue.

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VANCOUVER – December 27, 2021

The IIHF World Junior Tournament started on Sunday, boxing day, with the first game being played by Finland and Germany, Finland won by a score of 3-1. Team Sweden beat Team Russia 6-3 and then home Team, Team Canada beat Team Czechia 6-3 in a thriller game. The night finished with Team USA beating Team Slovakia 3-2.

Stand out performances were by Canada’s top-rated defensemen, last year’s first overall pick in the NHL draft, Owen Power who scored a hattrick in their exciting back and forth game.

Monday’s games started with Team Finland destroying Team Austria 7-1 and then Team Russia beat Team Switzerland 4-2. Team Germany beat Team Czechia in overtime 2-1 in a very tight game. To end the night Team Sweden defeated Team Slovakia 3-0.

In Vancouver Canucks news the team got back all their players and coaches that were on the Covid 19 protocol list and Mathew Highmore who had been on long term injured reserve (LTIR) also returned to practice on Monday. Players that remain on LTIR are Brandon Sutter, who hasn’t played this year yet and Travis Hamonic who got hurt this month against the Boston Bruins. This was the last practice before the Canucks head on to the road to California to face the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings. Before Coming home, the Canucks will stop in Seattle to face the Seattle Kraken in the new year on January 1^st.

It wasn’t all good news as Alex Chiasson was the lone Canuck to test positive during the rapid testing before practice on Monday, so he was sent home to self-isolate. If another test of his comes back positive, he would be put into the Covid 19 protocol list.

The League announced on Sunday after the extended holiday break that they would be bringing back taxi squads and other roster revisions, this was made to guard against another stoppage or any other disruptions to the season. Each team will be able to use up to six players on the taxi squad to ensure no team plays without a full lineup. This will be effective until at least the Allstar break.

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VANCOUVER – December 24, 2021

The IIHF world juniors pre-tournament started and ended on Thursday with Finland edging the United States with a score of 4-3 and then Team Slovakia beat Team Germany 4 – 0. Home Team Canada beat the Russians 6- 4 and for the final game of the night Team Sweden beat Team Austria 7 – 0. The official tournament starts on December 26^th with Germany kicking it off against Finland at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. Team Sweden will be playing Team Russia in Red Deer, Alberta in the Peavey Mart Centrium. Team Canada will be playing Team Czech Republic back in Rogers Place. The final game of the night will be Team Slovakia vs Team United States.

In some NHL news the NHL’s return to play will be delayed by one day due to the league wanting to make sure the testing that will take place on Sunday when teams return to practice will be done accordingly. So, all games scheduled for Monday December 27^th will be postponed for another date. If most player tests come back negative the league will continue as planned and be playing on the following day on December 28^th.

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VANCOUVER – December 23, 2021

The IIHF World Junior pre-tournament kicked off today with team Finland playing the United States. The tournaments being held in Edmonton Canada, and some games being played in Red Deer. Other games being played today are Slovakia vs. Germany, Russia vs. Canada, Czechia vs. Switzerland, and Austria vs. Sweden. However, the Czechia vs. Switzerland has been postponed due to Covid-19 protocols. These will be the only pre-tournament games being played with each team participating in only 1 game, originally there were 11 games planned to be played with each team participating in 2. This change in schedule is due to on growing Covid-19 concerns.

The official World Juniors tournament will begin on Dec. 26^th starting with 2 games in both Red Deer and Edmonton and will end by January 5^th, 2022. Team Finland and team Germany will go head-to-head to kick of the tournament in the early morning game.

Players to watch in the tournament are going to be projected number 1 overall pick Shane Wright for Canada and Logan Cooley for USA. Connor Bedard who isn’t eligible for the draft until 2023 is a very exciting 16-year-old to watch, he has unlimited potential. For Vancouver Canucks fans the player to watch will be prospect Dmitri Zlodeyev who’s playing for the Russians, he’s the lone Canucks prospect playing in the tournament this year.

Zlodeyev was drafted in 2020 in the 6^th round, 175^th overall. Zlodeyev will also be wearing an A as an assistant captain for the Russians. He remains unsigned by the Canucks as of now but if he seizes to impress, he could be looking at a contract from the big club by the end of the year. The undersized Russian forward listed at 5’11” and 183lbs doesn’t have much offensive potential in his game, but his defensive game details are what make him an intriguing prospect. Zlodeyev’s game reflects that of Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron or even Los Angeles Kings forward Philip Danault. Both players aren’t known for their goal scoring or passing but their defensive play makes them vital for their teams’ success.

With the young offensively gifted core the Canucks have intact already, what they lack is a forward who is defensively sound and who can kill penalties and protect a lead late in the game. If Zlodeyev can become the player the Canucks desperately need in their bottom six, this will be a brilliant late round draft pick by previous GM Jim Benning, who has a track record of having great picks, but also has draft busts on his record.

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