Canada faces Sweden in New Year's Eve showdown
Published
Team Canada takes on Sweden in the marquee New Year’s Eve game of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship on Saturday, Dec. 31, in Halifax.
Watch Canada take on Sweden at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on Dec. 31 on TSN, TSN.ca, and the TSN App.
Canada is looking for their first back-to-back gold medals since they won five straight from 2005-09 and 20th gold medal in World Juniors history.
The Canadians are led by 2022 fourth overall selection Shane Wright of the Seattle Kraken and potential 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard.
Wright, 18, missed his chance to participate in the 2022 World Juniors after the tournament was postponed until August due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 6-foot centre only registered an assist in two games before the tournament was postponed and now has an opportunity to showcase himself properly on one of hockey’s biggest stages.
The Burlington, Ont., native appeared in eight games with the Kraken, scoring a goal and two points, and also registered four goals in five games with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds.
This World Junior tournament will be an opportunity for Bedard to solidify himself as the consensus No. 1 pick for the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, June 28-29. The 17-year-old phenom recorded four goals and eight points in seven games en route to Canada’s gold-medal victory.
Bedard has taken the Regina Pats and the WHL by storm this season, scoring 12 goals and 28 points in 15 games. He has 90 goals and 192 points in 105 career WHL games.
Sweden is entering this tournament looking for their first gold-medal victory since 2012. Last year, the Swedes finished in third place after losing to Finland 1-0 in the semifinals and then beat Czechia 3-1 to secure the bronze medal.
Swedish hockey factory Djurgardens IF will be on full display, with five members of their team included on the Swedish roster. This is highlighted by a trio of 2022 first-round NHL selections in forwards Jonathan Lekkerimaki (15th overall, Vancouver Canucks), Noah Ostlund (16th overall, Buffalo Sabres), and Liam Ohgren (19th overall, Minnesota Wild).
Looking to showcase his talents for the 2023 NHL Draft will be centre Leo Carlsson, who sits sixth on TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button’s top-eligible draft list. Carlsson, 17, has been playing for Orebro HK of the Swedish Hockey League where he has three goals and 14 points in 25 games this season in Sweden’s top professional league.