[GDT] 2015 IIHF WJC Prelim Round Day 3: Sleeping Giants

[sureLoss]

Day 3 is a day off for the best teams so far in the tournament: Canada and Sweden. It is also marks the return of USA and Russia, two of the best teams on paper, but who needed extra time to win their first respective games of the tournament. They face lesser teams (at least on paper), will they stumble again?

Rafikov and the Russians were caught flat footed against the Danes, today will face a Swiss team that seems to get a little more competitive internationally every year.

The Jack Eichel show continues as a roster laden with current and future NHL draft picks take on a German team that wishes it had a small fraction of the depth the Americans have.

TV Info:
All games will be live on TSN 1,2,3,4 and/or 5.

For Americans, most if not all games will be shown on NHL Network but some games may be tape delayed. Note the Canadian version of NHL network will not show any games.

Streaming Info:
All games should be available by stream using TSN Go. TSN Go requires a username and password from whatever service provider you pay to get TSN.

Also note that all USA games will be streamed on nhl.com for free, but that stream will be blocked to non-US ip addresses


Flames Prospects!
The only player the Flames have the rights to at this tournament is:
*** Russia Defenceman #7 Rushan Rafikov (7th round pick 2013) ***

Tournament Standings


Leading Scorers



Group B Toronto: Russia vs Switzerland 3:00 PM MT
TSN 2

Russia Roster:
http://www.worldjunior2015.com/en/teams/russia/#list

Key Players:
G Ilya Sorokin - Islanders 3rd round pick 2014
D Rushan Rafikov - Flames 7th round pick 2013
LW Pavel Buchevich - Rangers 3rd round pick 2013
C/LW Ivan Barbashev - Blues 2nd round pick 2014
RW Nikolai Goldobin - Sharks 1st round pick 2014
C Vladislav Kamenev - Predators 2nd round pick 2014

Future Draft implications:
D Ivan Provorov - potential top 15 pick 2015 draft

Swiss Roster:
http://www.worldjunior2015.com/en/te...tzerland/#list

Key Players:
LW Kevin Fiala - Predators 1st round pick 2014
D Mirco Mueller - Sharks 1st round pick 2013

Future Draft Implications:
RW Timo Meier - potential 1st round pick 2015
C Denis Malgin - potential 2nd round pick 2015
D Jonas Sieganthaler - potential late round pick 2015

Group A Montreal: Germany vs USA 6:00 PM MT
TSN 2

German Roster:
http://www.worldjunior2015.com/en/teams/germany/#list

Key Players:
no real stand outs without Draisaitl

Future Draft Implications:
D David Trinkberger, D Kal Wissmann, C/LW Dominik Kahun, LW Maximilian Kammerer could be 4th round or later picks in the 2015 draft

USA Roster:
http://worldjuniors.usahockey.com/pa.../701595-roster

Key Players:
G Thatcher Demko - Canucks 2nd round pick 2014
D Anthony DeAngelo - Lightning 1st round pick 2014
D Ian McCoshen - Panthers 2nd round pick 2013
LW Sonny Milano - Blue Jackets 1st round pick 2014
RW Alex Tuch - Wild 1st round pick 2014
C Dylan Larkin - Red Wings 1st round pick 2014
C Nick Schmaltz - Blackhawk 1st round pick 2014

Future Draft implications:
C Jack Eichel - consensus top 2 pick 2015 draft
C/RW Auston Matthews - potential 1st OA 2016 draft
D Noah Hanifin - consensus top 3 pick 2015 draft
D Zach Werenski - projected top 10 pick 2015 draft
D Brandon Carlo - projected 1st round pick 2015 draft

[GettinIggyWithIt]

OT but I just ran into a few Canadian players in the hotel lobby. Zach Fucale was there and he was getting a lot of attention from the Montreal fans. One of the parents asked Zachary for a picture with his son who is also a goalie and Zach graciously obliged. All this time Eric Comrie is standing on the sides just kind of watching Zach get the attention. So after the photo was taken Zach motions to Eric and tells the dad "well there's another goalie right behind you" and gets Eric involved as well. I thought it was a nice gesture by Fucale. He was smiling and joking the whole time - seems like a class act.

[Badgers Nose]

Let's go Rafikov!!!

Another late round draft day steal by the Flames!

[sureLoss]

Russia Swiss game has started

[Gaskal]

Rafikov wearing #7 for Russia.

[smiggy77]

Rafikov!!!!

[sureLoss]

Flames need to draft Fuchs for the puns and the lols

[Gaskal]

1-0 Russia on the PP.

[GettinIggyWithIt]

What a blast by Rafikov!

[dammage79]

Rafikov has a cannon. That was a beauty point shot.

[sureLoss]

Rafikov makes it 1-0!

He was a stay at home defencman at the draft, has now become a 2 way threat.

[Ben Dover]

Rafikov scores on the powerplay with a rocket from the point.

[neo45]

Rafikov just scored, but I've actually been really underwhelmed with him in the super series and at this tourney so far

I think the Predators are going to be very happy with Fiala. Every time I watch him he gets under the skin of the other team

[Gaskal]

Boy, Flames PP sure could use a bomb like that.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by neo45

Rafikov just scored, but I've actually been really underwhelmed with him in the super series and at this tourney so far

I think the Predators are going to be very happy with Fiala. Every time I watch him he gets under the skin of the other team

Thankfully Rafikov was a 7th round pick then. Anything is pure gray at that point.

[dammage79]

I think theres another point for Rafikov.

[Street Pharmacist]

Second assist

[neo45]

Swiss give up two quick ones to end the period. 1st goal was crap but the next one was a beauty by Buchenivic

[GettinIggyWithIt]

Good outlet pass by Rafikov. Man I really like Barbashev, I was really hoping the Flames could draft him last year.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by GettinIggyWithIt

Good outlet pass by Rafikov. Man I really like Barbashev, I was really hoping the Flames could draft him last year.

They might have if he made it past St.Louis. The Blues have a serious load of forward talent in their system.