2016 WJHC roster predictions

[matchesmalone]

I'll start with USA, since they have maybe the most interesting team to me. USA has had more high draft picks in the past couple years than I can ever remember them having. When the fourth line consists entirely of first round picks, that's the kind of depth we're used to only ever seeing Canada having. But maybe even more interesting is the youth. I don't know just how USA Hockey will want to do their lines, but the way I have it, that's two under-aged, 2016-eligible prospects on the top line. Chad Krys and Matthew Tkachuk are also 2016-eligible, and would likely start as the 13th forward and 7th D, but Tkachuk in particular could easily work his way up the depth chart. Chad Krys will likely see extremely limited even strength ice time, but will be the number one guy running the powerplay, similar to what Ryan Ellis was for Canada in his first year. ... In most years Colin White would be the first line center for USA, and this year that line will be used to match against other teams top lines, while the Matthews line should be the "scoring line". The Schmaltz line will be the secondary scoring line and the Roslovic line will be the "energy line". The defense pairs are well-balanced, with an offensive D and a defensive D on each pair - this was not on purpose, it just sort of happens that the offensive D are all left shots and the defensive D are all right shots.

Sonny Milano - Auston Matthews - Aelx DeBrincat
Christian Dvorak - Colin White - Christian Fischer
Ryan MacInnis - Jack Roslovic - Alex Tuch
Kyle Connor - Nick Schmaltz - Brock Boeser
Matthew Tkachuk

Zach Werenski - Noah Hanifin
Jake Walman - Ryan Collins
Caleb Jones - Brandon Carlo
Chad Krys

Alex Nedeljkovic
Brandon Halverson

[Josh]

Holy, that's an amazing USA team. They're going to be tough to beat.

[matchesmalone]

The top three scorers in the OHL right now are American - DeBrincat, Tkachuk and Dvorak. But on the other hand, Hanifin has started playing 20 minutes a game for Carolina lately, so perhaps he won't be made available for USA after all. Would be a huge loss to USA's defense, as he would be a staple on both the PP and PK. You're not going to get that kind of two-way D to replace him with, so with Werenski and Krys running the PP, I think they would need more of a defensive/PK specialist. Most likely that would be either Jack Dougherty or Josh Jacobs.

And then there's Canada, who will of course be among the favorites this year, before they might take a bit of a step back in the next couple of years.

Michael Dal Colle - Dylan Strome - Mitch Marner
Lawson Crouse - Connor Bleakley - Jake Virtanen
Brendan Perlini - Matthew Barzal - Josh Ho-Sang
Anthony Beauvillier - John Quenneville - Jayce Hawryluk
Jake DeBrusk

Haydn Fleury - Noah Juulsen
Travis Sanheim - Matthew Spencer
Thomas Chabot - Jeremy Roy
Rolland McKeown

Mason McDonald
MacKenzie Blackwood

I would imagine whichever pair Haydn Fleury is on will be the shutdown pair, presumably with either Juulsen or Spencer. Chabot should be paired with the dynamic offensive defenseman in Jeremy Roy - kind of his specialty. And since the big-minute horses are the three left side D, the 7th D should be a fourth right side guy, so they can spread out those minutes and if one has an off-night, there's another option on that side. The three guys on the left side will be good for 20 minutes a night easy. We don't really have the marquee names Canada has had in the past, but should still be the deepest group of D in the tournament.

At forward, Dal Colle has struggled so far this year, but if he can hit his stride soon, that top line could be one of the best lines the World Juniors has seen in a long time. The forward group is a bit smaller than Canada is used to (especially if we don't get Virtanen), but loaded with high-end skill throughout. Also, a lot of the forwards are more playmakers than pure goal-scorers (again, Virtanen would be huge there), so I would think the powerplay will be vital.

[Josh]

Calgary is 3rd last, ahead of only Edmonton and Columbus. They should let Bennett go tear the tournament up. He'll miss what, like 6 games tops? Would Lawson Crouse and/or Jeremy Roy count as underdog picks for tournament MVP?

[Jasmine]

Both of the #Sens 2015 first-round picks, Colin White and Thomas Chabot, have earned World Junior Championship Selection Camp invites for their respective countries.
READ: ottsens.com/1jlDaQV

[Alfie11]

I think Chabot makes Team Canada, for sure. I've gotten to see a little bit of him this year. He's the type of defenseman that has confidence and takes matters into his own hands, and his skating is fantastic. Garrioch says the team told him to go back to junior and work on his defensive game, and he's done that, apparently.

I haven't seen much of Colin White but he's putting up fantastic points. He has 23 points in 15 games for Boston College and is known for his amazing two-way game.

All in all, you gotta trust Murray. I know some people weren't happy with the picks, but both are looking good early on.

[matchesmalone]

Shocked at the Dal Colle cut already. Can't believe I forgot about Joe Hicketts on my Canada roster .

Some of those USA omissions have been wild. Garland leading the Q in scoring and not even invited to try out?! No Connor? Tuch? Roslovic?! I think this will come back to haunt USA for sure.