Welcome welcome to this week’s Pat Quinn style ramblings. They come at you like a (at the time legal…somehow) shoulder to the head.

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Well I get the pleasure of having some World Junior rosters released for content today. Exciting. I’ll go over some teams here (Pete went over USA and Finland the other day, but I’ll just note a few things quickly).

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Canada roster:

https://www.tsn.ca/team-canada-2018-world-juniors-selection-camp-roster-tsn-go-1.936157

My analysis:

• Canada is deep, as usual. People are upset about players being left off but really it is also hard to argue any selection does not deserve it, plus about 10 will be sent home before the tournament starts. However I do agree no Owen Tippett and Adam Mascherin is a head scratcher.

• I am excited to watch Michael McLeod get actual ice time this year, his speed and creativity will be on full display.

• Nick Suzuki and Cody Glass are going to be so entertaining it may make the Las Vegas twitter account bearable for a bit.

• My guess for leader on Canada in points Jordan Kyrou (If anyone from my World Junior pool is reading this, don’t pick him. I will go over the team, drafting and set up after/if we draft)

• I don’t know what to make of the defense, and by that I mean they have an abundance of offense-first defensemen and will they carry more than three (Jake Bean, Kale Clague, and Cale Makar)

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Team USA roster:

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/united-states-names-preliminary-roster-2018-world-juniors/

Nothing more I can really add here as Peter covered it too well. I will say I am excited to watch Adam Fox take over games for the US, and honestly they have a really deep and underrated team.

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Team Sweden roster:

https://twitter.com/UffeBodin

My analysis:

• As a Devils homer fan I am thrilled both Jesper Boqvist and Fabian Zetterlund were invited, and of the two I expect Boqvist to stand out the most.

• Elias Pettersson was injured the other day in the SEL, but expect him to be ready to lead Sweden in the tournament as I believe it was just a day-to-day issue.

• As the Capitals writer here I must point out that Axel Jonsson-Fjallby made the team once again. The fifth round selection in 2016 should have a strong tournament and projects to be a middle-six forward who can score but may be stuck in a defense-first role as he is a great two-way forward.

• Rasmus Dahlin, Erik Brannstrom, Timothy Liljegren, Filip Westerlund, do not turn the puck over against that group of defensemen or the puck will be turned around in transition so quick it will create a grade-A scoring chance.

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Team Finland roster:

http://www.wgr550.com/articles/news/luukkonen-selected-finlands-world-junior-preliminary-roster

My analysis (we all know Eeli Tolvanen will torch everyone so I’ll skip him here):

• To me Kristian Vesalainen is a prospect that needs more attention, the Winnipeg Jets (of course) 2017 pick will make a name for himself at this tournament.

• This team will have a great top six and the powerplay will be deadly

• Olli Juolevi needs to be one of the best players at this tournament to quiet the criticism that has been (unfairly) thrown his way.

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Team Czech Republic roster:

http://www.wgr550.com/articles/news/budik-named-czech-republics-preliminary-world-junior-roster

Martin Necas, Filip Chytil (if healthy), Ostap Safin, and Filip Zadina will keep the Czech’s competitive in most game, and may surprise some teams if they take them lightly.

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Team Russia roster:

http://fhr.ru/en/main/ofnews/card/?id_4=14220

The Russians roster does not include any players who are playing in North America at this time but they will announce it later, because there is zero chance they will not have Andrei Svechnikov on this roster.

The Russians will be skilled and dangerous as always.

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As always if you are in a keeper league use the Jeff Angus strategy and add players on some World Junior rosters, preferably ones that are playing in a top six forward (or in Canada’s case top nine), or top a four defense, spot on one of the favorite teams and flip them to improve your team.

That is all for this week. My twitter on the cyber is here –> @FHPQuinn

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