December 26th, 2004

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Sports
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The Next One

Whether you’re a hockey fan or not, the World Juniors Hockey Championship is an exceptionally-watchable sporting event. Basically, it’s a 10-day tournament of the best players in the world under the age of nineteen. These kids aren’t embittered millionaires yet–they’re playing for pride, their future and their country. Two years ago I was lucky enough to watch a couple world juniors games while I was in the Czech Republic. I remember them as some of my favourite sports-watching experiences.

The most-watched player at the tournament is 17-year-old Sidney Crosby. He’s been annointed The Next One, and with good reason. He’s got Gretzky-esque skills combined with an ability and willingness to mix it up in the corners. He fits right in in a tournament where most players are 17 and 18. In Canada’s first game, he scored two goals and an added an assist. He and his linemante Patrice Bergeron are a joy to watch.

Next year, the world juniors are in BC (caution, autoplaying video on page). I’ve already put down a deposit to get tickets.

Comments: 3 Responses so far

Richard
December 27th, 2004
12:14 am

I watched a bit of the 7-3 (!) victory for the Canadians against the Souvlakians (wait, Slovakians) and it was really exciting to watch: lots of open ice–because the ice is bigger, the players are smaller, and there’s “no” centre line–so that there are a lot of 3-on-2’s and such.

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Darren
December 27th, 2004
12:53 am

Actually, this year the tournament is in North Dakota (and environs), so they’re playing on the North American ice surface. The “no” centre line and international style of play do make a difference, absolutely.

Also, you tend to get mostly or all skill players and few of the checkers and pluggers that clog up NHL games. I mean, the third guy on the Crosby-Bergeron line (presumably, the more defensively responsible one) is the lead scorer of OHL.

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James Sherrett
December 29th, 2004
1:01 pm

Kudos to Darren for posting about the World Junior Hockey Championships going on right now in North Dakota. Just a slight correction though, the age for junior players is 16 to 20, so the tournament features the best hockey talents in the world under 21 years of age. This is the same age limits for junior hockey across Canada, except for some smaller leagues that allow an extra year so players can play as over-aged 21 year olds. This explains the fuss over Crosby, who is (I believe) the youngest player in the tournament at 17. His linemate Bergeron played in the NHL last year as an 18 year old with the Boston Bruins, and the average age of the Canadian team this year is the oldest ever, over 19.

In a sidenote/anecdote, I played many hockey games in the arenas of Grand Forks and Thief River Falls, North Dakota. I grew up in Winnipeg and played hockey since I was 5. Our teams used to make an annual trips down to Fargo, Grand Forks or Minneapolis. While we played the local teams through the rounds of a tournament our parents shopped at the malls. As we grew up a few of the guys I played with went away to colleges in the U.S. on hockey scholarships. We sometimes drove down to see them play, particulalry if they were playing against the vaunted University of North Dakota Fighthing Sioux in Grand Forks. Every game as the notes of the American national anthem died away (”…braaaaaave.”) the crowd would shout once, in unison, “Sioux!”, sit down and listen as the opening lineups were announced.

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