World Junior Championship Group B preview

Iaroslav Askarov
could be the difference-maker for Russia at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Askarov became the highest-drafted Russia-born goalie in NHL history when the Nashville Predators selected him with the No. 11 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. He is one of three players along with forwards Vasily Podkolzin (Vancouver Canucks) and Maxim Groshev (Tampa Bay Lightning) returning from the team that lost 4-3 to Canada in the championship game of the 2020 WJC.
The 18-year-old was 2-1-0 with a 2.71 goals-against average and .876 save percentage in five games but was pulled in two of his four starts.
"This time around, we hope it's going to be his tournament," Russia coach Igor Larionov said.
The 2021 WJC will be held Dec. 25-Jan. 5 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, with no fans in attendance and in a secure zone similar to what the NHL used for the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. All games will be broadcast on NHL Network in the United States and on TSN and RDS in Canada.
Russia will play in Group B in the preliminary round along with the United States, Czech Republic, Austria and Sweden. Group A consists of Canada, Finland, Switzerland, Slovakia and Germany.
"It's not a secret everyone is talking about Askarov, but we have three really good goalies," Larionov said. "Obviously, [it isn't often] you have a young talent like this and looking back on [the 2020 WJC], when he had so much pressure, he was kind of a little off his game."
Askarov, who was the third Russia-born goalie in NHL history to be chosen first at the position along with Ilya Samsonov of the Washington Capitals (No. 22, 2015 NHL Draft) and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Lightning (No. 19, 2012 NHL Draft), is 4-3-0 with a 0.96 goals-against average and .962 save percentage in seven games with SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League this season.
Here's a look at each Group B team, in predicted order of finish:

Russia

Coach: Igor Larionov
2021 NHL Draft watch: Daniil Chayka, D, Guelph (OHL); Kirill Kirsanov, D, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)
Schedule:Dec. 25, United States (9:30 p.m. ET); Dec. 27, Czech Republic (9:30 p.m. ET); Dec. 29, Austria (9:30 p.m. ET); Dec. 30, Sweden (9:30 p.m. ET)
Outlook:Larionov replaces Valeri Bragin, who was coach of the national junior team the past six years and nine of the past 15. Russia has finished in the top three at the WJC in nine of the past 10 tournaments but last won it in 2011. The two top lines will be tough to defend if Marat Khusnutdinov (Minnesota Wild) is centering Rodion Amirov (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Podkolzin, and Mikhail Abramov (Toronto Maple Leafs) is between Egor Afanasyev (Nashville Predators) and Yegor Chinakhov (Columbus Blue Jackets). The strength on defense could be Shakir Mukhamadullin (New Jersey Devils) and Semyon Chistyakov (Nashville Predators). Askarov is capable of winning best goalie in the tournament after he helped Russia win the Karjala Cup, a four-team tournament with the Czech Republic, Sweden and Finland held Nov. 5-8, going 3-0-0 with a 0.98 GAA and a .962 save percentage. Chayka is an A rated skater in NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list for the 2021 NHL Draft.

United States

Coach:Nate Leaman
2021 NHL Draft watch:Matthew Beniers, F, Michigan (BIG 10)
Schedule:Dec. 25, Russia (9:30 p.m. ET); Dec. 26, Austria (9:30 p.m. ET); Dec. 29, Czech Republic (2 p.m. ET); Dec. 31, Sweden (9:30 p.m. ET)
Outlook:The United States is looking for a top-three finish for the fifth time in six years after finishing first in 2017, second in 2019 and third in 2016 and 2018. In addition to being fast and creative on offense and experienced and strong on defense, goalie Spencer Knight (Florida Panthers) of Boston College could challenge Askarov for top honors at the position. There's a good chance Alex Turcotte (Los Angeles Kings) will begin the tournament centering Trevor Zegras (Anaheim Ducks) and Arthur Kaliyev (Kings), who tied for the United States lead with four goals at the 2020 WJC. Beniers (2021 draft eligible), an A rated skater on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list, could be between Matthew Boldy (Minnesota Wild) and Cole Caufield (Montreal Canadiens). There are eight players returning from the 2020 WJC: Goalies Dustin Wolf (Calgary Flames) and Knight, defenseman Cameron York (Philadelphia Flyers), and forwards Bobby Brink (Flyers), Caufield, Kaliyev, Turcotte, and Zegras, who led the United States with nine points (all assists).

Sweden

Coach:Joel Ronnmark
2021 NHL Draft watch:Jesper Wallstedt, G, Lulea (SWE); Oskar Olausson, F, HV 71 (SWE-JR)
Schedule:Dec. 26, Czech Republic (2 p.m. ET); Dec. 28, Austria (6 p.m. ET); Dec. 30, Russia (9:30 p.m. ET); Dec. 31, United States (9:30 p.m. ET)
Outlook:Sweden hasn't lost a preliminary-round match in 13 years. The 52-game unbeaten streak includes 45 wins in regulation, three in overtime and four in a shootout. Sweden's last loss in the preliminary round was 3-2 in overtime against the United States on Dec. 31, 2006. Their defensemen could be the best in the tournament with Tobias Bjornfot (Los Angeles Kings), Victor Soderstrom (Arizona Coyotes), Philip Broberg (Edmonton Oilers) and Albert Johansson (Detroit Red Wings) leading the way in front of goalies Hugo Alnefelt (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Jesper Wallstedt (2021 draft eligible), an A rated goalie on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list. Lucas Raymond, chosen by the Detroit Red Wings with the No. 4 pick in the 2020 draft, will likely play right wing on what likely will be one of the most prolific forward lines of the tournament with left wing Alexander Holtz (New Jersey Devils). The two combined for nine points (five goals, four assists) in seven games to help Sweden to a third-place finish in 2020. Theodor Niederbach (Red Wings) will likely center the line to begin the tournament, but Albin Sundsvik (Anaheim Ducks) could earn time with Holtz and Raymond. Ronnmark replaced Tomas Monten as coach on Dec. 11 after the latter tested positive for the coronavirus.

Czech Republic

Coach:Karel Mlejnek
2021 NHL Draft watch: Stanislav Svozil, D, Brno (CZE); Nick Malik, G, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
Schedule:Dec. 26, Sweden (2 p.m. ET); Dec. 27, Russia (9:30 p.m. ET); Dec. 29, United States (2 p.m. ET); Dec. 31, Austria (2 p.m. ET)
Outlook:The Czech Republic hasn't medaled at the WJC since 2005, when it finished third, and is hoping to finish higher than the the seventh-place finish as the host country at the 2020 WJC. Forward Jan Mysak scored two points (one goal, one assist) at the 2020 WJC. Mysak (No. 48, Montreal Canadiens) is one of six players on the roster selected in the 2020 draft who could make an impact, along with forwards Jaromir Pytlik (No. 99, New Jersey Devils), Pavel Novak (No. 146, Minnesota Wild) and Adam Raska (No. 201, San Jose Sharks), defenseman Michael Krutil (No. 110, Chicago Blackhawks), and goalie Jan Bednar (No. 107, Detroit Red Wings). Svozil is a B rated skater on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list.

Austria

Coach:Roger Bader
2021 NHL Draft watch:None
Schedule: Dec. 26, United States (9:30 p.m. ET); Dec. 28, Sweden (6 p.m. ET); Dec. 29, Russia (9:30 p.m. ET); Dec. 31, Czech Republic (2 p.m. ET)
Outlook:Austria is in the top division of the tournament for the fourth time (1981, 2004, 2010). The Austrians will be led by forward Marco Rossi, the No. 9 pick by the Minnesota Wild in the 2020 draft. Rossi led the Canadian Hockey League with 120 points (39 goals, 81 assists) in 56 games for Ottawa of the Ontario Hockey League last season. The 19-year-old was second in points per game (2.14) behind forward Alexis Lafreniere, who was chosen No. 1 by the New York Rangers in the 2020 draft (2.15).