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World juniors hockey winners, losers: USA wins gold, Canada has another early exit
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- World juniors hockey winners, losers: USA wins gold, Canada has another early exit
USA Hockey is a winner at the world junior hockey championship because its first back-to-back gold medals reaffirm a decision made in the 1990s.
The U.S. National Team Development Program started in 1996 and it has helped the Americans change from a rare medalist to a power at the under-20 tournament. Many of this year's and last year's gold medalists had played for the USA Hockey NTDP in the United States Hockey League before heading off to college. That gives them a sense of familiarity with one another when they suit up for international tournaments.
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The United States now has won the world juniors seven times and increased its medal count to 16. Sunday's victory will also help ticket sales when the 2026 tournament is played in Minnesota and the USA seeks to become the first nation to win three consecutive golds since Canada won five in a row from 2005-09.
The USA (gold), Finland (silver) and Czechia (bronze) won medals on Sunday. Here are other winners and losers from the world junior hockey championship:
WINNERS
Washington Capitals
The Capitals selected Ryan Leonard (2023) and Cole Hutson (2024) in the last two drafts and both were key to the USA's run. Leonard was named tournament MVP with five goals and five assists. He looked dangerous with his speed and physical play, plus was the team captain. Defenseman Hutson made the media's all-star team and had a tournament-high 11 points. His speed and mobility were evident on the USA's tying goal in the gold-medal game. That's some good talent in the team's pipeline once they leave college.
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Even Czechia's Petr Sikora, their 2024 sixth-round pick, made some noise, or at least generated it. Fans booed him every time he touched the puck because he stayed down after a kneeing call that led to the ejection of Canada's Cole Beaudoin in the quarterfinal, then returned for the power play. But he finished the tournament with seven points and a bronze medal.
Draft-eligible players
Boston College's James Hagens is considered the front-runner for the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL draft and showed why. His goal against Finland demonstrated his good hands in tight, plus he had two goals in the quarterfinal and five overall. Finland's Petteri Rimpinen played every minute and was named the tournament's top goalie. Latvian goalie Linards Feldbergs, who's in his second year of draft eligibility, had 55 saves (plus eight in the shootout) to upset Canada in the preliminary round, then another 47 in a quarterfinal loss to Sweden.
Czechia
Czechia has come home with a medal for three consecutive tournaments, the first time that has happened since the 1990s, when the country was Czechoslovakia. Jakub Stancl, a St. Louis Blues draft pick, had a tournament-best seven goals, and Seattle Kraken first-rounder Eduard Sale had six goals, plus the shootout winner against Sweden.
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College hockey
The U.S. team featured 22 college hockey players, including six from Boston College. Czechia goalie Michael Hrabal plays for the University of Massachusetts. U.S. coach David Carle and defenseman Zeev Buium have won two gold medals and an NCAA championship with Denver University in the last 12 months.
LOSERS
Another Canada early exit
Canada was the two-time defending champion when it was upset by Czechia in the 2024 quarterfinals. This time, it was the host nation and lost to Czechia again in the quarterfinal when Adam Jecho scored with 39.4 seconds left in regulation. Canada took too many penalties and also lost to Latvia and the rival USA in the preliminary round. It's the first time since 1981 that the Canadians failed to reach the semifinals in back-to-back years.
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Matthew Schaefer's injury
The Canadian defenseman and touted 2025 draft prospect broke his collarbone on a fluke play when he crashed into the net during the loss to Latvia. He missed the rest of the tournament and could miss significant time in his draft year.
Sweden's tough luck
Defending silver medalist Sweden seemed poised for another medal when it went unbeaten in the preliminary round and beat Latvia in the quarterfinal. But rival Finland won in the semifinal on an overtime power-play goal and Czechia prevailed in a 14-round shootout in the bronze-medal to leave Sweden in fourth place.
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Kazakhstan's short run in top tier
They qualified for the tournament for the first time since 2020 but are headed back to a lower tier after losing to Germany in the relegation game. Kazakhstan lost 14-2 to Czechia and 8-1 to Sweden. But it did have its Miracle on Ice moment when it scored two short-handed goals in the final four minutes to force overtime against Slovakia and pick up its lone point of the tournament.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: World juniors hockey winners, losers include USA, Canada
