The winner of the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship will be Canada or Sweden, according to two NHL.com writers.
NHL.com deputy editor-in-chief Adam Kimelman believes Canada will win after reaching the 2021 WJC championship game, while NHL.com staff writer Mike G. Morreale predicts that Sweden will win the tournament for the first time since 2012.
In the championship game, Kimelman predicts that Canada will beat Sweden, while Morreale believes Sweden will beat the United States, the 2021 champion.
Each writer also made their picks for best goalkeeper, best striker, best defender and best NHL Draft prospects for 2023.
The 2022 WJC will be held August 9-20 at Rogers Place in Edmonton. The tournament was originally scheduled from December 26 to January 5, but was canceled after four days due to concerns over the coronavirus. Results from those games will not be included when the tournament is restarted.
The 10 teams play in two groups. Group A consists of Canada, Finland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Latvia, and the United States, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany and Austria.
Latvia was added to the tournament to replace Russia, which has been banned from the international game due to the invasion of Ukraine.
The top four from each group will play in the quarter-finals on August 17. The semi-finals are on August 19 and the championship and match for third place are on August 20.
All games are broadcast live on NHL Network in the United States and TSN and RDS in Canada.
Kimelman predictions
Group A winner: Canada
Group B winner: Sweden
Champion: Canada
Second: Sweden
Third: United States
Surprise star: Logan Stank Furnace, F, Canada
Best goalkeeper: Jesper Wallstedt, Sweden
Best defender: Luke Hughes, United States
Best forward: Mason McTavish, Canada
Top 2023 NHL Draft Eligible Player: Connor Bedard, Canada
Moral predictions
Group A winner: Canada
Group B winner: United States
Champion: Sweden
Second: United States
Third: Canada
Surprise star: Jiri Kulich, F, Czech Republic
Best goalkeeper: Jesper Wallstedt, Sweden
Best defender: Simon Edvinsson, Sweden
Best forward: Logan Cooley, United States
Top 2023 NHL Draft Eligible Player: Connor Bedard, Canada