To the general public, December 26th is Boxing Day. For hockey fans, it’s the first day of the World Junior Championships. And for this particular writer, it just so happens to be my favourite day of the year. This is the first time I’m doing such comprehensive World Juniors coverage, and I’m really excited about it.
For the first time since 2006, the World Juniors are back in Vancouver (and Victoria). That year, Canada won gold over Russia, and the Finns defeated the Americans for bronze. Thirteen years later, we’re looking at another tournament with five or six teams in medal contention.