Habsent Minded Episode 4.64: World Junior Championship — Scandinavian roster previews

Summer usually means lazy days at the beach, maybe reading a good book and the only ice you may consume is limited to one or two snowcones and/or slushies. But 2022 is no ordinary year. In an attempt to finally get back on track scheduling wise, the previously cancelled 2022 World Junior Championship will take place in August, meaning we finally have a tournament challenging the 2022 FIFA World Cup for the most oddly scheduled event of the year.

Being of sound mind and Scandinavian nature, Patrik Bexell and Anton Rasegård decide to dive into the preliminary rosters of Team Sweden and Team Finland whilst we are waiting for the upcoming draft. While Sweden has chosen a more traditional approach, Finland has chosen to include (nearly) every eligible Finnish national and create a competitive situation with two whole squads going into camp.

In last year’s tournament [Editor’s note: That is the 2021 event; this is all going to be very confusing.], Finland got the better of Sweden in the quarter-finals and later returned home with bronze medals around their necks. Time will tell if Northern Europe will be able to better challenge North America in 2022’s eventual title race.

Listen to this and every episode of Habsent Minded in your podcast provider of choice, as we get ready for a summer including a draft on home ice, an updated Top 25 Under 25, and every outcome of the Canadiens’ 2022 development camp.