2011 World Hockey Championship Preview

by Brandt Corbin

Switzerland looking to take next step

            Shawn Simpson's Switzerland National hockey team is looking to take the next step within hours. They are opening the 2011 World Hockey Championships against France, and they are wanting to get into the top four for the first time since 1998. Last year the team got fifth place, but this year will have to do it without veteran goaltenders Jonas Hiller & Martin Gerber. Instead they will turn to former Dallas Star netminder Tobias Stephan, while being backed up by 24-year-old Leonardo Geonoi. Every player on the team played in Switzerland this year, but Montreal Canadien Yanik Weber could join the team any day now. The team will be led by defenseman Goran Bezina and Mathias Seger with the supporting cast will be Julien Vauclair and Raphael Diaz. The Switz forward set is very familiar to the Olympics', Martin Pluss and Julien Sprunger, Ivo Ruthemann and Andres Ambuhl will be counted on for goal scoring.

Norway missing two key players

            Norway was looking to improve from their solid 2010 Olympics, but its taken a big hit with two big omissions. Veteran Tore Vikingstad, and New York Ranger Mats Zuccarello are not with the team for the 2011 International Ice Hockey World Championships. Both players combined for five of Norway's eight goals in Vancouver. Vikingstad who might join the team later in the tournament, had a hat trick in a key game against Switzerland Feb 20, 2010. Zuccarello is out for the entire tournament, as he suffered  a broken hand while playing in the AHL. Norway shocked everyone in the Olympics playing tight games during the tournament.

Who can win gold, not the Americans

            The Americans are not among those that will contend for a medal at the World Championships. Biggest reason why is going to be their lack of offense. Derek Stephan, Blake Wheeler and Tim Stapleton is the teams number one line. Secondary scoring you say, not likely. Ryan Shannon, Jack Skille, and Mike Brown are not known for their offensive ability. Biggest strength will be the teams backend led by Kevin Shattenkirk, Ryan Mcdonagh and Mark Stuart.

            As per usual Canada will be considered one of the favourites to win the championship. They have four solid lines up front, and a very solid top four defense. The only question mark currently is in goal, were rookie James Reimer will be counted on heavily to led the team in net, backing up is Edmonton's Devon Dubnyk.

            The other threats are the usual suspects. Russia, Finland, Sweden and the Czech Republic all have European based line-ups, but as always two or three of these teams will lay an egg in the big game. Czechs success will depend on goaltender Ondrej Pavelic, Finland must be strong in their own end, as they do not have an established netminder this year. Russia will count on Kovalchuk and a rusty Evengi Nabakov and for the first time in many years Sweden will not have either Peter Forsberg, Daniel Alferdson or Markus Naslund.

            This is Canada's tournament to lose, reason being every other team have got glaring weaknesses. Who might they play in the finals is a very good question, the safe bet would say the Czechs or the Russians, but the Switz are the dark horses, one solid effort in net could cause shockwaves throughout the tournament.