Sweden Russia game packed with top prospects
A week from today the Lordco Road to the World Juniors Pre-Tournament will make its stop at Prospera Place in Kelowna. Russia will take on Sweden Tuesday, December 18th at 7 pm.
Nine communities across British Columbia are playing host to all ten teams during 12 pre-tournament games from December 18th to the 23rd, before the puck officially drops Boxing Day on the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship in Vancouver and Victoria.
This isn’t the first time the World Juniors have made a stop in Kelowna. During the 2006 tournament, Kelowna and Kamloops co-hosted the Pool B action while Vancouver hosted Pool A.
Fans at Prospera were able to watch future NHL stars including Evgeni Malkin, Alexander Radulov, Nicklas Bäckstrom, David Krejci and many others lace up their skates and hit the ice in Kelowna.
Once again fans will have the chance to see budding NHL stars play at Prospera on the international stage, Russia and Sweden’s pre-tournament rosters are filled with top prospects.
Team Sweden
The 2018 silver medalist Swedes roster has four returning players and features a handful of drafted players.
Timothy Liljegren was drafted 17th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He’ll be loaned from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies alongside fellow defenceman and first-round selection, Rasmus Sandin. Forwards Jacob Olofsson and David Gustafsson were 2018 second-round selections of the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets
2018 eighth-overall pick Adam Boqvist (Blackhawks), 28th overall-pick Nils Lundkvist (Rangers) and 2017 15th-overall pick Erik Brannstrom (Golden Knights) will also be patrolling the blueline.
Defenceman, Philip Broberg, is listed as an A-rated prospect by the NHL’s Central Scouting Service on their ‘Players to Watch’ list ahead of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
Team Russia
Meanwhile, the Russians roster features 2017 first-round picks Klim Kostin (St. Louis), and 2018 selections Vitaly Kravtsov (Rangers) and Grigori Denisenko (Panthers), Alexander Alekseev (Capitals).
Alexander Romanov, a 2018 second-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens will also be in the lineup for Russia.
Don’t miss your chance to watch these future stars hit the ice in your own backyard, let’s sell out Prospera and show these European players how loud we can get! Tickets are on sale at selectyourtickets.com, at the Prospera Place box office or by phone at 250-762-5050.
