IIHF World juniors

2023 - 1 - 1

Post cover
Image courtesy of "FloHockey"

2023 World Juniors: How Adam Gajan Came Out Of Nowhere To ... (FloHockey)

MONCTON, New Brunswick – Adam Gajan wasn't supposed to be here. When Team Slovakia announced their preliminary roster for the 2023 IIHF World Junior ...

"He knows a lot of what’s happened, the opportunity to come here and play here is what started this whirlwind," said Mignone. Slovakia is in the best position they've been in to medal since 2015 when they won bronze on the back of a largely unknown goalie named Denis Godla. Though he could have left Chippewa for a full-time opportunity in the USHL, he decided he wanted to stay. The name was Adam Gajan and the video "enthralled" Mignone. From unknown the week before, to one of the most hotly pursued recruits on the NCAA goalie recruiting trail is quite a turn. "It was 9:28 of a GoPro behind the net. But it was actually the World Juniors that inspired his current career path and desire to explore playing college hockey in the United States. With Slovakia having a chance to win the group for the first time ever in Saturday's game against Switzerland, Gajan gave his best effort, but ultimately was out-dueled in an epic 10-round shootout. “I was confident,” said Gajan about his mindset going into the biggest game of his life to that point. He was busy with a new opportunity in his first season in the United States as he had just been acquired from the NAHL's Chippewa Steel via loan by the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL. Mesar always news his lifelong friend and fellow Poprad native had the ability, he just needed someone to give him a chance. Not after never playing a game for the Slovakia national team in a major, or even minor international tournament.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "IIHF"

IIHF - Remembering Forsberg's 31 (IIHF)

Despite the magic of Connor Bedard at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, the single-tournament point record of Peter Forsberg from 1993 may never be ...

He had two more assists in a 4-2 win over the United States, a game played in Uppsala, and a day later, back in Gavle, he had another hat trick and a couple of helpers in a 9-2 route of rivals Finland. In the end, Forsberg’s 1993 tournament remains in a league of its own. Pearn got them going, and they scored three in the second and built a 4-2 lead early in the third. But after the game the Canadian players suggested it wasn’t Forsberg’s words that made the difference but a forceful speech by Pearn himself during the first intermission. The back story to the Sweden-Canada game is where things were interesting. He was playing with MODO Ornskoldsvik in the top Swedish league and had been drafted 6th overall in 1991, the same draft made famous by Lindros going 1st overall but refusing to play for the team that drafted him, the Quebec Nordiques. But back to that Canada game for a minute. Just 24 hours later, they played Canada and lost, 5-4, but Forsberg was dominant, scoring once and adding three assists, and doing everything in his power to lead his team. They were demoted and haven’t been back to the top pool since. The Swedes won the faceoff and tied the game at 19:53. In that game Forsberg had an assist and Lindros was held off the scoresheet. Sweden opened the ’93 World Juniors with a 4-2 win over Germany, in Gavle.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "IIHF"

IIHF - Remembering Forsberg's 31 (IIHF)

Despite the magic of Connor Bedard at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, the single-tournament point record of Peter Forsberg from 1993 may never be ...

He had two more assists in a 4-2 win over the United States, a game played in Uppsala, and a day later, back in Gavle, he had another hat trick and a couple of helpers in a 9-2 route of rivals Finland. In the end, Forsberg’s 1993 tournament remains in a league of its own. Pearn got them going, and they scored three in the second and built a 4-2 lead early in the third. But after the game the Canadian players suggested it wasn’t Forsberg’s words that made the difference but a forceful speech by Pearn himself during the first intermission. The back story to the Sweden-Canada game is where things were interesting. He was playing with MODO Ornskoldsvik in the top Swedish league and had been drafted 6th overall in 1991, the same draft made famous by Lindros going 1st overall but refusing to play for the team that drafted him, the Quebec Nordiques. But back to that Canada game for a minute. Just 24 hours later, they played Canada and lost, 5-4, but Forsberg was dominant, scoring once and adding three assists, and doing everything in his power to lead his team. They were demoted and haven’t been back to the top pool since. The Swedes won the faceoff and tied the game at 19:53. In that game Forsberg had an assist and Lindros was held off the scoresheet. Sweden opened the ’93 World Juniors with a 4-2 win over Germany, in Gavle.

Explore the last week