World Juniors teams, rosters, format and more to know about 2022 IIHF World U20 Championship

Bryan Murphy

World Juniors teams, rosters, format and more to know about 2022 IIHF World U20 Championship image

Ten countries, 250 players, one gold medal. 

The 2022 World Juniors are about to begin in Edmonton, Alberta. That's right, the tournament that usually coincides with the holiday season is ready for action in August. 

The 2022 tournament began on its usual date on Dec. 26, 2021, however, due to COVID-19 outbreaks, the IIHF was forced to cancel the tournament. Here we are roughly eight months later, and the 2022 competition is getting ready to start up again.

It's a chance for the best teenagers in the world to showcase their skills on the international level, as well as have the opportunity to leave the tournament with a medal around their necks. 

MORE: Schedule, scores, results for all 2022 World Juniors games

Here's the rest of the information you need to know about the 2022 World Junior hockey tournament.

Which teams compete in the World Junior Championships?

Each year, 10 teams compete in the top World Juniors tournament. 

The current format has been in place since 1996, consisting of the top 10 teams in the world. Since the tournament got its official start in 1977, Canada, Sweden, Russia, Czechia, Finland and the United States have participated in every tournament. Slovakia has competed in every tournament since the 10-team format was introduced in 1996, following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia.

The tournament, which is considered to be the top pool, typically has one team that will be relegated to Division I, and the winner of Division I will be promoted to the top tournament for next year. 

Numerous other countries have participated in the top pool including Switzerland, Latvia, Germany, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Austria, Denmark, France, Poland, Japan, Norway and Ukraine.

What teams are competing at the 2022 World Juniors?

Group A Group B
USA Canada
Sweden Finland
Germany Czechia
Switzerland Slovakia
Austria Latvia

Russia was removed from the tournament after the IIHF instituted a ban on all Russian and Belarusian national teams from competing in IIHF play after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Latvia, who was the Division IA runner-up, was promoted to replace Russia at the tournament. Belarus was the Division IA winner but was not promoted due to the ban. 

MORE: Why is Russia not participating at the 2022 World Juniors?

No teams will be relegated, so the same 10 countries will compete again in December at the 2023 tournament. 

What is the format of the 2022 World Juniors?

Teams will play four preliminary games in a round-robin format within their group, followed by a three-round playoff.

In the group stage, teams earn three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime win, one point for an overtime loss and no points for a regulation loss.

The top four teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals, where the matchups are determined by seeding. They will cross over between groups for these games: 1A vs. 4B, 1B vs. 4A, 2A vs. 3B and 2B vs. 3A. The teams that advance to the semifinals will be reseeded. 

The winners of the semifinals will face off in the gold medal game. The losers will play for bronze. 

Who has won the World Juniors in the past?

History of IIHF World Junior Championships
YEAR-LOCATION GOLD SILVER BRONZE
2021 - Edmonton, Canada United States Canada Finland
2020 - Ostrava & Trinec, Czech Republic Canada Russia Sweden
2019 - Vancouver & Victoria, Canada Finland United States Russia
2018 - Buffalo, N.Y. Canada Sweden United States
2017 - Montreal and Toronto, Canada United States Canada Russia
2016 - Helsinki, Finland Finland Russia United States
2015 - Montreal/Toronto, Canada Canada Russia Slovakia
2014 - Malmo, Sweden Finland Sweden Russia
2013 - Ufa, Russia United States Sweden Russia
2012 - Calgary/Edmonton, Canada Sweden Russia Canada
2011 - Buffalo/Niagara, N.Y. Russia   Canada   United States
2010  Regina/Saskatoon, Canada United States Canada   Sweden  
2009 - Ottawa, Canada Canada   Sweden   Russia  
2008 - Pardubice/Liberec, Czech Republic Canada   Sweden   Russia  
2007 - Leksand/Mora, Sweden Canada   Russia   United States
2006 - Kamloops/Kelowna/Vancouver, Canada Canada   Russia   Finland  
2005 - Grand Forks, N.D./Thief River Falls, Minn. Canada   Russia   Czech Republic  
2004 - Helsinki/Hameenlinna, Finland United States Canada   Finland  
2003 - Halifax/Sydney, Canada Russia   Canada   Finland  
2002 - Pardubice/Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic Russia   Canada   Finland  
2001 - Moscow/Podolsk, Russia Czech Republic   Finland   Canada  
2000 - Skelleftea/Umea, Sweden Czech Republic   Russia   Canada  
1999 - Winnipeg, Canada Russia   Canada   Slovakia  
1998 - Helsinki/Hameenlinna, Finland Finland   Russia   Switzerland  
1997 - Geneva/Morges, Switzerland Canada   United States Russia  
1996 - Boston, Mass. Canada   Sweden   Russia  
1995 - Red Deer, Canada Canada   Russia   Sweden  
1994 - Ostrava/Frydek-Mistek, Czech Republic Canada   Sweden   Russia  
1993 - Gavle/Fulun, Sweden Canada   Sweden   Czechoslovakia  
1992-  Fussen/Kaufbeuren, Germany CIS   Sweden   United States
1991 - Saskatoon, Canada Canada   Soviet Union   Czechoslovakia  
1990 - Helsinki/Turku, Finland Canada   Soviet Union   Czechoslovakia  
1989 - Anchorage, Alaska, United States Soviet Union   Sweden   Czechoslovakia  
1988 - Moscow, Soviet Union Canada   Soviet Union   Finland  
1987 - Piestany, Czechoslovakia Finland   Czechoslovakia   Sweden  
1986 - Hamilton, Canada Soviet Union   Canada   United States
1985 - Helsinki/Turku, Finland Canada   Czechoslovakia   Soviet Union  
1984 - Nykoping, Sweden Soviet Union   Finland   Czechoslovakia  
1983 - Leningrad, Soviet Union Soviet Union   Czechoslovakia   Canada  
1982 - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. Canada   Czechoslovakia   Finland  
1981 - Fussen/Augsburg, Germany Sweden   Finland   Soviet Union  
1980 - Helsinki, Finland Soviet Union   Finland   Sweden  
1979 - Karlstad, Sweden Soviet Union   Czechoslovakia   Sweden  
1978 - Montreal, Canada Soviet Union   Sweden   Canada  
1977 - Bystrica-Zvolen, Czechoslovakia Soviet Union   Canada   Czechoslovakia  
1976* - Tampere, Finland Soviet Union   Canada   Czechoslovakia  
1975* - U.S./Canada Soviet Union   Canada   Sweden  
1974* - Leningrad, Soviet Union Soviet Union   Finland   Canada 

* - IIHF began officially sponsoring World Junior Championship in 1977

Who will be representing each team at the World Juniors?

This year's criteria is a bit different considering the time of the year it is taking place, but essentially any player that was eligible for the tournament last December is still eligible to play in August.

In order to be able to participate in the World Juniors, a player's 20th birthday must take place by the end of the tournament's year. With these requirements in place, the field of players is mostly between the ages of 17 and 20 years old.

MORE: Top 10 NHL prospects participating at the 2022 World Juniors

In total, each country's roster comprises of 25 players. Most will have 14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goaltenders. They can dress 23 players per game, meaning there will be two healthy scratches for each team in every contest. 

Some of the most notable names at the tournament will be Mason McTavish, Kent Johnson and Connor Bedard for Canada, Luke Hughes and Matt Knies for the US, Simon Edvinsson and Jesper Wallstedt for Sweden, Brad Lambert and Joakim Kemell for Finland, and David Jiricek for Czechia. 

For the full rosters for all 10 teams, click here

Where are the 2022 World Juniors?

  • Location: Edmonton, Alberta
  • Venue: Rogers Place

The 2022 World Junior Championship will take place in Edmonton, Alberta. All games will be played at Rogers Place, home of the Oilers. It is the first time since 1988 that there are not multiple host cities. 

In December of last year, when the 2022 tournament originally commenced, it was set for both Edmonton and Red Deer. The games were split between Rogers Place and the Peavey Mart Centrum in Red Deer, home of the WHL's Red Deer Rebels. 

Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the 2022 tournament was scheduled to be held in Gothenburg, Sweden. However, it was changed to Edmonton in September of 2020, due to the restrictions put in place with COVID-19. Instead, Gothenburg was reassigned to the 2024 tournament.

This year marks the fourth time Edmonton will host World Juniors games, having previously hosted in 1995, 2012 and 2021. 

World Juniors schedule 2022

MORE: Watch the 2022 World Juniors live with fuboTV (free trial, U.S. only)

Tuesday, Aug. 9

Matchup Time (ET) TV
Czechia vs. Slovakia 2 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Latvia vs. Finland 6 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
USA vs. Germany 10 p.m. TSN/NHL Network

Wednesday, Aug. 10

Matchup Time (ET) TV
Sweden vs. Switzerland 2 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Latvia vs. Canada 6 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Germany vs. Austria 10 p.m. TSN/NHL Network

Thursday, Aug. 11

Matchup Time (ET) TV
Finland vs. Czechia 2 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Slovakia vs. Canada 6 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Switzerland vs. USA 10 p.m. TSN/NHL Network

Friday, Aug. 12

Matchup Time (ET) TV
Austria vs. Sweden 2 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Slovakia vs. Latvia 6 p.m. TSN/NHL Network

Saturday, Aug. 13

Matchup Time (ET) TV
Austria vs. USA 2 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Canada vs. Czechia 6 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Germany vs. Switzerland 10 p.m. TSN/NHL Network

Sunday, Aug. 14

Matchup Time (ET) TV
Finland vs. Slovakia 2 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Czechia vs. Latvia 6 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
USA vs. Sweden 10 p.m. TSN/NHL Network

Monday, Aug. 15

Matchup Time (ET) TV
Switzerland vs. Austria 2 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Canada vs. Finland 6 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Sweden vs. Germany 10 p.m. TSN/NHL Network

Wednesday, Aug. 17

Matchup Time (ET) TV
Quarterfinal 12 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Quarterfinal 3:30 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Quarterfinal 7 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Quarterfinal 10:30 TSN/NHL Network

Friday, Aug. 19

Matchup Time (ET) TV
Semifinal 2 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Semifinal 6 p.m. TSN/NHL Network

Saturday, Aug. 20

Matchup Time (ET) TV
Bronze Medal Game 2 p.m. TSN/NHL Network
Gold Medal Game 6 p.m. TSN/NHL Network

2022 World Juniors odds

According to Sports Interaction, the 2022 tournament is a four-horse race. 

Canada, Finland, the United States and Sweden are the clear frontrunners to win this year's tournament, with the Canadians holding the best odds at +116. All four countries are +400 or higher, while the other six teams are +1386 or lower. 

Here are the odds as of now for the 2022 tournament. 

Team Odds
Canada +105
Finland +325
USA +333
Sweden +408
Czechia +1555
Slovakia +3057
Germany +7840
Switzerland +7840
Austria +50000
Latvia +50000

Bryan Murphy

Bryan Murphy Photo

Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.