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Takeaways Day 1: 2025 WJC (World Junior Championships)

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | By Cody Misyk | Last updated Dec 27, 2024 1:07 PM ET

The opening day of the 2025 World Junior Championship confirmed several expectations. Standout players emerged from both pools, and the higher-ranked teams delivered victories. Here’s a breakdown of the key takeaways from Day 1 of the 2025 World Junior Championship.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka Is a Force on the Blueline

Swedish defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka entered the tournament with high expectations, and he wasted no time living up to them on Day 1. He led Team Sweden to a commanding victory over Slovakia, recording a natural hat-trick and adding an assist. The Detroit Red Wings prospect was the clear choice for Player of the Game, alongside Slovak captain Dalibor Dvorsky.

Sandin-Pellikka is poised to maintain his strong performance as Team Sweden resumes preliminary play against Kazakhstan on December 27th.

James Hagens Will be a Top Draft Pick in 2025

James Hagens was one of Team USA’s most dominant forwards on Boxing Day. He finished the game with four points, including two goals and two assists. Hagens has been a top player for Boston College, with 20 points in 16 games played. His linemates, Gabriel Perreault and Ryan Leonard, are also at Boston College, where they build off each other’s chemistry.

This trio seems to be the strongest in the tournament, potentially. It helps that they already have some chemistry together besides this short tournament. USA will look to improve to 2-0 on the 28th against Latvia.

Canada Penalty Kill Plays Crucial Role

Carter George had a very respectable performance against Finland on Boxing Day. Putting up a 31-save shutout on day one is as good as possible. Canada was the better team through the first two periods of the hockey game, but Finland dominated the third putting 20 shots on net. Carter George stopped them all, making some clutch saves on a late penalty kill.

Canada was able to kill all five of the penalties they took. This played a crucial role in the game as it helped swing momentum towards the Canadian side. A late goal from Luca Pinelli put Finland out of reach for the game and secured the win for Canada. Both goalies received Player of the Game for two amazing performances. Both of these teams are back in action today.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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