Empty seats in Saskatoon for WJC.

The WJC not selling out in Canada. This actually surprises me a bit because hockey is a religion in Canada. I think this is a legit question why was Winnipeg, Manitoba passed over?

SASKATOON -- It's been one of the most asked questions of the 2010 world junior championship: What's the deal with all the empty seats?

There have been thousands of them -- swaths in the upper deck for the preliminary round. And that's for games involving Team Canada, no less.

In fact, the only sold-out game to date at Credit Union Centre was for the much anticipated Canada-USA tilt on New Year's Eve. And tickets for that game were available practically until game time.

As of Monday morning, there were still tickets left for tonight's gold-medal final -- a Canada-USA rematch -- at least, for anyone willing to shell out $388 dollars for a pair.

So you can forgive a red-blooded Manitoba hockey fan for wondering why the Winnipeg-Brandon bid for the 2010 junior worlds was passed over in favour of our Saskatchewan neighbours. The Regina pool featured perennial junior powers such as Sweden, Russia, Finland and the Czech Republic, yet those matches didn't come close to selling out the 6,000-plus seats in Brandt Arena, either.

Jordan Schroeder's simply amazing.

Check out this goal by Gophers freshman star and current WJC player Jordan Schroeder. This goal was nothing short of amazing and the goal that put team USA up 3-1. Gophers fan enjoy Schroeder while you have have him because Schroeder is going to be a top 5 pick in this summers draft and his stay with the Gophers is going to be very short. With skills like this the NHL teams will be drooling to get him on their team. Schroeder is the total package with an awesome shot.

Sad news on Alexei Cherepanov

Here is some really sad news on former WJC Russian Star Alexei Cherepanov it appears that he engaged in blood doping.

MOSCOW - Blood and urine samples show hockey star Alexei Cherepanov engaged in blood doping, Russian investigators said in a statement Monday.

Cherepanov, 19, collapsed Oct. 13 while on the bench for Omsk club Avangard in Russia's Continental Hockey League, known as the KHL. The player, a top prospect for the NHL's New York Rangers, died shortly afterwards.

Russia's federal Investigative Committee said a chemical analysis of the samples allowed experts to conclude "that for several months Alexei Cherepanov engaged in blood doping." There was no elaboration, and a spokeswoman at the committee refused to comment further.

Possible line for todays USA WJC.

The World of Junior Hockey the lines posted for this afternoon's game.

Fowards

James Van Riemsdyk-Colin Wilson-Jordan Schroeder
Drayson Bowman-Mitch Wahl-Jim O'Brien
Eric Targradi-Matt Rust-Aaron Palushaj
Mike Hoeffel-Tyler Johnson-Jimmy Hayes
Danny Kristo

Defense

Ian Cole-Jonathan Blum
Ryan McDonagh-Kevin Shattenkirk
Cade Fairchild-Teddy Ruth
Blake Kessel

Goalies
Thomas McCollum
Josh Unice

Danny Kristo makes the hot list.

Getty Images

Fighting Sioux recruit and WJC player Danny Kristo makes the The Hockey News hot list this week. I have to admit that I am really excited about seeing this kid play for team USA as well as seeing him in a Fighting Sioux next season.

5. Danny Kristo, RW – Omaha Lancers (USHL): Team USA is boasting Kristo could be the fastest player in the whole tournament this year and you know what that means; now he’ll have to go out and prove it. The University of North Dakota commit is a point-per-game player with the Lancers to date. Drafted 56th overall by Montreal in 2008.

Here is the schedule for the USA WJC games.
NHL Network Coverage of 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship


Date Match-Up Time (EST)
Fri., Dec. 26 Germany-United States 3:30 p.m.
Canada-Czech Republic 7:30 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 28 Kazakhstan-Canada 3:30 p.m.
United States-Czech Republic 7:30 p.m.
Mon., Dec. 29 Germany-Canada 7:30 p.m.
Tue., Dec. 30 United States-Kazakhstan 7:30 p.m.
Wed., Dec. 31 Canada-United States 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 2 Quarterfinals 3:30/7:30 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 3 Semifinals 3:30/7:30 p.m.
Mon., Jan. 5 Bronze/Gold Medal Games 3:30/7:30 p.m.