Meet the Team: Russia’s World Junior Hockey Championships Roster

The Russian delegation at the World Junior Hockey Championships hasn’t reached the Finals in three straight years. The United States won over the Russians in back-to-back events, stopping them in their tracks in the quarterfinals in 2018 then pushing them down to a bronze medal in 2019. This last encounter was especially disappointing; a 2-1 loss in which the Russians outshot the Americans by a wide margin without finding the tying goal.

Looking ahead to the 2020 tournament, Russia hopes for a better scenario. Star netminding, dynamic additions, and the return of their top two scorers from last year could finally lift them up over their long-standing competition.

Here’s a look at some of the key individual elements of the projected Russian team.

Forwards:

Grigori Denisenko, LW, Lokomotiv Y