Team by team; A look at the 2023 World Para Hockey Championship

A quick glance at all eight teams taking part in the event beginning next weekend at the Moose Jaw Events Centre

Listed according to the world ranking as of December 2022. With files from World Para Ice Hockey and www.paralympic.org

United States

World ranking: First

Last decade of results

Paralympics 2022 -- gold, defeated Canada in final

Worlds 2021 -- gold, defeated Canada in final

Worlds 2019 -- Gold, defeated Canada in final

Paralympics 2018 -- Gold, defeated Canada in final Worlds 2017 -- Silver, lost to Canada in final

Worlds 2015 -- Gold, defeated Canada in final

Paralympics 2014 -- Gold, defeated Russia in final Worlds 2013 -- Silver, lost to Canada in final Player to Watch: There are many, but it’s hard to ignore Declan Farmer. The 25-year-old forward has been part of Team U.S.A. since 2007 and in that span has won six Paralympic and World Championship gold medals. He led the 2022 Paralympics in scoring with seven goals and 18 points in four games, while also putting up a plus-16 plus/minus.

Quick note: Team U.S.A. has stood over the sport of para hockey like an iron colossus for much of the last decade, having won six gold medals in that span. Their offensive depth was on display at the 2022 Paralympics, with five players finishing in the top seven in scoring. Look for them to finish top three, without question.

Canada

World Ranking: Second

Last decade of results

Paralympics 2022 -- Silver, lost to U.S. in final

Worlds 2021 -- Silver, lost to U.S. in final

Worlds 2019 -- Silver, lost to U.S. in OT in final

Paralympics 2018 -- Silver, lost to U.S. in OT in final

Worlds 2017 -- Gold, defeated U.S. in final

Worlds 2015 -- Silver, lost to U.S. in final

Paralympics 2014 -- Bronze, defeated Russia

Worlds 2013 -- Gold, defeated U.S. in final

Player to Watch: Team captain Tyler McGregor has been a member of Team Canada since 2011 and has been one of the sport’s leading luminaries in that time. Finished seventh in tournament scoring at the 2022 Paralympics with five goals and eighth points in four games.

Quick note: Canada has played bridesmaid to the United States much of the last decade, having finished second in the last four major tournaments, including the last two Paralympics. Canada lost three games to the U.S. in an exhibition series earlier this year, but two games were decided by one goal, giving the tournament hosts hope for a title this time around.

KOREA

World ranking: Third

Last decade of results

Paralympics 2022 - fourth, lost bronze to China

Worlds 2021 - 4th lost bronze to Russia

Worlds 2019 -- Bronze, defeated Czechia

Paralympics 2018 -- Bronze, defeated Italy

Worlds 2017 -- Bronze, defeated Norway

Worlds 2015 -- Won B Pool, promoted to A pool

Paralympics 2014 -- Seventh

Worlds 2013 -- Seventh

Player to Watch: Nicknamed ‘Mes- si on ice’ after the famous soccer player, Seung Hwan Jung is known for his blazing speed and ability to find time and space to create offence. He led South Korea in scoring during their bronze medal win in the 2018 Paralympics and has been a part of every Korean medal winner since the program’s inception.

Quick note: Korea has been a medal contender at World and Paralympic games ever since 2017, when they stunned the world by winning bronze after being promoted the year prior. Look for Korea to once again vie for a medal.

Czechia

World ranking: Fourth

Paralympics 2022 -- Sixth

Worlds 2021 -- Fifth

Worlds 2019 -- Fourth, lost bronze to Korea

Paralympics 2018 -- Sixth

Worlds 2017 -- Won B Pool, promoted to A Pool

Worlds 2015 -- Seventh, relegated to B Pool

Paralympics 2014 -- Fifth

Worlds 2013 -- Fourth, lost bronze to Russia

Player to Watch: Forward Michal

Geier has been one of Czechia’s scoring stars dating all the way back to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and will be a key component of their squad. He was named the most valuable player of the 2019 World Championship after putting up seven goals and 11 points in the tournament.

Quick note: Czechia is a bit of a wild card, having competed for medals in the last decade and also having found themselves relegated. They have seen success recently, though, taking gold in a tournament in Italy and defeating fellow Worlds contender Norway in overtime in the final back in January.

China

World ranking: Sixth

Last decade of results

Paralympics 2022 -- Bronze, defeated Korea

Worlds 2021 -- Won B Pool, promoted to

A Pool

Worlds 2019 -- Third in Pool B

Paralympics 2018 -- Did Not Qualify

Worlds 2017 -- Did Not Qualify

Worlds 2015 -- Did Not Qualify

Paralympics 2014 -- Did Not Qualify

Worlds 2013 -- Did Not Qualify

Player to Watch: Forward Shen

Yifeng has drawn comparisons to Connor McDavid with his speed and vision on the ice, and one just has to look at what he did at the 2022 Paralympics for a idea. He finished second in scoring with eight goals and 14 points while going plus-10 as China won a surprise bronze.

Quick note: There aren’t many superlatives to describe what China has put together on the para hockey scene in the last decade. A non-factor in the sport as early as 2018, China first qualified for the World Championship A pool in 2021 and the following year dropped a lot of jaws with a bronze medal at the 2022 Paralympics. The fast-rising crew will be looking for another medal this time around.

Norway

World ranking: Fifth

Last decade of results

Paralympics 2022 -- Did not qualify

Worlds 2021 -- Sixth

Worlds 2019 -- Fifth

Paralympics 2018 -- Fifth

Worlds 2017: Fourth, lost bronze to Korea

Worlds 2015: Fourth, lost bronze to Russia

Paralympics 2014: Fourth, lost bronze to Canada

Worlds 2013: Fifth

Player to Watch: The last time Norway took the ice in a major tournament, defenceman Audun Bakke was among the team’s scoring leaders with four goals at the 2021 World Championship. Known as a clutch performer, he’ll be looking to help Norway get back to their glory years during the sport’s inception.

Quick note: Back in the 2000s, Norway was an absolute powerhouse in para hockey, with top-two finishes in five straight World Championships from 1996 through 2009 to go along with Paralympic gold in 1998, silver in 2002 and 2006 and bronze in 2010. They haven’t played for a medal since 2017.

Germany

World ranking: Seventh

Last decade of results

Paralympics 2022 -- Did Not Qualify

Worlds 2021 -- Finished 2nd in Pool B, promoted to Pool A

Worlds 2019 -- Fourth in Pool B

Paralympics 2018 -- Did Not Qualify

Worlds 2017 -- 7th place

Worlds 2015 -- 6th place

Paralympics 2014 -- Did Not Qualify

Worlds 2013 -- Won Pool B, promoted to Pool A

Player(s) to Watch: Forward Felix

Schrader and defenceman Lucas Sklorz combined for 17 goals and 27 points at the World Championship B Pool in 2021, helping Germany qualify for Moose Jaw 2023. Schrader is considered a future star in the sport and models his game after Korea’s standout Seung Hwan Jung.

Quick note: Germany has never finished higher than sixth place at Worlds and has never competed at the Paralympic Games. The program is on the rise, though, moving up from Pool B to return to the top level of World Championship competition for the first time since 2017.

ITALY

World Ranking: Eighth

Last decade of results

Paralympics 2022 -- Fifth

Worlds 2021 -- Seventh

Worlds 2019 -- Sixth

Paralympics 2018 -- Fourth, lost bronze to Korea

Worlds 2017 -- Fifth

Worlds 2015 -- Fifth

Paralympics 2014 -- Sixth Worlds 2013 -- Fifth Player to watch: Andrea Macri is a four-time Paralympian and one of the most experienced players in the tournament, with the 32-year-old having picked up the sport shortly after recovering from a school roof collapse when he was 17. He was among the team’s leaders in their fourth-place finish at the 2018 Paralympics.

Quick note: If Italy can raise the level of their game just a little bit, there’s a good chance they’ll be in the medal hunt. They’ve never finished higher than fifth at a World Championship and never lower than seventh, having landed fifth or sixth seven times since 2008.

World Para Hockey Championship schedule of games

The 2023 World Para Hockey Championship will be taking place at the Moose Jaw Events Centre from Sunday, May 28 through Sunday, June 4. The eight-team tournament will feature two pools of four, with the top two teams earning byes into the semfinal and the bottom two teams playing in the quarter-final. Here’s a look at the complete schedule, with tickets available at www.sasktix.ca

Sunday, May 28

11 a.m. – Korea vs. Czechia

3 p.m. – China vs. Italy

7 p.m. – Norway vs. Germany

Monday, May 29

11 a.m. – Czechia vs. USA

3 p.m. – Norway vs. China

7 p.m. – Canada vs. Korea

Tuesday, May 30

11 a.m. – Germany vs. Italy

3 p.m. – USA vs. Korea

7 p.m. – Canada vs. Czechia

Wednesday, 31 May

11 a.m. – China vs. Germany

3 p.m. – Italy vs. Norway

7 p.m. – USA vs. Canada

Friday, 2 June

3 p.m. – Quarterfinal 1

7 p.m. – Quarterfinal 2

Saturday, 3 June

11 a.m. – 7th-8th playoff

3 p.m. – Semi-final 1

7 p.m. – Semi-final 2

Sunday, 4 June

11 a.m. – 5th-6th playoff

3 p.m. – Bronze medal game

7 p.m. – Gold medal game