How are the Nashville Predators doing at the Ice Hockey World Championship?

Day four of the Ice Hockey World Championship is in the books, and there is a lot to be proud of for the boys of the Nashville Predators.

The Predators entered few guys and sent four of their players to the tournament: Ryan O’Reilly represented Canada, Roman Josi represented Switzerland, Justus Annunen represented Finland and Ryan Ufko represented the US.

Let’s do a quick overview and see how our guys are doing so far on the world stage.

O’Reilly is Canada’s X-Factor

Factor is eighth in the tournament scoring with three goals and four points in three games. His three goals are the most by any player in Canada and are tied for first in the tournament. He also ranks sixth in points differential with a rating of +4. Despite playing six minutes for Canada, O’Reilly puts up stats like he’s a top center forward.

He was named alternate captain alongside John Tavares and Sidney Crosby, with Macklin Celebrini as captain, to help this team to its first World Championship title since 2023. From what we can see on the ice, it looks like O’Reilly and the other leaders are doing their job. O’Reilly puts the factor in X Factor. He may be the best performer among the Preds in the league.

Josi is the best defender of the tournament

While he may not have the most points among defenders, Josi is confident of producing elsewhere. He is again the captain of Switzerland and he is doing everything he can to ensure that his country comes out on top. He scored in the match against Germany today and also had two assists.

Defensively, he has the fourth highest rating in the tournament and the highest among competing defenders with a rating of +5. He plays almost 20:00 hours per match, one of the highest in the tournament. Taking down Germany was more than just a game, it was a statement. With the crowd cheering Josi’s name over Moritz Seider’s, it’s becoming clear that fans are realizing that at 35 years old, Josi still has it.

Finland tastes Big Juice with Annunen

Since I found success in Nashville, I admit has lived life. He proved to the NHL that he is a reliable backup goaltender and future starter in the making. As for Finland, Annunen passed on that legacy. In his two starts, he averaged a .940 save percentage with a 1.5 goals-against average.

His 50 shots made are the third most in the tournament, as are his 47 saves. At 6-foot-1, not many shots get past his body; and that is a good thing for Finland. With the team’s best defender being Henri Jokiharju, Finland will have to rely on their goalkeeper to make the save, and Annunen did just that.

Ufko does what he can with the weak American team

In that respect there is not much to write home about USA. The team ranks 12th in scoring efficiency, 14th in save percentage and 11th in special teams. The USA roster looked quite disappointing from the start as it was packed with deep players. Ufko was one of these guys, but he looked pretty good among them all.

Ufko posted his first point, a primary assist, of the tournament today. He has a -2 rating, which isn’t the best, but you can’t expect better based on the team around him. Ufko showcased his excellent puck-handling skills on a handful of occasions so far, including a familiar look against Great Britain, mirroring his first career NHL goal.

Additional updates

– Ryker Lee was released from the squad yesterday. The 26th overall pick was named to the USA preliminary roster at the start of the tournament.

– Jack Ivankovic has not yet booked a start for Canada. He serves as the team’s third goalie behind Cam Talbot (Detroit Red Wings) and Jet Greaves (Columbus Blue Jackets).

Add us as a preferred source at Googling

To follow