USA, Sweden and Finland will all reveal their Olympic rosters today.

All rosters were filed on December 31. Hockey Canada decided there would be no way to not have it leaked, so they didn't go along with the planned January 2 reveal. But there isn't any business about countering the Team Canada roster by the other countries because of the delay in the reveal.

Some players who were not selected, but who have been in the drug testing protocol will be asked to remain in that system in case teams need injury replacements. Maybe that should be when teams need injury replacements.

And with all this Olympic talk, it's possible everyone has forgotten the WJC. Sweden and Canada lead their groups going into today's quarterfinals. Today's schedule all in Eastern Time:

  • Germany plays Denmark in the relegation game at 12:30 in the Mariucci arena where Canada plays
  • Sweden plays Latvia at 2 pm in the Wild arena
  • Czechia plays Switzerland at 4:30 in Mariucci
  • USA plays Finland at 6 pm in the Wild arena
  • Canada plays Slovakia at 8:30 pm on the very used ice in Mariucci

The four winners are reseeded and assigned to their semifinal opponent on Sunday. This is not a bracket system. The reseeding process relies first on group finish and then points. Canada, should they win, have a higher group ranking and points than anyone they might play. Sweden has more points, meaning they'll get, should they win, the lowest-ranked opponent and Canada the second lowest.

What that all means is that if the quarterfinals go as you might expect, Canada would play the USA in the semis. But this is hockey, and things don't always go the way you expect.

The Leafs played the first of 16 games in January last night with two more – a back-to-back in Alberta – before the break for the Olympics. They come back to a back-to-back as well, this time in Florida. The price of the Olympics is paid by the players.

About last night...

It looked like Max Domi had a goal right off the bat, but it was merely a crossbar.

Almost:

Matt Knies had an almost as well, but two Jets had real goals.

Sigh.

Eh, this is fine, really. Luck twists and turns as it does.

Woll was pulled after this one, not exactly his fault, but he wasn't stellar either.

Dennis Hildeby came in, and it was, once again, time to see what these guys had in the way of fight in them.

The fourth line checked in:

Matthews checked in:

After two, the Jets had the puck more, the Leafs did smarter things with it overall, and the score of 4-3 was not out of line at all with how hard and effective both teams played.

And yes, I'd say the Leafs dug in and had a lot of fight in them.

And in the third, you ask?

Some damn Jets player scored and took the lead. He doesn't deserve his gif posted.

Oh, and this guy:

And then at the very end, the Beast had some fight in him too.

6-5 the final score. A win that didn't just happen, it was fought for.

And that's all for today. The Leafs are in Long Island tomorrow.

From The Branches