With the 2024 IIHF Men’s World Championships now entering the fourth day of play, most of the teams have at least a couple of games under their belts in the preliminary group stage. In Group A; Canada, Czechia, Finland, and Switzerland occupy the top four spots while over in Group B it’s Latvia, Sweden, Slovakia, and the United States. While the seeding is a bit mixed up, the eight teams currently in position to advance aren’t really all that unexpected.

There is still another week of games left in this round, so there is plenty of time for the players to get going, but why not take a moment to see how the four Tampa Bay Lightning players who made the trip over to Czechia are faring so far.

Victor Hedman – Sweden (2-0)

1 goal, 3 assists

The Big Swede has back-to-back two point games as Sweden has put up an impressive10 goals in their first two games. Hedman notched his first point as he set up Lucas Raymond for a goal in their first game, a win against the United States.

Shorthanded, but facing an empty-net late in the game, Hedman drove the nail in the coffin of Team USA as he banged in a goal from inside the blue line.

In their 5-1 win over Poland, Hedman added two more assists, including a nice helper on Erik Karlsson’s goal after an end-to-end skate on the power play.

Mikey Eyssimont – United States (1-1)

1 goal, 0 assists

Eyssimont was held off of the scoresheet in the team’s loss to Sweden, but picked up his first goal of the tournament in the 6-1 rout of Germany. He recorded the final goal of the game, backhanding in a loose puck in the crease.

Nick Paul – Canada (2-0)

0 goals, 1 assist

So far in the tournament, Nick Paul has been a fourth-line center for Team Canada, but he’s had some pretty good linemates in Michael Bunting and some kid named Connor Bedard. Paul’s lone point so far came on a nice feed to Bedard, who has four goals in the tournament so far.

Brandon Hagel – Canada (2-0)

1 goal, 0 assists

Paul’s teammate in Tampa was on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Jared McCann in Game 1 and then with PLD and John Tavares in Game 2 (Team Canada is stacked). It was in the tournament-opening game against Great Britain that Hagel found the back of the net after a nice play on the forecheck. The goal was his first in a Team Canada sweater in the 12 games he’s played for his country.

The tournament keeps rolling on this week with the games being televised in the US on the NHL Network.

More Hockey News

Lightning for Life? Hedman hoping to finish what he started as final year of contract looms [The Athletic]

“My plan is to retire a Bolt, and I hope that will come true.” From your lips to JBB’s ears, Mr. Hedman. Unlike with Steven Stamkos last summer, it does sound like the front office will be meeting with Big Vic to discuss an extension.

Everblades eliminate Solar Bears [Hockey News]

The Orlando Solar Bears joined their NHL affiliate on the sidelines as they lost their South Division Final round match-up to the Florida Everblades, 4-1. After denying the Everblades a sweep, the Solar Bears lost in overtime on Saturday night. Bobo Carpenter had both goals for Florida while Mitchell Hoelscher had the lone tally for Orlando.

Syracuse Crunch schedule against the Cleveland Monsters [Syracuse Crunch Twitter]

The Crunch will kick things off on Thursday against the team that passed them on the final day of the season for the North Division title. Surely, they won’t let that be motivation for them, right?

IIHF levies punishment on Ivan Fedotov, CSKA, RIHF [Broad Street Hockey]

The Flyers goaltender won’t be playing in any IIHF-sanctioned events for the next three years (not that it’s likely for Russia to be allowed in any of the upcoming World Championships, Olympics, or World Cups) due to him signing with the KHL club CSKA after he had signed a standard player contract with the Flyers. He’s also banned from playing for his club-level team for six months. That does not apply to the NHL (since that league is not under IIHF jurisdiction) and would only affect his playing time if he was to return to the KHL.