BY: Ryan Kennedy

The World Junior Championship in Buffalo is so close (Dec. 26), but while we wait for the annual deluge of elite prospects to do battle for country and glory, why not shine some light on the smaller hockey nations? The second tier of the world juniors is going on right now in Belarus and Slovenia, broken up into two divisions with the winner of each getting promoted to the top rung for next year’s edition in Calgary and Edmonton. True, these teams tend to be chum for the Canadas and Russias of the world, but it doesn’t mean they lack talent - just depth. Here’s a look at some of the noteworthy players in Divisions 1A and 1B.

Zemgus Girgensons, C, Latvia

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