This is truly the greatest time of the year. 

Overeating is in full swing. The fireplaces are roaring. And the national team jerseys are out. The holidays mean family, sharing, indulging and, of course, the IIHF World Junior Championships.

If your childhood was anything like mine, Christmas morning was always the tip-top, but right below it on the pecking order was Boxing Day, the day the World Juniors kick off each year. This event is hockey in its purest form. Teenagers are willing to skate through a wall and jump shoulder first into the glass after scoring a big goal. 

There's really nothing like it.