World Championship ratings: Pustertal's top players impress, Bolzano's do not.

In the second part of the big World Championship report, we turn our attention to the forwards, where a clear trend becomes apparent: While the forwards of HC Pustertal deserve a good grade, those of HC Bozen fell short of expectations.

Tommaso De Luca 5 This is the player who inherently possesses the highest quality. His 22 points in the Swiss National League are no fluke. However, Jalonen failed to draw out those qualities. He showed glimpses of potential, often trying to go it alone, but he was never truly decisive. The interplay and understanding with Bradley – it was completely lacking.

Cristiano DiGiacinto 5 His technical deficiencies are impossible to mask at this level. Misplaced passes, turnovers, and a near-complete lack of creativity meant he had to watch from the stands twice. He did, however, bring some fighting spirit to the game. For a dual citizen, his performance was actually too low. 21 appearances for the national team and not a single goal is a disgrace.

Matt Bradley disappointed. © ANSA / SALVATORE DI NOLFI

Matt Bradley 5 He tried hard, but toothless and ineffective. He couldn't replicate his Olympic performances. Whether as a winger or center, the Italian-Canadian offered no positive contributions. A plus-minus rating of -9, the worst among the "Azzurri," speaks volumes. Nevertheless, he racked up the most playing time of any forward.

Ivan Deluca 6,5 He was called up late to the roster, but after not being selected for the first two games, he quickly found his place. Physical commitment, a willingness to sacrifice, and a straightforward style of play have always been among his strengths. Even when Jalonen deployed him as center in the last two games, he impressed. One of the team's positive surprises.

Luca Frigo 5 The difficult season with HC Bozen also affected his performance at the World Championships. His cleverness, with which he repeatedly defuses tricky situations and anticipates dangers, didn't help him. Frigo appeared sluggish, error-prone, and offensively harmless. He was even relegated to the stands for one game. One of those players who didn't reach their full potential under Jalonen.

Mikael Frycklund injected energy into Italy's attack. © ANSA / PETER SCHNEIDER

Mikael Frycklund 7 He too had a difficult season with his club, but flourished in the Italian jersey. As in the previous year's World Championship, when he was injured after two games, he was one of the team's most active players and was deservedly named one of the three best Italian players of the tournament. He always played with confidence and was involved in three of Italy's five goals.

Niccolò Mansueto 6 At 21, he was a player for the future. However, he received very little trust from Jalonen. He only made the lineup against Norway, where he made a crucial error leading to a goal against. He then spent the rest of the game on the bench, unable to contribute the creativity and carefree spirit that would have greatly benefited the Blue Team.

Matthias Mantinger 6,5 His pace makes it easier for him to adapt to the faster pace of the game compared to other teammates. His technique isn't always precise, and his tactical execution isn't always flawless. However, he's indispensable in the penalty kill, tenacious in the forecheck, and capable of creating scoring opportunities. He hit the post once and was unsuccessful on another breakaway.

Bryce Misley 5 One of Jalonen's favorites: He started his World Championship on the fourth line, was promoted to the top line with De Luca and Bradley for the last two games, but like his teammates, remained scoreless. He posed little threat, lacked energy in battles for the puck, and was inadequate at the face-off circle. The Italian-Canadian won only 44 percent of his face-off attempts.

Tommy Purdeller (right) scored two goals. © ANSA / PETER SCHNEIDER

Tommy Purdeller 6,5 He experienced a rollercoaster of emotions. After a difficult match against Canada, he was relegated to the stands. He didn't gel with either Bradley and De Luca, nor with Mantenuto and Frigo. The question remains: Why didn't Jalonen partner him with Frycklund? A mystery. However, he did show flashes of his class, shining with two goals against Denmark and setting up Pietroniro's opening goal against Slovenia. One of the few who can excel in tight spaces.

Nick Saracino 6 He scored a goal against the Czech Republic, hit the crossbar against Norway, and missed many other chances. The fact that he was one of the most dangerous forwards is a positive point. His finishing, however, was not. He held his own in battles along the boards and in front of the net. But advancing age is clearly taking its toll on the HCP star's agility.

Alessandro Segafredo 5 The way the 21-year-old was treated is baffling and raises questions. Italy's top scorer in preseason friendlies with seven goals, he was sidelined at the World Cup. He only got twelve and a half minutes of playing time per game, received little trust from the coach, and was even relegated to the stands twice. Yet it was precisely his goals that the "Azzurri" were missing.

Marco Zanetti 6,5 The most agile player in the squad, and at 71 kilograms the lightest player in the entire World Cup. Both aspects were evident: his agility, his sudden changes of direction, and his goal threat on counter-attacks. But also the difficulty of prevailing in duels against bigger, heavier players. Despite not registering any goals or assists, he was one of the positive surprises.

Daniel Mantenuto 5,5 A mainstay of the "Azzurri" for a long time, this was his fifth World Championship for Italy. While valuable as a penalty-killing specialist, face-off specialist, and never-say-die fighter, he's ill-suited to playing alongside technically gifted players like Purdeller, as his offensive contribution is very limited. His small stature is a factor at this level – despite his fearlessness.

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World Championship ratings: Pustertal's top players impress, Bolzano's do not.

Italy's relegation from the top division was sealed on Monday with a crushing 1-5 defeat against direct rivals Slovenia. SportNews takes a closer look at the Azzurri's performance at the World Cup in Switzerland, revealing who impressed and who fell short of expectations.

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