Prospects to watch at WJC from every Canadian team
Published
NHL fans usually don’t have much to watch most summers once the draft wraps up and free agency dies down. But this year is different with the rescheduled World Junior Championship kicking off Tuesday in Edmonton.
In late December, multiple positive COVID-19 cases in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta., bubbles forced the IIHF to call off the men’s tournament with the possibility of rescheduling it for later in the year hopeful but uncertain. Seven months later, it’s time to drop the puck.
With the rescheduled World Juniors finally getting underway on Tuesday, here is a look at the participating players from Canadian NHL teams.
Ottawa Senators
F Ridly Grieg (CAN)
F Zack Ostapchuk (CAN)
F Roby Jarventie (FIN)
D Tomas Hamara (CZE)
D Tyler Kleven (USA)
G Leevi Merilainen (FIN)
The Ottawa Senators have the most prospects at the 2022 World Juniors among Canadian teams with six, including Brandon Wheat Kings forward Ridly Greig. The 20-year-old from nearby Lethbridge, Alta., was selected No. 28 overall by Ottawa in the 2020 draft and was second on the Wheat Kings with 26 goals and third in points (63) in just 39 games played last season.
He was ranked as the No. 2 prospect in Ottawa’s system behind Jake Sanderson by TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button in his Top Canadian Teams Prospect List from April.
Greig has been playing on a line with fellow Sens prospect Zack Ostapchuk at camp, who joins Canada’s squad as an injury replacement. The Vancouver Giants winger had 26 goals and 43 points in 60 WHL contests last season.
“It caught me by surprise when they called, but I was ecstatic,” the 19-year-old Ostapchuk told TSN’s Mark Masters last week.
Montreal Canadiens
F Riley Kidney (CAN)
F Joshua Roy (CAN)
F Jan Mysak (CZE)
F Oliver Kapanen (FIN)
D Petteri Nurmi (FIN)
The Montreal Canadiens are a close second to the Sens with five of their prospects heading to the Juniors, headlined by Team Canada right winger Joshua Roy.
The 19-year-old led the QMHJL in scoring last season with 119 points (51 goals, 68 assists) in 66 games for the Sherbrooke Phoenix. He was among the final cuts at the original selection camp in December but now figures to lead Canada’s offensive attack playing on the top line alongside 17-year-old phenom Connor Bedard and Mason McTavish.
Roy told Masters the chance to make Team Canada this summer was one of the motivating factors that went into his stellar season with Sherbrooke.
“My conditioning is the main thing I had to improve on,” he said of his transformation. “It’s helped me with everything. Back-check, forecheck, finishing my hits, everything.”
Meanwhile, Hamilton Bulldogs centre Jan Mysak will serve as Czechia captain as they look for their first medal since winning bronze in 2005. He had 34 goals and 30 assists for 64 points in 61 OHL games last season.
Toronto Maple Leafs
F Matthew Knies (USA)
F Roni Hirvonen (FIN)
D Topi Niemela (FIN)
The Toronto Maple Leafs will have a trio of prospects suit up in Edmonton.
University of Minnesota star Matthew Knies will help lead the American attack, scoring the opening goal for the USA last December on a nifty one-timer.
He tallied 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points in 33 games last year in the Big-10. He will return to the Golden Gophers for his sophomore season to continue his development.
Forward Roni Hirvonen and defenceman Topi Niemela should log big minutes for a Finland side looking for its sixth title.
Each 20 years old, Hirvonen spent last season with HIFK Helsinki, and Niemela played for Karpat of Finland’s SM-liiga.
Vancouver Canucks
F Jonathan Lekkerimaki (SWE)
D Joni Jurmo (FIN)
D Jacob Truscott (USA)
Tied with the Leafs for the third-most prospects at the World Juniors among Canadian teams, the Vancouver Canucks are sending three players representing three different teams.
No. 15 overall pick Jonathan Lekkerimaki only tallied nine points (seven goals, two assists) in 26 games last season with Djurgardens IF in the Swedish Elite League but turned heads at the 2022 Under-18 World Championship, leading Sweden to the gold medal with five goals and 15 points in just six games.
“He has an ability to score goals, but also make a lot of plays. I think his hockey sense is great. And he’s a threat in so many different ways there,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said after selecting him at this year’s draft.
The 20-year-old Truscott wrapped up his second season at the University of Michigan, recording two goals and 15 assists in 40 games. Jurmo, 20, had two goals and eight assists in 50 games for Jujurit Mikkeli in the SM-liiga.
Winnipeg Jets
F Brad Lambert (FIN)
F Daniel Torgersson (SWE)
Winnipeg Jets fans will get an up-close look at 18-year-old forward Brad Lambert beginning this week.
Selected with the team’s first-round pick in this year’s draft, Lambert only had four goals and six assists in 49 SM-liiga games this past season but could put up numbers for a Finnish team that always finds a way to be competitive at the World Juniors. He played his best hockey at last year’s tournament before it was called off, scoring one goal and assisting on four others through two games.
Torgersson played at three different levels last season and also got into two of Sweden’s games last December. Playing for AIK in Sweden, Torgersson had seven goals and 10 assists in 40 games. He also appeared in four games with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, scoring two goals and adding one assist.
Calgary Flames
F Matt Coronato (USA)
The Calgary Flames’ lone representative at the World Juniors comes in the form of American winger Matt Coronato.
The Harvard product is likely to lead a top USA line alongside Knies and No. 3 overall pick Logan Cooley and was with the team in December, recording an assist in their only tournament game.
The Greenlawn, N.Y.., native was selected No. 13 overall by the Flames in the 2021 NHL Draft and had 18 goals to go along with 18 assists over 34 games in his freshman season last year.
Coronato was ranked as the No. 3 prospect in Calgary’s system by Button in April behind goaltender Dustin Wolf and winger Jakob Pelletier.