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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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Team Canada practised inside the Edmonton bubble on Saturday.


They're probably not destined for a Matthew Tkachuk versus Zack Kassian type feud, but one day soon Oilers 2020 first rounder Dylan Holloway and Flames 2019 first rounder Jakob Pelletier hope to be part of the Battle of Alberta. For now, though, they are joining forces on what is shaping up to be a key line for Team Canada at the World Juniors​.

Will it be harder to hate each other in the NHL one day if they win gold together?

"I think probably a little bit," Holloway said with a grin. "We're close teammates ... I really like playing with Pelts. He's super fast, plays really hard and a really smart player."

"Kind words," said a smiling Pelletier, who was sit​ting a few feet away during a joint media session.

Holloway, who plays at the University of Wisconsin, and Pelletier, who plays for the Val d'Or Foreurs, have flanked Boston College centre Alex Newhook since the selection camp emerged from quarantine​. In a camp short on game opportunities, they have generated instant chemistry.

"To play with Hollsy and Newy, two fast, smart forwards, it's pretty easy," Pelletier said. "I think we complement each other."

Andre Tourigny agrees.

"Pelts is a guy with a lot of hockey sense and he's playing the game the right way," observed Team Canada's head coach. "Newy is strong, can skate really well, can play really well in his zone and Holloway is a guy who can disturb the opponent with his forecheck, can hold onto the puck and is really strong physically."

The Holloway-Newhook-Pelletier line was matched against the Kirby Dach line, Canada's top unit, in the last two scrimmages keeping them in check at even strength. As a result, Tourigny plans on matching that trio against other top lines at the World Juniors.

"Having that speed I think is huge in being able to shutdown plays quickly," said Newhook. "I think our line's going to do a very good job of that. Our line brings a lot of speed and a lot of compete."

Newhook, a Colorado Avalanche prospect, is the reigning NCAA rookie of the year while Pelletier racked up 82 points in 57 games last season.

"We can bring a lot of energy to our team," said Holloway, who has scored two goals in two NCAA games this season. "I think we're a good shutdown line, but I think we can also produce offence."

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Team Canada is using the Oilers' home dressing room during the tournament, which means Holloway is getting an early look at his future digs while Pelletier is behind enemy lines. Both agree, it's pretty awesome.

"It's massive," Holloway said. "It's definitely the biggest dressing room I've ever been in. It's so nice. The lounge kind of looks like a hotel lobby. The hot tub, cold tub and then there's so many amenities and cool things. It's crazy to be in there."

In a tournament with no fans in the stands, the Oilers' dressing room presents the defending champions with a big advantage over the nine other teams.

"It's all set for us to perform with the cold tub, the hot tub, the space that we have," said Pelletier. "I mean, it's pretty fun to be in that room."

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With positive COVID tests keeping most of Team Sweden in quarantine until Monday and most of Team Germany in quarantine until Thursday, the IIHF has altered the pre-tournament schedule cancelling six games. Sweden and Germany will not play a tune-up game while the eight other teams will play one each. So, Canada's game against Sweden on Monday is cancelled, but they will face Russia on Wednesday as initially scheduled.

Canada's roster only features five players – Holloway, Pelletier, Moncton's Jordan Spence, Chicoutimi's Dawson Mercer and Halifax's Justin Barron – who have suited up in league games this season.

"It's a bit of a challenge, but we can also see it as a positive," Newhook said. "We're just so amped up to play a meaningful game here and that anticipation and that excitement is going to build really well into the start of the tournament."

Hockey Canada planned to play 11 games in the lead-up to the World Juniors, including three intra-squad scrimmages, six games against Canadian university players and two pre-tournament games. In the end, they will only play five.

Team Canada held two intra-squad scrimmages before two players tested positive for COVID-19 at selection camp. Two more scrimmages were played after the two-week quarantine, but the six games against university teams were cancelled.

"It's definitely not ideal but, there's nothing we can do about it," said Vancouver Giants defenceman Bowen Byram. "We got to play the cards we're dealt. We have to be dialled in mentally and use this time now to get in this best shape possible."

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Whereas his predecessor, Valeri Bragin, leaned heavily on 19-year-olds at the World Juniors, new Team Russia head coach Igor Larionov seems open to playing youngsters, like draft-eligible defenceman Daniil Chayka, in prominent roles. After playing two seasons with the Guelph Storm, the 18-year-old Chayka has suited up in seven games with CSKA Moscow this year as he waits to see when the Ontario Hockey League resumes.

"I like his IQ. I like his patience. I like his composure," said Larionov. "I like the hockey sense and the way he reads the game, the way he plays the game."

Chayka, who ranked No. 13 on TSN's list of top 2021 prospects compiled by Bob McKenzie, won over Larionov during Russia's summer training camp. And the coach made it clear he's comfortable giving Chayka the freedom to make plays.

"Sometimes you got to be very patient with players like that and let the boys be themselves," Larionov said. "It's a pleasure to play with this type of defenceman as forwards because he knows how to move the puck, how to make quick decisions and quick passes. The forwards don'​t have to spend too much time going back and getting the puck, because Danny knows how to release the puck and make something happen."

So far Chayka has been lining up beside Calgary Flames prospect Yan Kuznetsov, who plays at the University of Connecticut.

"Yanny is a big boy," Larionov said of the 6-foot-4, 209-pounder. "Looks like a man. Good physical presence on the ice. He needs more patience with the puck and we worked on that in Moscow. I like his honesty. I like his determination. I like his commitment. I spoke to his coach in UConn … it’s been nice seeing a young man developing so rapidly."

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Russia's strength at this year's tournament may be in net where Yaroslav Askarov, the 11th overall pick in October's NHL draft, is looking for redemption after a shaky World Junior debut last year. Askarov posted an .861 save percentage in five games in Ostrava and was supplanted by Amir Miftakhov by the medal round.

"Last year, when I was on the bench as an assistant coach, I was observing and I told coach Bragin, 'It’s going to take some time for the young 17-year-old goalie to go through this experience and the expectations and this pressure,'" Larionov said.

"He realizes he needs to be better," Russian goalie coach Nikolai Khabibulin told TSN in an October interview. "I think this could be a little bit also my fault. I pressed for him to be in. Maybe he wasn't quite ready yet, but he looked so good in training camp that for me he was the clear No. 1. Unfortunately it didn't work out, but he definitely took this as a lesson."

Askarov has a sparkling .962 save percentage in seven KHL games this season and appears well positioned for a strong World Juniors.

"He's one year older and one year more experienced and played good games for St. Petersburg," said Larionov. "Right now it looks like he's got the composure, skill and mental toughness to go and play the best tournament of his young life."

Khabibulin​ said Askarov's style reminds him a bit of Andrei Vasilevskiy and he likes the progress the teenager has made since last season.

"What I like about him is, first of all, his mindset because he always wants to get better. Also, with the good size that he has (6-foot-3), he's very explosive, goes side to side very quick. He reads the play pretty well. He's not afraid to hold his ground," Khabibulin​ said. "He's probably the best puck-handler in the KHL right now, which is quite unusual for a Russian goalie to be like that. He's not afraid to get out of the net."

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Tony Granato played at the World Juniors twice, but it was a much different tournament when the Wisconsin Badgers forward suited up for the United States in 1983 and 1984. The second time around the event was​ in Sweden.

"Gary Suter, Marty Wiitala, Tim Thomas, Jim Johannson and myself, we played a game at Dane County Coliseum [in Madison] and after the game we packed our bags, we jumped in a van and drove to O'Hare Airport and we had the early flight, like six in the morning, to fly over to Copenhagen and then on to Sweden," Granato recalled. "We get to Sweden and we jump in another van and they drove us to the rink and we unzipped our bags and the gear was still wet from the previous game, but we just jumped on the ice and played a World Junior game. So from a preparation standpoint, you know, that was it."

It's a much different event now. Holloway, for example, left to join Team Canada's camp in mid-November. With so many players inactive due to the pandemic, Hockey Canada decided to hold a longer camp this year. Meanwhile, Badgers sharpshooter Cole Caufield departed for USA Hockey's camp on Dec. 10.

Granato, now the Badgers head coach, believes both guys are poised to deliver big performances inside the Edmonton bubble.

Caufield, a Canadiens first round pick in 2019, is one of eight returning players on Team USA and is off to a scorching start in the NCAA with 12 points in 10 games. The offence is nice, but what Granato sees is a more well-rounded player, who's reliable defensively.

"This year he's focused on it, he's made great strides in it," Granato said. "The last series that we played against Ohio State before he left for World Juniors was his best series. He's taken a ton of pride in it and he'​s on his way to putting himself in a really good position to be ready for Montreal some day soon."

In previous seasons, Caufield played with Jack Hughes at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and then Alex Turcotte in Wisconsin. Both centres like to have the puck on their stick. This year, Caufield is adjusting and adding a new element to his game.

"He's started to carry the puck up the ice a lot more,"​ Granato observed. "He's wanted the puck early coming out of the D-zone and through the neutral zone and I think that part of his game he's tried to improve on and become more complete that way."

And Caufield, who led the Big 10 in scoring as a rookie, is also getting even better offensively.

"I was lucky enough to play with some great goal-scorers and those guys want the puck to shoot it all the time whether it'​s in practice, whether it's in warm-ups," said Granato, who played 13 NHL seasons, including seven with the Los Angeles Kings. "Luc Robitaille was probably one of the best ones I ever played with and if there was a puck around on the ice he was shooting it in the net and Cole's the same way."

Holloway, meanwhile, only got into two games before leaving for Canada's camp although his progression was evident.

"Last year he was an under-age player," Granato noted. "He became a consistent scorer towards the end, but he had plenty of chances and it was just one of those years where the numbers didn't look as good as he played."

As a freshman, Holloway produced 17 points in 35 games, but was heating up when the season was halted by the pandemic with five goals in his final 10 games. Now, after getting picked in the first round by the Oilers in October, Granato sees a player oozing with confidence.

"His first two games at Notre Dame, which is a tough place to play, a big, grinding team that defends really well, I thought he was the best player on the ice," Granato gushed.

Holloway earned praise from Tourigny and Hockey Canada management group member Alan Millar for his play in the selection camp.

"He's a complete player, who's strong on his skates," said Granato. "You want him to play a grinding game? He can do that. You want him to play a skill game? He can do that. You want him on the ice to block shots on PK? He can do that. You want him net front on the PP? He'll do that. He's so versatile with what he brings to your team. He's set up to have a spectacular year. He's at the top of his game now."

For Holloway, this will be his first World Juniors. For Caufield, it’s a chance at redemption after a quarterfinal loss a year ago.

"Any time you put on the colours of your country whether it be World Juniors, whether it be World Cup, Olympics, whatever it is, you don't forget those moments," Granato said. "I have those jerseys. I look at them often. I pinch myself and say, 'Holy cow, I've had lots of opportunities to represent the United States at different tournaments,' and there's no greater feeling than to have that opportunity."

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While most of the players on Team Sweden and Team Germany are in quarantine, there are some players who have been released from their rooms because they had a previous positive COVID-19 test, which provides a personal immunity and thus makes them no threat of infect to others.

Team Germany had the following players on the ice today:

Manuel Alberg

Simon Gnyp
Luca Münzenberger
John-Jason Peterka
Maximilian Glötzl 
Mario Zimmermann

Team Sweden had the following players on the ice: 

Oscar Bjerselius​
Calle Clang
Arvid Costmar
Emil Heineman
Theodor Niederbach
Zion Nybeck
Oskar Olausson

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Lines at Saturday's Team Canada practice:

Quinn - Cozens - Dach
Holloway - Newhook - Pelletier
Perfetti - McMichael - Krebs
Zary - Byfield - Tomasino
Suzuki, Mercer

Byram - Drysdale
Harley - Schneider
Guhle - Barron
Korczak (R) - Spence

Garand, Gauthier, Levi