Canada takes on Czechia to open World Juniors
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Team Canada takes on Czechia to open their 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship in a Group A game on Boxing Day in Halifax.
Canada won the 2022 IIHF World Juniors in a dramatic gold-medal game where they defeated Finland 3-2 in overtime thanks to a game-winning goal by Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson.
The Canadians are looking for their first back-to-back gold medals since they won five straight from 2005-2009. They are primed to do so with eight returning players from 2022.
Team Canada’s roster is loaded with firepower, including potential 2023 No. 1 overall NHL draft choice Connor Bedard returning for a second straight year and Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright.
University of Michigan forward Adam Fantilli, Regina Pats forward Bedard, and Seattle Thunderbirds goaltender Thomas Milic plan to use this tournament as an audition for NHL teams as they are eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft. TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button ranks Bedard as No. 1 on his most recent top draft-eligible list with Fantilli sitting at No. 4.
Milic is not ranked by Button but made Team Canada after going 11-2-1 with .919 save percentage and 2.35 goals-against average in 14 games with the WHL’s Thunderbirds this season.
Czechia finished in fourth place in the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships after falling 5-2 to Canada in the semifinals and then 3-1 to Sweden in the bronze-medal game.
They are led by defenceman David Jiricek, who was selected sixth overall in the 2022 NHL Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 18-year-old defenceman has four goals and 13 points in 15 games with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters and has appeared in two games with the Blue Jackets this season.
Jiricek may not be available to Czechia for the opener after his arrival to Halifax was delayed due to snow storms in the region. The 6-foot-4 defenceman skated with his team for the first time on Monday but his equipment did not arrive in Halifax according to TSN's Mark Masters.
Looking to make his mark for the 2023 draft is Czechia winger Eduard Sale who ranked just behind Bedard on Button’s list. The 17-year-old forward has three goals and six points playing against men in the Czech Extraliga this season.