Scout’s Analysis: Under-the-radar world juniors prospects

As usual, the World Junior Hockey Championship is providing all kinds of drama and intriguing storylines. Some of the top prospects in the game are proving they are worth the hype, while others haven’t presented the best version of themselves.

There are also some unheralded names playing the best hockey of their careers.

While the tournament takes a day off ahead of the medal round games on Thursday, here's a look at prospects few people outside of the scouting fraternity were aware of before the start of the tournament.  

Dynamic Defenders 

Axel Sandin-Pellikka

Five-foot-10, 180 pounds, right-shot defenceman, Team Sweden 

NHL Draft: Detroit Red Wings, 1st round, 17th overall, 2023 

Sandin-Pellikka is leading the tournament scoring with four goals and four assists after the preliminary round. He’s averaging over 21:00 in total time on ice and being deployed in all situations. Sandin-Pellikka is a right-shot “transitional defenceman” and power-play quarterback. He’s quick, agile and elusive escaping pressure from opponents. On the power play, he has free reign to walk the blue line, travel in and out of traffic, and work the puck from both sides of the offensive zone.  

Sandin-Pellikka plays in Sweden's top pro league, the SHL, and leads all defencemen in scoring with eight goals and 14 assists suiting up for Skelleftea AIK. He’s not a big body but his hockey sense and ability to jump to space ahead of his opponent allows him to defend with purpose and execution. 

Cole Hutson

Five-foot-10½, 165 pounds, left-shot defenceman, Team USA 

NHL Draft: Washington Capitals, 2nd round, 43rd overall, 2024 

Hutson is the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson. The way the two siblings think the game and execute offensively, is eerily similar. Hutson, like Sandin-Pellikka, isn’t a big body but he defends with purpose and never shies away from battling to win pucks in traffic and along the wall in his zone.  

Hutson is tied with Sandin-Pellikka for the scoring lead at the WJC. He’s contributed two goals and six assists while averaging over 19:00 of ice time. All of Hutson’s ice time comes at even strength and quarterbacking Team USA’s top power-play unit. He’s elusive with the puck. He makes plays through legs, under sticks and around opponent’s bodies. Hutson is a relentless competitor. He works to win every shift when his number is called.  

Elite Goaltending 

• Team Canada goalie Carter George (Los Angeles Kings' second-round pick, 57th overall, 2024) has been outstanding. The three goals he has allowed in the tournament have all been scored when his team is killing penalties. He has yet to allow an even-strength goal.  

• Finland’s Petteri Rimpinen is a huge part of the reason the Finns are entering the quarterfinals riding a three-game winning streak. Rimpinen is undersize by NHL standards (six foot, 176 pounds) but he’s very athletic. He tracks the play moving side-to-side very well, and his lateral push is very strong.  

Rimpinen plays for Espoo in Liiga. The undrafted 18-year-old has posted great numbers in Finland’s top pro league (2.25 goals-against average / .916 save percentage). The butterfly/athletic goaltender will be on NHL radars for the rest of the scouting season.

• Linards Feldbergs, from Latvia, has given his team more than a chance to win while playing every minute for Team Latvia. Feldbergs is bigger (six-foot-two, 187 pounds) than both George and Rimpinen. He’s a bit more active than his counterparts but he has the length to make saves while moving laterally and with very good glove hands. I’ve been impressed with his ability to scramble to make second, sometimes third, saves in desperation.  

Feldbergs plays in the QMJHL for the Sherbooke Phoenix. He’s undrafted.  

• Team Czechia’s Michael Hrabel (Utah Hockey Club^, 2nd-round pick, 38th overall, 2023) is the biggest goalie in the tournament. He’s a giant who’s listed at six-foot-six, 209 pounds. Hrabel has been solid, but he could have tracked better and used his size to make saves versus Team Sweden. The bottom line, however, is he provides confidence for Team Czechia. The group knows he is capable of stealing a game for their team on any given night.  

Draft-Eligibles 

• Team Canada defenceman Matthew Schaefer exited the tournament early in the game versus Latvia. He contributed a goal and an assist in Canada’s 4-0 opening-night win over Finland and looked poised for a big tournament.  

Schaefer is a complete player. He plays a skilled, fast, competitive style. He never backs down from engaging physically and pushes the play in transition offensively. Team Canada has definitely missed him on its back end. He would have been used in all situations and swallowed up over 20:00 of ice time on a nightly basis.  

• James Hagens has shown very well for Team USA. Hagens has registered two goals and four assists. The bulk of his offence came in the Americans' first game versus Germany (two goals, two assists) but he’s been noticeable every night and reliable defensively.  

The American coaching staff clearly trust Hagens. He’s averaging 19:36 TOI. All of his ice time comes at even strength and the power play. In his last two games, he skated 23:34 versus Finland and 20:44 versus Canada. He’s part of the top power-play unit for the Americans, but still averaging over 14:00 per game of even-strength ice time.