The preliminary round is now complete at the WJC in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Pool play produced some interesting results.
Here are some of my observations:
Team USA
The Americans are, in my opinion, the deepest team at the event. They ran the table in the preliminary round, but it wasn’t a clean sheet. Their toughest game came against Team Czechia, an eventual shootout victory for the Americans.
Last year, in Halifax and Moncton, Team Canada dressed a star-studded lineup headlined by Connor Bedard. The Canadian team had seven players land in the top 30 scoring statistics.
Team USA has even more depth than Canada last year. The Americans have nine players in the top 30 scoring statistics. They pose a massive challenge for teams attempting to match their top checkers and D-pairings against USA’s top players.
Gavin Brindley (University of Michigan / Columbus Blue Jackets second-round pick in 2023) is the leading scorer for the Americans. He’s an electric player. Brindley competes up and down the ice. He plays quick and fast and never shies away from the battle areas. He’s being used in all situations for Team USA. Brindley scored 6G-2A in the preliminary round.
Here’s an example of Brindley’s relentless compete, speed, and skill:
Here’s the list of the other top 30 scorers for Team USA, their club team, and the NHL club that owns their rights:
Cutter Gauthier (F) – Boston College – Philadelphia Flyers 1G-7A
Frank Nazar (F) – University of Michigan – Chicago Blackhawks 0G-8A
Isaac Howard (F) – Michigan State – Tampa Bay Lightning 5G-1A
Jimmy Snuggerud (F) – Minnesota – St. Louis Blues 4G-1A
Rutger McGroarty (F) – University of Michigan – Winnipeg Jets 3G-2A
Lane Hutson (D) – Boston University – Montreal Canadiens 0G-5A
Zeev Buium (D) – Denver – Draft Eligible 2G-2A
Ryan Leonard (F)– Boston College – Washington Capitals 2G-2A
Team Slovakia
Every year this tournament produces some surprises. They come in the form of upset victories and elevated play from prospects who were flying under the radar before the start of the event.
Minnesota Wild draft pick (sixth round / 185th overall / 2022), and current Owen Sound Attack forward, Servac Petrovsky is leading the tournament scoring race. He’s produced 5G-4A.
Petrovsky, and Montreal Canadiens prospect Filip Mesar (first round / 26th overall / 2022), have synergy working together. Mesar is seventh in tournament scoring with 1G-6A.
Here’s a clip of the two players working hand in hand:
Draft Eligible Prospects
The World Juniors is a U20 tournament but, especially in recent years, U18 draft eligible prospects have had enormous impact competing for their countries.
This year’s event has some names to keep an eye on, besides consensus No. 1 Macklin Celebrini from Canada, as the scouting season heads into the stretch drive:
• Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, from Norway, could end up a being first-round pick at the 2024 NHL entry draft. At worst, his name will be called early in the second round on day two.
Team Norway faces Team Germany in the relegation game on Thursday. Nygard played a big role for Norway this week. It’s a heavy lift for a young prospect to attempt to produce offence, and play with the required defensive detail, when your team is generally under duress most nights.
Nygard is a sturdy (six-foot-one, 190-pound) forward who skates very well on straight lines and shoots the puck, in stride, with accuracy. He has produced offence playing at the J20 level in Sweden for Mora (7G-5A in seven games). He’s also playing on the men’s team at Mora. He’s scored 2G-4A in 22 games in the second division, Allsvenskan.
Nygard scored 2G-1A in the preliminary round for Norway. Nygard is an impressive (plus-1) in the tournament, proving he is attempting to play with responsible detail defensively as well.
Here’s a clip of what I’m describing about his skating on straight lines and shooting in stride:
• American defenceman Zeev Buium has seen his ice time rise dramatically as the tournament has rolled along. He’s a prospect on the rise.
Buim has been identified as a player who can launch the attack, quarterback a power play, and produce offence. He had scored 5G-18A in eighteen games for the University of Denver before earning a job on Team USA’s blue line.
His defensive detail has gone to another level this week. He’s competing harder on pucks in the defensive zone and winning the majority of his battles.
I’m not sure Buim could have envisioned playing any better. He’s being used in a variety of roles for Team USA. Buim has contributed 2G-2A. More incredible is his (plus-9) rating defensively.
• Team Czechia defenceman Adam Jiricek, unfortunately, suffered a knee injury in the first game of the tournament versus Slovakia. He left the game in the third period, but appeared to injure himself earlier in the game. The second bump, on the same knee, ended his tournament prematurely.
On the horizon
Quarter Finals – Tuesday January 2nd
Team Canada vs. Team Czechia
USA vs. Latvia
Sweden vs. Switzerland
Slovakia vs. Finland
Relegation Game – Thursday January 5th
Team Germany vs. Team Norway
