Gabriel Perreault – McKeen's Hockey

WORLD JUNIORS GOLD MEDAL GAME: Team USA gets a date with destiny

Kyle Watson — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 14:37:42 +0000

KANATA, ONTARIO - JANUARY 4: USAÕs Ryan Leonard #9 gets tangled up with Czechia's Jakub Fibigr #7 during Semifinal Round action at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship at Canadian Tire Centre on January 4, 2025 in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andr Ringuette/IIHF)

OTTAWA — Team USA has a chance to make history, and Finland wants to display their "lion mentality" to the world. That's what stake today.

With a chance to become the first American team in World Juniors history to defend their gold medal, the only thing that stands in the way for David Carle's men is a Finnish group with fire in their eyes.

The 2025 World Juniors gold medal game marks the second time the two nations have met in the finals. In 2019 a late goal from Kappo Kakko led the Finns over Jack Hughes and the Americans in Vancouver.

This edition of Team USA are focused on their own path

Despite Michael Hrabal's best efforts, a vintage Gabriel Perreault and Ryan Leonard performance carried Team USA to a 4-1 win over Czechia in the semifinals.

You can see why the Washington Capitals were ready to try playing Leonard in the NHL this year. He plays every game like it's the gold medal game.

Watch him battle to get this puck to Perreault on the opening goal:

Gabe Perreault opens the scoring for Team USA after an amazing pass from Ryan Leonard!!!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/JkQvZDCNuJ

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 5, 2025

Perreault returned the favour, setting up Leonard with 4:27 left to put a dagger in the heart of the Czechs — but it was 13th forward Cole Eiserman who scored the game-winner. It was a textbook finish from the USNTDP's all-time leading goal scorer:

Cole Eiserman SNIPES it!!!!

USA up 2-1#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/g4NbR8gnvT

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 5, 2025

The New York Islanders 2024 first-round pick is thriving in a limited role, coming up with timely scoring for head coach David Carle. Deployed mostly on the powerplay, Eiserman could be compared to a designated hitter in baseball.

"We don't win these games without him," said Carle after the win. "I can't say enough good things about the way he's handled it.

This was the USA's most complete victory in Ottawa so far. The top guys were clicking, they had timely penalty kills and Augustine recovered from letting in a weak tying goal. It's easy to get swept up in clichés in a major junior hockey press conference, but the Americans truly rely on all four lines (and Eiserman) to score. It's a top-to-bottom effort.

"Everyone's playing hard and embracing their role," explained defenceman Zeev Buium. "That was our message going into the tournament."

Eiserman insists he's not just helping his team on the scoresheet.

"[I want to do] whatever I can to help the team win, be a good person, a good teammate, a leader," said the 18-year-old. "That's something I've taken pride in this tournament, to try and let the guys know I'm there for them no matter what."

The Boston University freshman, playing at his first World Juniors, is one of many players who have stepped seamlessly into this group. The returning players, like Buium, Leonard, and Perreault are all finding another gear as the tournament closes.

Carle has maintained a positive environment for his team by getting the pressure out of the way early. He made sure they were aware of what would be on the line in Ottawa months ago:

"That was our first meeting in the summer, we spoke pretty honestly about the fact that our country had never [won gold in back-to-back tournaments,]" he said.

Addressing the elephant in the room well in advance, Carle's group has become a well-oiled machine with a razor's edge. They enter the final as a formidable force that will be heavily favourited.

"If we were thinking big picture, we wouldn't be here."

Finland remains a fixture in the World Juniors' medal round

Earlier in the day, Benjamin Rautainen scored the overtime winner as the Finns showed enough fight to defeat their rivals, Sweden, 4-3.

It's Team Finland's twelfth appearance in the gold medal game and the fourth in the last 12 tournaments. It's also worth noting that only Finland, USA and Canada won gold during that span.

It wasn't exactly a highlight-reel play — a trick shot that deceived Swedish netminder Melker Thelin.

"I didn't see it go in, but then I saw the bench," said goalie Petteri Rimpinen, who turned aside 43 shots in the win. "[Emil] Pieniniemi jumped on me and I almost cried in that moment, it was so awesome."

Finland's game-winning goal was a 'no-looker' on the power play#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/tUrHhPw8lf

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 4, 2025

"I think the goal means a lot for the team, for our whole country," said Finnish captain Aron Kiviharju.

"I've never seen anyone score a goal as big as he did tonight," he added. "Thank god he did for us."

Before the tournament, this wasn't a highly regarded Finnish squad. The nation has earned its reputation as a year-in-year-out contender but beyond Konsta Helenius, this group lacks blue-chip prospects. They were knocked out of the previous two editions of the U18s worlds at the quarterfinal stage.

Kiviharju, who was once regarded as the top prospect in the 2024 NHL Draft before an ACL injury curtailed his draft-eligible campaign, says his team plays better with a chip on their shoulder.

"I think everyone knows each other well. Both groups have gone through some adversity: The 05s lost in Switzerland against Slovakia and last year the 06s lost in their home tournament against Sweden," explained the 18-year-old.

"We kind of have that revenge mindset in every game: we feel we have something to prove. That feeds us every day, to be the best we can as a team."

Rimpinen said his team decided to embrace the idea of being underdogs before they arrived in Ottawa.

"Nobody believed in us before the tournament, so this is great. Now we can just focus on winning."

After the game, Lizz Child of FloHockey asked Rimpinen about his necklace of a lion's head.

The netminder explained it bears the team's logo — Team Finland are known as Leijonat or "The Lions."

"That's the mentality for me. Lion mentality" explained the 18-year-old, who was passed over in last summer's NHL Draft.

They may have begun the tournament as underdogs, but now Finland can become the kings of the jungle.

Parting Notes

Trey Augustine became the winningest American goalie in tournament history with his 11th-career WJC victory
Zeev Buium played 28:34 in the Americans' win
Buffalo Sabres prospect Konsta Helenius recorded an assist on all four Finnish goals
Heading into the final day, there is a five-way tie for the tournament-scoring lead
- Jakub Stancl (CZE) - 6 GP, 6 G, 9 PTS
- Dalibor Dvorsky (SVK) - 5 GP, 5 G, 9 PTS
- Axel Sandin-Pelikka (SWE) - 6 GP, 4 G, 9 PTS
- Gabe Perreault (USA) - 6 GP, 3 G, 9 PTS
- Cole Hutson (USA) - 6 GP, 2 G, 9 PTS
Petteri Rimpinen leads all goaltenders at the tournament with a .940 SV% on 215 shots
The best players of each team (selected by coaches)
- Canada
  - G Carter George (LAK)
  - D Tanner Molendyk (NSH)
  - F Brayden Yager (WPG)
- Czechia
  - G Michael Hrabal (UTAH)
  - F Petr Sikora (WSH)
  - Vojtech Husinecky
- Finland
  - G Petteri Rimpinen (DY+1)
  - F Konsta Helenius (BUF)
  - F Jesse Kiiskinen (DET)
- Germany
  - F Julius Sumpf (DY+2)
  - D Carlos Handel (2026)
  - G Linus Viellard
- Kazakhstan
  - Aslan Zhussupbekov
  - Kirill Lyapunov
  - Vladimir Nikitin
- Latvia
  - G Linus Feldbergs (DY+2)
  - F Eriks Mateiko (WSH)
  - D Peteris Bulans (DY+2_
- Switzerland
  - F Leo Braillard (DY+2)
  - F Simon Meier (DY+2)
  - F Andro Kaderli (DY+2)
- Slovakia
  - F Dalibor Dvorsky (STL)
  - F Roman Kukumberg (DY+2)
  - D Luka Radivojevic (2025)
- Sweden
  - D Axel Sandin-Pelikka (DET)
  - F David Edstrom (NSH)
  - F Felix Undger Sorum (CAR)
- USA
  - D Cole Hutson (WSH)
  - F Danny Nelson (NYI)
  - Ryan Leonard (WSH)

2025 WORLD JUNIORS: Czechia slowly shaking their “underdog” label as they compete for third-straight medal

Kyle Watson — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 15:44:42 +0000

Czechia scores on Canada in the 2025 World Junior Tournament. Photo by André Ringuette/IIHF.

OTTAWA — The Canadian Tire Centre crowd reached the loudest volume it had been in the tournament when Canada's Bradley Nadeau tied the game with 4:18 remaining against Czechia.

After Porter Martone sent them into the final intermission behind just a goal, Team Canada came out of the gates flying in the third period. It left everyone in the arena thinking, "Where's this been all week?"

All of a sudden, entries became smoother, passes were hitting tape consistently, shots were getting through traffic, and white jerseys were getting to every puck battle first. There was a glimmer of hope.

That glimmer was extinguished within two minutes when Andrew Gibson took Canada's second kneeing penalty of the evening. Adam Jecho's powerplay marker with 40 seconds remaining meant in back-to-back tournaments, Team Czechia would knock out Canada in the final minute of the quarterfinals.

CZECHIA LEADS WITH UNDER A MINUTE TO GO

Adam Jecho strikes on the power-play!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/leL90nGeAx

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 3, 2025

After losing to the Canadians in the semi-finals in 2022 and in the finals in 2023, Jecho is acutely aware of how important his goal was for his nation — beyond the game's scope.

"It's always special against Canada. They are a super tough opponent to play against, [especially] with the home crowd and getting that special energy," said the Edmonton Oil Kings forward. "It's definitely a big win.

The Czechs will fight for a medal for the fourth consecutive tournament. In May, the men's team won its first gold medal at the World Championships since 2005. Jecho indicates the nation is flourishing at the junior level.

"I think it's in a great spot. The last couple of years were awesome for Czech junior hockey."

Czechia is forcing its reputation to change from a team that can cause an upset to a legitimate consistent medal contender. They pride themselves on their ability to function as a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.

"We're a great group. We are together on and off the ice," explained captain Eduard Šalé, playing in his third World Juniors. "That's our mentality and I think we showed it tonight."

Every single Czechia player went up to wish goaltender Michael Hrabal good luck before the game.

Every single one.

Talk about unity! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/5YydVO7eWD

— Kyle Watson (@kyle_nw) January 3, 2025

"When you have this jersey on you have one mindset: to play as long as you can," said Jecho. "We are super fortunate to play for this team."

In his first appearance at the tournament, Jecho says it's easy to find success with a leader like Šalé, who sets an example for the younger players.

"He's obviously an unbelievable player on the ice, but he's probably an even better person off the ice," said the 18-year-old. "He shows us the way and plays super hard every game."

Šalé's drive is evident when talking to him. When asked how it feels to be chasing the nation's all-time scoring record, he deferred focus to Saturday's semi-final matchup against the USA.

"We are focusing on the tournament," said the Seattle Kraken prospect. "I am the leader and have to do the right things to push this team in every game and try to win."

A brief history lesson

For the first time since 1980, Canada have been eliminated in the quarterfinals of the World Juniors in consecutive years.

A seventh-place finish in 1981 sparked the formation of the Program of Excellence, a milestone moment in Canadian hockey history.

In the tournament's infancy, Canada iced league all-star teams (OHL, WHL, or QMJHL) and defending Memorial Cup champions at the U20 level. It wasn't until the creation of the P.O.E. and the U17 and U18 programs that the nation sent its "best" junior-age players.

44 years later, there are more calls for drastic change in Hockey Canada's selection process. For starters, actually bringing the best players available to them.

Yes, there have been many years in which Canada has had major snubs and gone on to win gold. A few of those teams walked through the tournament. Competition has greatly increased over the years, though — can they afford to keep leaving this much talent at home?

You give yourself the best chance of winning, year in, year out, by taking the best players.

You have to trust that when these players put on the Maple Leaf, you’ll get an increase in physicality. You’ll get the PK’ers you need.

— Brock Otten (@BrockOtten) January 3, 2025

It's difficult to pose solutions when star players are nervous. This was a Team Canada full of U17, U18, and Hlinka-Gretzky Cup gold medal winners, OHL champions, and a WHL champion in captain Brayden Yager. It took them until that third period to look like it, though.

One possible solution would be pairing players who have pre-existing chemistry. Porter Martone and Carson Rehkopf have formed one of the deadliest duos in junior hockey this season but were not tried in the same lineup, let alone line or powerplay unit. Martone was also excellent alongside McKenna as he captained Canada to Hlinka gold this summer — they did not share the ice once in Ottawa.

Perhaps the pressure starts in the selection process when players are lambasted online for their inclusion over player x, y, or z. It can't be easy to play under those conditions — where each mistake feeds the narratives of faceless accounts on social media.

Hagens, BC Line shine against Switzerland

James Hagens scored twice as the USA sailed comfortably to a 7-2 win over Switzerland.

The top 2025 NHL Draft prospect is tied for second in the tournament scoring lead with eight points in five contests. He sits within touching distance of the 11 points Auston Matthews, Phil Kessel, and Matthew Tkachuk managed in their draft-eligible seasons at the World Juniors.

Having broken tournament scoring records at the U17 and U18 levels, Hagens is used to playing in the spotlight — and under the microscope.

"My dad will tell me pressure is a privilege," said the Hauppauge, NY native. "You can't let any of that stuff affect you - it's all outside noise. I'm grateful to be in that spot where there's pressure on you and your team, but when you're on the ice you have to let all that stuff go."

The confidence in Hagens' game is on full display in Ottawa and shone through today, with his line with Gabriel Perreault and Ryan Leonard combing for five of the Americans' seven goals. Against possibly the weakest competition they've faced in Team Switzerland, the 18-year-old phenom was running wild.

What a move!

James Hagens extends Team USA's lead to 2-0. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/ip5pFcbLP9

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 2, 2025

Team USA's top line does it again!

James Hagens scores his second of the game to make it 6-1. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/X5WEhNbT3l

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 2, 2025

Hagens says it's easy to play with a guy like Leonard:

"He works so hard. That's a guy that everyone thrives off of, he leads us on and off the ice and steps up in big moments," said Hagens. "Guys watch him play and it sets up their next shift."

Leonard emerged from the game with a few battle scars, including a busted nose, after being hit with a few high sticks and a puck to the face.

"I don't know if he'll be doing any modelling," said Hagens.

Victor Eklund turning heads with Team Sweden

With an assist on Sweden's game-winning goal, draft-eligible winger Victor Eklund took his tournament totals to two goals and four helpers through five games. The Djurgården forward trails only Hagens in scoring among first-time draft-eligibles.

“I have been incredibly impressed by Eklund’s ability to drive play below the goal line and extend possession along the wall," said Director of Scouting, Brock Otten. "Opposing defenders have had a real hard time separating him from the puck and containing him along the wall. It’s had a real positive effect on Sweden’s offence and their ability to sustain pressure.”

"With another exceptional performance in the quarterfinals against Latvia, he is showcasing his all-around game at another level," said scout Viktor Åhlund. "Eklund brings a high pace every shift, delivering hits in the neutral zone, driving hard at the net, and battling for loose pucks and rebounds. He's constantly a strong force offensively, producing top-level plays and high-IQ solutions when under pressure.

"There are more games to be played, but for now, he is the number one Swedish prospect in this draft."

Parting Notes

New York Islanders prospect Jesse Nurmi scored his first two goals of the tournament as Team Finland narrowly defeated Slovakia, 5-3. He plays with teammate Kasper Halttunen in London (OHL).
Finnish goaltender Petteri Rimpinen (DY+1) was excellent once again, he leads the tournament with a .941 SV% on 169 shots.
Washington Capitals prospect Eriks Mateiko scored twice as Team Latvia fell to Sweden, 3-2. He finishes the tournament tied for the goal-scoring lead with five goals — the record for a Latvian player is six.
Latvian goaltender Linards Feldbergs (DY+2) stopped 210 shots across five starts — an average of 42 a game.
Team Czechia features four St. Louis Blues prospects
- 2024 NHL Draft
  - 16th overall - D Adam Jiricek
  - 81st overall - F Ondrej Kos
  - 95th overall - F Adam Jecho
- 2023 NHL Draft
  - 106th overall, Jakub Stancl
St. Louis Blues first-rounder Dalibor Dvorský graduates from WJC eligibility with 10 goals and 20 points across 19 career games. That's the third-most by a Slovakian player in tournament history.

MCKEEN’S 2024 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GUIDE – Team USA

Ethan Hetu — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 12:52:54 +0000

While a third-place finish at last year’s tournament was far from a poor effort, USA Hockey surely has its eyes on the gold medal given all the talent recent American WJC squads have boasted. The Americans took home the gold at the 2021 tournament, and this year’s squad has a strong chance to reach that mountaintop once again.

It all starts up front for Team USA. They have arguably the best set of forwards in the entire tournament, a point emphasized when Cole Eiserman (ranked fifth overall in the recent McKeen’s 2024 draft rankings) surprisingly failed to make it onto the preliminary roster. The star of the show here for the Americans is likely to be its top two lines. First and foremost, expect head coach David Carle to keep intact the Gabriel Perreault - Will Smith - Ryan Leonard line from Boston College and previously the NTDP. Their presence on the Americans’ roster is an immense privilege for the program: a plug-and-play line with that level of talent is such an asset in a brief tournament where chemistry can be hard to build on such short notice. Beyond that line, there are a few players who are likely to occupy top-end scoring roles, such as 2022 first-rounders Cutter Gauthier, Jimmy Snuggerud, and potentially even a resurgent Isaac Howard, who has been rejuvenated at Michigan State after a difficult debut year in college hockey.

The Americans also have impressive depth beyond just those listed names. Players such as Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, Danny Nelson, and Gavin Brindley would be slated for impact roles in other programs, but on Team USA they face a tough fight for a scoring-line role and are more likely to play in the bottom-six.

On defense, the abundance of talent continues. As has been the case in the past, the Americans have an abundance of smaller defensemen who profile more in puck-moving offensive roles. That being said, while the lack of diversity in terms of skill set among the listed defensemen is up for debate, what isn’t is their level of talent. Led by Boston University superstar Lane Hutson, the Americans boast a few defensemen with genuine game-breaking potential. Hutson is likely to serve as a key offensive conduit and power play quarterback, though if he somehow falters the team also has Seamus Casey or even freshman superstar Zeev Buium to take up that role. In addition, players such as Sam Rinzel, Ryan Chesley, and Drew Fortescue provide some much-needed size and, especially in the case of the latter two, defensive bite. While this blueline group isn’t quite the obvious tournament-wide standout assortment of talent that the team’s forward corps is likely to be, it’s nonetheless an enviable group of prospects.

In net, the Americans are in a far stronger position than they were last year. Both Jacob Fowler and Trey Augustine have been standout freshmen goalies, with Fowler in particular holding a stellar .925 save percentage at the time of writing. The battle for the number-one job between Fowler and Augustine will be a storyline to watch for the Americans: while Augustine will likely get the first chance as a returning player (he started for USA at last year’s tournament) Fowler has a reputation for performing at his best when the lights are brightest.

Lane Hutson of USA during the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship bronze medal game between USA and Sweden on January 5, 2023 in Halifax.
Photo: Simon Hastegård / BILDBYRÅN /

10 Players to Watch + Sleeper

Cutter Gauthier, C, Boston College (Philadelphia Flyers)

Before we even get to the trio of Boston College freshmen that have attracted so many headlines over the past calendar year, respect must be paid to the fifth-overall pick from the 2022 draft. Gauthier’s 13 goals for the Eagles so far this season rank him second (tied with WMU’s Dylan Wendt) in college hockey, and he’s quickly proving that he’ll be ready for a shot in the NHL with the Flyers once his college season ends. A six-foot-two sniper with some power forward elements to his game, Gauthier is likely to be America’s second top-six center alongside Eagle teammate Will Smith. He’s made refinements to his game since his freshman campaign and could be even better in this year’s WJC than he was at last year’s, when he scored 10 points in seven games. If the Americans end up accomplishing what they set out to do - which is win gold - there’s no doubt they’ll do so thanks to significant contributions from Gauthier.

Will Smith, C, Boston College (San Jose Sharks)

The highest-drafted American-born player of the 2023 class is set to take a coveted top-six center role for the Americans, assuming his line with Perreault and Leonard is in fact the Americans’ most relied-upon trio of forwards. An extremely creative offensive dynamo, Smith has started off his collegiate career well and is a candidate to turn pro as soon as the Eagles’ campaign finishes. He ripped the U-18 Worlds apart last season, scoring a tournament-high 20 points and winning MVP honors. While the competition is notably more difficult at the World Juniors, it wouldn’t be a massive surprise to see him put together a similarly dominant performance. The presence BC teammate Gauthier on the American squad might push Smith out of some of the highest-leverage moments, but regardless, when Smith steps onto the ice any shift he plays will become must-watch television. He’s that skilled, and his line is that good.

Gabriel Perreault, LW, Boston College (New York Rangers)

Unlike his linemates Leonard and Smith, Perreault did not hear his name called inside the top-10 picks at the 2023 draft. He had to wait all the way until pick 23, and now the World Juniors provides him with a massive stage to show the teams at passed on him just how massive the mistake they made is. Perreault has been a play-driving offensive force as a Boston College freshman, and he has helped make his line arguably the best in college hockey this season. A playmaker first and foremost, Perreault has a knack for elevating each and every player who shares the ice with him, regardless of that player’s individual talent level. While Smith and Leonard got more attention from NHL teams at the draft, Perreault quietly shoulders a massive amount of responsibility for the success of his line. Expect that to continue at the World Juniors.

Ryan Leonard, RW, Boston College (Washington Capitals)

As we indicated in our draft coverage of the 2023 cycle, Leonard is a player that’s almost impossible to dislike. A gritty, hard-working forward who also has a ton of skill, Leonard has had a successful transition to college hockey and currently ranks second on the Eagles in scoring with 10 goals in just 18 games. When the Americans need an important goal, Leonard is one the players most likely to provide it -- just as he did in overtime for the Americans at the U18 Worlds, his tally lifting the Americans to a gold medal over Sweden. The WJC provides Leonard with a major stage to show people why the Capitals felt comfortable drafting him with the seventh pick at last year’s draft, and Leonard has shown he can excel on big stages. While Cutter Gauthier is the older, more advanced shooter, Leonard is absolutely a candidate to potentially lead this team in goals.

Jimmy Snuggerud, RW, Minnesota (St. Louis Blues)

Snuggerud, a St. Louis Blues prospect, had an unbelievable freshman campaign with the Golden Gophers on one of college hockey’s finest lines last season. Alongside Logan Cooley and Matthew Knies, Snuggerud put up 50 points in just 40 games and led his team to the National Championship game. He was also stellar at the World Juniors, and his five-goal, 13-point performance would likely have garnered more attention had Connor Bedard not decided to set the world on fire to the tune of 23 points. So far this season, the loss of Knies and Cooley to the NHL has put a bit of a damper on Snuggerud’s production, although he’s still hovering near the point-per-game mark. Snuggerud has had to find ways to create consistent offense as a true offensive centerpiece rather than as a conduit for the individual creativity of players such as Cooley or Knies, and while that’s undeniably a positive thing for him to be developing, it’ll be interesting to see how he fares in his return to the WJC now that he’s slated to be back on a line with some extremely high-upside teammates.

Danny Nelson, C, Notre Dame (New York Islanders)

The Americans don’t have any shortage of offensive skill up and down their forward lineup. The team is unlikely to have any issue taking residence in the offensive zone, spending a significant amount of time there looking to create offense, especially against weaker opponents. But in the tight games against other tournament heavyweights, having a player like Nelson is crucial. The six-foot-three New York Islanders prospect has been solid to start his collegiate career, scoring 14 points in 18 games for Notre Dame. As a prototypical power forward, Nelson blends offensive skill, scoring touch, and spurts of physical play into one highly projectable package of tools. While Nelson is unlikely to usurp one of the more skilled Americans from a scoring-line job, someone needs to occupy an important bottom-six role, and the leading candidate for best bottom-sixer on Team USA at this moment is Nelson.

Lane Hutson, LHD, Boston University (Montreal Canadiens)

On a team full of extremely talented puck-moving, offensively-oriented defensemen, Hutson could very well be the best. The Montreal Canadiens prospect had an extremely good freshman campaign for the Terriers, playing his way into Hobey Baker conversation before the Award was ultimately taken by Fantilli. He’s continued his success into this campaign and is likely to begin the tournament quarterbacking the American power play. A dynamic offensive creator with the puck on his stick, Hutson plays like a point guard in the offensive zone. He’s also a shooting threat, as his 23 goals in 54 NCAA games would suggest. Hutson had a solid Men’s World Championship tournament with the American squad sent to Tampere last summer, holding his own against seasoned professionals and current and former NHLers. He’ll carry that experience into this tournament, where on paper he looks to be the Americans’ most important defenseman.

Ryan Chesley, RHD, Minnesota (Washington Capitals)

The Americans’ roster construction is somewhat skewed towards smaller, more offensively-oriented defensemen, and that’s just a product of the talent available for selection to USA Hockey. As a result of this, the importance of Chesley to the Americans’ gold medal hopes cannot be overstated. The Washington Capitals 2022 second-round pick is a defense-first blueliner who excels at limiting his opponents’ offensive activity. While he doesn’t have the strongest offensive side to his game, Chesley is likely to be paired with one of America’s aggressive puck-moving left-shot blueliners, with the idea being that Chesley’s defense will make up for the defensive shortcomings of the player he’s paired with. If Chesley’s defensive strength provides a player like Hutson the breathing room to play more aggressively and take more offensive risks, Chesley’s pairing could easily become the team’s best.

Zeev Buium, LHD, Denver (2024 Draft Prospect)

The lone draft-eligible skater on the American roster, Buium is having a special freshman season with the Denver Pioneers. The smooth-skating defenseman oozes intelligence and seems to make an impact on nearly every shift in college, which is a remarkable statement to make about a freshman defenseman still yet to be drafted. His 25 points so far this season are the most of any defenseman in college hockey. Not any freshman defenseman, but any defenseman, period. But it’s not just about points with Buium, his skating ability and his hockey IQ make him a strong defensive asset at times, and his ability to facilitate zone exits is a particular point of strength. The Pioneers are a lethal offensive team with several players already putting up gaudy point totals. It’s no coincidence that the players putting up those numbers often get to share the ice with Buium. He’s not yet a dynamic offensive force the way a blueliner like Hutson is, but his play helps allow his team’s best offensive players to actually spend time creating offense. On a stacked American team Buium is unlikely to get a significant role like the one he has in Denver, but whatever minutes he does play are likely to enhance his stock in advance of next summer’s draft.

Jacob Fowler, G, Boston College (Montreal Canadiens)

Although Augustine is, as mentioned, likely to get the first shot at starting for the Americans due to his experience starting for the program at last year’s edition of the tournament, it wouldn’t be a massive surprise to see Team USA eventually turn to Fowler. Unlike many of the players named to the American roster, Fowler isn’t a product of the U.S. National Team Development Program. The Florida native instead spent his draft year with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms, and his .952 playoff save percentage backstopped the team to a Clark Cup championship. Fowler has made significant strides in his game since arriving at Boston College, addressing some key concerns scouts had that saw him fall to the third round of the 2023 draft. He reportedly cut his weight down a noticeable amount and is playing with more fluidity and confidence than ever before. He’s been one of the best goalies in college hockey this season and has the kind of personality and temperament to handle the pressure that comes from being the goalie of a team that expects to take home a gold medal.

Sleeper: Drew Fortescue

As mentioned, the Americans’ roster is currently skewed more towards defensemen oriented towards the offensive side of the game. That places Fortescue, a 2023 third-round pick, in an interesting situation. As a more traditional defense-first defenseman, Fortescue could play a bigger role on Team USA than he might otherwise have played if the Americans’ defense was a bit more balanced. As one of just three left-shot defensemen, Fortescue could end up paired with a dynamic puck-mover such as Seamus Casey, and getting the chance to be the Marc Methot to Casey’s Erik Karlsson on such a major stage could raise Fortescue’s prospect stock significantly. His lack of size compared to a player such as Rinzel means that he won’t make scouts drool, but his quietly effective defensive play could make him one of the most subtly valuable members of the American team.

2023 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: Top Risers for the 2023 NHL Draft

Brock Otten — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 21:14:03 +0000

The 2023 IIHF World Under 18 Championships have concluded. It was a great tournament that culminated with a gold medal game between the two most dominant nations in the tournament, the United States and Sweden. Sweden was hunting for back-to-back gold, but the United States had other plans as their high-powered top line (Will Smith, Ryan Leonard, and Gabriel Perreault), carried them to the top of the podium. Meanwhile, Canada captured bronze by defeating Slovakia, even in the face of adversity as their starting goaltender (Carson Bjarnason) had to miss the game due to the concussion he obtained in the semifinals. We were lucky enough to get an overtime period in both medal games with Macklin Celebrini and Ryan Leonard serving as the respective heroes.

While it is important to not be hyper reactive to a single tournament as a scouting team, there were certainly some individual players whose performances helped to increase their draft stock as we commence the discussion of our final rankings and as the 2023 Draft in Nashville draws near. This is only one small piece of the puzzle; what players have done previous to this tournament is still important, however you cannot overlook the positive performances of some players against many of the best players in the age group. This article aims to highlight several players who elevated their draft stock with strong performances. It excludes players who entered the tournament already extremely highly regarded (such as Will Smith), instead focusing on those who had room to “move up.”

PORRENTRUY, SWITZERLAND - APRIL 23: Sweden's Otto Stenberg #23 skates with the puck while Czechia's Matteo Koci #6 chases him down during Preliminary Round - Group A action at the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Raiffeisen Arena on April 23, 2023 in Porrentruy, Switzerland. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/IIHF)

Otto Stenberg - Wing - Sweden

Fellow independent scout Cam Robinson posted a great meme about Stenberg over the weekend, highlighting the difference between Stenberg internationally this year and his play in the Swedish leagues. At the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup, the WJAC, and at the U18’s, Stenberg was terrific and in the SHL and at the J20 level, his play was less than inspiring. Will the real Stenberg please stand up? Bottom line: you would be hard pressed to find anyone not impressed by Stenberg’s play at the U18’s. He was one of the best players at the tournament and was electric as a play creator with his combination of speed and skill. What really stood out at this tournament was his decision making with the puck, which has been incredibly inconsistent at other times this year, even internationally. Has he done enough to vault himself into the discussion for the top ten?

David Edstrom - Center - Sweden

Last year it was Filip Bystedt, who was phenomenal in helping Sweden earn a gold medal, which in turn made him an NHL first round selection. This year it was Edstrom. Admittedly, Edstrom’s play had been trending up for a few months heading into this tournament, but he likely earned some new fans with his play. A heavy center, Edstrom is a load to separate from the puck as he drives the net and works the wall. He showed a mature two-way approach, and his combination of size, skill, and smarts are going to be highly coveted on draft day.

Tom Willander - Defense - Sweden

To start the year, it was all about Theo Lindstein. Midway through the year it was about Axel Sandin Pellikka. To close the year, it should be about Tom Willander. He’s been quietly good all season long, but this event, in combination with his play at the WJAC, should have convinced scouts that he belongs in the first round in Nashville. Willander is just so calm and composed with the puck. He rarely seems to make a poor play and has a really solid projection as a longtime two-way NHL defender. Perhaps most impressive was Willander continuing to anchor the second pairing even after his strong defensive partner Albert Wikman was lost to injury.

Axel Landen - Defense - Sweden

Not an impactful player on the score sheet, Landen was a standout in the defensive end for the Swedes. He was a top penalty killer and held down the team’s third pairing. He looks the part of a future stay at home type at the NHL level with good mobility, size, and physicality, all from the right side. Last year Elias Pettersson was a standout in a similar way, and he ended up being a third-round pick.

Gabe Perreault - Wing - USA

Perreault has been the forgotten man all year on that dominant top line for the United States. However, his record-breaking year (beating Austen Matthews’ scoring record in the program) should not be overlooked. He may not have the elite physical tools of Ryan Leonard or the dynamic creativity of Will Smith, but Perreault showed in this tournament that he deserves to be ranked higher by scouts. His processing ability is elite, and he did a better job getting to the middle and working through traffic than he has in some other tournaments this year. It shows growth, both in ability and mindset. The size/skating combination is still a bit of a concern, but his NHL projection definitely improved with his performance here.

Danny Nelson - Center - USA

Nelson has been a tough player to get a read on this year with how he has moved around the lineup for the NTDP, but he was terrific in this tournament as the U.S.’ fourth line center and a top penalty killer. Nelson has an intriguing profile as a big and versatile forward. His skating has improved over the course of the year, as has his confidence with the puck. One of the youngest players available this year, there may be a huge runway here for future development. He was terrific in the gold medal game, scoring a goal and generating a few other great scoring chances.

Aram Minnetian - Defense - USA

All season long the question has been, who is the top draft eligible defender on this NTDP team? We have always felt it to be Minnetian, but he did a lot at this tournament to prove to everyone else that he is the answer to the question. He was a remarkable +16 and was a force at both ends of the ice. There is a lot to like here with his plus mobility, quick hands, vision, and improving physicality.

Cal Ritchie - Center - Canada

This was a huge tournament for Ritchie. He came into the year as a potential top ten pick after leading the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup in scoring, but his performance with the rebuilding Oshawa Generals (OHL) left something to be desired during the year. However, he was fantastic for Canada here, perhaps the team’s most consistently effective forward. His high-end offensive awareness and playmaking ability were on full display, especially from his office behind the net. It should also be noted that he was pretty banged up coming into the tournament, having suffered a shoulder injury at the end of the OHL season. Then, of course, he appeared to injure the same shoulder in the bronze medal game. He can now, deservedly, rest up.

Andrew Gibson - Defense - Canada

Canada’s defense was largely a mess during this tournament. A mix of poor play and poor chemistry (thanks to line shuffling) led to their downfall against top end competition. However, Andrew Gibson was a standout as a defensive stalwart. It seems like he was always there to clean up the mess made by someone else with a great stick, great positioning, or a big shot block. He missed the majority of the second half of the OHL season with an injury (that also kept him out of the CHL Top Prospect’s Game), but he looked strong here. His strong rush led to the eventual bronze medal winning goal by Macklin Celebrini.

Jakub Dvorak - Defense - Czechia

Speaking of injured players, it was a tough year for Dvorak. Injuries limited his exposure this year. Entering the year there was some thought that he could be a first-round pick, but his offensive game just didn’t develop as expected, perhaps due to his health. Thus, it was great to see him healthy at this event and playing at a high level as one of Czechia’s top players and defenders. He looked good in the defensive end and likely left scouts with a positive lasting impression before the draft.

Samuel Urban - Goaltender - Slovakia

Without a doubt, Urban was one of the key reasons why Slovakia was able to go from relegation to a top four finish this year. He had a really strong finish to the year in the USHL (with Sioux City) and was consistently excellent at this tournament when Slovakia needed him most. Even in the semifinals against the United States, when he was pulled, he was great and kept the game from being even more lopsided. He likely secured a draft selection with his play, something that was not guaranteed heading into the tournament.

Dalibor Dvorsky - Center - Slovakia

Much like Otto Stenberg, Dvorsky has had an up and down year leading to wide fluctuations in his draft ranking. However, he put the Slovaks on his back at this tournament; he was the team’s offense. His play at both ends and his vision with the puck were standout qualities. A well-rounded player, Dvorsky appears to have a number of different paths available to him as an NHL player. Improving his skating still appears to be needed, but you cannot argue with the results. He unquestionably raised his stock at this tournament.

Juraj Pekarcik - Wing - Slovakia

One of the main surprises of the tournament, Pekarcik did more than just ride the coattails of Dvorsky. He drove play too and made Dvorsky better by giving him a skilled winger to play with. A bigger forward, Pekarcik was excellent around the net and showed an ability to play through traffic. His competitiveness was admirable, and he looks like he has some runway to develop into a skilled power forward at the pro level in North America.

Kasper Halttunen - Wing - Finland

As mentioned with a few other players in this piece, the U18’s were a huge event for Halttunen, who had a disappointing season playing in Finland. Certainly, the big, power winger did what he needed to do at the tournament to impress scouts, even if Finland had a somewhat underwhelming result. Finland’s offense flowed through him. He may not have done enough to draw back into the first round, but he likely also silenced some critics with strong play.