Prospects who break out at the WJC?

[Sticktape]

Every year there's a prospect or two who has their coming out party at the WJC. Maybe you remember Dmitri Voronkov as an example. Who is a lesser known player who emerges this year? Or alternatively a more well known player who you think takes it to another level?

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[Pavel Buchnevich]

Can I say Cole Hutson?

People are going to realize how good he is. He had a very good draft season, but it didn't go noticed because he had an injury that took him out of commission for a number of months and his stats were a little lower (he got better though and the prior year his stats were unsustainably high). He's stepped into college hockey and been excellent for BU. One of the best freshmen in the country. He'll be one of the best defenseman at the tournament. Can't believe teams were stupid enough to make this mistake a second time.

 

[majormajor]

Every year there's a prospect or two who has their coming out party at the WJC. Maybe you remember Dmitri Voronkov as an example.

My favorite example is Vlad Gavrikov. He comes in to the tournament after having gone undrafted and kills it and wins the tournament D MVP honors. What's funny is that the next summer, no one in the first 100 picks touches him again. And here he is leading the Kings in ice time.

Apologies for not answering your question - but I'd probably start by looking at the Russian roster, or maybe the Swedes this year. Canada and the US are so deep that lower-pedigree prospects rarely get enough ice time to make a difference. I don't remember many big surprises with the US and Canada.

 

[Dempsey]

I’m wondering if Tomas Pobezal can light it up for Slovakia in a tournament like this. Puts up good numbers in his men’s league with limited ice time.

 

[UnSandvich]

I think this WJC will end up cementing Schaefer as 1OA this year

 

[frontsfan67]

I think this WJC will end up cementing Schaefer as 1OA this year

I like every single one of the big4 and have met them all. (Hagens is the nicest btw by far) I think after the WJC it’s not a 4 man race anymore- rather a 2 man, forward and d, Canadian vs American.

Hagens vs Schaefer.

Martone is a consensus top 5 pick same with Misa but people would have to be on crack not to pick either Hagens or Schaefer 1OA right now.

Both will have big tournaments too meanwhile I don’t see martone putting up many points and being one of the worst on team canada. (Is not going to get playing time) Misa didn’t even make the camp or team so he won’t gain any ground either.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

McKenna will start to get that (inter)national attention from the more casual fan who has yet to hear of him or at least see him play.

 

[EXTRAS]

Andrew Cristall is gonna dominate offensively?

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

Andrew Cristall is gonna dominate offensively?

He didn’t make Team Canada.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

Andrew Cristall is gonna dominate offensively?

He would have, yes

 

[EXTRAS]

He didn’t make Team Canada.

I'm aware. It was a silly decision.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

Usually bigger and older players really stand out in this tournament. Guys like Red Savage, Riley Duran, Zack Ostapchuk, Joey Anderson, etc. really stood out to me when they played but probably won’t have a huge impact at the NHL level.

The WJC definitely showcases some talented players. But, I think it puts role players on the map a ton.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

I'm aware. It was a silly decision.

Agreed. Terrible decision.

 

[Playmaker09]

I'm aware. It was a silly decision.

TBH that was the least of their bad decisions.

Cristall was noticeably bad at the U18s 1.5 years ago despite similarly torching the WHL. He's an engine who needs the offense built around him.

Unfortunately, he exists in the same era where Gavin McKenna is simply a better engine, and Cristall has never shown any type of fallback game. He's not the type to successfully adapt to a short tournament in a different role and the WJC is not necessarily a showcase of future NHL successes, so I don't mean that as an insult of his future prospects.

All that to say, there are plenty of other omissions to this Team Canada's forward group who would have had a greater impact in a secondary role (Sennecke, Misa, Wood, Iginla).

 

[wickedwitch]

TBH that was the least of their bad decisions.

Cristall was noticeably bad at the U18s 1.5 years ago despite similarly torching the WHL. He's an engine who needs the offense built around him.

Unfortunately, he exists in the same era where Gavin McKenna is simply a better engine, and Cristall has never shown any type of fallback game. He's not the type to successfully adapt to a short tournament in a different role and the WJC is not necessarily a showcase of future NHL successes, so I don't mean that as an insult of his future prospects.

All that to say, there are plenty of other omissions to this Team Canada's forward group who would have had a greater impact in a secondary role (Sennecke, Misa, Wood, Iginla).

Is he? I have no doubt that eventually McKenna will be better, but Cristall is scoring at a significantly higher rate than McKenna is now in the same league.

But regardless, I don't agree with the idea that Cristall needs the entire offense built around him. He played on different lines than Iginla for most of last seasons, and Iginla was able to score and be successful. Why couldn't him and McKenna simply be on separate lines?

Also, Cristall has improved as a player since the U18s in a lot of ways.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Tanner Howe

 

[EXTRAS]

TBH that was the least of their bad decisions.

Cristall was noticeably bad at the U18s 1.5 years ago despite similarly torching the WHL. He's an engine who needs the offense built around him.

Unfortunately, he exists in the same era where Gavin McKenna is simply a better engine, and Cristall has never shown any type of fallback game. He's not the type to successfully adapt to a short tournament in a different role and the WJC is not necessarily a showcase of future NHL successes, so I don't mean that as an insult of his future prospects.

All that to say, there are plenty of other omissions to this Team Canada's forward group who would have had a greater impact in a secondary role (Sennecke, Misa, Wood, Iginla).

Omitting a 19 year old player who is scoring at the best pace of any player not named mcdavid (and very close to mcdavid) in like 20 years in the CHL because he had 6 bad games as a 17 year old is ridiculous. He probably would have had like a 20% chance of leading the tournament in scoring. At least bring him as a 13th forward so if the scoring doesn't click with the rest of the team you have another option.

 

[trick9]

TBH that was the least of their bad decisions.

Cristall was noticeably bad at the U18s 1.5 years ago despite similarly torching the WHL. He's an engine who needs the offense built around him.

Unfortunately, he exists in the same era where Gavin McKenna is simply a better engine, and Cristall has never shown any type of fallback game. He's not the type to successfully adapt to a short tournament in a different role and the WJC is not necessarily a showcase of future NHL successes, so I don't mean that as an insult of his future prospects.

All that to say, there are plenty of other omissions to this Team Canada's forward group who would have had a greater impact in a secondary role (Sennecke, Misa, Wood, Iginla).

1.5 years ago... He's improved significantly since.

He didn't make the WJC year ago. He got drafted year ago. Both Canada and Capitals mentioned he needs to improve his skating, strength and defensive game to make the teams.

He did just that. Improved his skating significantly. Capitals rewarded him for that, as he was really close to making the team, one of the best offenses in the NHL. Would have easily made the Hershey Bears team if he was allowed to play there.

Kelowna Rockets noted his improvement and gave him a PK role too. Not only was he the by far most productive player in the CHL, he led WHL in shorthanded goals when the camp started. So the claim that the player is only good for one role where he needs everything build through him is just false. He elevates everyone around him and is the most lethal ES player in the entire CHL so you literally could have brought him for 3rd line role and possible PK replacement but that wasn't good enough for Canada. They wanted a grinder with size and that's not Cristall. I still think they did him dirty because through the last 12 months he did just what was asked from him and still didn't make it but it is what it is. They do put themselves under the spotlight since if the offense struggles, these decisions look really stupid.

 

[Petes2424]

Gonna guess this will be Kiiskinen’s coming out party for North American fans.

Interesting side-story, as we have two players in the tournament, who have already been traded for one another, by their NHL team. Kiiskinen for Gibson, the Canadian Dman. Who will also likely come out of this tournament, with more fans talking about his future being bright.