Confirmed with Link: The Red Wings have signed center Emmitt Finnie to a three-year, entry-level contract beginning with the 2024-25 season

[OldnotDeadWings]

What kind of chance he has to steal a spot in Team Canada at upcoming U20 Worlds?

Very unlikely. He was not among the 26 forwards invited to Hockey Canada's summer showcase for the WJC team, 13 of whom are first-round picks, a few more not yet drafted who will be next June. Double underager Gavin McKenna also wasn't at the camp but will probably make the team. It's a strong group at least on paper so there won't be many new names added for the final selection camp.

 

[SantosHalper]

Very unlikely. He was not among the 26 forwards invited to Hockey Canada's summer showcase for the WJC team, 13 of whom are first-round picks, a few more not yet drafted who will be next June. Double underager Gavin McKenna also wasn't at the camp but will probably make the team. It's a strong group at least on paper so there won't be many new names added for the final selection camp.

So it might take some injuries then. But are all those forwards suitable for shutdown/PK roles?

 

[OldnotDeadWings]

So it might take some injuries then. But are all those forwards suitable for shutdown/PK roles?

It's hard to say. Most of the first-rounders are offense first guys, as you'd expect. But not yet drafted guys like McKenna and Martone might be seen as fourth-liners rather than the team thinking of a checking fourth line. Finnie is a good two-way player with C/W versatility, so that's in his favour, but so are many of the non first-round players on the summer roster also good two-way guys. It's a powerhouse group so some good players won't make the team.

I think his low chances are more a case of HC being a stickler for the selection process and having a preference for returning players rather than guys who haven't been part of the process or on previous national teams.

 

[newfy]

What kind of chance he has to steal a spot in Team Canada at upcoming U20 Worlds?

His brother Marshall is some sort of goon, 120 PIM last season and 113 before that, on the pace of 126 this season. Turns 21 in January, maybe GR should sign him for next season. Finnie brothers creating havoc....

I wouldn't count on it, but with the way he's been playing, I think there might be a chance he gets an "unexpected" invite to their winter camp. He's a late round draft pick, but he's also in that COVID cohort where random development should be expected, kinda like Lombardi.

He wasn't getting an invite to the summer camp because he only had a strong half a season on the wing at that point as a 2nd round pick. Now he's a big, physical, well rounded player that got a fairly long look at an NHL camp regardless of where he was drafted for a junior player. He's one of the best face off guys in the league and a great PKer.

He also just happens to be ripping that league up offensively to go with all that. 7th in the league in goals, 9th in points etc. He also has the fact that he's a 19 year old going for him, over sovme of the other guys.

His style of play is very "Team Canada" while being on pace for 51 goals, 106 points. He might get an invite

 

[newfy]

Meant to add this yesterday but announcers in the WHL have actually been talking about him potentially being on team Canadas radar for the world juniors. He would be "unexpected" but Canada seems to bring guys like him more often than the talking heads that project rosters say.

A lot of times those announcers have some inside track from the team as well. Might mean Canada has been sniffing around at games or talking to his coaches. Not sure that speculation just comes out of nowhere when theyre saying it live on air.

 

[OldnotDeadWings]

Meant to add this yesterday but announcers in the WHL have actually been talking about him potentially being on team Canadas radar for the world juniors. He would be "unexpected" but Canada seems to bring guys like him more often than the talking heads that project rosters say.

A lot of times those announcers have some inside track from the team as well. Might mean Canada has been sniffing around at games or talking to his coaches. Not sure that speculation just comes out of nowhere when theyre saying it live on air.

This is absolutely the case. It would be rare for any announcer who's been there a few years to not learn what the team is hearing from scouts in regard to the Draft or Hockey Canada for national teams. It's good promotion for the team for fans to know their players are getting noticed and it will come out in local radio/internet broadcasts. In Finnie's case he's having too good a season for HC not to think about him at least a little bit.