Tag Archives: World Juniors

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

2021 World Junior Hockey Championships: BLH’s Underrated Players to Watch

Later on today, the 2021 World Juniors in Edmonton, AB, are going to kick off. So, I apologize for not getting this post out earlier! I’m near certain all of the big names that you should watch out for have been covered. I’m talking about the likes of Kirby Dach (pre-injury), Cole Caufield, Alexander Holtz, Rodion Amirov, Anton Lundell, Martin Chromiak, Marco Rossi, or Edmonton Oilers prospects Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg.

So for this post, I want to introduce to you some players that might not get much ice time or put up a lot of points, but should, in theory, stand out in their limited appearances. Some of these players are eligible for the 2021 NHL draft and some won’t be drafted until 2022, but I’m very certain at some point you’re going to hear their names getting talked about.

If you’d like a more in-depth preview to the tournament this year as well as some fantastic profiles for the upcoming draft, please check out the $5 guide that Dan Stewart’s Draft Pro team has put together.

You can get that right here. 

Click the pic and find the NHL94 player from your team!

*2021 Draft Eligible
**2022 Draft Eligible

  • #24 Oskar Olausson (SWE)* – LW/RW – 6’2″ 181lbs – I recently watched some game video of Olausson and came away very impressed. He’s very fast and strong. His quickness off the start is suprisingly good for a kid his size. He injects himself into as many plays as possible on both sides of the puck and he’s a responsible two-way winger. The zip on his shot is stunningly good and I just look at him and see future NHL power winger. Even if he doesn’t develop into a pure goal-scorer, his work ethic and ability in the muck will allow him to contribute in other ways.
    • “Olausson is not quite as physical as his older Swedish counterpart (Filip Forsberg). But there are other aspects of their game that mirror each other. Both have great shots and skating, are brilliant at effecting zone entries. The two would also both rather fire the puck than defer to a team-mate. They both shield the puck exceptionally well on the cycle and are dangerous on the rush, with hands and confidence. The two also share the ability to find space in danger areas. They also both play the game at a high-tempo, and can be effective penalty-killers. Forsberg is a slightly more natural play-maker though.” (source)

  • #6 Semyon Chistyakov (RUS) – D – 5’11” 180lbs – I was really impressed with Chistyakov last year. He’s not a big guy but he stirs the drink for his teams. He’s offensively gifted but he’s also fearless and will take on all comers no matter the size. I dig his leadership abilities as being one of the older players on Team Russia. He really is a little Russian tank and I feel like this kind of player could really dominate a tournament like this.
    • “He is willing to play a physical game. His low centre of gravity and his strength allows him to compete on the boards and in front of the net despite his lack of height. Chistyakov maintains good gap control and keeps his opponent in front of him. Forwards attacking his side of the ice need to keep their head up as he looks to land a big hit. He also is well positioned and uses his stick to break up passing plays. Once turnovers are created, Chistyakov starts the transition game quickly with a good breakout pass.” (source)

  • #10 Matthew Beniers (USA)* – 6’1″ 174lbs – Beniers is the kind of player that inserts himself into every aspect of the game during each shift. It’s impossible not to notice him because he’s everywhere trying to make a difference, be that offensively or defensively. He demands the puck coming out of his own zone as he’s quite good at controlled zone entries. He so smart too, and because of that we’ll probably see him playing in every scenario for Team USA as well.  He’s a fantastic two-way talent that some are projecting to be better than LA Kings first rounder Alex Turcotte.
    • “Matthew displays high end hockey sense and instincts that allows him to be in the right place on the ice consistently. He is not a possession player as much as he is a quick strike player. He makes quick decisions with the puck due to his hockey sense and ability to think the game at another level”. [2019 Black Book]

  • #5 Stanislav Svozil (CZE)* – D – 6’1″ 172lbs – The first I’d heard of Svozil was when I saw a tweet announcing he’d won the rookie of the year award in the Czech pro league as a 16yr old. I thought to myself, “You’ve got to be pretty good to do that at that age.” Then later one I saw he was drafted in the CHL import draft to Regina, the same team as wonderkid Connor Bedard. If Svozil is as good as the report below, players like Bedard (when they get to the WHL) and Jan Mysak will thrive having a defender who can get them the puck. Svozil has already had a couple of highlights in the preliminary games for the Czech team.
    • “Svozil isn’t a big kid at 6-foot-0 and 172 pounds but he’s strong enough to fend for himself and doesn’t lose the puck on his stick often. He knows how to put pucks in the net and he’s responsible in his own zone” – (source)

  • #18 Juraj Slafkovsky (SVK)** – RW – 6’4″ 220lbs – Look, this guy is 16yrs old and already 6’4″ and 220lbs… What in Sam’s Hell do they feed hockey players in Slovakia? I mean is this guy a relative of Zdeno Chara or what? All joking aside, Slafkovsky is slated to play alongside Martin Chromiak on his side’s top line and he is an elite goal-scorer. The release on this guys shot… It’s outstanding. The last time we saw a double underager with this kind of size dominate the World Juniors was Jesse Puljujarvi, no? And he ended up winning the tournament MVP eventually…
    • “Capable of creating offense with slick hands in traffic, he has a soft touch on the puck, as well as great vision and offensive instincts. He plays a mature game with the puck and he is always aware of his passing options. He has a knack for taking away time and space and creating turnovers. He has a quick release on his wrist shot which makes him a threat from further out. But he can also be straight forward and drive to the net when needed. He has soft hands and can stickhandle in small spaces with ease.” (source)

  • #8 Simon Knak (SUI)* – RW – 6’1″ 194lbs – Knak is a player you’ll appreciate for his tireless work rate and honest game. The Swiss don’t have a lot going for them at this year’s tournament but Knak will get his fair share of attention for being a very good disruptor in addition to most likely being his team’s generator of offense. Don’t get me wrong, he’s not some elite grinder, there’s high-end skill to go with that outstanding two-way game.
    • “He works to get inside positioning on the puck and rushes up & down the ice to stay ahead of the play. He helped break many opposing rushes by supporting his defencemen with backpressure. In the offensive zone, he worked the walls and the front of the net. Overall, Knak looked like a highly engaged player”. -EliteProspects 2020 NHL Draft Guide

  • #33 Brad Lambert (FIN)** – C – 5’11” 172lbs – Lambert is a direct rival to Shane Wright’s designation as best NHL prospect for the 2022 NHL draft. To say that he’s electrifying couldn’t be more of an understatement. He’s just so fast, strong, and smooth with the puck. I wonder if he could turn out to be a Sidney Crosby-lite kind of player with those kind of attributes?
    • “He’s like watching a Nathan MacKinnon clone: Lambert is a dynamic two-way forward with incredible top-end speed, and it’s rare that someone manages to take the puck off him during a rush”. – Steven Ellis (SI.com)

  • #2 Braden Schneider (CAN) – D – 6’2″ 210lbs – Team Canada doesn’t have a defenceman on their team that they can count on 100% to be a shutdown specialist. They’ve got offensive juggernauts like Jamie Drysdale and Bowen Byram to go with a plethora of high-end two-way d-men such as Just Barron, Thomas Harley, Kaedan Korczak ,and Jordan Spence. Kaiden Guhle would be the closest to Schneider, but I think by tournament’s end, the New York Rangers first-rounder in 2020 will have the pundits talking about how critical his presence was to Canada’s blueline. He’s the new Shea Weber for me.
    • “He is an absolute behemoth of a dude at this level, imposing his will with thunderous hits, overpowering one-hand pushes, and crosschecks. He’s composed and doesn’t over-do the physicality or take needless penalties; enters every hit with his stick leading and doesn’t hit unless he can’t break up the play otherwise.” -EliteProspects 2020 NHL Draft Guide

Enjoy the tournament and have a wonderful holiday season!

Give us a follow on the socials!

Just like Kass protects his boys, you can protect yourself with this sweet mask! Click the pic and get yours today!
Classic Captain Wendel taking care of business once more! Click the pic and grab a shirt for yourself!
Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL

Watch BLH’s Hockey Game of the Night: Ovechkin and Team Russia Get Obliterated by Canadian Juggernaut at 2005 World Juniors

There’s nothing better than a Canada/Russia match-up at any hockey competition and for BLH’s Hockey Game of the Night, we’ve got for you a proper classic. The 2005 World Juniors Gold Medal Final between Sidney Crosby’s Team Canada and Alexander Ovechkin’s Team Russia.

Click the pic and find the NHL94 player from your team!

To set up this game I found this blurb from Sports Illustrated by Ken Campbell,

The night is always darkest just before the dawn, and Canada’s greatest anguish on the World Junior Championship stage came one year before its greatest triumph.

Flash back to Helsinki, Finland, 2004. Canada desperately wanted to be crowned hockey’s best under-20 nation after six long years in the cold. Since a five-year run of golds that ended in 1997, the Canadians had finished eighth, second, third, third, second and second, with each heartbreak worse than the last. They blew a 2-1 lead to Russia on Canadian ice to lose the 2003 final. Then, in Helsinki, the nightmare continued. Canada led upstart U.S. 3-1 entering the third period of the gold medal game. The U.S. stormed back to tie it and, with less than five minutes remaining in a 3-3 contest, Canada goalie Marc-Andre Fleury’s clearing attempt bounced off teammate Braydon Coburn and into his own net. The Americans won their first world juniors ever. Canada’s drought reached seven years.

Whoa…

Here’s the boxscore if you want to check it out!

If you can, please check out our Youtube channel, BEER LEAGUE HEROES.

I hope you enjoy the game!

What I found really interesting is that Sidney Crosby and Corey Perry were lighting up their respective Junior leagues and Patrice Bergeron had already spent a year in the NHL, yet coach Brent Sutter chose to put the trio together and deploy them as Canada’s shutdown line. Very much like Wayne Gretzky back in 1978, Perry only made the club due to the injury of another player. What luck!

As this is mostly an Oilers blog, I feel compelled to mention that this game featured five players who would go on to play for the Edmonton Oilers later in their careers. Those individuals being Shawn Belle (CAN), Colin Fraser (CAN), Cam Barker (CAN), Danny Syvret (CAN), and the great Anton Belov (RUS).

If you’re enjoying the series, check out this week’s previous games below!

Monday: The Punch-up in Piestany
Tuesday: 16yr old Wayne Gretzky Destroys Czechs in ’78

Give us a follow on the socials!

Get your “Stanley” today!
Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Prospects

Edmonton Oilers Talk: The Best All-Time World Junior Oilers

If you had to build a starting lineup of former Edmonton Oilers who’ve played in the World Junior Hockey Championship, what would it look like? We’re going to dig into that topic today, but first things first, the source for my info from the man, the legend himself, Lowetide. He’s written a fabulous post called “A short history of Oilers’ impact prospects at the world juniors” and that is a massive help. I encourage you to go and check it out and if you don’t have a subscription to The Athletic, sign up and reap all the Lowetide-y benefits!

From the get-go, we run into some issues with our first position, goaltender.

The Oilers haven’t had a lot of homegrown netminders suit up in the annual u20 tournament. Both Devan Dubnyk and Olivier Rodrigue were on Canada’s roster but never got into any games whereas Oliver Roy got into three in 2010/11 but it wasn’t a great performance.

That said, from my brief research, goalies they’ve acquired from other clubs have had some success at the WJHCs. Such as Ilya Bryzgalov, Nikolai Khabibulin, Kari Takko, Tommy Salo, Jussi Markkanen, and Mathieu Garon.

The best out of the bunch was Bryzgalov though. According to Elite Prospects, in his four appearances in the 99/200o tourney, he had a GAA of 0.77 and a SV% of .977 for Russia.

Moving on to the defencemen, why not to go with Reijo Ruotsalainen and Jiri Slegr here. Just from a production standpoint.

Ruotsalainen holds the record for most goals by a defenceman all-time at the u20 tournament whereas Slegr is 3rd all-time in assists. The Finn is the 2nd-highest scoring defender and the Czech sits at 6th on that same list.

I do have one issue with these selections though. Between the two, they only played 69 games each for the Oilers. Ideally, But it is what it is. As players at the World Juniors, they both stood out and as things stand, they also spent time in Edmonton. So they qualify but the slightest of margins.

The forwards won’t be hard at all. One, Esa Tikkanen. Two, Jordan Eberle. Three, Wayne Gretzky.

Fun fact: Gretzky had 17pts in six games at the ’78 tournament which gives him a PPG of 2.83. Doug Weight had a 2.71 PPG in seven games when he played for Team USA at the 1991 one and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ 2.5 PPG in 2013 isn’t that far off. (link)

Tikk had a gaudy 36 points in three tournaments for Finland in the early 80s and Jordan Eberle is one of the most accomplished right-wingers to ever lace up the blades for Canada’s u20 team. 26 points in 12 games is nothing to shake a stick at and then there’s “The Goal”.

From 1980 to 1983, Vladimir Ruzicka scored 25 goals for the Czechs at the World Juniors and he did that in 19 games. Only the Russian Rocket Pavel Bure sits above him in the record books. That said, as a 16-year-old, Wayne Gretzky was scoring at nearly three PPG. Had he played as many games as Rosie did, theoretically, The Great One would’ve ended up with close to 55pts and around 25 goals and that’s not even considering that Gretzky no doubt would’ve improved as a player. That final number, once again, in theory, might’ve been closer to 70pts.

My All-Time Edmonton Oilers World Junior Starting Lineup

G – Ilya Bryzgalov
D – Reijo Ruotsalainen
D – Jiri Slegr
LW – Esa Tikkanen
RW – Jordan Eberle
C – Wayne Gretzky

What does yours look like?

Give us a follow on the socials!

Brennen York

World Junior Rewind

From opening puck drop on boxing day to Troy Terry’s shootout heroics, the 2017 World Junior’s packed about as much junior hockey excitement into eleven days as anyone could hope for. There were a few major storylines many will remember twenty years down the road, the main one likely being Troy Terry’s shootout magnificence, however the lack of attendance throughout round robin action and even into quarter final action is sure to leave a black mark on the cities of Montreal and Toronto. Also, with the USA having won their third medal in eight years, many questions around Canada’s success at the tournament have already been asked and will likely be asked again come next December.
Focusing on the positives..
The roster the U.S. assembled was quite brilliant, and the way Bob Motzko utilized all four of his lines really helped push the Americans over the top. The Americans did an excellent job combining speed, goal scoring, and finding the players who were unwilling to walk away without a gold medal around their necks.

Tyler Parsons – Parsons is a big game guy and that’s exactly what they got out of him. He’s not a natural high end puck tracker, but man does he fight in the crease. Flames may have a good one.

 

Charlie McAvoy – McAvoy was the second best defenceman in the tournament and provided the Americans with a stabilizing force from the back end. McAvoy will be a high end NHL defenceman, and he will be there very soon.

 

Caleb Jones – Outside of WHL and Oiler fans, not many people were aware of the impact Jones would play on the roster. Jones, much like McAvoy, was a real stabilizer on the back end, able to slow the game down and distribute the puck effectively.

 

Jack Roslovic – Though he didn’t receive the attention that Colin White and Clayton Keller received, Roslovic was one of the most impactful players on the American roster. His ability to transport the puck through the neutral zone with speed, and gain clean zone entries are something that will make him a successful NHL winger.

 

Clayton Keller – He was quiet in the final, but I don’t think anyone can argue the sheer brilliance of Clayton Keller. From his puck skills to speed to the way he sees the ice, Keller is going to be a big time player for they ‘Yotes.

 

Luke Kunin – Kunin had a decent tournament, and was able to generate a fair amount of offensive zone chances. I believe he’s still a year away from the NHL (based on his performance in this tournament) but he played an integral part in the American’s success.

 

Jordan Greenway – Scary, scary player. His ability to skate given his size would have any opponent shaking. He’s a freight train, and the physical aspect of his game, as well as his ability to contribute around the net really allowed fans to see how good of a prospect Greenway is.

 

Tage Thompson – Unbelievably skilled player. Thompson showed he has the ability to dominate games, and I believe that’s exactly what he will bring to the St. Louis Blues. Out of any player on the roster, Thompson impressed me the most.

 

Troy Terry – What’s left to say? He was clutch. I’m not sure he’s ever a top 9 NHL player, but he certainly cemented himself as one of the most legendary US players ever.

 

Though they finished second, Team Canada really didn’t have all that good of a tournament. Aside from Thomas Chabot, and for a short time Phillippe Myers, the back end struggled mightily against the fast and skilled attacks of the Sweden and the USA. In a short tournament like this, the lack of defenceman capable of playing more of a shutdown role inevitably cost them, making the omission of Brendan Guhle even harder to swallow.

 

The forward group deployed in this years tournament was quite strong, but the team lacked in a clear go to guy. Of course Mathew Barzal and Dylan Strome were thought to be those guys heading in, and they did have a fairly strong round robin, but they were never able to truly take over and dominate a game, with Dylan Strome nearly disappearing in the final. Julien Gauthier was one of the more impressive forwards, and given his size, speed, and overall intelligence, it wouldn’t be a stretch to think he’ll be a top none guy in Raleigh next season. Anthony Cirelli received a lot of media attention, and though he played above what was expected, he didn’t blow me away.

 

The goaltending was what it was. They took the two best Canadian goalies in the CHL, and to Hart’s credit the Americans got really lucky on a couple of goals in the final game.

 

In terms of draft eligibles who impressed, no one was better than Halifax Mooseheads forward, Nico Hischier who scooped up seven points in five games and was the clear go to man for the Swiss. Is he going to be a top three pick in this years draft, probably not, but everyone now knows how skilled the young center is. Miro Heiskanen is another player who saw a rise in his draft stock following a fairly strong outing on a weak Finnish squad. The other Fins in Tolvanen, Vesalainen, and Valimaki are likely to remain in a similar spot, though Vesalainen is a guy who could see his name rise. Elias Pettersson had a decent outing for a draft eligible in the WJC, and is likely solidified in the top 15. Lias Andersson showed off how dynamic he can be, and at times looked like one of the best Swedes on the ice. Andersson is a player I had some reservations on heading into the tourney, but he looks like he will be a high end offensive player at the NHL level.

 

Aside from Finlands shocking fall from grace, the other disappointment comes with the Swedes, who on paper were the majority favourite heading in. With a deep defensive corp, elite goaltending, and a good mix of veterans and skilled, the Swedes fell short to the Russians. The Swedes are a perennial power house, but if this tournament showed anything it’s that teams are able to adjust to the same old formula, and that’s evident in the success that a team like Switzerland had at the tournament, proving to be far more competitive than one would have thought.

 

As strange as it may sound, the Fins will have a strong team in the 2018 edition of the tournament, with likely returnees in Rasanen, Vesalainen, Tolvanen, Heiskanen, Valimaki, as well as the addition of likely top 60 pick Robin Salo.

 

Thank you for reading, and follow me at @DraftGeekHockey for more news and notes on junior hockey news and prospects.

NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Team Canada and the U20 Showcase

The U20 Showcase is nearing its end, and though many people put little stock into the summer exhibition series, there have been quite a few interesting developments to come from the camp.

Out of the 40 athletes invited to the camp, it’s unlikely all 40 will return come December when the final roster is constructed. It’s possible that players like Lawson Crouse, Michael Dal Colle, Dylan Strome, Robby Fabbri, and Jake Virtanen stick with their NHL clubs, but it’s also likely we see a guy like Jakob Chychrun or Jake Bean make an appearance at the camp. There are a lot of moving parts from now until puck drop on Boxing Day, but it’s clear Canada will be a contender given the extensive list of players in their arsenal, such as the following standouts from this Augusts camp:

Mason McDonald and Mackenzie Blackwood: It was clear these two were a step ahead of Samuel Montembeault, and are likely the front-runners heading into the December selection camp. I do feel we may only see one of these goalies on the final roster. There are a lot of good options out there, such as Lethbridge Hurricanes net minder (and 2017 eligible) Stuart Skinner, as well as Lucas Pressini or Adin Hill. I could name goalies that have a chance all day long, but what I’m getting at is that the position is wide open for whoever earns the job.

Travis Dermott: Was surprised by his defensive ability and overall awareness. Played a physical game for a guy who’s been primarily labelled as an offensive defenceman. He’s a smooth skater who makes smart outlet passes. He’s young, which is something Team Canada has shied away from in the past when selecting defenders, but if he keeps up the play we saw this week he has a legitimate chance.

Brandon Hickey: If you’re going to teach someone how to skate, make sure you show them some video on Brandon Hickey. He’s the smoothest skater I’ve seen in a while, and though he’s considered an underdog to make the squad, I think he has a real chance to be that reliable 5/6 guy who can kill penalties and play in key defensive zone situations. Oh and if you’re wondering whether or not he’s coming to Red Deer, I’d say there’s a better chance the Oilers deal McDavid.. But I’ve been wrong before.

Lawson Crouse: For a while now scouts have said “you have to see him live to understand what he brings.” Well, last night was a first. His defensive instincts are off the chart. He doesn’t quit, and I don’t mean he goes 80% up and down the ice, he goes 110% for the entire game. The thing about Crouse is that he does all the little things right, whether it’s cycling the puck when the defence double down on him or knowing when to make a big hit, he does it right. I would not be surprised if he cracks the Panthers roster this year.

Travis Konecny: Throughout his draft year all you really heard about was the injuries and inconsistency around him. If I knew absolutely none of the players and sat down to watch this four game set, I’d say Travis is a first line player all day long. His vision and passing ability are something to marvel at, and though some may label him as a playmaker or an offensive player, he played some solid defence and was always one of the first guys on the backcheck. Philly has a good one here.

Though there were some solid standouts, such as the players listed above, there were just as many players who were quite underwhelming. Both Hadyn Fleury and Travis Sanheim played unusually weak. Sanheim was beat to the outside more than a few times, and Fleury seemed to have trouble in the decision-making department as he made some poor passes and wasn’t the best in his own end. Jake Debrusk was inconsistent. The Swift Current sniper looked slow and made some bad shot selections. John Quenneville had a chance to display his physical ability, but ended up looking fairly sluggish on most shifts. Don’t get me wrong, I love Johnny’s game, but if he’s going to crack the roster he needs to bring that physical presence we’re used to seeing.

What exactly would a Canadian World Junior article be if I didn’t make a comment on Josh Ho-Sang? He’s good. Very good. In fact he may be one of the best offensive players at the camp. The problem with Josh, that I haven’t had the chance to see prior to the Russian game, is his inability to grasp the concept of passing the puck. There were three instances in the game against Russia where we saw Ho-Sang circle around the offensive zone with the puck on his stick for about 20 seconds then end up losing it. He has this sense that he always has to be “The Guy” and though he is a tremendous offensive player, I doubt he makes this team.

So if the team was being selected from the players invited to this camp, here is what I believe the lineup would look like:

McDonald
Blackwood

Fleury – Dermott
Sanheim – Hicketts
Hickey – Juulsen
Chabot

Dal Colle – Fabbri – Virtanen
Crouse – Strome – Marner
Perlini – Point – Konecny
Chartier – McCann – Bleackley
Beauvillier – Quenneville