NEUGSIE’S AROUND THE RINKS – 2022 WORLD JUNIORS PREVIEW

By: Jamie Neugebauer
Voice of the ND Hounds/DUBNetwork MJ Warriors Beat Writer

• A word for the kids: Before we get into the World Juniors, how about the Canadian kids at the recently completed Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in Red Deer? We knew the 2005 birth year of Canucks was awesome, and they showed that dominance, bulldozing their way to a perfect 5-0 record en route to gold, and outscoring the opposition 34-3. The cherry on top is that our best ’05, Connor Bedard, was not even there! It certainly gives me a measure of satisfaction to see a strong contingent of Saskatchewan boys involved too, as Saskatoon’s own Brayden Yager and Riley Heidt acquitted themselves extremely well with a combined 15 points in the five games. It’s early to say this, but oh well: this generation reminds me of the 85s, who famously smashed their way through the Grand Forks, ND World Juniors in 2005, and has made such an incredible impact on the NHL and Team Canadas since. Anyways, on to the World Juniors!
• Who’s missing: I don’t think it’s going to be debilitating for Canada to not have a few of the key pieces they planned to count on at the aborted last World Juniors this past Christmas, but it will certainly make the job tougher. As nice as it would have been to have the likes of Cole Perfetti, Jake Neighbours, Dylan Guenther, or Mavrik Bourque up front, it is the back-end losses that are really too bad for me. Owen Power is getting ready to be given 30 minutes a night in Buffalo, while Kaiden Guhle figures to be an important Top 4 Dman for Montreal off the hop as well. I also spare a thought for a great young man in Daemon Hunt of the Moose Jaw Warriors and Minnesota Wild, who missed out late at the aborted tournament with Covid and a fractured finger, and is going to miss out this time as well with another hand injury. The guy has had no fortune with injuries over this career the last number of years. Anyways, this team will still score goals with the weapons they have (more on that in a second), and looks to get more-than solid goaltending, but losing those guys on D has to hurt at least a little!
• Connor’s show: It is not just a Regina/Saskatchewan bias to say that all eyes will be on Connor Bedard, and although there is obviously pressure on the young man to perform at this event, he has never struggled with the limelight; so why expect him to now? He is still extremely well supported with talent in this squad, and by all accounts just keeps working harder and getting better every off-season. I have no concern to put a huge role and expectation on him this go-around, and I cannot wait to watch him play with some of these other forwards!
• The forwards: Yep, this forward group is still nuts, even missing a few of the above pieces. Kent Johnson is going straight to the Columbus Blue Jackets this year you would have to think, after the Olympics and World Championships last year, and one would expect the exact same from Anaheim Ducks youngster Mason McTavish. The first lines from practice appear to have Bedard on the right wing with McTavish in the middle and a real shooter in Montreal Canadiens prospect Joshua Roy of the Sherbrooke Phoenix on the left. The steal of two drafts ago, the electric Kamloops Blazers Star Logan Stankoven is going to centre the former Michigan Wolverine Kent Johnson and Tyson Foerster, the powerful soon-to-be Philadelphia Flyers AHLer, on the right. However, you chop up the units, there is more than enough talent to score Canada to victory, especially with the Chosen One on Line 1.
• The Dmen: Fewer name-brand players here, but the pro experience of Donovan Sebrango will definitely come in handy. World Junior teams often find heroes in the smaller, offensively dynamic guys, and Anaheim Ducks pick and former Everett Silvertip Owen Zellweger fits that bill (he’s fun to watch…think Ryan Ellis). Overall, I think it’s more of a workmanlike group, who will play defence and the puck to Bedard… so what more do you want? Great to see Minnesota Wild first-rounder Carson Lambos back on the squad, he has had some really tough luck with injuries as well, and we all hope they are all behind him. He’s going be a big piece for Canada after a monster year last year with the excellent Winnipeg ICE.

• The goaltenders: There are no changes from the aborted tourney at all here, and if Sebastian Cossa or Dylan Garand can at least be solid, we should be fine. The enormous Cossa is coming right off that disappointing Memorial Cup with Edmonton, projected third-stringer Brett Brochu was just OK in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs with the London Knights, so those guys will have something to prove in Edmonton.
• Eyes on Knies: Plenty of interesting, good teams outside of Canada, but the one I have my closest eye on is Team USA. Front-and-centre are a couple of UMinnesota-boys: big Olympic veteran and future Toronto Maple Leaf Matthew Knies, who has already said he plans to join the Leafs after his season in college, and Arizona third-overall pick Logan Cooley, who dominated the U.S. U18 program to a degree we’ve not seen in a while. If USA gets any goaltending, they absolutely have the pieces to beat Canada in a one-game gold medal. No pedigree for the guys they will have in the net, that being said.
• A German you’ll love: If you’re looking for a relative unknown to keep an eye on for entertainment purposes, how about big German defenceman Luca Munzenberger out of the University of Vermont?He is not much for offence, but he absolutely crushes people, and I love a hard hitter. He’s an Edmonton Oilers third-round pick as well, and figures to play a ton on a pretty solid German D-Corps that also features Arizona pick Maksymilian Szuber, and Washington prospect Hakon Hanelt of the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques. I just love Munzenberger, and so will you.
• A little odd: Speaking of who is not here, I do think it’s a little odd to have a major tournament like this without the Russians. Yes, I know why they aren’t here, and I’m not saying they should be allowed necessarily…though I don’t know about punishing kids for the actions of a madman…but that type of thing is for smarter people than I! Anyways, the Russian Bedard, Matvei Michkov, is hurt anyways, so at least we won’t miss out on him like that! It does help Canada’s chances for sure!
• Dark horse: With the nine kids not back for Canada, I think this tournament is all of a sudden pretty wide open. One team that I think will really surprise people is the newly renamed “Czechia”. For me, teams start on the blue line, and in high Columbus picks David Jiricek, and Stanislav Svozil, and Minnesota prospect David Spacek, they have an excellent D-Corps. Do they have enough guns up front? Not sure, but don’t sleep on a team with an elite defence-group.

(Follow Jamie on Twitter at @Neugsie)