If you're a hockey prospects kind of person, this is truly the most wonderful time of the year. The IIHF World Junior Championships continues straight through into 2015, and all kinds of rosy-cheeked phenoms will get a chance to strut their stuff. As the tournament progresses, I'll provide updates on both the kids who have already been drafted (92 players participating in the tournament have already been selected by NHL clubs, with the Winnipeg Jets leading the pack by having six of their prospects rostered) and those who are still draft-eligible.
Unfortunately the holidays made it tough for me to watch as much of the end of the round robin, or the quarter-finals, as I would have liked, much less crank out daily reports on the action. However, with the semi-finals on tap today (Sweden vs Russia in what should be a typically tough matchup between the two European powers, and Canada almost getting an effective bye to the gold medal game by facing a Slovakia team they shellacked 8-0 in their opener), it seems like a good time to get caught up on what I have seen.
Monday - round robin play
Czech Republic 4, Denmark 3 (OT)
The best game of the tournament to that point. Both teams, knowing that this result could be the difference between a fourth place finish in Group B and a spot in the relegation game, left absolutely everything on the ice and traded goals through three periods before David Pastrnak (BOS, 1st rd 2014) scored the overtime winner on a clean breakaway from the Danish blue line. The unsung hero though was again Georg Sorensen, who made 44 saves and was the main reason the game even got to OT.
Top prospect performers:
Pastrnak made no impact through the Czechs' first two games, but broke through in this one. His game-winner was an outstanding piece of skill, and his two assists were also well-earned as he showed excellent hands and vision, dancing through the Danish zone until he found the open man. He's got top end skill, but the Bruins have to hope he starts showing up against top end competition.
The Czech defense did a good job of keeping Denmark's big line mostly neutralized, and Dominik Masin (TB, 2nd rd 2014) was the biggest factor on their blue line, twice making great plays to stop potential breakaways. He's got good size, and while he doesn't have much of a physical edge he plays a sound positional game in his own end. The scouting reports on Masin say he's got some offensive skill as well, but if he does it wasn't on display on Monday as he mostly played a stay-at-home role.
Denmark's big line factored in on all three of their goals, but Nik Ehlers (WPG, 1st rd 2014) was the player driving the action. The Czechs had trouble most of the game containing his world class speed, and it seemed like he generated a scoring chance every time he touched the puck. He's got decent size and good puck skills, but it's that speed that's going to be his calling card in the NHL.
Top undrafted performers:
Jan Stencel scored the Czech Republic's first goal and assisted on two others, and his speed off the blue line and blistering shot gave him a prominent role on their power play. He also held his own in his own end too, but at a listed five-foot-nine it's hard to imagine Stencel ever getting much of a chance in the NHL. He's a player though, and he should have a long career in Europe.
Sweden 3, Russia 2
The second fantastic game of the day. Each team took turns pouring on the pressure, and both Ilya Sorokin (NYI, 3rd rd 2014) and Linus Soderstrom (NYI, 4th rd 2014) made multiple huge saves to either keep their team close or protect a lead, as the situation demanded. In short, the Islanders' future in net looks very bright.
Top prospect performers:
Once again William Nylander (TOR, 1st rd 2014) created numerous scoring chances thanks to his incredible skill and vision, but the truly impressive thing about his game on Monday was his commitment to the back check. Nylander's offensive ability has never been in question, but seeing him show the kind of effort in his own end that he normally displays on the attack is a huge sign that he's just about ready to make the jump to the NHL. Leafs fans can probably look forward to him being in blue and white from the jump next season.
Gustav Forsling (VAN, 5th rd 2014) continues to shine as the trigger man for Sweden's power play, scoring their first two goals with blasts from the blue line, and he shows a simple, clean, outlet game in his own end. In terms of the less heralded prospects in the tourney, Forsling is rapidly making a huge impression.
Top undrafted performers:
The third wheel on the Barbashyov-Buchnevich unit, Vyacheslav Leshenko had been overshadowed by his more prominent linemates heading into Monday, but he rectified that with a two-goal performance. Neither was exactly a highlight reel effort, but when you're playing with guys who can cause as much havoc as those two sometimes the best place for you to be is camped at the side of the net waiting to pounce on a rebound. Leshenko isn't the biggest or fastest player on the ice, but he showed a tremendous compete level and made an impact with his play in all three zones. He's the kind of player who could end up being a checking line favorite somewhere down the road.
Wednesday - round robin play
Sweden 5, Switzerland 1
No surprise here, as even with top spot in Group B locked up the Swedes weren't about take their foot off the gas pedal. Linus Soderstrom (NYI, 4th rd 2014) remained steady, William Nylander (TOR, 1st rd 2014) remained dangerous and players like Jens Looke continued to provide some offensive punch off the lower lines. Sweden is going to be a handful in the medal round.
Top prospect performers:
Oskar Lindblom (PHI, 5th rd 2014) scored a natural hat trick in the second period, with two of the goals coming on the power play. It's no coincidence that Nylander assisted on all three goals, as Lindblom isn't the kind of player who's going to generate a lot of scoring chances on his own. What he is, however, is a scrappy player who grinds it out in the corners and holds his ground in front of the net. He's not especially fast or physical, but his compete level seems good and he could have an NHL future as a third line winger who gets some second unit PP time.
Top undrafted performers:
Not much has gone right for Switzerland in this tournament, but Timo Meier is making a solid impression for scouts. He plays a tough, two-way game, and barely missed a shift after getting bloodied up by an accidental high stick to the face in the first period. Meier won't beat anybody in a foot race, but he'll win a lot of battles in the corners and showed a quick release on his shot when he got a little bit of space. He looks like he could be a useful player in the NHL.
Canada 5, United States 3
Wowee wow wow, what a game, as intense and physical as you would have expected coming in. Canada got ahead early, the States battled back, then things went cray-cray in the final minute as Sam Reinhart (BUF, 1st rd 2014) scored an empty-netter to seemingly ice it, only for Dylan Larkin (DET, 1st rd 2014) to pot his second goal of the period 12 seconds later. One final empty net goal by Max Domi (ARI, 1st rd 2013) was required to seal the deal for the tournament hosts. Fairly evenly matched in net and on the attack, the big difference between these two rosters ended up being the USA's inexperience on the blue line.
Top prospect performers:
Darnell Nurse (EDM, 1st rd 2013) has not only lead a Canadian defense corps that's allowed just four goals through four round robin games, he's looked like a true future number one blueliner in the NHL. He was a rock in his own end, even bailing out his partner Shea Theodore (ANA, 1st rd 2013) on a couple of occasions after a gaffe, and made a number of dangerous forward rushes to generate scoring chances. There's been nothing not to like about Nurse's play in the tournament so far.
Reinhart and Domi continue to be the best duo in the tournament, and to overshadow their linemate Anthony Duclair (NYR, 3rd rd 2013), no mean feat considering Duclair has already seen time in the NHL. Domi is a gifted offensive player, but it's his off-the-charts compete level and willingness to not just drive to the net but attack it that really sets him apart. Reinhart, meanwhile, is the smooth and savvy operator whose calm, smart decision-making meshes perfectly with Domi. Their goal to open the scoring perfectly illustrated why they're dominating this tourney. Reinhart set Domi loose down the wing with a crisp pass in the neutral zone, Domi fired a shot that Thatcher Demko (VAN, 2nd rd 2014) couldn't handle, and rather than bang away at the rebound in front of the net Reinhart simply tapped it back to Domi who buried it in the open cage.
Top undrafted performers:
While he's projected to be a high pick in 2015, Noah Hanifin hadn't made much of an impression until this game. He stepped up against tough competition though, looking composed in his own end and using his skating and vision to generate offense both on the rush and from the blue line on the power play. At six-foot-three he's got the size NHL clubs want in their defenseman, and his two-way skills are going to make him a hot commodity on draft day.