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World Juniors

Cole Perfetti Loaned To Canada WJC Selection Camp

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The Canadian World Junior selection camp has received a huge boost, as Winnipeg Jets prospect Cole Perfetti was officially loaned from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. The Jets could have blocked Perfetti from competing in the tournament if they wanted him to continue his strong play in the minor leagues, but the 19-year-old forward will be there to compete with Canada at the upcoming event.

This isn’t the first time Perfetti will compete for Canada. He took home a silver medal last year with the World Juniors, and then was eventually selected for the World Championship team in the summer. Though he played a limited role on that NHL-level squad, Perfetti still scored twice and took home a gold medal when Canada stormed back late in the tournament.

This year saw his NHL debut, as the young forward played two games with the Jets. It also has seen even more dominant play from him in the minor leagues, with 15 points in 17 games for Manitoba. Overall, the teenager has 41 points in 49 AHL games to this point, numbers that will quickly have him rising the depth chart in Winnipeg. Selected tenth overall by the Jets in 2020, he very well could be wearing a letter for Canada at the tournament later this month.

Alexander Holtz To Play For Sweden At WJC

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The New Jersey Devils have decided that the World Junior Championship is the best place for Alexander Holtz after all, announcing that they will allow him to play for Sweden at the upcoming tournament. Holtz had been playing in the AHL for most of this season, getting his feet wet in the NHL for six games as well.

Sweden released their roster in recent days, but had been keeping a spot open for Holtz if the Devils decided to release him for the tournament. The 19-year-old forward will actually be participating for the third time, as he’s been one of the most dangerous young forwards in Sweden for years. This season in the AHL, Holtz has ten points in ten games and he even added two assists in the six matches with the Devils. A bronze medallist at the 2020 event, he’ll join a Swedish team that has their eyes set on the podium once again.

Even if a player has proved they can handle professional hockey, the World Juniors is often considered one of the best places for development. Holtz and the other youngsters at the tournament will be put in games against those that they will face for the next decade, and for the Devils’ prospect in particular, be given a huge amount of responsibility. He very likely will be on the top line and the top powerplay unit, though this time he won’t have his old running mate Lucas Raymond, who is starring in the NHL and was not named to the team.

Sweden, Finland Announce Preliminary WJC Rosters

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The 2022 World Junior Championship is right around the corner, set to kick off on December 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. For the U.S. and Canada, selection camps over the next few weeks will pare down rosters to the eventual 25 names that will take part in the tournament. For Finland and Sweden, many of those decisions have already been made. The two hockey powerhouses released their rosters today, though there could still be some slight changes if someone like Alexander Holtz becomes available.

Finland:

G Leevi Merilainen (OTT)
G Joel Blomqvist (PIT)
G Juha Jatkola (undrafted)

D Ruben Rafkin (undrafted)
D Ville Ottavainen (SEA)
D Eemil Viro (DET)
D Topi Niemela (TOR)
D Kasper Puutio (FLA)
D Petteri Nurmi (undrafted)
D Aleksi Heimosalmi (CAR)
D Rami Maatta (undrafted)

F Roby Jarventie (OTT)
F Juuso Maenpaa (undrafted)
F Samuel Helenius (LAK)
F Roni Hirvonen (TOR)
F Kalle Vaisanen (NYR)
F Ville Koivunen (CAR)
F Oliver Kapanen (MTL)
F Sami Paivarinta (undrafted)
F Kasper Simontaival (LAK)
F Joel Maatta (undrafted)
F Brad Lambert (2022 draft eligible)
F Aatu Raty (NYI)
F Olli Nikupeteri (undrafted)
F Joakim Kemell (2022 draft eligible)

Sweden:

G Jesper Wallstedt (MIN)
G Calle Clang (PIT)
G Jesper Vikman (VGK)

D Helge Grans (LAK)
D Emil Andrae (PHI)
D Anton Olsson (NSH)
D Mans Forsfjall (undrafted)
D Simon Edvinsson (DET)
D Leo Loof (STL)
D Victor Sjoholm (undrafted)
D Joel Nystrom (CAR)

F Daniel Ljungman (DAL)
F Fabian Lysell (BOS)
F Ake Stakkestad (undrafted)
F William Eklund (SJS)
F Zion Nybeck (CAR)
F Elias Stenman (undrafted)
F Albert Sjoberg (DAL)
F Oskar Olausson (COL)
F Isak Rosen (BUF)
F Elliot Ekmark (FLA)
F Theodor Niederbach (DET)
F Oskar Magnusson (WSH)
F Daniel Torgersson (WPG)

Prospect Notes: Peterka, Reichel, Zavgorodniy, Byfield

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Sabres winger J.J. Peterka and Blackhawks winger Lukas Reichel were expected to anchor Germany’s entry into the upcoming World Juniors.  However, neither player was on the preliminary camp roster that their federation announced yesterday.  It’s not a matter of letting them stay in the minors a little longer before joining the team either as it was revealed that after consulting with both players, it was agreed that they will remain with their respective farm teams and not play in the tournament.  Peterka is averaging more than a point per game with AHL Rochester this season while Reichel has a dozen points in 15 contests with Rockford.  With both seemingly being on the cusp of a recall at some point, the decision has been made to not interrupt their progress even though it will make Germany’s attempt to stay in the top division that much harder.

More prospect news from around the hockey world:

  • Flames prospect Dmitri Zavgorodniy is expected to leave AHL Stockton to return home to play in the KHL for the remainder of the season, reports Championat’s Pavel Panyshev. The 21-year-old forward has been limited to just six games this season with the Heat and going overseas would give him a chance at more playing time.  He last played in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg but his rights in that league now belong with HC Sochi after they swung a deal for his rights earlier today.
  • Kings center Quinton Byfield took part in a full practice on Friday as he continues to work his way back from a fractured ankle sustained in the preseason, relays Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider. The 2020 second-overall pick played in six games with Los Angeles last season plus 32 in AHL Ontario where he had 20 points in 32 contests, impressive numbers for someone that was basically a double underager in that league.

Yan Kuznetsov Loaned To CHL

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It’s not that often that you see a player go from the NCAA to the AHL to the CHL, but that’s exactly what’s about to happen for Yan Kuznetsov. The Calgary Flames prospect has been loaned to the Saint John Seadogs of the QMJHL after 12 games with the Stockton Heat this season.

Kuznetsov, 19, was the 50th overall pick in the 2020 draft after his freshman year at the University of Connecticut, and he returned in 2020-21 for his sophomore season. After the college campaign ended, he signed his entry-level deal with the Flames and suited up six times down the stretch for Stockton. The 6’4″ defenseman has failed to register a single point in 18 games for the Heat overall and will now get to test himself at the junior level, something that will only help develop his overall game.

Notably, he’ll be available for Russia at the World Juniors again, which would be his second time at the tournament, and also will likely play in the Memorial Cup given it is set to be hosted in Saint John this season. A trade could potentially change that obviously, but Kuznetsov will spend the rest of the year in the CHL competing against players his age.

Selected 22nd overall in the 2021 CHL Import Draft, this was always a possibility for the big defenseman. Saint John picked him after he already made his AHL debut, meaning they had an inkling he could end up back in junior at some point. He’s joining a team that is currently 12-8-3 on the year and in eighth place in the QMJHL standings, but still has big expectations. He’s also going to be joining fellow Calgary draft picks Jeremie Poirier and Ryan Francis, the latter of whom also made his AHL debut with the Heat last season before he returned to Saint John.

Hockey Canada Announces 2022 WJC Selection Camp Roster

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The 2022 World Junior Championship is right around the corner, set to kick off on December 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. For Hockey Canada, selection camp will start in just a few days in Calgary, where the final roster will need to be picked. Today 35 players were invited to that camp, a group that will be pared down to 25 that will travel to the tournament.

The invitees, with their NHL affiliation:

G Brett Brochu (2022 draft eligible)
G Sebastian Cossa (DET)
G Dylan Garand (NYR)

D Lukas Cormier (VGK)
D Kaiden Guhle (MTL)
D Daemon Hunt (MIN)
D Vincent Iorio (WSH)
D Carson Lambos (MIN)
D Ryan O’Rourke (MIN)
D Owen Power (BUF)
D Donovan Sebrango (DET)
D Ronan Seeley (CAR)
D Jack Thompson (TBL)
D Olen Zellweger (ANA)

F Connor Bedard (2023 draft eligible)
F Xavier Bourgault (EDM)
F Mavrik Bourque (DAL)
F Will Cuylle (NYR)
F Zach Dean (VGK)
F Elliot Desnoyers (PHI)
F William Dufour (NYI)
F Luke Evangelista (NSH)
F Jack Finley (TBL)
F Ridly Greig (OTT)
F Dylan Guenther (ARI)
F Kent Johnson (CBJ)
F Hendrix Lapierre (WSH)
F Mason McTavish (ANA)
F Jake Neighbours (STL)
F Cole Perfetti (WPG)
F Joshua Roy (MTL)
F Justin Sourdif (FLA)
F Logan Stankoven (DAL)
F Ryan Tverberg (TOR)
F Shane Wright (2022 draft eligible)

This does look like quite an imposing group, though there are several notable omissions. In addition to Brandt Clarke, who hit the news yesterday, Hockey Canada decided not to bring names like Carter Savoie, Matthew Savoie, and Brennan Othmann, among others. The group does include Bedard, though, who won’t even be eligible for the draft until 2023. The 16-year-old has 11 goals and 17 points in 28 games for the Regina Pats of the WHL after becoming the league’s first player granted exceptional status.

Snapshots: Doughty, Brind’Amour, Clarke

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Ahead of Tuesday night’s rivalry game against the Anaheim Ducks, the Los Angeles Kings activated defenseman Drew Doughty from injured reserve today, per a team tweet. Doughty is expected to draw back into his usual top-pairing role alongside Michael Anderson. He’s missed the last 16 games after a knee-on-knee collision with Dallas’ Jani Hakanpaa that the NHL Department of Player Safety deemed accidental. Prior to his injury, Doughty was off to a raucous start with seven points in just four games. Despite having three points in his first two NHL games, it appears as though Sean Durzi will come back out of the lineup to make room for Doughty. With Doughty back in the fold, the Kings will look to improve on their 9-8-3 record and make noise in what could be a very tight Wild Card battle in the Western Conference.

Some other news and notes from around the hockey world today:

  • According to a press release, the NHL fined Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour $25,000 today for inappropriate conduct during the team’s Sunday game against Washington. With 4:30 remaining in the third period, Brind’Amour could be seen pacing back and forth around the bench and yelling at the officials, although nothing’s known about what Brind’Amour actually said. He’s racking up a penchant for these fines, as a $25,000 punishment is becoming seemingly a yearly occurrence. The money from the fine will be donated to the NHL Foundation.
  • In a shocking move, Los Angeles Kings defense prospect Brandt Clarke, whom they drafted eighth overall in 2021, won’t be invited to Team Canada’s selection camp for the upcoming World Junior Championship as originally reported by Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek. Clarke, who was named captain of the OHL’s Barrie Colts prior to the start of this season, is off to a torrid start with 23 points in just 17 games. Widely regarded as a top-five pick and one of the best defenders available, there was some surprise in the scouting community when Clarke fell to the Kings at eighth overall. The omittance of Clarke from the selection roster is even more shocking when considering his performance at other international tournaments for Canada, including a point-per-game effort last season at the under-18 World Juniors.

Dion Phaneuf Announces Retirement

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Though he hasn’t played in the NHL since the 2018-19 season and is still technically on the books for both the Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings, Dion Phaneuf has announced his retirement. The veteran defenseman released a long statement thanking his family, friends and the teammates he made along the way. In it, he gives special mention to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who hosted his retirement ceremony today:

A great thanks to the entire Toronto Maple Leafs organization, their ownership and leadership  Larry Tanenbaum and Brendan Shanahan  for providing me with this opportunity to retire with such love and support here in Toronto. It was a special honour to represent the Maple Leafs as team captain a point of pride and honour that I will carry with me forever.

Selected ninth overall by the Calgary Flames in 2003, Phaneuf was a throwback defenseman who at his peak could compete in any style of hockey. The 6’4″, left-shot powerhouse was a star for the Red Deer Rebels, scoring goals and racking up penalty minutes with big hits and tough fights. By the time he made his debut with the Flames in 2005 he was already a well-known name in Canada thanks to his performances at the World Juniors, but his first taste of the NHL put him on the map for all hockey fans. With 20 goals and 49 points in his rookie season, he finished eighth in Norris Trophy voting and only failed to win the Calder Trophy because there were a couple of players named Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby entering the league.

In 2007-08 Phaneuf would reach a career-high of 60 points, while also racking up 182 penalty minutes as he fearlessly patroled the Calgary blue line. He’d finish second in Norris voting that year, trailing only legendary defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, who was taking home the trophy for the sixth time in seven years. That was the closest Phaneuf would get, but he still had a long career ahead of him, including his captaincy in Toronto. Overall, he played in 1,048 regular season games, racking up 494 points, 1,345 penalty minutes and more than 2,000 hits.

In 2019, the last two years of his contract were bought out by the Kings, meaning he’ll still receive a paycheck through 2022-23. The Senators had been retaining salary on the deal, so both franchises carry a part of Phaneuf’s cap hit for this season and next.

Snapshots: World Juniors, Poehling, Domi

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The World Junior tournament is coming quickly, with the first game just over six weeks from now. As players are sent back to their respective junior teams after short NHL stints, the available options for the event are becoming more clear. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic projects the rosters for the U.S., Canada, Russia, Sweden, and Finland, the groups that are dominated by NHL-drafted prospects.

He also gives his predictions on how the tournament will play out, including medals for three of the usual powerhouses. The tournament is always a point of attention on the hockey calendar as fans around the world get a chance to see the next wave of NHL stars compete at a high level.

  • Ryan Poehling, who won silver and bronze medals at the World Juniors a few years ago, will make his season debut for the Montreal Canadiens tonight. The 22-year-old is off to a great start in the minor leagues with six points in seven games for the Laval Rocket and will get a chance to show he’s ready for the next level. After making quite a splash by scoring a hat trick in his NHL debut more than two years ago, Poehling has only managed two points in 27 games at the highest level.
  • Though he’s completed his mandatory quarantine, Max Domi remains in the protocol for the Columbus Blue Jackets as he goes through the other health screenings involved to make sure he’s strong enough to return. The 26-year-old forward hasn’t played since October 31 and has just four games under his belt this season.

Zayde Wisdom On Track For Canada World Junior Selection Camp After Surgery

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According to The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler, Philadelphia Flyers prospect Zayde Wisdom is progressing ahead of schedule after receiving shoulder surgery and could return in early December in time for Team Canada’s selection camp for the upcoming IIHF World Junior Championships.

The Flyers announced Wisdom was out indefinitely after undergoing successful shoulder surgery on August 13.

Selected in the fourth round in the 2020 NHL Draft by Philadelphia, Wisdom already looks like a potential gem for the Flyers organization. After scoring 29 goals and 59 points in 62 games with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs in his draft year, the OHL’s COVID-related shutdown in 2020-21 allowed him the chance to play with the Flyers’ AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley. With the Phantoms, Wisdom impressed, scoring seven goals and 18 points in 28 games as an 18-year-old.

Wisdom is eligible to return to the AHL this season, as he played enough games last season to become exempt from the standard NHL/CHL player agreement. Under normal circumstances, Wisdom would be required to play back with his team in Kingston, if not the NHL.

With that kind of production, Wisdom is expected to at least get a look to make Canada’s World Juniors team this year, although it will be a challenge with an exceptionally deep roster. If he returns to Lehigh Valley and continues to impress, he could be a candidate for a late-season call-up in Philadelphia as well.

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