IIHF World Junior Championship 2020-21: Who to watch in Edmonton

The IIHF World Junior Championship is on its way and will be played at a time when many people across the globe are celebrating a much quieter holiday season than usual due to the global Covid-19 pandemic and may be happier to stay home with the World Juniors to watch. With no less than the NHL and most junior leagues across North America and parts of Europe on hold, it was felt that this U20 tournament could end up being one for the ages as every nation would theoretically have access to all its best players under the age of 20. Alas, the coronavirus has put a huge dent in those hopes as several of the participating nations had players or staff members that have tested positive and couldn’t travel. Despite all the challenges the tournament organizers and participating teams are facing, this year’s World Juniors will feature more high-end talent than you can shake a stick at. In prelude to the upcoming game play, we’d like to introduce you to a number of players from the ten teams you’ll want to keep an eye on throughout the tournament. Russia One of the heavy favourites for gold, Russia is bringing a line-up to Edmonton that is chock full of future NHL and KHL stars. No less than 18 members of this edition have already been drafted by an NHL team, five of which in the first round, and young defenceman Danil Chaika is expected to be a first rounder next summer. Like Canada, teams are going to have to go through Russia to earn gold. G Yaroslav Askarov Hands down, the most highly touted goaltender entering this tournament. He was the author of some shaky play in last winter’s World Juniors but has otherwise been outstanding in international and domestic plays in recent years, enough so that the Nashville Predators made him the 11th overall pick in this fall’s NHL Draft. Askarov is one of arguably just two goaltenders entering this tournament who can carry a team to a medal and it’d basically be shocking if he didn’t. D Shakir Mukhamadullin He may not be Russia’s top defenceman when all is said and done, but he’s been a polarizing name worth watching in prospect circles. Drafted 20th overall this fall by the New Jersey Devils, he started his KHL season on fire, but has cooled off considerably in recent weeks. Clear is, however, that Mukhamadullin has all the tools necessary to make a significant impact over a short period of time, if dialled in properly. Will he be in Edmonton? F Mikhail Abramov A mid-round draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Abramov is a grandpa of sorts for this team. Currently in his third season of QMJHL hockey, having stacked up 14 points in nine games, Abramov brings considerable North American experience to the table and as is offensively established as anyone on this team. RW Vasili Podkolzin The team’s captain, Podkolzin, is the guy who’s here to show everyone else how to win this thing. A 10th-overall pick of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2019 NHL Draft, Podkolzin likes to use his 192 cm, 92 kg body to play the game anyway necessary to win. Currently in his second full season of KHL play, this powerful winger will be taking a regular shift in his third, and most important, World Juniors. Expect to see him on the ice in all important phases of the game, while a visit or two to the penalty box can also be expected. Slovakia This is one of the more discrete line-ups Slovakia has had in recent years and the situation didn’t get any better when forward Maxim Cajkovic, Slovakia’s most established international U20 player, was suspended from the team as a disciplinary measure after no less than knocking defenceman Sam Krajc out of tournament play with a check deemed inappropriate by the program. G Samuel Hlavaj Hlavaj is a beast of a man in goal at 191 cm and 97 kg. This is also his third World Juniors and it would be hard to imagine anyone upending him in goal heading into the tournament. He’s also coming in with USHL and QMJHL experience, thus well-acquainted with not only North American competition, but also the North American rinks and hockey climate as well. D Simon Nemec He may not even see much ice time, but Nemec is just 16 years old and already taking a regular shift in Slovakia’s top league. He also weighs in at 187 cm and 87 kg, meaning he’s got a man’s body. With no relegation possible, his participation would be a huge investment in the future. RW Martin Chromiak Clearly the most established and offensive weapon up front, he’s also the only NHL draft pick up front as well. And that, just barely. Having been thought of as a possible first round pick this past fall, the Los Angeles Kings were able to snag him in the 5th round. What this nonetheless means is that Chromiak not only has some doubters to prove something too, but the responsibility of carrying his team’s offensive hopes. His performance against particularly Germany and Switzerland will be critical for Slovakia’s playoff hopes. Sweden The story for Sweden, which many viewed as one of the top three entries heading into this tournament, has been the wave of players and personnel (including the head coach) who’ll not be along for the ride due to Covid-19 infections before departing Edmonton. It is a true pity for Sweden and for the entire international community, which otherwise would have been exposed to the special talents of no less than William Eklund, Karl Henriksson, and Albin Grewe. But the team they’re bringing is certainly medal-capable nonetheless and features several of the absolute most important stars we’ll be seeing over the next few weeks. G Hugo Alnefelt Yes, yes, Alnefelt certainly has competition from within from young Jesper Wallstedt, but Alnefelt is considered one of the top U20 goaltenders on the planet and the Tampa Lightning prospect is in the midst of his second full SHL season. Technically sound in so many ways, yet highly flexible and quick when the opponents demand it of him, Alnefelt went 5-1 at this tournament a year ago, making him the most successfully established puckstopper heading in. We know he’s capable of backstopping a medallist from winning bronze one year ago, but will the medal be of a different colour this time? D Philip Broberg He’s big, he’s dynamic, and he loves to skate like the wind. In addition, he’ll be showing off his stuff in the arena he’ll soon be starting off his NHL career in. A first-round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers, 8th overall in 2019, Broberg has been racking up top line minutes in the SHL this season, his third year in Sweden’s professional hockey scene. Multifaceted and heady, this thoroughbred will surely be galivanting all over the ice whenever he’s up to bat. You’re going to notice him, and not only for the C on his chest. D Victor Soderstrom Another first-round draft pick (Arizona), Soderstrom had a real nice 2019/20 season for Brynas in the SHL and is currently on loan one tier below to AIK in the HockeyAllsvenskan. It’s felt he’d be lacing up the skates for Arizona already in January, but the strategist will first be contending in his second World Juniors as one of Sweden’s absolute key players. With six points and a +5 rating in seven games last winter, Soderstrom already has one year as a top defenceman in the tournament behind him. Expect him to want to pick up where he left off. RW Alexander Holtz There but a few true snipers heading into this tournament and Holtz may just be the best of them. After nine goals last season Djurgarden of the SHL, he’s got six in 19 games to accompany 13 points in this season and has hit a ton of posts along the way. More importantly, he’s been racking up the points for years internationally, scoring profusely for every Swedish national team he’s suited up for, including three goals and five points in last winter’s tournament as a true underager. In light of Sweden’s losses heading into the tournament, the immense value of his goal-scoring pensum is dialled up now and will simply have to be on display if Sweden is going to head home with a chunk of medal. F Lucas Raymond It’s a bit unclear what position the 4th-overall pick in this fall’s draft will be playing at this tournament after Sweden lost several of its top centre candidates to the coronavirus, but be aware that Raymond just may have the slickest hands in this tournament whatsoever. It’s not just the incredible moves and slippery tricks he’s got, but the vision that allows him to set up teammates in the most prime of shooting positions, often completely unsuspectingly. For Sweden to medal, Raymond is going to have to be a top producer and a dominant power play player. He is very capable and you’re not going to want to miss out on seeing him in action. Switzerland The Swiss head into the tournament lacking any of the clear-cut, internationally recognized go-to players they’ve usually had at this tournament, for example, Timo Meier and Nico Hischier. Instead, the strength will have to be in the collective, daily effort of all participants, despite several notable exceptions. G Noah Patenaude With experience out of parts of two seasons in the QMJHL, the young Patenaude is one of the more intriguing names on the team and a player who could be the difference maker in the crucial games against Germany and Slovakia. He also has another year of U20 eligibility, so there’s a lot for Coach Bayer to gain by letting Noah gather some experience in Edmonton. D Inaki Baragano A member of the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL last season, the small and shifty defenceman will be one of Switzerland’s key players in this tournament and is geared to rack up a lot of important minutes. He may be the team’s chief weapon from the blueline on the power play as well. RW Simon Knak Thought of very highly in Swiss circles for a good long while now, Knak spent last season with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL, where he came in with high expectations. Despite moments of brilliance, the penny never really dropped, and his season was disappointing enough to see him go undrafted this fall. Thanks to size, skating, and some amazing hands, he is nonetheless the best pure offensive player on this team and should be playing in this tournament with a real chip on his shoulders. F Lorenzo Canonica Just 17, the slick Lugano product scheduled to play this season with Shawinigan of the QMJHL is primed and ready to let the international community know exactly who he is and why they should be talking about him. Don’t be surprised if his name keeps popping up on the scoresheet. USA The USA is entering this tournament with a bad taste in its mouth. After playing a successful, but unconvincing preliminary round in last year’s show, a 1-0 loss to Finland in the quarter-finals tossed out a team many had thought should be contending for gold – at least on paper. Now another line-up full of future NHLers will hit the ice and has its work cut out for it. An inexperienced but highly versatile blueline is the team’s major positional concern heading in, but has the potential to be a much more effective overall group than we saw 12 months ago. Oh, and get used to forwards whose names begin with the letter ‘B’. G Spencer Knight What we wrote about Russia’s Askarov almost completely applies to Knight, as he is the only other goaltender entering this tournament with this many expectations on his shoulders. Sure, people thought that about him last winter and your goaltender is hardly at fault for a 1-0 loss, but let there be no doubt that when a game is tight for Team USA, the whole hockey community is expecting Knight to be the difference. He expects that of himself as well. C Trevor Zegras What a trip it’s been for the 2019 9th-overall pick. A returnee for Team USA, Zegras entered last winter’s tournament as a bit of an extra and went on to lead the team in scoring with nine points (all assists) in five games. That and his 36 points in 33 college hockey games for Boston University led to a quick entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks. That he’s here with this U.S. squad is partially due in part to the NHL season first starting on 13 January, because it’s believed he has a good shot at playing in the NHL this season. Beforehand, however, he’ll be counted on to whip up another dose of offence similar to last winter’s outstanding statistics. LW Matt Boldy Boldy is the entire package and is entering this tournament with eight points in four college hockey games after a freshman season that saw him put up 26 points in 34 games. Of good physical size and demeanour, Boldy simply does it all, and he does it all at a rate that can be understood as above average. He’s arguably got the same type of playmaking instincts as the aforementioned Zegras and will add the kind of hockey sense that allows a player to impact literally every shift. The U.S. is going to need him at his best. RW Cole Caufield He’s mighty small and he’s mighty productive. A player for whom size has never been an issue, the 170 cm tall Caufield is felt to have perhaps the best nose for the net of any player at this tournament. His six goals and 12 points in 10 games with the University of Wisconsin does nothing but back that belief, especially after his 36 points in 36 games there as a freshman. We also feel he’s entering this tournament with a huge chip on his shoulder as he managed only one goal in the previous, disappointing World Juniors campaign and that’s a fact he will want to firmly bury in the past as he writes much different story this winter. C Matthew Beniers We’ll conclude this article in a very fitting manner, because this is a player you’re going to want to pay very close attention to and we feel you may not yet know a whole lot about him. This may change considerably over the next two weeks. Beniers just recently turned 18 and is already playing college hockey for a stacked University of Michigan team. He would have surely been on the U.S. squad scheduled for the U18 Worlds as an underager, had the tournament not been lost to the pandemic. Now he’s here and bringing an undeniable skills package to the table. You shouldn’t be surprised in the least if he comes out of nowhere to make one of the biggest impacts around at this tournament. For certain, the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship is going to be chock full of talent and talented young men whose careers will surely see a few become future Olympians and World Championship winners. You’re going to want to catch them all, but we can’t imagine you’ll miss out on any of the names above while doing so. Enjoy the action!