What To Follow At The World Juniors

We’re at a unique time in the NHL draft cycle. The prospect series between the National Team Development Program (NTDP) and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) took place last week, and the World Juniors start later in the month. It’s that time of the year when fans start to follow the prospect and get to know the big names aside from Gavin McKenna.

For most hockey fans, the World Juniors isn’t worth following, watching, or paying much attention to. The games, to be blunt, are boring. It’s a big event for the prospects and those who are following them and their path to the NHL. That said, there are some things worth following in the event ahead, and Anthony Donati helped outline a few of them on the latest episode of Ice Time. So, let’s look at some.

How Teams Play Can Read Into Players’ Compete Level

An interesting note from the prospect series last week was how the USA side played above its weight. The CHL had the better prospect pool and the more talented players, yet for the most part, they were outplayed. Whether it’s a class half empty or a glass half full situation is up for debate.

It does say a lot about the compete level from the US side. More importantly, there are a lot of scouts and general managers (GMs) watching the event, looking for how players can perform in tournament or playoff situations.

The World Juniors will have plenty of countries that are outmatched, yet will play up to the competition. The important read on that is a handful of players who can raise their draft stock, maybe from a third round to a second round selection. A key part of the evaluation is how a player fits into the system and when a prospect is working well with the rest of the team, it says a lot about them, and we’ll see plenty of that in the tournament ahead.

The Second-Tier of Prospects

Everyone knows about Gavin McKenna and is expecting him to have a great tournament. It’s certainly the hope since his season at Penn State has been underwhelming, and as the projected top pick, a big tournament will remove doubt about his star potential. The World Juniors are when everyone will start to see the other top prospects, a few of whom can become top-five picks in the event.

Last season, it was Matthew Schaefer who only played a limited time and missed most of the action with an injury, yet stood out to prove he’s a generational talent. This time around, a player gaining the attention of many scouts is Caleb Malhotra, the son of Manny Malhotra but a center with a lot more skill. He’s having a great season with the Brantford Bulldogs in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and will be a key part of Canada’s success in the World Juniors, so it will be hard to ignore him.

There are also a few defenseman who many teams will have a close eye on, especially rebuilding teams that already have the forwards to build around and need a do-it-all defenseman. Chase Reid stood out in the prospect series and brings plenty of skill at the point. Xavier Villeneuve is a standout in the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and the question is how he’ll perform on a bigger stage against tougher competition. Then there’s Keaton Verhoeff, the defenseman who has a chance to leap McKenna in the rankings and go number one with a strong showing.

This is a tournament where the stars are often at their best. That said, there are a few players who can improve their draft stock as well and are worth keeping an eye on throughout the event.

They Don’t Ask How Many, They Ask How?

Something that Donati noted about the World Juniors is that games will get lopsided and the stats will be deceiving. When Canada or the USA runs up the score against lesser competition, it will be hard to read into the results.

The key is how the players stand out or how the goals look. When a prospect scores in a tight space or creates something out of nothing, that’s when it’s worth taking note. When a defenseman breaks up an odd-man rush the other way, that’s noteworthy. There will be plenty of in-game moments that go beyond the highlights. It’s why the GMs love attending the games and getting a feel for the players beyond the highlight moments.

For most fans, especially the ones who aren’t watching closely, it’s all about the highlights. Those edited and cut-up videos showcase the best and only the best of the prospects. The games, especially the tight games, will show which players are ready for the NHL.

Other Notes For The World Juniors & Draft Leadup

The underlying theme from the prospect series and the events ahead is that the draft process is starting to ramp up. For most hockey fans, it’s easy to ignore everything until the draft season in the summer. This is the time to really get to know the names and players who will shape the future of the game.

This is also the first time all season that these prospects finally play in significant games. McKenna hasn’t played well in Penn State but it’s early-season action for a program that hasn’t given him a great supporting cast. Now, he’ll have one, and it’s where he can make his mark. The same applies to a lot of the big names heading into the draft (plus a handful who are a year or two removed from the draft but trying to stand out in their team’s farm systems).