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The Montreal Canadiens have six prospects enjoying at the 2023 World Junior Championship (WJC). After a gradual begin for a few of them, all six have been contributing and serving to their groups succeed at this 12 months’s event. Starting within the medal rounds, Owen Beck will join the Canadian team, making a complete of seven prospects, however since he has but to play, he’s not included on this article. Here is a glance at how Montreal’s prospects are fairing at the WJC thus far.
Vinzenz Rohrer – Austria
Vinzenz Rohrer is a third-round choose within the 2022 Draft by the Canadiens and the one drafted participant on the Austrian roster. He was held out of the primary sport resulting from an sickness however has been the perfect participant on the staff since. Statistically, there may be not a lot to look at, as Austria solely scored two objectives within the round-robin of their last game against Germany, however Rohrer bought an help on a type of objectives. However, his play can’t be summed up in simply objectives and factors.
Rohrer has been Austria’s most important two-way ahead, enjoying in all conditions and main the staff in ice time (TOI) with 22:13, averaging nearly a minute a shift. He was named captain as a result of his management has stored Austria optimistic by means of a troublesome event that has seen them permit 35 objectives whereas scoring solely two. Austrian coach Kirk Fuery praised the younger ahead, saying, “He’s as advertised. He’s a warrior, a great kid, and a great person, and it was huge to have his presence back in the lineup.” If Habs followers can take something out of Rohrer’s play at the WJC, it’s that he’s a real chief.
Joshua Roy – Canada
In his second WJC this 12 months – the 2022 event was performed in August resulting from COVID – Joshua Roy is displaying he belongs within the class of prime Canadian gamers. In final 12 months’s event, he scored eight factors in seven video games and was a strong two-way ahead for Canada, enjoying in all conditions by killing penalties and a few energy play (PP) time. This 12 months isn’t any totally different; he was on the third line in Canada’s loss to Czechia however rapidly moved to the second line enjoying alongside phenom Connor Bedard.
Since becoming a member of the second line, Roy has exploded offensively, scoring six factors – together with three objectives -and is within the prime ten in scoring general at the WJC. He additionally ranks second within the event for plus/minus behind Canada’s Bedard with a plus-10 score. Roy is having his second profitable WJC whereas nonetheless tearing it up within the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), scoring 43 factors in 24 video games. He led the league final season with 119 factors and 51 objectives.
Oliver Kapanen – Finland
Oliver Kapanen is having a quiet event; he got here out robust, scoring a purpose and an help in his first two video games, however hasn’t registered some extent since. He is a 2021 second-round choose who many followers neglect could possibly be a shocking draft choose for the Canadiens. He is the captian of the Finnish staff and is enjoying in his second WJC.
Related: 2023 Guide to the World Junior Championship
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Kapanen didn’t have a fantastic WJC final 12 months, scoring solely two factors in seven video games, and this 12 months appears no totally different. If there may be something to fret about, it seems to be his capability to play underneath strain. He remains to be enjoying a strong two-way sport, and Finland has solely scored 12 objectives within the four-game round-robin. Even with the 2 factors, he nonetheless is tied for third on the staff in scoring and has a 63% faceoff share (FO%), which is fifth general at the WJC.
Filip Mesar – Slovakia
Filip Mesar was the Canadiens’ second first-round choose within the 2022 Draft. He was a shocking choose however one with a really excessive ability set and a promising future. After a formidable camp with Montreal, he began the season with the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL). Still, after one sport, he was despatched to the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), the place he scored 22 factors in 17 video games.
Mesar helps to steer the cost for Slovakia at this 12 months’s WJC. He has 5 factors in 4 video games and is a big motive the staff has reached the medal spherical and completed third of their group. He is a speedy, expert winger who is superb at transition and makes use of his velocity to drag away from his opponents to create time and house. He is tied for the staff lead in factors with Peter Repcik.
Adam Engstrom – Sweden
Adam Engstrom is among the prime defencemen for the Swedish staff, and Montreal drafted him within the third spherical of the 2022 Draft. At 6-foot-2 and 192 kilos, he can transfer the puck effectively and performs a robust rush defence. He at present performs with Rogal BK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), with 5 factors in 23 video games, together with two objectives. He scored the only goal in Sweden’s 1-0 victory over Germany in round-robin play this 12 months at the WJC.
Lane Hutson – USA
When the Canadiens drafted Lane Hutson within the second spherical of the 2022 Draft, many appeared at it as a steal. He has all of the ability to be a prime offensive defenseman within the NHL and will have rapidly gone within the first spherical. The downside was he was listed as solely 5-foot-7 at the draft and weighing round 150 kilos. That is tiny for a defenseman and is the most important motive he fell to the second spherical. Now relying on the place you look, he’s both 5-foot-8 or 5-foot-9 and has 18 factors in 16 video games for Boston University of the NCAA.
Hutson is slowly getting higher as this WJC carries on; as his ice time will increase, so has his confidence. He solely has two factors to indicate for his effort, however he has been a mainstay on the USA PP and has used his velocity and ability to assist present momentum to the USA offence when he’s on the ice. There is little doubt that Hutson has the expertise, however can his measurement deal with the NHL? It has thus far at the WJC, and that’s a fairly good gauge that he ought to be okay when he reaches the large leagues.
The medal rounds begin subsequent for all groups besides Austria. The Austrian squad with Rohrer will play Latvia in a best-of-three relegation to see who returns subsequent season. As for the remainder of the staff’s schedule:
- Roy and Canada play Mesar and Slovakia
- Engstrom and Sweden face Kapanen and Finland
- USA with Hutson will play Germany
- Beck shall be with Canada for the medal rounds; it’s unknown now if he’ll costume or not
Trege Wilson has been a contract content material author for the previous 4 years and with the THW for the previous 12 months. He is the co-host of the favored Montreal Canadiens podcast Habs Unfiltered on IHeartworkRadio.com. Trege could be very keen about all issues Canadiens and loves to supply his readers with nice high quality information, rumours and opinions on the Montreal Canadiens. Trege has additionally been featured on CTV information and ESPN Radio; for interviews and visitor appearances, you’ll be able to contact him at any of his social media accounts listed underneath his picture in such articles as this one.
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