OAKVILLE, Ont. — After 4 days, 4 practices, a scrimmage, and two video games towards a staff of USports All-Stars, Crew Canada has narrowed its world junior roster down from the 30 gamers who have been invited to choice camp to the 22 who will journey to Sweden.
Listed below are my ideas on the eight cuts (4 forwards, three defencemen, and one goalie), my up to date projected strains, and notes on each participant who participated in camp.
The cuts
F Denver Barkey (Philadelphia Flyers): Barkey’s a fantastic story and must be happy with himself for working his approach into the dialog, at his measurement, after not getting the summer season conferences invite. He drew an help on Canada’s first purpose of their first sport towards USports, scored when a shot went off of his shin pad going to the entrance of the web for the 2-1 purpose in that sport, and performed along with his typical hustle and leap. I’d guess that if Canada doesn’t get one among Matt Poitras and Zach Benson, like they’re hoping, that he’d be the one to get the decision again.
GO DEEPER
The shared path of Flyers prospects Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk
F Jagger Firkus (Seattle Kraken): My large takeaway on Firkus is that he seems like he has picked up a step. He has all the time been very nimble on cuts and dashes, however there’s some straight-line burst/acceleration. I’d have appreciated to see him make decisions slightly faster on the puck at occasions, although. His play was disconnected and ineffective in each USports video games, and his decision-making and execution simply appeared a spark off. He hit a put up on the facility play in Sport 2, however that was about it. You may really feel it slipping away from him.
F Paul Ludwinski (Blackhawks): Ludwinski’s pace was noticeable monitoring pucks and making use of stress extra off the puck than making performs on it. He did make some fast choices with the puck contained in the offensive zone. He additionally had an enormous block late in Sport 1 in a 3-2 sport. I appreciated him higher within the opener than within the finale.
F Markus Vidicek (undrafted): Vidicek’s skating and tempo have been noticeable, significantly within the first sport. However there wasn’t rather a lot that really got here from it and he was going to want to do extra to make it.
D Michael Buchinger (St. Louis Blues): Buchinger actually struggled, with one ugly turnover in every sport that spoke to it. I assumed he was shifting it faster and crisper to begin Sport 2, however then it received away from him and he received burned for a few objectives towards. I didn’t suppose he did sufficient.
D Jorian Donovan (Ottawa Senators): Donovan defended effectively one-on-one towards the larger, older gamers on USports. I assumed he complemented Ty Nelson pretty effectively as effectively, letting Nelson play the busier model. However he was fairly sloppy with the puck and made a couple of too many unhealthy passes.
D Ty Nelson (Seattle Kraken): Nelson pounded a one-timer within the red-white scrimmage. After an early turnover within the first USports sport, he made some performs on exits and entries underneath stress. He picked up an help on Wooden’s game-opening purpose within the first sport towards USports as effectively. All through, he was lively out and in of give-and-gos and off the road to contain himself in performs and current an possibility. He was vocal. He has some presence and swagger about him, for positive. His head was all the time up. He’s by no means lackadaisical defensively. Can inform he’s dialled in on the market. He took a penalty late within the second interval of the second sport and had a few misreads one-on-one, however I assumed he outplayed Warren, for positive, and whereas he’s brief, he was probably the most bodily superior participant at camp so I wouldn’t essentially purchase the scale argument. He was the one shock for me, although it was all the time going to be onerous to make this Crew Canada on the best facet reasonably than the left.
G Domenic DiVincentiis (Winnipeg Jets): DiVincentiis struggled. He was leaky in apply. He was good in Sport 1, stopping 12 of 13 (the purpose he did hand over was from a foul angle however completely positioned by Wooden). However he gave up three on 14 photographs in Sport 2, and he didn’t look set on two and went down early on the third.
The staff
F Owen Allard (undrafted): The most effective story of camp. Allard works, has nice pace, and has the scale that this Crew Canada lacks up entrance. He is probably not an attractive title, however he hit a crossbar, received after it, was noticeable on the forecheck, and impressed in three-on-three extra time. Hockey Canada likes to carry a Zack Ostapchuk-type for the fourth line and Allard suits the invoice.
F Owen Beck (Montreal Canadiens): A stronger skater than most in camp, which was noticeable within the practices, the scrimmage and the lone sport he performed in. Beck was on pucks, had an enormous penalty kill shift and was accountable defensively, which goes to be his function on this staff although he’s the lone returnee.
F Easton Cowan (Toronto Maple Leafs): One of many first issues I seen at camp this week was simply how a lot the hunch in Cowan’s stride impacts his sport (each positively and negatively). On one hand, he’s all the time engaged and on his toes as a result of he by no means straightens up his stance and involves a standstill, and he’s agile on his first minimize/change of course (much less so on his second due to the dedication required). On the opposite, when he actually commits to a place into contact or a reach-in, it may well put him off-balance and push him round at his measurement. He was higher within the first sport towards USports, enjoying because the thirteenth ahead, than he was within the second. He moved effectively out and in of give-and-gos and performed with some leap offensively. He had some moments holding pucks round sticks. He confirmed good pace. However exterior of an enormous block within the second sport, he wasn’t as impactful as he wanted to be.
F Nate Danielson (Detroit Pink Wings): Danielson was quiet early within the week in apply classes, however I assumed he discovered his sport slowly by the red-white scrimmage and the 2 USports video games. He didn’t create a lot offensively, however his strains spent a while within the offensive zone and he and Allard appear to get after it on the forecheck collectively. He’s going to play a bottom-six function on this staff, and sure on the wing (the place they slotted him all week).
F Macklin Celebrini (2024 NHL Draft): Ought to come as no shock that the primary scoring probability of the primary actual scrimmage got here off of a tic-tac-toe sequence that Celebrini began to linemate Easton Cowan (who feathered a puck by to Jordan Dumais). When he turns his again on defenders alongside the wall, it’s so onerous for guys to take the puck off of him. Spectacular capacity to protect pucks in his ft and keep a robust stance. Noticeable and making one thing occur shift-to-shift. Rewarded with a pleasant low-to-high main help on the 3-1 purpose. Labored a give-and-go with Dumais on the primary shift on Sport 2., then scored two shifts later. Carried probably the most constant pace by impartial ice on the staff. On pucks. Stays on them. Protects it. Talent in tight. Velocity. Bodily. At all times open.
F Jordan Dumais (Columbus Blue Jackets): Dumais impressed and made performs, as he virtually all the time does. Within the first scrimmage, Dumais’ first 4 touches on his first two shifts all created offensive seems for himself or his linemates. He reads the sport so shortly that he is aware of the place he needs to go together with every contact. He’s all the time open in little pockets. He threaded the needle to Celebrini on the primary shift of the second interval of the primary sport for a extremely good look, picked up a secondary help on the 3-1 purpose, made one other silky saucer move within the third, and made a couple of extra early in Sport 2 earlier than sitting out the second and third durations to guard a hip flexor situation he’s enjoying with.
F Conor Geekie (Arizona Coyotes): Geekie scored within the red-white scrimmage with a fast launch on a partial break, and was noticeable all through. He was additionally one of many six gamers who didn’t must play within the first sport towards USports, which is all the time an early sign of who the locks are. On a roster that lacks measurement up entrance, I wasn’t stunned to see him because the third ahead in that lock group (alongside the one two forwards who’ve performed NHL video games this season in Fraser Minten and Matt Savoie).
F Fraser Minten (Toronto Maple Leafs): The mixture of his age, NHL expertise (although he has performed simply 4 NHL video games, that’s probably the most among the many forwards in camp), measurement, and well-roundedness made Minten one of many locks up entrance in camp and, I count on, an vital participant for this staff.
F Carson Rehkopf (Seattle Kraken): Rehkopf is so, so harmful as a shooter straight-up with goalies. That was evident within the apply classes. He has this little feint that he does pre-release earlier than he lets it go. It seems like as he settles into that feint, he’s comfy eliminating it at any time, too. He was forcing it slightly within the opener and took a penalty reaching in, which I believe meant that he needed to play effectively on Wednesday to safe a spot, however he responded and showcased his ability in Sport 2. He practically arrange Celebrini on the backdoor within the first interval after which had a superb shift on the cycle his subsequent time over the boards. He confirmed creativity and was above pucks defensively, in entrance of the web on screens. He was profitable pucks. There have been nonetheless a few moments the place he waited too lengthy with the puck, however he seemed far more like himself and Canada goes to want his expertise to indicate up in some unspecified time in the future. I may see him being the thirteenth ahead if Canada will get an NHLer — and dealing his approach right into a top-six scoring function in some unspecified time in the future.
F Matthew Savoie (Buffalo Sabres): After they began significantly engaged on PP/PK work in a sport atmosphere, it took Savoie one shift to create a breakaway search for himself short-handed. It’s so onerous for defencemen to trace him when he will get into twists and turns. After they practiced the shootout, Savoie virtually didn’t miss (five-hole, deke, short-side, you title it), so I’d count on him to be a go-to if it involves that. He didn’t play in both of the USports video games so I’m trying ahead to seeing the place they slot him in pre-tournament provided that he can play both centre or the wing (I’d count on him at 1RW most probably, although).
F Matthew Wooden (Nashville Predators): I hadn’t seen him a lot in camp till he went short-side underneath the bar with a superbly positioned shot from a foul angle for the primary purpose of the primary sport towards USports. From there on out, he was persistently noticeable offensively and supported the play effectively. He created the second purpose of that first sport, too, choosing up two main factors and a purpose within the shootout (after he blocked a shot in OT). In Sport 2, he was significantly noticeable showcasing his good fingers and discovering his approach out of visitors with the puck and holding onto pucks previous reaching sticks/in tight to his physique. He wanted to win a spot and was one among few who actually grabbed it in a camp that was a little bit of a combined bag for a lot of the different gamers.
F Brayden Yager (Pittsburgh Penguins): I appreciated Yager’s work charge off the puck. He performed with some tempo and leap. He drew a penalty. He was higher as the sport went on in each video games. However he wasn’t at his greatest offensively and issues didn’t click on. His pedigree and robust previous with Hockey Canada have been seemingly the tiebreaker.
D Oliver Bonk (Philadelphia Flyers): Bonk’s retailers have been clear, as typical. He stored the chain going on the level, too. He drew a penalty breaking the puck out in Sport 2. He did get danced at three-on-three however all informed I assumed he dealt with himself effectively. A pleasant nod as an 18-year-old.
D Jake Furlong (San Jose Sharks): Furlong let a pleasant shot go on the 3-1 purpose within the first USports sport after which scored into the empty internet for his second of the sport. He was tidy on retailers. I assumed he seemed composed and positive of himself with the puck. Rather less so with out (he received caught out of place a few occasions in key moments) however he is sensible as a No. 6/7 D with this group.
D Maveric Lamoureux (Arizona Coyotes): Was impressed, as all the time, by how good his edges are for his measurement. He’s comfy on the within and out of doors, even when his towering body is bent out laterally on sharp angles. I count on Tristan Luneau to be the No. 1 D on this staff by way of ice time, however it seems like Denton Mateychuk and Lamoureux would be the No. 2-3 (in no matter order) and play large roles as effectively. These three D have been handled in another way all through camp and it was no shock that they sat each USports video games.
D Tristan Luneau (Anaheim Geese): Luneau seemed a minimize above all week in apply and within the red-white scrimmage. It was spectacular. His skating seems so comfy, versatile and smoothed out and it’s good to see that his knee not seems to hassle him. In battle drills and small-area competitions, he was pushing previous opposing gamers with ease and controlling play. He’s going to be a horse for this staff and I wouldn’t be stunned to see him push 25-Half-hour when the video games matter.
D Denton Mateychuk (Columbus Blue Jackets): Mateychuk didn’t play in both USports sport however seemed his typical three-zone self within the skates and the way in which Hockey Canada spoke about him it appears like he’s going to put on a letter for this staff and possibly even the ‘C’ (which he has worn earlier than with this age group, and with Columbus’ rookie staff).
D Tanner Molendyk (Nashville Predators): Molendyk took a bump in a sport towards Pink Deer with Saskatoon on Dec. 8, simply two days earlier than the beginning of camp. He didn’t skate on Day 1, skated twice on Day 2 (first within the morning with out gear after which with gear, each by himself), joined the scratches for his or her morning skate on Day 3, after which lastly performed on Day 4 within the second sport towards USports. He performed fast and led some entries and exits along with his ft and fast passes underneath the primary layer. His poise underneath stress was instantly noticeable. Molendyk seemed such as you’d count on him to look and checked the containers he wanted to. A transparent alternative if he was good to go, even because the youngest defenceman invited to camp.
D Noah Warren (Anaheim Geese): It was good to see Warren look to contain himself within the play offensively along with his skating off the puck. Even when the puck doesn’t come to him, when he prompts and drives the center lane it attracts numerous consideration. He had a few good probabilities low within the offensive zone. However he struggled extra defensively than anybody else in camp for my cash, they usually want that to be his bread and butter. He was repeatedly caught out of place and received uncovered a few occasions, finally resulting in a few objectives towards that he was straight concerned in. He received walked one-on-one twice. He seemed a minimize beneath his friends for me. They clearly covet the size/measurement/skating down the depth chart, although.
G Scott Ratzlaff (Buffalo Sabres): I assumed Ratzlaff, the one 18-year-old goalie in camp, really seemed probably the most comfy to me all through. He was the one goalie who didn’t get caught spinning or napping, and stopped 28 of 30.
G Mathis Rousseau (undrafted): Rousseau gave up the one two objectives within the red-white scrimmage, and he’d in all probability prefer to have each again. However he was going to have the longest leash because the goalie who has performed one of the best this yr, and he performed very well within the two USports video games, combining to cease 30/31 within the two halves he performed. He received scrambled after making the preliminary save on the primary purpose towards within the first sport towards USports, and I count on that Hockey Canada brass began to get slightly nervous as a result of that made it the primary three objectives towards of camp being on him. However he was one of the best goalie from there on out and good when examined within the finale. He’s noticeably small, however he has one of the best numbers of the group within the CHL during the last couple of years and had one of the best numbers within the USports video games ultimately.
G Samuel St. Hilaire (undrafted): St. Hilaire made a few the higher saves in camp, showcasing good monitoring and athleticism. He completed 23 of 26. Good story. Has by no means been concerned with Hockey Canada, till now. Wasn’t even within the QMJHL till he was 18.
Lineup projection
(Prime photograph courtesy of Hockey Canada)
Discover more from PressNewsAgency
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.