The street to the 2024 international juniors in Gothenburg kicked off ultimate week in Plymouth, Mich., with the 2023 International Junior Summer time Exhibit that includes the highest under-20 hopefuls for USA, Sweden and Finland.
On the conclusion of the nine-day match, listed below are our early roster choices (together with strains, pairings, extras and ultimate cuts) for the 4 superpowers of Canada (picked via Corey Pronman), USA (picked via Max Bultman), Sweden (picked via Scott Wheeler) and Finland (additionally picked via Wheeler).
Group Canada
The 2004 age staff for Canada isn’t their most powerful so that they flip to numerous 2005-born avid gamers right here and a 2006. Normally, projecting Group Canada is tougher than a normal 12 months as a result of they didn’t host any in their Program of Excellence summer season camps because of funds constraints.
Projecting the 3 Wenatchee Wild avid gamers at the peak line appears like a moderately sensible situation for the event. I don’t know if Canada could be in love with any in their No. 1 heart choices, even supposing Conor Geekie, Nate Danielson and Brayden Yager are all very good avid gamers. In an overly excellent international, they’d get Shane Wright from Seattle, however it is going to rely on whether or not they need to ship him to his 1/3 International Junior event. Macklin Celebrini is the early favourite to be the No. 1 select within the 2024 NHL draft. A top-six function may well be competitive on Group Canada for a 17-year-old however his recreation could be very neatly rounded and dynamic to make it paintings. If Canada desires an older participant within the peak 9, Jagger Firkus could be a robust candidate in that situation even supposing it creates an unusual state of affairs the place there are an over the top choice of right-shots within the peak 9. He may just push Jordan Dumais or Matthew Wooden for a place as neatly. Preferably, they’d almost definitely need extra dimension on this lineup, particularly on the backside portions.
Kevin Korchinski, if to be had, must be the transparent chief of this blue line. He and Owen Pickering would give their blue line dimension, mobility and offense and might be leaned on, whether or not at the identical or other pairs. Korchinski would most likely be on a power-play unit. The place Canada will get the remainder of their offense from is TBD, however Denton Mateychuk, Tristan Luneau, Michael Buchinger, Ty Nelson and Lucas Cagnoni are applicants to run an influence play for them. As soon as that’s found out, the scale, mobility and hardness of Maveric Lamoureux and Noah Warren are compatible into this workforce neatly.
As at all times projecting Group Canada in target isn’t a very simple job. Domenic DiVincentiis’ sturdy season within the OHL and athleticism I feel makes him the early favourite to begin however we’ll see how the remainder of the season is going. He’s the one one I believe assured projecting onto the workforce. After that, Scott Ratzlaff’s sturdy efficiency for Canada ultimately 12 months’s Hlinka I feel offers him the brink to be the backup. — Corey Pronman
Group USA
Logan Cooley signing with Arizona most likely subtracts a dynamic participant on the peak of the lineup, and the event MVP favourite, from Group USA. That hurts. However the excellent news for the American citizens is they have got quite a lot of skill up entrance, and their ahead corps would possibly in truth be capable of continue to exist the hit this 12 months.
Cooley’s previous operating buddies, Cutter Gauthier and Jimmy Snuggerud, are big-bodied snipers who shouldn’t pass over a beat, and Rutger McGroarty and Gavin Brindley are fellow returnees who can each ranking and win battles in exhausting spaces of the ice. Newcomer Ryan Leonard is a scaled-up model of that very same profile, and was once superb on the American citizens’ summer season camp in spite of being separated from standard linemates Will Smith and Gabe Perreault. Heart Frank Nazar was once exceptional all week too, handing over a four-goal recreation and constantly developing probabilities together with his pace.
Probably the most attention-grabbing tales on the International Junior Summer time Exhibit was once James Hagens, who isn’t draft eligible till 2025 however already sticks out because of his dynamic skating and mind. He’s small, however doesn’t go into reverse both — reminiscent, in truth, of a tender Cooley, who made the workforce and grew to become in additional than a point-per-game appearing on the international juniors in his U18 season. By way of the general follow day of the development, Group USA was once even experimenting with a line that slotted Hagens between Gauthier and Snuggerud. I’ve the 2 large wingers enjoying along Smith for now, however Hagens might be attention-grabbing to look at between now and Boxing Day. He seems like a first-overall select candidate in 2025.
The overall cuts from this ahead staff might be excruciating. 2023 first-round select Perreault seems like a bubble case in spite of being in all probability probably the most dynamic power-play choice at ahead, and I’ve him at the out of doors taking a look in right here because of the mass of sturdy flank choices, with extra provide five-on-five affect, for Group USA. I additionally actually sought after to discover a spot for Cole Knuble, who I believed had a very good week. He scored gritty objectives across the internet, has a top paintings price, and may just simply slot right into a bottom-six penalty kill roll for the American citizens. However with a protection corps that’s going to skew small, I as an alternative opted for Gavin Hayes, who additionally had a pleasant week in Plymouth, however brings extra heaviness to the fold.
And the U.S. goes to wish it, as a result of this blue line appears to be like worrisome. Lane Hutson is in fact dynamic, and he and Ryan Chesley might be counted on for giant mins. The similar is correct for Seamus Casey, who must power offense for the American citizens and laid a specifically memorable open-ice hit throughout some of the exhibitions as neatly.
However past the ones 3, there are numerous query marks, and it made filling out the ground portion of the blue line tricky. Eric Pohlkamp is every other smaller defender, however I favored his appearing in Plymouth, and his large shot from the purpose and bodily willingness give him vital qualities this staff differently lacks — sufficient to fit him right here on his off-hand. I additionally went with Schulz for a real defensive choice, and took Sam Rinzel for his period and skating, even supposing he’ll want to display he can also be relied on throughout the early a part of the NCAA season.
The ahead corps was once at all times going to be the energy of this staff, however Group USA goes to actually want some defenders to step up between now and December, or the blue line may just change into a deadly flaw. — Max Bultman
Group Sweden
There might be 3 issues about this Swedish roster that can be capable of move toe-to-toe on house ice with any workforce on this 12 months’s event: Their top-six ahead staff (assuming they get Leo Carlsson, which isn’t a ensure however I’ve penciled in right here), their protection (the energy of this 12 months’s workforce), and Hugo Havelid, their very good presumptive beginning goaltender. If Carlsson comes and performs heart as an alternative of the wing (I’ve simplest were given him at the wing right here as a result of I’d like for him to play with Filip Bystedt and he’s the extra relaxed of the 2 there), you’ll be able to upload their intensity down the center to that listing too, most likely transferring Fabian Wagner (a returnee) to the wing.
That prime line is a well-recognized one. They’re all teammates with Djurgarden, they’ve performed in combination the world over for Sweden up to now, and so they, at the side of the Havelid brothers, are 3 of the 5 largest causes Sweden gained gold on the 2022 U18 Worlds.
I just like the hardworking, made up our minds, shot-first recreation of returnee Oskar Pettersson to counterpoint Carlsson and Bystedt to around out that top-six, too. The place this ahead staff is weakest is at right-wing within the backside six. I feel there’s simplest room for some of the right-shooting Felix(es) to make the workforce, and I’ve given Felix Unger Sorum the brink over Predators second-rounder Felix Nilsson right here as a result of I believed he performed higher on the International Junior Summer time Exhibit ultimate week, and he was once very good on Sweden’s peak line with Otto Stenberg and David Edstrom on the u18 worlds, so I love the speculation of protecting them in combination for chemistry’s sake.
Even though I’ve were given 19-year-old Alexander Suzdalev at the fourth line right here, he’d be my second-line left-winger if Carlsson performs the center as a result of he’s extra of a ability man than a job participant. The hardest calls up entrance for me had been the twelfth and thirteenth ahead jobs. I went with 19-year-old Isac Born for the twelfth activity for his versatility (he can play heart or the wing, and penalty kill), even supposing he’s a left-handed shot being requested to play the best. I love Anton Wahlberg, a Sabres second-rounder, because the thirteenth man as it at all times will pay to have an additional heart and he may just play up and down the lineup whilst including dimension if want be, plus it will be a just right revel in for him to assist him get able for a extra outstanding function on the 2025 event (he’d be the second-youngest participant at the 2024 workforce to Unger Sorum as a result of his July birthday).
5 of the seven jobs on protection, together with Sweden’s peak 4, really feel lovely neatly made up our minds already. Calle Odelius, Axel Sandin Pellikka and Jakob Noren are returnees. And Mattias Havelid and Elias Salomonsson each would were on ultimate 12 months’s workforce if now not for damage and feature been leaders of this 2004 age staff for Sweden.
After that, even supposing Tom Willander wasn’t on the International Junior Summer time Exhibit with Group Sweden ultimate week (he was once invited, despite the fact that), I be expecting him to be at the workforce, with Salomonsson because the possibly in their plethora of righties to transport to the left (they’ve already experimented with it). Every of the Pink Wings’ Anton Johansson (every other righty), Blues’ Theo Lindstein (a lefty) and the Canucks’ Elias Pettersson (a lefty) also are within the combine, however two or 3 of the ones avid gamers aren’t going to make the workforce. I’ve given the ultimate spot to Johansson for now after he outperformed Lindstein and Pettersson in Plymouth ultimate week. — Scott Wheeler
Group Finland
The Finns performed to a disappointing quarterfinals end ultimate 12 months and this age staff goes to be in tricky in opposition to USA, Canada and Sweden as neatly. Joakim Kemell is the megastar, if he’s now not lights it up in Milwaukee or Nashville, the Predators are OK lending him, and he’s involved in going to a 3rd international juniors. The Devils’ Lenni Hameenaho must be their different difference-maker up entrance at this degree. They’ll be joined via returnees Jani Nyman, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, and Topi Ronni up entrance, however the latter two of the ones performed very restricted roles ultimate 12 months. The expectancy is that Kasper Halttunen, Jesse Nurmi, Rasmus Kumpulainen and Jesse Kiiskinen (who was once injured on an enormous hit from Seamus Casey in Plymouth ultimate week and didn’t play the remainder of the way in which), the 4 avid gamers who’ve actually carried the weight offensively for his or her 2005s the world over, will around out the gang.
That will, in concept, go away 4 openings up entrance. I love Konsta Helenius, a possible top-10 select within the 2024 NHL Draft, to play his approach onto the workforce, whether or not at his herbal heart place or in a transfer to the wing to refuge him just a little. They performed him down the center on the International Junior Summer time Exhibit and so they’re going to wish his ability.
Those Finns are going to be thinnest at left wing, evidently. I’ve given a intensity function to Michigan State College freshman Tommi Mannisto, who I believed outperformed the choices in Plymouth. And I love the speculation of a big-boy line with the 6-foot-2 Ronni, 6-foot-3 Halttunen and 6-foot-5 Sam Bau, who too can play heart (it by no means hurts to have two facilities on a bottom-six line).
I gave the thirteenth ahead activity to Max Koskipirtti, every other college-committed undrafted 19-year-old who that they had enjoying left wing ultimate week (I feel they’re going to desire a 5th left-winger in case their intensity falters) however heart Jere Lassila is a favourite of the Finnish federation and I may just see him making the workforce in a intensity function.
On protection, their peak 4 is made up of 2 pairings they put in combination for the International Junior Summer time Exhibit. Aron Kiviharju, every other attainable top-10 select within the 2024 magnificence, goes to must be a celeb in the event that they need to play in a medal recreation. The gifted Otto Salin, their simplest returnee at the again finish, goes to must run the opposite continual play unit and power offense as neatly. Emil Pieniniemi and Kasper Kulonummi are almost definitely going to be requested to play exhausting mins.
To around out their again finish, I’ve were given two avid gamers who weren’t with the nationwide workforce in Plymouth ultimate week in Golden Knights third-rounder Arttu Karki and the extremely gifted twice-undrafted Liiga standout Elmeri Laakso. I feel that staff of six is lovely obviously the most efficient six they have got to choose between, although Karki and Laakso are each lefties. If that’s true, 19-year-old righty Joona Vaisanen is sensible as their 7th.
I feel it’s Niklas Kokko’s internet to lose. He’s extensively considered as the highest goalie on this age staff round Finland even supposing Topias Leinonen was once their man on the U18 worlds two years in the past. — Scott Wheeler
(Most sensible picture of Cutter Gauthier: Samppa Toivonen / Apollo Picture / DeFodi Photographs by means of Getty Photographs)
