By / Mark Janzen
When it comes to the World Junior Championships, the words Canada and gold have nearly become synonymous.
Canada will be going for their fifth straight gold medal this holiday season in Ottawa and there’s no reason to believe they can’t continue the streak.
The forward contingent will likely see the return of only two players: John Tavares and Zach Boychuk.
Fortunately for Canada, Tavares is arguably the best non-drafted player in the world and Boychuk is one of the most complete players in Junior hockey.
Last year, Tavares had four goals and one assist playing a role that was largely restricted to the powerplay. This year, he’ll be counted on to dominate in the offensive zone at all times.
This will also be his best chance to prove he—and not Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman—is the best player going into the 2009 NHL Draft.
Newcomers to the fold who will have an impact include Edmonton Oilers’ prospects Riley Nash and Jordan Eberle, Calgary’s Greg Nemisz and San Jose’s Logan Couture.
Other players to watch include: Prince George’s Dana Tyrell, Chris DiDomenico of Saint John, Medicine Hat Tigers’ Tyler Ennis and Jamie Benn of Kelowna.
The only returning player from last year looks to be P.K. Subban. He, like Boychuk, played a small role last year and will be looked upon to bring experience. With his 20 points in 20 games with Bellville this year, there’s no reason to believe he can’t continue to impress.
Also likely to play a major role will be St. Louis prospect Alex Pietrangelo. After playing eight games with the Blues this year, he’s oozing with confidence and should be a leader for Canada.
Regina’s Colton Teubert has been a dominant force with the Pats this year. With 18 points and 59 PIM in 24 games, Teubert can play both a gritty role while still leading offensively.
The battle between the pipes will be one of the most intriguing matchups at Canada’s December camp.
The leading candidates are Dustin Tokarski of the Spokane Chiefs and Chet Pickard of the Tri-City Americans. Although Pickard is touted as a better prospect, his numbers this year—3.02 GAA and .895 save percentage—aren’t exactly gleaming with brilliance.
RANKINGS RETURN NEXT ISSUE
Hockey Now’s Minor Hockey Rankings are back in our Dec. 20 edition, and we will continue to bring them to you on a monthly basis. Just as we did in November, we rank the top 100 Novice teams in the province, plus the top 30 Atom teams, the top 30 Peewee teams, and the top 60 Bantam teams. |
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