Ranking Canada’s World Junior Players For Future NHL Success – After Tournament
Before the World Junior Championship Hockey Tournament I put out my rankings of Team Canada’s players in regards to future NHL success. I promised at that time that I would take a look back after the tournament to see if my opinion has changed.
Given that it is a very short competition with Team Canada playing only two exhibition and six tournament games it is not a surprise that I did not have many changes. However, there were a few players that I had a different opinion of after watching them in these games.
My pre-tournament and post-tournament rankings are displayed in the table below. The ones that have changed are in bold.
Name |
Pos
NHL Team
Rating Before
Rating After
Notes
Ryan Nugent Hopkins
F
EDM
100
100
RNH was Canada’s best player and the best player in the tournament.
Nathan MacKinnon
F
Eligible 2013
100
100
MacKinnon did not see much ice time so it’s very hard to judge his performance. I still think he will be a star in the NHL.
Jonathan Huberdeau
F
FLA
100
100
Huberdeau along with RNH and Scheifele were Canada’s top players. He will be in a Panthers jersey if there is an NHL season this year
Jonathan Drouin
F
Eligible 2013
75
100
Benefitted from a lot of ice time and took advantage of it. I still like MacKinnon ahead of him, but Drouin looks like a star.
Ryan Strome
F
NYI
75
75
He has dominated in the OHL this year, he was very good at times, but invisible when it mattered most. I think he tops out as a second line centre, but I question whether he gets there.
Dougie Hamilton
D
BOS
75
75
I’m not in love with Hamilton as much as others. I thought he was below average in the tournament, but he has all the tools to be a top end defenseman.
Morgan Rielly
D
TOR
75
75
Did not get as much ice time in the tournament as I thought. I think that was a mistake. He showed flashes of what he can be at the next level. Great skater, very good puck mover.
Mark Scheifele
F
WPG
50
75
I was most impressed with Scheifele in the tournament. Big, strong forward with good hands. Made the transition to the wing with ease
Griffin Reinhart
D
NYI
75
50
Reinhart looked very slow on the big ice and I am not sure he has the puck moving ability to be a top four consistently at the NHL level
Boone Jenner
F
CBJ
50
50
Missed three games due to suspension, good depth player, most likely a third line center in the NHL.
Brett Ritchie
F
DAL
50
50
Ritchie struggled offensively in the tournament, but I like his skill set. I think he finds a niche in the NHL, but I don’t think he will be a scorer.
Phillip Danault
F
CHI
50
50
Danault is an underrated role player. He looks to be a player that can play a role in the NHL.
Xavier Ouellet
D
DET
50
50
Ouellet was probably Canada’s best defenseman in the tournament. Reminds me a lot of Carlo Colaiacovo.
Malcolm Subban
G
BOS
50
50
Despite the negativity surrounding his play I thought Subban was pretty good in the tournament. Very tough to project goalies this early in development, but as a first round pick you would expect an NHL career
Scott Harrington
D
PIT
50
0-25
Another defenseman I am not as high on as others. I was disappointed with his tournament and I’m not sure Harrington moves well enough on the back end to carve out a long career in the NHL
Ryan Murphy
D
CAR
0-25
0-25
Had a very bad tournament. A lot of skill from the back end, but not sure if team’s will want a PP specialist on their blue line.
Tyler Wotherspoon
D
CGY
0-25
0-25
Wotherspoon had a pretty good tournament, but he lacks mobility to be a consistent pro at NHL level
Anthony Camara
F
BOS
0-25
0-25
Camara is a guy that can find a niche in the NHL as a fourth line grinder with toughness like a Gregory Campbell.
J.C. Lipon
F
Undrafted
0-25
0-25
Lipon was essentially unnoticeable in the tournament. Still undrafted I’m not sure anyone uses a pick on him in June.
Ty Rattie
F
STL
0-25
0-25
Rattie moved up the lineup and finished the tournament on the top line. He’ll get a shot in the NHL, but not sure he becomes a scoring forward.
Jordan Binnington
G
STL
0-25
0-25
Binnington struggled in the Bronze medal game as the starter. Like Subban tough to predict goalies at this stage.
Jake Paterson
G
DET
0-25
0-25
Paterson never dressed for the tournament as the team’s third goalie. Like Subban tough to predict goalies at this stage.
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