world juniors prospects look to make immediate impact next nhl season

By: Sam Wilmeth

Earlier this month, we watched some of the world’s top ice hockey prospects face off in a heated competition during this year’s World Juniors. The annual ice hockey tournament, featuring under 20 players from across the globe representing their country, displayed exciting match-ups which resulted in Team USA winning gold for the second straight year.

The tournament saw triumph and heartbreak for different countries, but it undoubtedly gave star players a chance to showcase their talent, and helped NHL scouts gauge how players, both drafted and undrafted, would perform on teams at a professional level.

Here’s a look at a few of the top prospects, and what their future in ice hockey holds:
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Ryan Leonard
Leonard was named captain of Team USA this year, and his skills on the top line for the team forged the path for their win. Leonard, playing in his last season with Boston College before playing for the Washington Capitals during the next season, had an MVP performance, putting up 10 points across seven games. Leonard’s aggressive play-style caught the attention of NHL fans and players, including Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals.
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“I think he plays the game hard and he’s got that gamer in him that he’s not going to back down and he has the ability to push teams into the fight and lead the way that way,” Wilson said. “I think the foundation that he has for the way he plays the game is great and then his skill and his hockey IQ and all that is just going to get better and better. I’m excited for when he puts the Caps jersey on.”

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Carter George
Anyone who watched the World Juniors is aware of Team Canada’s performance this year. To say the least, a combination of factors led to the team’s shaky coordination that ultimately led to multiple embarrassing losses that knocked Canada out of the tournament.

Fans of the team had only one hope for this year – the team’s superb goaltending. George, one of Canada’s goalies, put on a performance good enough to push their team as far as they could in the tournament. George was able to succeed with athleticism and technical skill, most notable in his 31-save shutout against Team Finland. George was an obvious backbone to Canada’s defense and to their team overall, providing the reliability that Team Canada desperately needed during this year’s World Juniors.

Fans will be pleased to know that George will be eligible to play again for Canada next year. However, he has already signed a three-year contract with the LA Kings of the NHL, meaning his NHL career may be the next step for the goaltender rather than returning to the World Juniors.

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Eriks Mateiko
Coming from Latvia’s underdog team this year, Eriks Mateiko was one of a group of players on the team that showed their brass during the tournament. Mateiko was a third round pick for the Washington Capitals, and he is proving himself to be a useful asset for any team he plays for.

Mateiko is a player that can make the people playing around him better. Mateiko excelled at creating goal-scoring scenarios or receiving passes from teammates. He was a well-rounded player, and he and his team received much of the attention going towards the World Juniors. Even fans of Team Canada in Ottawa could be seen cheering for the Latvians after they had made a name for themselves in the hockey world.

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Older stars like Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby are reaching the end of their time in the NHL. Their departure from the sport will be a loss to hockey culture, but as the game continues to develop, a new generation of hockey talent is coming to fill in their shoes. The World Juniors was a sample of players that are ready to enter the NHL and make a name for themselves, and their performances in the tournament suggests that it will be an exciting and competitive time when they do.