An Nhl Scout S Take On Mctavish Knies Mysak Bedard And More At The Wjc

The atmosphere inside Rogers Place in Edmonton finally reached the level the organizers wanted as more than 13,000 (mostly Canadian) fans watched a thrilling gold medal game that ended the event on a high note. Here are some highlights from the tournament: Stop saving game Mason McTavish was a force throughout the tournament. The Team Canada captain led the organization in scoring (8G-9A-7GP), was used in all situations, brought a combination of power and finesse to the dance, showed a back door on the power play and… showed off his hand/eye coordination of when he knocked down a chip puck from Finland that was destined for the open net in overtime. The “save” is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable points in the history of this event. McTavish is slated for full-time duty in Anaheim this fall. He’s ready for the NHL. Momentum maintained The Buffalo Sabers have to be happy with the play of their first round pick, Jiri Kulich. Kulich was the MVP at the U18 World Championships in Germany this spring and carried his momentum into this event. He contributed two goals and six assists in Edmonton, with his three-point effort to shut out Team USA a standout. Kulich is showing that he is more than just a shooter. He followed the game with more persistence and worked much more consistently in all three zones. It’s definitely an upward trend for the Sabres. Future No. 1 for the Wild The Minnesota Wild have a great goaltending prospect in the works. Their 2021 first-round pick (20th overall) Jesper Wallstedt, from Sweden, has the potential to be an elite No. 1 NHL goaltender. He was MVG in the tournament. He posted a 1.62 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage. Wallstedt is 6-foot, 214 pounds. He gets a ton of nets, but he’s also pretty athletic. He tracks very well laterally and rarely gets out of his positions. Team Sweden lacked an offensive punch in this event. Otherwise they might have had a chance to play for gold. Their bronze medal was won on the back of Wallstedt. Ridly Greig, Canada (Ottawa Senators, 28th overall, 2020) WJC Stats: 5GP – 3G-3A-6PTS There is always a risk in loaning top players to events like the World Juniors. In the case of Ridly Greig, the Ottawa Senators have to be excited about his tournament. He played with his usual grit and determination AND contributed offensively. However, Greig suffered what appears to be an injury and missed the back end of the tournament. Hopefully it’s nothing serious. He looks like a prospect on the verge of opening eyes in NHL camp. Logan Stankoven, Canada (Dallas Stars, 47th overall, 2021) WJC Stats: 7GP – 4G-6A-10PTS I couldn’t help but notice Stankoven every time he hit the ice. He is an electric, highly skilled, competitive striker who is very difficult to defend. Logan has the ability and ice awareness to take advantage of the seams and quickly get the puck to the net. I’m not at all concerned about his size (5-foo-8, 170 pounds). In my opinion, he has the potential to bring a bit of Johnny Gaudreau and Brayden Point to the Dallas Stars organization. Olen Zellweger, Canada (Anaheim Ducks, 34th overall, 2021) WJC Stats: 7GP – 2G-9A-11PTS Time will tell, but Zellweger looks like a player who should have been drafted higher than he was in 2021. I’ve underrated him in the past. His asset is clearly his mobility and vision in the offensive zone. Zellweger sees the ice. He does plays. I was more concerned about his play off foot and in the defensive zone. He’s not big (5-foot-9, 175 pounds), but he’s quick to clear space and out-think opponents in the defensive zone. He is a transition defenseman who has the potential to play an NHL power play in the future more as a distributor than a shooter. Joshua Roy, Canada (Montreal Canadiens, 150th overall, 2021) WJC Stats: 7GP – 3G-5A-8PTS Each player has their own development path. It takes longer than others to reach their professional potential. Roy scored 51 goals and had 68 assists for 119 points for Sherbrooke in the QMJHL last season. His offense has gone to another level. What impressed me the most in this tournament was the “hard area” game. As the first forward on the scene he did a good job of bumping opponents off the bolts along the boards. He also showed more willingness to reach the crease and look for advice and second chances. He’ll never be described as a power forward, but the Canadiens have to be excited about the potential Roy is showing. Jan Mysak, Czech Republic (Montreal Canadiens, 48th overall, 2020) WJC Stats: 7GP – 5G-4A-9PTS Mysak was voted an All-Star at this event and certainly earned the recognition. When it first arrived in North America, I saw a player who was more of an opportunist than a game driver. His stats at the OHL level playing for Hamilton last season (61 GP – 34G-30A-64PTS) are more of a scorer than a playmaker. He showed more of a willingness to get his nose dirty in Edmonton and seemed to be involved from shift to shift. If his detail and movement continue to trend positively, he has a chance, over time, to give the Habs some NHL secondary scoring. Emil Andrae, Sweden (Philadelphia Flyers, 54th overall, 2020) WJC Stats: 7GP – 4G-4A-8PTS Andrae was Sweden’s captain. He displayed the highest level of competition and overall participation I have seen from him in several years of shows. In the past he took chances offensively but did not play with enough detail in all three zones. He is a transition defender who has matured. Andrae is still contributing offensively. He’s mostly a distributor on the power play, but he’s gotten more packages to the net this tournament and actually scored from the area on the drive. His tenacity low in his belt did not go unnoticed. If he ends up being an average NHL defenseman for the Flyers, the rest of his game brings more value. Simon Edvinsson, Sweden (Detroit Red Wings, sixth overall, 2021) WJC Stats: 6GP-1G-1A-2PTS Edvinson is a big 6-foot-6, 207-pound defender. Projected to be a two-way “D” at the NHL level. He skates very well for his height and can lead the rush at times. He sees his options and makes sound puck plays. I thought he could have been used more in this tournament. This kid is going to have a long career in Detroit. It compliments a partner who is more of a risk taker. There’s also some grunt to his game. It removes space effectively and reduces physically. Matthew Knies, USA (Toronto Maple Leafs, 57th overall, 2021) WJC Stats: 5GP – 0G-3A-3PTS I’m on record as describing Knies as exactly the type of player the Maple Leafs need in their lineup. His power game is an important element. He has the ability to unsettle opponents along the wall in their zone and is a load to handle around the crease. That said, I felt his tournament was average plus by his standards. He did extend some plays and hang around the crease on the power play, but overall he struggled to get quality looks and get to the net enough. Joel Maata, Finland (Edmonton Oilers, 222nd overall, 2022) WJC Stats: 7GP – 3G-1A-4PTS Sometimes at these events a player catches my eye and elevates their game compared to previous viewings. Maata was one of those players. He’s a big power forward who plays a power-play style of game, but doesn’t have a history of producing many forwards. He plays in NCAA Vermont in Hockey East and had just three goals and three assists last season. In this tournament he participated consistently and played a power game. His skating and agility isn’t NHL standard at this stage, but he has time. At best, he’s likely a pro who can wear down opponents, but he gets credit for the way he played in Edmonton. Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Sweden (Vancouver Canucks, 15th overall, 2022) WJC Stats: 7GP – 0G-3A-3PTS The trip to the NHL will be interesting for Lekkerimaki. At the U18 Worlds in the spring he scored five goals in five games. He was a bit of an opportunist on the power play, but there was no doubt that he has an elite release and nose for the net. In this tournament, Sweden needed more from him — and he didn’t produce. The team seemed to have lost confidence in his game. His three-zone effort and detail needs to improve significantly. He is a scorer with some guile in his game. This was not the best of the tournament. I expect him to be much improved when we next see him in Halifax and Moncton in December. Brad Lambert, Finland (Winnipeg Jets, 30th overall, 2022) WJC Stats: 5Gp – 1G-0A-1PT Lambert’s goal against Latvia earlier in the tournament came on the power play. Not only did he not score again, he ended up in the press box for the last two games Finland played. The player needs a reset. He needs to regain his confidence. This fact did nothing to help his process. It looks like Lambert is headed to Seattle of the WHL. The Thunderbirds have a solid squad returning in 2022-2023. The opportunity to play a major role in Seattle gives Lambert a chance to rehabilitate his game and find his element, offensively. Topi Niemela, Finland (Toronto Maple Leafs, 64th overall, 2020) WJC Stats: 7GP – 0G-6A-6PTS Niemela has been nothing short of a workhorse for the Finns. It was used in all situations. He distributed very well on the power play. His ability to see the ice and make seam plays speaks to his hockey IQ and vision. Defensively he struggled and came up with some key shot blocks along the way. In the Finns’ 1-0 win against Sweden in the semifinals, Niemela saved a shot with two seconds left to keep the…

title: “An Nhl Scout S Take On Mctavish Knies Mysak Bedard And More At The Wjc " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-06” author: “Mattie Allen”