World Junior Championship | Five players from Canada to watch

Five Canadian players to follow in the world of junior hockey.

Connor Bedard

Even if Adam Fantilli also dominates in his circuit, the NCAA, it is difficult not to imagine Connor Bedard drafted first overall in 2023. When he left for the Maritimes in anticipation of the World Championship, he already had 64 points in 28 games in Regina, in the Western Junior League… at 17 years old. Shane Wright, who most saw first overall in the 2022 draft, had 94 points in 63 games in his qualifying year. Bedard is on track to amass 144 in as many games! He will play on the right of this same Wright with Canada, even if he remains a center.

Adam Fantilli

Fantilli will be a fantastic consolation prize for the team that drafts second overall. A center player like Bedard, bigger at 6’2″ and 195 lbs., Fantilli, an Ontarian, has 26 points in 16 games in his first season at the University of Michigan. That’s one point more, in three games less, than last year’s third pick, Logan Cooley. Bedard is a fine striker, Fantilli is much more powerful. He is fast, very effective in his battles for the puck, he has a good vision of the game and a powerful shot. Some will compare him in some respects to Jack Eichel, even though he is right-handed unlike Fantilli.

Shane Wright

After repeatedly scratching him from roster, using him sparingly in his games, sending him back to the American League to regain some momentum, the Seattle Kraken finally loaned their fourth pick to the Canadian team, which he will be the captain. Wright will obviously be the team’s first center, with Connor Bedard to his right, and it will be interesting to see which of the two shines the most, even though Bedard is a year younger. Already, Wright scored a goal with disconcerting ease in a preseason match against Switzerland after receiving a mind-blowing pass from his young winger.

Dylan Guenther

The ninth NHL pick by the Coyotes in 2021 had a regular role in Arizona and was producing at an interesting rate for a 19-year-old boy – 11 points in 21 games – but his team preferred to allow him to live the experience of this Championship. He will obviously be a headliner within the team. Guenther has a good size and he has a devastating shot. He is also a very intelligent attacker who knows how to position himself very well in free places and excels in the art of disturbing the opposing goalkeeper by placing himself at the edge of his semi-circle.

Kevin Korchinsky

The 18-year-old left-handed defenseman is the first piece of the Blackhawks’ rebuild, begun by new GM Kyle Davidson, as he was the team’s first pick, seventh overall, in 2022, thanks to the Senators’ pick. from Ottawa for forward Alex DeBrincat. Korchinski got the job at just 18, a feat always worthy of mention, especially in defense. He’s a resolutely offensive defenseman, who had 28 points in 21 games in Seattle before leaving for Team Canada camp.