2024 World Junior Championship: Standouts from Canada’s final exhibition game
OAKVILLE, Ontario – Canada’s world junior selection camp is over – but it didn’t go as well as they hoped.
After beating the USPORTS all-star team 4-2 on Tuesday, they scored early and brought the heat early with a Macklin Celebrini goal. But USPORTS answered back with two goals in the second before scoring three in the first half of the third. That led to the university stars winning 6-1, splitting the two-game series.
Of note, Jordan Dumais was banged up in the game and left midway through the second period. He looked fine in the stands, so it was likely just precautionary. The Columbus Blue Jackets prospect didn’t have a good showing before that, though, but it’ll be hard to keep the most prolific offensive contributor in the CHL out.
Canada will announce its final roster ahead of it’s 6:30 PM ET presentation on the ice at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex, with the team planning to head to Sweden on Thursday.
Here’s a look at a few of the standouts from Wednesday’s contest:
Lines for Canada vs. USPORTS.
So almost the same lineup, but with Beck sitting. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/xhAakI4Pd7
#14 Macklin Celebrini, C (2024 NHL Draft): Who else? Celebrini scored the beautiful opening goal in the first period and nearly had another two. He was creating chances and controlling the power play, no matter who he lined up with. Celebrini seemed to throw the biggest hits of any forward, too. No doubt about it, he’s Canada’s best player heading to Sweden.
#13 Brayden Yager, C (Pittsburgh Penguins): Yager had a pair of strong showings for Canada, aided by some good work in the faceoff dot and a few quality scoring chances. He was definitely the best player on a line that included Markus Vidicek and Jagger Firkus, always looking engaged. Yager just needed someone to finish his opportunities.
#29 Scott Ratzlaff, G (Buffalo Sabres): Ratzlaff allowed a goal early to Celebrini, but there wasn’t much he could have done there. He was lights out the rest of the way, and a big reason why Canada – who started the game off hot with full pressure – couldn’t get anything else done on the board before he was swapped out with Mathis Rousseau.
#24 Oliver Bonk, D (Philadelphia Flyers): I thought Bonk was the most stable defenseman today. Shutting plays down in the neutral zone, poking pucks away, clearing bodies from the net. I know some scouts weren’t sure about his odds heading into camp, but I feel like he did enough in these two games – sometimes even quietly – to establish himself as a bottom-pairing option.
#16 Tanner Molendyk, D (Nashville Predators): After missing Tuesday with a knee injury, Molendyk made a good impression on Wednesday. And he had to, given he was on the outside looking in due to his ailment. He had a few smart breakout plays and was especially good at shutting things down in the neutral zone. Molendyk looked a bit rustier than, say, Ty Nelson, but it’ll be interesting to see if it’s enough for Molendyk to make this team.
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