2024 World Junior Championship: Standouts from Canada’s first exhibition game
OAKVILLE, Ontario – Canada’s world junior journey kicked off on Tuesday, facing off against an all-star Canadian university lineup in the first of two exhibition games.
It can sometimes be a lopsided matchup, with USPORTS featuring a mix of older players with major junior ties – and some even have pro experience. So it’s a good challenge for Canada, and a good way to kick off the festivities.
But Canada was the better team, even without some key players such as Matthew Savoie, Denton Mateychuk, Conor Geekie, Tristan Luneau, Maveric Lamoureux and Fraser Minten. In the end, Canada skated to a 4-2 regulation victory at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex in the first of two contests.
Of note, Tanner Molendyk participated in the limited practice on Tuesday morning, his only on-ice action with teammates after suffering a knee injury prior to camp. He has skated on his own otherwise, but his tournament looks to be in limbo as a fringe defenseman to begin with.
Here’s a look at a few key standouts from Game 1 (in no particular order), with Game 2 set for 12:00 PM ET tomorrow – and cuts to come Wednesday evening:
Lines for Canada vs. USPORTS. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/HU1p8YMZwl
— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) December 12, 2023#21 Matthew Wood, RW: (Nashville Predators) Wood hasn’t had a standout junior year in college, so the 1-1 goal was nice. He went shortside on Domenic DiVincentiis, a great shot that we’ve come to know from him. It came after a couple of big shifts where he made his 6-foot-4 frame known. Wood then took the shot that led to the 2-1 goal, with Denver Barkey tipping it in. Wood still needs to clean up his defensive game, and his skating got exposed at points.
#6 Ty Nelson, D (Seattle Kraken): Nelson isn’t a lock to make this team because his game is built around offense, and that can cause issues in his own zone. But the rate at which he touched the puck and then made something happen today was noticeable. He’s not overly well-rounded, but he played a good heads-up game and showed some aggressiveness. That’s his style. I’d take him over, say, Oliver Bonk, for his power-play potential alone.
#25 Noah Warren, D (Anaheim Ducks): Warren brought his physical game to the forefront, doing an excellent job of knocking players over in front of his zone. He’s best when he doesn’t have to go up against a speedster, so we’ll see how it works out in Sweden if he makes the team. But, notably, multiple players have said early in camp that Warren is one of the toughest players to go up against at 1-on-1.
#14 Macklin Celebrini, LW (2024 NHL Draft): This was a given. Celebrini was the hardest-working skater out there, grinding it out and even playing a solid physical game. He’s not tall at 6-foot-0, but he’s bulky at 190 pounds and he’s not afraid to use it. But his pass to a rushing Jake Furlong to make it 3-1 gave Canada some extra breathing room, rewarding Celebrini for a solid all-around effort.
#8 Denver Barkey, C (Philadelphia Flyers): It wasn’t the goal that impressed me – a tip off of Wood’s shot. But it was his relentless energy that made him Canada’s spark plug. That’s why they brought him to camp. He’s good around the net, but he can play the penalty kill and force you into making mistakes.
#26 Markus Vidicek, C (Undrafted): I’m still not convinced Vidicek makes this team, but a few of the scouts I chatted with today loved his performance. He’s a good defensive center and his chemistry with Halifax Mooseheads teammate Jordan Dumais was undeniable. He had some good efforts to steal pucks and nearly scored late in the third. It just felt like a strong effort from a forward with a lot to prove.
#22 Jake Furlong, D (San Jose Sharks): He scored twice, including the game-winner. But it was his own and neutral zone play that helped stand out. He’s a smart defender that doesn’t pinch when he doesn’t need to, and he landed some good hits, too. Furlong makes good decisions when passing the puck, and I think today – with no guarantee he makes the roster – he looked as good as he could have.
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