We’re 12 days from the beginning of pre-tournament games, and 17 days until the start of the 2021 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships. Today, we’re going to look at 15 players to watch/keep an eye on at this years tournament.
Before we get started, my original list was impacted by COVID-19, as I had included German forward Lukas Reichel. On Tuesday morning, the German Hockey Federation announced that Reichel has tested positive for COVID-19 and will not be available for the team at this year’s World Juniors.
All teams have began their preliminary camps this week, and need to produce three negative tests in order to travel to Canada for the tournament. All 10 teams will arrive in the Edmonton bubble on Sunday, December 13th.
Now, let’s get to the 15 players (as well as 2 honorable mentions) you should keep an eye on at the 2021 World Juniors!
(Age as of December 25th 2020, start of 2021 tournament).
Goaltender (1)
- Yaroslav Askarov. Team: Russia. Age: 18.
Askarov was drafted in the first round, 11th overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2020 NHL entry draft. He is currently playing for SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL. In 7 games he has a record of 4 wins, 3 losses, a 0.96 G.A.A., a .962 save percentage, and 1 shutout.
He played for Russia at the 2020 World Juniors, taking home the silver medal. In 5 games, he had a record of 2 wins, 1 loss, 2.71 G.A.A., an .877 save percentage and 0 shutouts.
Defencemen (2)
- Jamie Drysdale. Team: Canada. Age: 18.
Drysdale was drafted in the first round, 6th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2020 NHL entry draft. He spent last season playing with the Erie Otters in the OHL. In 49 games he had 47 points (9 G, 38 A), 24 penalty minutes, and was a +9.
He played for Canada at the 2020 World Juniors, winning the gold medal. In 7 games, Drysdale put up 3 points (1 G, 2 A), 0 penalty minutes, and was a +3.
- Victor Soderstrom. Team: Sweden. Age: 19.
Soderstrom was drafted in the first round, 11th overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2019 NHL entry draft. He is currently playing for AIK in the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second highest division. In 12 games he has 6 points (1 G, 5 A), 6 penalty minutes, and is a +2.
He played for Sweden at the 2020 World Juniors, winning the bronze medal. In 7 games, he had 6 points (1 G, 5 A), 6 penalty minutes, and was a +5.
Forwards (11)
- Tim Stuetzle. Team: Germany. Age: 18. Position: C/LW.
Stuetzle was drafted in the first round, 3rd overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2020 NHL entry draft. He spent last season with Adler Mannheim in the DEL, Germany’s top division. In 41 games, he tallied 34 points (7 G, 34 A), 12 penalty minutes, and was a +4.
He played for Germany at the 2020 World Juniors. In 5 games, Stuetzle had 5 points (5 A), 2 penalty minutes, and was a -2.
- Cole Caufield. Team: USA. Age: 19. Position: RW.
Caufield was drafted in the first round, 15th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2019 NHL entry draft. He is currently playing for the University of Wisconsin, in the Big 10 conference (NCAA). In 10 games, he has 12 points (6 G, 6 A), 0 penalty minutes, and is a -2.
He played for the USA at the 2020 World Juniors. In 5 games, Caufield had 2 points (1 G, 1 A), 0 penalty minutes, and was a -2.
- Kirby Dach. Team: Canada. Age: 19. Position: C.
Dach was drafted in the first round, 3rd overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2019 NHL entry draft. He spent last season with Chicago. In 64 regular season games, he had 23 points (8 G, 15 A), 24 penalty minutes, and was a -1. In 9 playoff games, Dach put up 6 points (1 G, 5 A), 4 penalty minutes, and was a +3.
- Marco Rossi. Team: Austria. Age: 19. Position: C
Rossi was drafted in the first round, 9th overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2020 NHL entry draft. He spent last season with the Ottawa 67s in the OHL. In 56 games, he had 120 points (39 G, 81 A), 40 penalty minutes, and was a +69.
He played for Austria at the 2020 World Juniors Division 1A. Austria won the tournament, gaining promotion to the top division of the World Juniors for the first time since the 2010 edition. In 5 games, Rossi had 5 points (3 G, 2 A), 8 penalty minutes, and was a +3.
- John-Jason Peterka. Team: Germany. Age: 18. Position: LW.
Peterka was drafted in the second round, 34th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2020 NHL entry draft. He is currently playing for EC Salzburg in ICEHL, Austria’s highest division. In 12 games, he has 16 points (7 G, 9 A), 12 penalty minutes, and is a +4.
He played for Germany at the 2020 World Juniors. In 7 games, he had 6 points (4 G, 2 A), 16 penalty minutes, and was a -1.
- Anton Lundell. Team: Finland. Age: 19. Position: C.
Lundell was drafted the first round, 12th overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2020 NHL entry draft. He is currently playing for HIFK in Liiga, Finland’s highest division. In 17 games, he has 20 points (12 G, 8 A), 6 penalty minutes, and is a +7.
- Jan Mysak. Team: Czech Republic. Age: 18. Position: C/LW.
Mysak was drafted in the second round, 48th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2020 NHL entry draft. He is currently playing for HC Litvinov in the CzechExtraliga, Czech Republic’s highest division. In 11 games, he has 1 point (1 A), 14 penalty minutes, and is a -1.
He played for the Czech Republic at the 2020 World Juniors. In 5 games, Mysak put up 2 points (1 G, 1 A), 2 penalty minutes, and was a +/-0.
- Lucas Raymond. Team: Sweden. Age: 18. Position: RW.
Raymond was drafted in the first round, 4th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2020 NHL entry draft. He is currently playing for Frolunda HC in the SHL, Sweden’s highest division. In 22 games, he has 12 points (5 G, 7 A), 8 penalty minutes, and is a -1.
He played for Sweden at the 2020 World Juniors, winning the bronze medal. In 7 games, Raymond recorded 4 points (2 G, 2 A), 2 penalty minutes, and was a +/-0.
- Alexander Holtz. Team: Sweden. Age: 18. Position: RW.
Holtz was drafted in the first round, 7th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2020 NHL entry draft. He is currently playing for Djurgardens IF in the SHL. In 19 games, he has 13 points (6 G, 7 A), 2 penalty minutes, and is a + 2.
He played for Sweden at the 2020 World Juniors, winning the bronze medal. In 7 games, Holtz put up 5 points (3 G, 2 A), 2 penalty minutes, and was a +/-0.
- Quinton Byfield. Team: Canada. Age: 18. Position: C.
Byfield was drafted in the first round, 2nd overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2020 NHL entry draft. He spent last season with the Sudbury Wolves in the OHL. In 45 games, he had 82 points (32 G, 50 A), 44 penalty minutes, and was a +26.
He played for Canada at the 2020 World Juniors, winning the gold medal. In 7 games, Byfield had 1 point (1 A), 4 penalty minutes, and was a -3.
- Rodion Amirov. Team: Russia. Age: 19. Position: LW/RW.
Amirov was drafted in the first round, 15th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2020 NHL entry draft. He is currently playing for Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the KHL. In 23 games, he has 8 points (5 G, 3 A), 6 penalty minutes, and is a -2.
- Trevor Zegras. Team: USA. Age: 19. Position: C.
Zegras was drafted in the first round, 9th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2019 NHL entry draft. He spent last season with Boston University in the Hockey East conference (NCAA). In 33 games, he had 36 points (11 G, 25 A), 43 penalty minutes, and was a +8.
He played for the USA at the 2020 World Juniors. In 5 games, Zegras tallied 9 points (9 A), 4 penalty minutes, and was a +6.
Honorable Mentions (2)
- Brad Lambert. Team: Finland. Age: 17. Position: C.
Lambert is a top prospect eligible for the 2022 NHL entry draft. He is currently playing for JYP in Liiga. In 18 games, he has 7 points (4 G, 3 A), 8 penalty minutes, and is a -4.
- Martin Hugo Has. Team: Czech Republic. Age: 19. Position: D.
Hugo Has was drafted in the 5th round, 153rd overall by the Washington Capitals. He is currently playing for HC Benatky nad Jizerou in the Czech second division. In 4 games, he has 1 point (1 A), 6 penalty minutes, and is a -4.
He played for the Czech Republic at the 2020 World Juniors. In 5 games Hugo Has put up 3 points (1 G, 2 A), 6 penalty minutes, and was a -1.
Thank you all for reading! Stay tuned for more 2021 World Junior content in the coming weeks!