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World Juniors 2023
Get ready for hockey's annual holiday classic with our World Junior Championship Preview! Inside you'll find breakdowns of each country, plus stories and predictions. Elsewhere in the issue, we have features on David Pastrnak, Gabe Vilardi, Nick Suzuki, Patrick Kane, Troy Terry, Jesper Bratt, Brandon Montour and many more. In addition, we count down the 2022-23 Reverse Retro jerseys, take an early look at the 2023 free-agent class and conclude our celebration of the WHA's 50th anniversary with Part 4 of the four-part series.
SWEDEN: SCOUTING REPORT
SCORING WAS AN ISSUE for Sweden in Edmonton, but they still took bronze thanks to goalie Jesper Wallstedt and D-man Emil Andrae. They’ve both aged out, so the Swedes need others to step up. The most obvious candidates up front are Fabian Lysell (BOS), Isak Rosen (BUF), Filip Bystedt (SJ), plus the Djurgarden trio of Jonathan Lekkerimaki (VAN), Noah Ostlund (BUF) and Liam Ohgren (MIN) – who can play on the same line, providing instant chemistry. The most exciting addition, however, would be 2023 draft star Leo Carlsson, who’s ripping it up in the SHL with Orebro. The big man – both figuratively and literally – eligible to return on the back end is Simon Edvinsson (DET), who’s playing for Grand Rapids in the AHL. He’ll have support from fellow…
FINLAND: SCOUTING REPORT
AT THIS POINT, WE have to slot Finland in as a gold-medal contender no matter what the roster looks like on paper. The program has been that consistent lately. Up front, there’s a lot of size – with the likes of Jani Nyman (SEA), Miko Matikka (ARI) and Niko Huuhtanen (TB) – but the focal point of the offense will be Joakim Kemell (NSH), who has regained his goal-scoring touch with JYP. If there’s a concern, it’s that the Finns don’t have an obvious No. 1 center, with most of the talent confined to the wings. The D-corps has the requisite puck-movers, led by Aleksi Heimosalmi (CAR), who was a point-per-gamer with the silver-medal squad in Edmonton. He’s the only blueliner eligible to return, opening up space for new blood…
BRAN-DON OF A NEW DAY
THE FLORIDA PANTHERS have been unfortunate in losing elite defenseman Aaron Ekblad to injury for three straight seasons. But the loss has revealed the quality of the Cats’ blueline depth. During Ekblad’s past absences, former Panther MacKenzie Weegar surfaced as a Norris Trophy dark horse, and Gustav Forsling developed into a waiver-wire steal. This season, it has been Brandon Montour’s turn to shine. Coming off a season in which he posted career-highs in goals (11) and points (37), Montour’s breakout is well-timed. After Ekblad tweaked his groin in the Panthers’ third game this season, the 28-year-old Montour seamlessly stepped into the role of Florida’s top defenseman. “I believe in my strengths and appreciate the coaches believing in me,” Montour said. “Any time I am out there, I try to create chances for…
CLIFF NOTES
THE NHL’S THIRD EXPANSION of the modern era commenced 50 years ago, with the 1972-73 season. The Atlanta Flames and New York Islanders joined the fold to become the circuit’s 15th and 16th teams. That followed the league doubling in size from six to 12 teams beginning in 1967-68, and the addition of the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks three seasons later. Both Atlanta and New York paid the NHL an expansion fee of $6 million. (The Islanders were also required to pay the New York Rangers a $4-million territorial rights indemnification fee.) In their debut season, the Flames finished seventh of eight teams in the West Division with a record of 25-38-15. The Islanders finished last of eight East Division teams with a woeful 12-60-6 mark. The Flames then qualified…
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