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2022 WJC Participants By NHL Team

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The 2022 World Junior Championships will get underway from Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta on Sunday. As is the norm and to be expected from the top U-20 competition in the world, the World Junior tournament field is loaded with drafted NHL talent. While most nations don’t have the prospect depth to form a roster completely composed of NHL prospects and those that do have opted to include some younger, future draft picks, there are still a whopping 106 drafted players on WJC rosters. Nine of ten WJC have at least one current NHL prospect and six of those nine have at least ten draft picks. Those players come from 30 of the NHL’s 32 teams, with the Carolina Hurricanes leading the way with ten prospects. While enjoying the WJC action in the coming days, keep track of who may one day be playing at the highest level:

Anaheim Ducks (4):
F Mason McTavish, Canada
D Ian Moore, USA
F Sasha Pastujov, USA
D Olen Zellweger, Canada

Arizona Coyotes (1):
F Dylan Guenther, Canada

Boston Bruins (1):
F Fabian Lysell, Sweden

Buffalo Sabres (4):
F Jakub Konecny, Czechia
D Nikita Novikov, Russia
D Owen Power, Canada
F Isak Rosen, Sweden

Calgary Flames (1):
F Matt Coronato, USA

Carolina Hurricanes (10):
F Nikita Guslistov, Russia
D Aleski Heimosalmi, Finland
D Ville Koivunen, Finland
D Scott Morrow, USA
F Zion Nybeck, Sweden
D Joel Nystrom, Sweden
F Alexander Pashin, Russia
F Vasily Ponomarev, Russia
G Nikita Quapp, Germany
D Ronan Seeley, Canada

Chicago Blackhawks (4):
G Drew Commesso, USA
D Wyatt Kaiser, USA
D Michael Krutil, Czechia
F Landon Slaggert, USA

Colorado Avalanche (1):
F Oskar Olausson, Sweden

Columbus Blue Jackets (4):
F Kent Johnson, Canada
D Samuel Knazko, Slovakia
F Martin Rysavy, Czechia
D Stanislav Svozil, Czechia

Dallas Stars (4):
F Mavrik Bourque, Canada
F Daniel Ljungman, Sweden
F Logan Stankoven, Canada
F Albert Sjoberg, Sweden

Detroit Red Wings (8):
G Jan Bednar, Czechia
G Sebastian Cossa, Canada
D Simon Edvinsson, Sweden
F Carter Mazur, USA
F Theodor Niederbach, Sweden
F Redmond Savage, USA
D Donovan Sebrango, Canada
D Eemil Viro, Finland

Edmonton Oilers (2):
F Xavier Borgault, Canada
D Luca Munzenberger, Germany

Florida Panthers (5):
F Elliot Ekmark, Sweden
D Kasper Puutio, Finland
F Mackie Samoskevich, USA
F Ty Smilanic, USA
F Justin Sourdif, Canada

Los Angeles Kings (6):
F Martin Chromiak, Slovakia
D Brock Faber, USA
D Helge Grans, Sweden
F Samuel Helenius, Finland
D Kirill Kirsanov, Russia
F Kasper Simontaival, Finland

Minnesota Wild (6):
F Marat Khusnutdinov, Russia
D Carson Lambos, Canada
F Pavel Novak, Czechia
D Ryan O’Rourke, Canada
D Jack Peart, USA
G Jesper Wallstedt, Sweden

Montreal Canadiens (3):
D Kaiden Guhle, Canada
F Oliver Kapanen, Finland
F Jan Mysak, Czechia

Nashville Predators (4):
G Yaroslav Askarov, Russia
F Simon Knak, Switzerland*
D Anton Olsson, Sweden
F Fedor Svechkov, Russia

New Jersey Devils (4):
F Alexander Holtz, Sweden
D Luke Hughes, USA
G Jakub Malek, Czechia
D Shakir Mukhamadullin, Russia

New York Islanders (0)

New York Rangers (4):
F Brett Berard, USA
F William Cuylle, Canada
G Dylan Garand, Canada
F Kalle Vaisanen, Finland

Ottawa Senators (5):
F Ridly Greig, Canada
F Roby Jarventie, Finland
D Tyler Kleven, USA
G Leevi Merilainen, Finland
D Jake Sanderson, USA

Philadelphia Flyers (3):
D Emil Andrae, Sweden
F Elliot Desnoyers, Canada
D Brian Zanetti, Switzerland*

Pittsburgh Penguins (3):
G Joel Blomqvist, Finland
G Calle Clang, Sweden
F Kirill Tankov, Russia

St. Louis Blues (3):
F Tanner Dickinson, USA
D Leo Loof, Sweden
F Jake Neighbors, Canada

San Jose Sharks (1):
F William Eklund, Sweden

Seattle Kraken (2):
F Matthew Beniers, USA
D Ville Ottavainen, Finland

Tampa Bay Lightning (0)

Toronto Maple Leafs (3):
F Roni Hirvonen, Finland
F Matthew Knies, USA
D Topi Niemala, Finland

Vancouver Canucks (1):
F Dmitry Zlodeyev, Russia

Vegas Golden Knights (4):
F Jakub Brabenec, Czechia
D Lukas Cormier, Canada
F Jakub Demek, Slovakia
G Jesper Vikman, Sweden

Washington Capitals (1):
F Oskar Magnusson, Sweden

Winnipeg Jets (4):
F Nikita Chibrikov, Russia
F Chaz Lucius, USA
F Cole Perfetti, Canada
F Daniel Torgersson, Sweden

*Switzerland roster pending finalization on Sunday; team has been in COVID-19 quarantine since Thursday but will be ready to begin tournament and participate as schedule, the Swiss announced.

Andrej Sustr Reassigned To AHL

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  • There won’t be many minor league transactions today as the league goes dark, but the Tampa Bay Lightning did sneak in one more before things closed. Andrej Sustr has been reassigned to the AHL for the break, saving the Lightning a few dollars. The 31-year-old has been used in spot duty throughout the year, playing eight games for Tampa Bay and 12 for the Syracuse Crunch.

Brayden Point Skates With Regular Jersey

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  • Brayden Point was back on the ice at Tampa Bay Lightning practice today, and he was wearing a regular white jersey, according to team reporter Gabby Shirley. Point was not included in the regular lines but skated alongside Gabriel Fortier and Nikita Kucherov. The star center is expected to return soon after the holiday break; he last played on November 20 and was given a four-to-six-week timeline.

Cooper: Brayden Point Could Be Day-To-Day After Holiday Break

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  • The Lightning could be getting a key player back soon after the holiday break. Head coach Jon Cooper told reporters including Joe Smith of The Athletic (Twitter link) that center Brayden Point could be reclassified as day-to-day once they return from the break.  Point has been out with an upper-body injury for just under a month and was off to a strong start to his season before it occurred with 13 points in 16 games.

Fredrik Claesson Clears Waivers

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Saturday: Claesson has cleared waivers, Friedman reports.

Friday: The Tampa Bay Lightning have placed Fredrik Claesson on waivers according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The veteran defenseman cleared waivers earlier this season but has spent enough time on the NHL roster that he needed to again before being assigned to the AHL.

Claesson, 29, has really never been much more than an injury replacement at the NHL level, but seems to find his way into a handful of games each season. He’s suited up four times for Tampa Bay this year after splitting last season between the Lightning and San Jose Sharks. In his career, he has 165 NHL games and 28 points.

It seems unlikely he’ll be claimed this time around, though teams are desperate for roster players given some of the COVID situations. The fact that he makes just $750K against the cap is important for that kind of situation, and could lead to a desperation grab.

Erik Cernak Out Until After The Holiday Break; Zach Bogosian Listed As Day-To-Day

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  • Erik Cernak’s timeline for a return has been delayed as Bryan Burns of the Lightning’s team site relays (Twitter link) that the blueliner is now listed as week to week and won’t play until after the holiday break. The 24-year-old suffered a lower-body injury last week in just his third game back from an upper-body issue.  In between those ailments, Cernak has been an important part of Tampa Bay’s top four, logging 19:30 per game.  The extended timeline will make him LTIR-eligible.
  • Cernak isn’t the only injured Lightning blueliner either as the team announced (Twitter link) prior to their game against the Sens that Zach Bogosian is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Injuries have limited the 31-year-old to just 15 games this season where he has four points, 41 hits, and 34 penalty minutes.

Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Roman Schmidt

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have added another prospect to the pipeline, signing 2021 draft pick Roman Schmidt to a three-year entry-level contract, according to his agent Dan Milstein. Schmidt currently plays for the Kitchener Rangers for the OHL, where he will presumably spend the rest of the season.

Still just 18, the third-round pick was not named to the U.S. World Junior selection camp roster, despite his strong play this season for Kitchener. Born in Michigan, Schmidt also has Canadian citizenship from his time living in the Ottawa and Toronto areas, but has represented the U.S. internationally in the past.

A product of the U.S. National Team Development Program, Schmidt is a hulking, 6’6″ defender that routinely overpowers attackers with his size and strength. While that becomes more difficult for some players as they transition out of junior hockey, Schmidt has the potential of a true shutdown player who can use his reach effectively on the penalty kill. He’s also shown some offensive upside this season, posting six goals and 11 points in 22 games with Kitchener, though it’s hard to expect that will be his calling card at the professional level.

Still, it’s another interesting name to keep an eye on as he eventually moves into Tampa Bay’s development program. The team is known for taking players with standout skills or attributes and allowing them to hone that enough to be effective at the next level, and Schmidt’s build could thrive in the right environment. His entry-level deal will slide for this year as he plays in junior, meaning it won’t expire until 2025 at the earliest.

Tampa Bay Lightning Claim Riley Nash

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The Tampa Bay Lightning are going to take a shot with another veteran player, this time claiming Riley Nash off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

There’s no doubt that Nash’s best days are behind him, but the Lightning have made a habit out of finding specific roles for depth players over the years in order to maximize their efficiency. The 32-year-old center can still play the defensive side of the puck, meaning he could help out the Tampa Bay bottom-six and penalty kill if deployed correctly. Still, he has exactly zero points this season in 15 games and just 33 since the end of the 2017-18 season.

The Lightning have dealt with several serious injuries to key forwards though, as both Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point remain out. That has meant some of their younger players have been forced into bigger roles, leaving the depth of the organization a bit lacking. Against the Philadelphia Flyers in their most recent game, the trio of Taylor Raddysh, Gabriel Fortier, and Boris Katchouk each played fewer than 12 minutes. If Nash can show that he can provide a strong, defensive presence on the fourth line, it seems likely that Fortier (who is currently on an emergency recall) would be returned to the minor leagues to continue his development with the Syracuse Crunch.

Injury Notes: Kucherov, Zboril, Farabee

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When Nikita Kucherov was last sidelined due to injury, it took him the entire 2020-21 regular season to recover. This time around, the absence won’t be nearly as long for the 2018-19 Hart Trophy winner. Kucherov is right on track to return from the lower body injury he suffered back in October, for which he was given an eight-to-ten week recovery period after undergoing surgery. NHL.com reports that Kucherov was back at practice for the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, his first time skating with the team since he was injured on October 16 – exactly seven weeks to the day. Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was quick to qualify the appearance, stating that “this does not trigger anything new on his timeline; he’s still quite a ways off.” However, getting Kucherov back on the ice is the first major step toward getting the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs back to full strength. The Lightning are enjoying another solid season, even with Kuckerov and Brayden Point on the shelf, but are well behind the rival Florida Panthers for the lead in the Atlantic Division and could use the boost that a Kucherov return will bring to get back into the mix for the Eastern Conference crown.

  • The Boston Bruins are still waiting on clarification on the injury to defenseman Jakub Zboril in their last game on Thursday night. Zboril took an awkward check from Nashville’s Tanner Jeannot and appeared to injure his knee. He was helped off the ice and did not return in what seemed to be a serious incident. However, the team has made no definitive statement as to Zboril’s status just yet. Boston only announced that Zboril will not play on Saturday night and will be re-evaluated in the coming days, which could mean that the injury was not as severe as it seems or it could simply be that they have not yet determined the severity. The hope is that Zboril can return as soon as possible, as the blue liner is playing the best hockey of his NHL career providing consistent and dependable play on the back end. With Zboril finally flashing the ability that made him a first-round pick in 2015, the Bruins want to keep that momentum going if at all possible.
  • On the other end of the spectrum, the specifics have been revealed on the injury to Philadelphia Flyers forward Joel Farabee. The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor reports that Farabee has suffered a Grade II AC sprain in his shoulder. The typical recovery from the injury is up to six weeks, which O’Connor notes lines up with what Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault had initially suggested, even though Farabee was considered “week-to-week”. Philly will have to make do through at least the rest of the calendar year without the young scorer, who is tied for the team lead in goals.

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