WJC 2021: Five things we have learned after five days in Red Deer

Here’s five things we’ve learned after five days of the 2021 World Junior Championship.

Hockey is well and truly back thanks to the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship in Red Deer, Edmonton, and it has been one hell of a fun tournament so far.

Team Canada and Team USA are both looking like absolute juggernauts so far, as we mapped out here, Russia, Sweden and Finland are all looking dangerous and Austria probably wished they were never promoted.

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Future NHL stars are really making a name for themselves too, particularly Anaheim Ducks prospect Trevor Zegras who is lighting it up for Team USA with 10 points (5 G, 5 A) in three games.

There are a plethora of other high-end studs also impressing and catching the eye in what is a star-studded tournament, and there are also plenty of storylines to sink our teeth into despite the World Juniors only being five days old.

And, on that note, we are going to delve into the five things we have learned from the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton so far…

1. Trevor Zegras for MVP

As we’ve already mentioned, there have been a dozen impressive showings from future NHL stars in Edmonton, but none have perhaps been more impressive than Trevor Zegras.

In three games Zegras has five goals and five assists for 10 points with a plus / minus rating of +3 for Team USA, with the forward leading the entire tournament in points and in goals.

He has been electric so far and contributed two goals and three assists as Team USA shutout the Czech Republic 7-0 on Tuesday to book their place in the Quarter-Finals.

The No. 9 overall pick by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Zegras boasts a high ceiling and he is providing Ducks fans with a tantalizing glimpse of what could be to come right now.

Projected to be an elite two-way forward with blistering speed, the ability to both create and finish, elite vision and able to finish his checks with force, Zegras has the potential to be a franchise forward for Anaheim.

And, likely to start 2020-21 in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls, Zegras could find himself on the Ducks’ Taxi Squad or maybe even on their Opening Night roster if he continues to dominate the World Juniors.

3. Poor Austria

This hasn’t been a fun tournament for Austria.

Newly-promoted, this was an exciting time for the country but, instead, it has proved to be a nightmare with the Austrians just not very competitive.

They’ve allowed 22 goals against and scored just one in three games, while they have given up a grand total of 188 shots in just three games.

Yeah, not great Bob to coin a popular phrase from Mad Men.

Those poor, poor goalies too.

It has led to a surge of discussion on social media around whether smaller countries should be allowed to take part in the World Juniors in order to avoid too many one-sided contests.

However, it is important to remember that the magical thing about this tournament is that it gives young hopefuls a chance to showcase their talents on the biggest stage.

So, while losing and being dominated every game can’t be easy or fun, just think of the memories those Austrian players are making right now, and how better they will be for testing themselves against elite opposition.

That alone is proof why the current format shouldn’t be tampered with, and Austria will be better for this experience going forward, including star forward Marco Rossi who was drafted ninth overall by the Minnesota Wild at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.

4. Byfield & Canada a force

It has been quite the few months for Quinton Byfield who was taken with the No. 2 overall pick at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft by the LA Kings, before heading to Edmonton to help Team Canada in the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championships.

And, after failing to record a single goal at last year’s tournament, Byfield is back with a vengeance this year with two goals already and looking like he could really take over this tournament for Canada.

With seven points (2 G, 5 A) in three games in total – which is good for third among all players in the tournament – Byfield looks a different player than he was last year and that is both good news for Team Canada and the LA Kings.

He looks bigger, stronger, more powerful and he’s also playing with a real maturity to his game, while we are starting to see that clinical edge shine through.

Putting up two goals and four assists for six points in Team Canada’s 10-0 shutout against Switzerland on Tuesday, Byfield showed how deadly he can be and that he has what it takes to seize control of a game by himself.

Boasting size and skill, Byfield has an incredibly high ceiling and LA Kings fans should be very excited watching their most exciting prospect cause some damage on the biggest stage.

It helps too that Byfield is on what is an incredibly talented and stacked Team Canada roster, one that has three players that make up the top four scoring leaders, including Byfield, and the first nine plus / minus leaders are all Canadian too.

Having won three straight games with 29 goals for and just three allowed, Team Canada look every inch the juggernaut they were supposed to be and they look a very, very good bet to win Gold for the second straight year.

5. NHL stars on full display

We’ve mentioned it already but one of the great things about the World Juniors is that it does give NHL fans a chance to see their team’s future star or stars in action up close and personal.

This year is no different and while we have already taken a look at Anaheim Ducks prospect Trevor Zegras, Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stuetzle and LA Kings rookie Quinton Byfield, there are a dozen more examples to be found in this tournament.

For instance, Dawson Mercer has emerged as a real star for Team USA and, not only does the right-winger work incredibly hard in all three zones, but he can also contribute offensively and that should excite New Jersey Devils fans.

Matthew Boldy executed a filthy between-the-legs goal in Team USA’s shutout win over the Czech Republic on Tuesday, which you can watch below, and the Minnesota Wild will be hoping that their 12th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft can eventually translate that to the NHL.

Elsewhere, John Peterka, who was taken No. 34 overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, has impressed for Germany with five points (1 G, 4 A) in three games, while Simon Holmstrom (New York Islanders), Victor Soderstrom (Arizona Coyotes) and Noel Gunler (Carolina Hurricanes) have all been standouts for an impressive Sweden team.

Anton Lundell, the 12th overall pick by the Florida Panthers in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, is leading the charge for Finland and showing what he could be capable of in Sunrise, and Nashville Predators fans have also gotten a look at how Yaroslav Askarov has looked between the pipes for a powerhouse Russia team, which also boasts Vancouver Canucks stud Vasili Podkolzin, who has three goals (2 G, 1 A) in three games.

Overall, there is star power everywhere you look at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championships and that will only continue to be magnified the more we get into the meaty part of the tournament.

Bring it on!