The Canadian teenagers from the WJC roster have returned safe and sound back to the teams from whence they came—with the exception of Robby Fabbri, who’s back in Guelph but on the crutches after suffering a high ankle sprain against Denmark.
In fact, the gold medallists have already seen game action, none with more spectacular results than Connor McDavid, who, on his return to the Erie lineup, scored on what most consider the most dazzling deke of the season in an upset loss to the Sting in Sarnia.
And as happens so often, a player or two from the roster will be moved during the tournament or after, the latter being the case with Nick Ritchie moving from Peterborough to the Soo for what the Greyhounds hope is a title run. Players who have poured heart and soul into the WJC often struggle on return—a lot of energy gets expended over a tense couple of weeks. You have to figure they won’t suffer as overly as they would have if the tournament had been in Europe—or if it hadn’t been an absolute cakewalk through the quarters and semis, the field parting for them like the Red Sea had for Moses.
With seven days behind us, it’s now a good time to assess the NHL implications of what we saw in Montreal and Toronto over that stretch for the seven Canadian franchises. We start with most encouraged and descend in despairing order.
*Edmonton Oilers Grade: A+ if McDavid, A if Eichel, A- if 3rd overall (you’ll see what that means)
We’re attaching a significant asterisk to this top slot. If the Oilers continue to flatline and land the No. 1 pick in the draft, they will come away with their absolutely legit franchise centre in McDavid.
Many hockey fans watched the opening games of the tournament and weren’t impressed by McDavid’s play. Behind the scenes, however, most NHL scouts thought he lived up to his billing and more. Two factors weighed heaviest in his something less than sensational play early: A lot of downtime in recovery for a hand broken in a fight in November; and some very strange decisions regarding line combinations and ice time by coach Benoit Groulx.
By the end of the tournament McDavid was the shiniest talent, clearly the best prospect drafted or undrafted, apologies to Max Domi. (If the Oilers finish with the second pick and wind up drafting American Jack Eichel, it’ll be on the strength of a lot more than this WJC tournament where he was a bigger disappointment with every passing game.)
The Oilers had reason for further hope, of course. Darnell Nurse grew more daring in jumping up into or leading the rush as the tournament wore on, probably a little too freelance at some points. No matter, the Soo defenceman was either Canada’s best or right there with Josh Morrissey (see Winnipeg). And next to the chief drafted prospects on the blueline—Morrisey and Shea Theodore—Nurse stands as the best pro prospect, definitely top-pair upside in the average three-to-five year development curve. Just talking to him you get a sense that he’ll figure out what it will take for success at the next level.
Winnipeg Jets Grade: A
This might come out of left field as this franchise’s drafts (going back to Atlanta) have never had much success outside the first round. The Jets last two first-rounders, Nikolaj Ehlers and Josh Morrissey, looked like frontline players—Ehlers especially showed that his individual game-breaking skills translate to a higher level than he sees in Haifax. The real revelation was Nic Petan, a second rounder in 2013. McDavid was at his best when Petan was moved to his wing. Petan is small and slight but he scored 120 and 113 points the past two seasons—and he was great at the WJC. If he lives up to second-line upside, he would be the first Thrashers/Jets pick to constitute a find since Atlanta took Ondrej Pavelec in the second round in 2005.
Ottawa Senators Grade: B+
Not really offering a grade based on Curtis Lazar’s performance—we have a good idea who he is and will be given his play with the Senators in the first third of the season. Another Canadian forward, Nick Paul of the North Bay Battalion, was the player of interest here. A fourth-rounder of Dallas back in 2013, he was a major factor in North Bay’s run to the OHL final last year. Then the Senators scooped him in the Jason Spezza trade. He could have easily not been picked up on Hockey Canada’s radar. He seems to have made a breakthrough this season with 19 goals in 27 games, previously hidden scoring potential (12 goals in 66 games in his draft year). It might be that no one exceeded expectations more than Paul.
Vancouver Canucks Grade: C
Jake Virtanen, last year’s first-rounder, started as Canada’s 13th forward and was shuffled around on a nightly basis, especially after the injury to Fabbri. He should be back with the WJC team next winter. Showed an edge but not the potent finishing that he was renowned for. Thatcher Demko, USA goaltender, had his moments—he saved the Americans’ bacon versus Finland despite a horrific mishandling of his first touch of the tournament. Demko also had struggles. For a second-rounder though he looks like a decent risk.
Montreal Canadiens Grade: C
Canadiens had three draftees from 2013 up for consideration but with apologies to Jacob De La Rose of Sweden and Arturri Lehkonen, Montreal’s big interest at the tourney was Zach Fucale. What to say of his WJC? No one could figure out Groulx’s handling of his goaltenders. Fucale was only called in a two competitive games. He didn’t inspire confidence versus Russia. If you’re saying you were confident at 5-4 going into the third you’re lying. I’m willing to give him a pass but was this a performance that you’d put up against Carey Price’s in Leksand years back? No chance. C
Toronto Maple Leafs Grade: C
The star attraction at the ACC in the opening round was William Nylander, the Leafs eighth-overall pick last June. His tournament was a magic show in the first four games, a pure creative talent. His last two games were also a magic show—strictly a disappearing act. Especially against the Russians, Nylander was easily pushed to the perimeter and his body language was entirely petulant surrender. The Leafs 2013 first-rounder Frederik Gauthier played a lot of minutes as the checking line centre and had a great tournament in the faceoff circle. He looks to be skating better than last year and has great size but it’s hard to see him with anything more than third-line upside. And when it comes to third-line upside, it might be that Gauthier is and will be Patrice Cormier—a very effective player in that role in this tournament but that’s it, that’s all.
Calgary Flames Grade: N/A
With Sam Bennett injured, the Flames WJC was basically hard-rock Russian defenceman Rushan Rafikov, who look like he has fifth- or sixth-D upside.