2022 World Juniors | Recap of QMJHL player performances
It was certainly not the most traditional IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.
However, this didn’t stop the QMJHL from being well represented at the event, which concluded on Saturday in Edmonton, Alberta after being postponed last December due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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TEAM CANADA
The host nation had to work a little overtime on Saturday night but was well rewarded nonetheless, capturing gold in a thrilling victory over Team Finland.
All told, six players from the Q would take home top prize at the event, led by Sherbrooke Phoenix sniper Joshua Roy, who opened the scoring in the gold medal contest and finished with eight points (3G, 5A) in seven games. William Dufour continued his roll after capturing Memorial Cup MVP honors with the Saint John Sea Dogs in June. He also found the back of the net in the gold medal game, en route to seven points (3G, 4A) in as many games.
Fresh off back-to-back Emile-Bouchard Trophy wins as Defenseman of the Year, Charlottetown Islanders rearguard Lukas Cormier registered five points (1G, 4A) in seven games while playing key minutes in several situations. Anaheim Ducks first-rounder Nathan Gaucher put up a pair of points (1G, 1A) while Halifax Mooseheads center Elliot Desnoyers put up an assist, each appearing in all seven games and adapting to depth roles successfully. Riley Kidney parlayed a 100-point campaign with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan last season into appearances in three games with the tournament champs.
TEAM CZECHIA
The Czechs finished in fourth place at this year’s event, the nation’s best showing at the World Juniors since 2018. Turning heads was Jiri Kulich, the third overall selection of the Cape Breton Eagles at the 2022 CHL Import Draft, who recorded eight points (2G, 6A) in seven games. Another Eagle, Ivan Ivan, contributed one assist in seven games, as did Sherbrooke’s David Spacek, the 2022 QMJHL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Between the pipes, Acadie-Bathurst veteran Jan Bednar contributed one victory in his three starts.
TEAM GERMANY
The Germans finished an impressive sixth in 2022 with a solid roster of highly touted teens. Among that crew was Gatineau Olympiques winger Haakon Frederik Hanelt, who recorded a goal and an assist in five contests.
TEAM LATVIA
One of the feel-good stories of the tournament, Latvia earned its first trip to the tournament quarterfinals, finishing seventh overall. A trio of players from the Q played various roles in the nation’s top performance to date, including Baie-Comeau Drakkar defenseman Niks Fenenko, Acadie-Bathurst rearguard Harijs Brants and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada winger Anri Ravinskis all recorded a point in five games. Peteris Bulans, a 2022 CHL Import Draft selection of Acadie-Bathurst, was named to the roster but did not appear in the tournament.
TEAM SLOVAKIA
It was a tough tournament for Slovakia, the club posting a lone overtime triumph in the round robin, en route to a ninth-place finish. A pair of QMJHL veterans still posted solid results, however. Chicoutimi Sagueneens winger Matej Kaslik found the back of the net three times while Blainville-Boisbriand center Oleksiy Myklukha chipped in with a pair of assists, each in four tournament games. Peter Repcik, fresh off his rookie campaign with Cape Breton, scored once in three contests.
TEAM SWITZERLAND
The Swiss also appeared in the quarterfinals, finishing eighth overall. The most dynamic performance from this squad came from Halifax winger Attilio Biasca, who recorded six points (4G, 2A) in five outings. Winger Jonas Taibel carried forward a strong second half with the Moncton Wildcats with three points (2G, 1A) in five tournament contests. A pair of Sea Dogs, blueliner Vincent Despont (one assist in five games) and goaltender Noah Patenaude (one win in four starts) also appeared at the event.
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Just four months remain before the IIHF World Junior Championship returns to its place as a Christmastime tradition, with Halifax and Moncton preparing to host the 2023 edition of the event.
