WORLD JUNIORS: Five Silvertips are Semifinal-bound as Finland, Canada, Czechia all advance
EDMONTON, AB — All five Everett Silvertips representatives currently at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship have advanced to the Semifinals stage, as Finland, Canada and Czechia all won their respective quarterfinal matchup. Kasper Puutio (Finland), Coach Dennis Williams (Canada), Ronan Seeley (Canada), Olen Zellweger (Canada) and Michal Gut (Czechia) remain in the hunt for gold in Edmonton.
Kasper Puutio has been an offensive spark plug on the back end for Finland. The 2020 fifth-round selection by the Florida Panthers has three goals and three assists on the blueline through five games played this tournament, helping the Finns over Germany in the quarterfinal. Puutio played one season for the Silvertips in 2019-20, recording 12 points in 21 games after being acquired in a trade with the Swift Current Broncos. Since his departure, the 20-year-old Puutio has been playing professionally in his native Finland with KalPa in Liiga.
Yet another goal for Kasper Puutio! That’s three goals in as many games for Finland!#WorldJuniors x #AlwaysASilvertip pic.twitter.com/bFROR52hCA
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) August 14, 2022
Dennis Williams, head coach and general manager of the Silvertips, has helped lead Canada to a perfect record thus far in the World Juniors as an assistant coach. Two Everett defensemen patrol the blueline for Canada: Ronan Seeley, who notched two assists in Canada’s quarterfinal win over Switzerland to give him four points in five games; and Olen Zellweger, whose seven points through five games ranks second amongst all defensemen at the tournament. Both Seeley and Zellweger are signed to NHL contracts. Seeley, 20, is inked to an entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes as a 2020 seventh-round draft pick, while Zellweger, 19, signed after being selected in the second-round by the Anaheim Ducks in 2021.
Olen Zellweger is out here dropping DIMES
What a feed, it’s 5-2 Canada!#WorldJuniors x @AnaheimDucks pic.twitter.com/IWTmSwPf3z
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) August 18, 2022
Michal Gut and Czechia pulled a massive upset off in the quarterfinal round, besting USA Hockey 4-2. Gut played a prominent defensive role in the contest, particularly in the third period as Czechia killed off a five-minute major powerplay with their narrow lead intact. Gut has two goals and two assists through five games this tournament.
GUTZY IS FIRED UP (wait til the very end!)
It’s on to battle Canada!#WorldJuniors x @narodnitym
(🎥: @TSN_Sports)pic.twitter.com/GW5cNc70wB
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) August 18, 2022
Czechia will play Canada in the semifinals on Friday, Aug. 19 at 1 p.m. PT. Finland will square off with Sweden at 5 p.m. PT. All games will be featured on NHL Network and TSN.
