The 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships will begin Sunday in Alberta, Canada, offering some of the best under-20 hockey prospects in the world an opportunity to showcase their skills.
The first game at 2 p.m. will feature Finland vs. Germany, followed by Canada vs. Czech Republic at 7 p.m. and U.S.A. vs. Slovakia at 9:30 p.m.
The tournament will run through Jan. 5, with 10 countries participating and arenas being used in both Edmonton and Red Deer. All games will be broadcast on NHL Network.
The New York Rangers will have four prospects competing. Here's what to expect from each of them:
The high-motor forward made a name for himself as a third-line spark plug while helping the U.S. win gold at last year's World Juniors.
His energetic style of play made him a pest on the forecheck and a relentless force in hunting pucks, creating turnovers and generating offense. The 5-foot-9, 163-pounder garnered attention for playing much bigger than his modest size.
The 2020 fifth-round pick (No. 134 overall) finished the tournament with five points (one goal and four assists) in seven games, launching himself into the conversation as one of the Rangers' top-10 prospects.
Berard has only helped his cause since then. He's in the middle of an outstanding sophomore season at Providence, where the 19-year-old has accumulated 24 points (12 goals and 12 assists) through 21 games. And he's in line for a major opportunity in his second go-around at the World Juniors.
Berard is set to jump from the bottom six to the top line, where he'll play with 2021 first-round picks Matty Beniers (Seattle) and Mackie Samoskevich (Florida). He's also being used on Team USA's top power play unit.
If he proves to be a capable play driver in such a prominent role, it could be yet another boost to his prospect stock. He got off to a good start in Thursday's 4-3 exhibition loss to Finland, scoring the go-ahead goal on a rush opportunity nine seconds into the third period.
"Tenaciousness," said U.S. coach Nate Leaman when asked what Berard brings to the team. "He attacks the net well. He’s very good down low offensively. When he’s two, three steps away from the net, he’s really dynamic around those areas. When he’s on pucks; when he’s tenacious when he has the puck – he has very good edges – he can hold pucks. ... I really like his playmaking."
The Rangers are particularly excited about two of their Canadian forward prospects in Cuylle and 2021 first-round pick Brennan Othmann. And while the latter just missed being selected for this year's national team — he'll be eligible again next year — Cuylle was brought in to give Canada's fourth line some grit.
The 2020 second-round pick (No. 60 overall) has been one of the leading goal scorers in the OHL this season, tying for eighth in the league with 18 tallies through 22 games played as the captain of the Windsor Spitfires. But while the 19-year-old is potent finisher with a lethal shot, any offense he brings for Team Canada will be viewed as a bonus.
Canada's top nine is loaded with skilled forwards, seven of which have already been first-round picks, plus an eighth — Shane Wright — who is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in 2022. Cuylle and his fourth-line mates, Elliot Desnoyers and Dylan Guenther, are being tasked with bringing what Canadian head coach Dave Cameron described as "good energy" and "physicality."
"We want to be a team that’s physical, without taking penalties," Cameron said on Wednesday. "We want to be a team that establishes a heavy forecheck and I could see Will lead that charge."
The Rangers may ask the 6-foot-4, 210-pounder to play a similar role as soon as next season, which will make this year's World Juniors an important step in his development.
Fresh off signing his three-year entry level contract with the Rangers on Thursday — which will surely slide and begin for the 2022-23 season — the 2020 fourth-round pick (No. 103 overall) is firmly in the mix to start in goal for Team Canada.
There has been no formal announcement, but if Thursday's 6-4 exhibition win over Russia was any indication, Garand's odds of winning the job are looking strong. He started and stopped 14 of the 15 shots he faced, while his top competition, 2021 first-round pick Sebastian Cossa (Detroit), allowed three goals on 11 shots.
Cameron called it a "hard" decision prior to the game, while referring to Garand as "a helluva goaltender."
"I'm not one to be able to break down goaltending for you and tell you what he’s great at, but I know his track record," he added of Garand. "Everything he's done up until this point has made him an elite goaltender. That’s why he’s here. I’ve like him in camp. He's really competitive."
The track record has been excellent for the 19-year-old, who has already outperformed his draft position to become a possible starter over a highly-rated prospect such as Cossa.
Garand has gone 15-4 this season in the WHL for the Kamloops Blazers, posting a 1.85 goals against average and a .932 save percentage. He's considered slightly undersized at 6-foot-1, 181 pounds, but makes up for it with precision movements and poise.
UPDATE: Cameron announced Saturday that Garand will be Canada's starter for the opening game against the Czech Republic.
The 2021 fourth-round pick (No. 106 overall) has slotted in at right wing on the fourth line for Team Finland, where he's expected to bring a physical and defensive presence.
The 18-year-old is a big-bodied forward at 6-foot-4, 187 pounds with decent hands and a long reach. Despite his young age, he's already become a regular in Finland's top league, Liiga, while posting four points (one goal and three assists) in 25 games for TPS this season.
Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.