The 2018 World Junior Championships are down to the final four teams. Sweden will meet the United States, and Canada will take on the Czech Republic in Thursday's semifinals.
Over the last week-plus, several draft-eligible players have showcased their talents to one of the largest collections of NHL scouts and executives they'll play in front of all year. The World Juniors can be a tough place to assess draft-eligible players, but this year features a deep crop of players, many of whom are already playing substantial roles.
It's still often wise to exercise caution with how much stock you put into this tournament. While it is a great measuring stick, it is also still merely another data point in a player's overall draft season. There are so many variables for these players, as they are perhaps asked to play different roles, sometimes with less ice time than they get with their normal teams.
It's also just an 11-day sample of 5-7 games. It is important to remember, too, that the gap between 17- and 18-year-old players can actually be a large one, even if the younger player possesses more upside.
Nevertheless, this tournament offers an opportunity to see how these young players fare against the very best under-20 players not in the NHL right now. Here's a look at a few who are impressing in Buffalo.
Rasmus Dahlin, D, Sweden
I would have said this before the tournament, but I'll say it here, too. Believe the hype. As Sweden's No. 1 defenseman at 17, Dahlin was everything that could be expected. While not outright dominant, Dahlin has been one of the best defensemen in the tournament through the quarterfinals. Playing on a blue line that also includes first-rounders Timothy Liljegren (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Erik Brannstrom (Vegas Golden Knights), Dahlin has become a leader and the most used defenseman on the squad. It's night-and-day from last year.
"There's a big difference [between this year and last year]," Sweden coach Tomas Monten said. "He plays 22 to 23 minutes every game at home [for his club team]. The feeling is that he looks here exactly as he does at home.
"He was a skilled player last year, but he was not good enough to play big minutes. I think now he is. He can play on the penalty kill, 5-on-5, and he surely can play on the power play."
The young defenseman has been relishing the opportunity to play such a big role.
"I like it," he said. "It's easy to play with the guys out there. I'm just having fun. Last year, I took what I got, shift-by-shift. This year, I play the whole game. I have to take more responsibility in the defensive zone, but I feel comfortable there."
Everything you've probably already heard about Dahlin has been on display in Buffalo. The incredible skill and skating has shown up a lot, as has his ability to control shifts. It seems like Sweden has the puck a lot when he is on the ice, but when he has to defend, he has great anticipation and footwork. There's little doubt that the offensive parts of his game are ahead of the defense, but that's hardly a slight. He sees the ice at an advanced level and has confidence with or without the puck.
Dahlin has six assists through five games and is third among defensemen with 18 shots on goal. He is also averaging 23:43 of ice time per game. And the spotlight has never been brighter on him. If it's adding pressure, it doesn't show.
"He's a pro," New York Rangers prospect and Sweden captain Lias Andersson said. "He's still so young, but it seems like he's 30 years old. He's so calm. It seems like he doesn't care so much about [the attention]."
Dahlin says he is still learning how to handle the larger-than-normal media scrums and focus on him, but you can see his maturity on the ice and off. He'll face his biggest challenge in the semifinal going head-to-head with an American forward group that mixes size, speed and skill as well as any team in the tournament. It should be a great chance to see just how far Dahlin has come over the last 12 months.
Brady Tkachuk, LW, United States
No player has done more to raise his draft stock in this tournament than Tkachuk. Referred to by U.S. head coach Bob Motzko as a "junkyard dog," Tkachuk has been an all-situations player for Team USA. As the tournament has progressed, the 18-year-old has gotten more and more minutes while playing in critical spots, often coming through in a big way.
Tkachuk has been moved around the lineup and given different opportunities, but he's seemed to have found a home on Team USA's top line with star center Casey Mittelstadt and captain Joey Anderson. No matter where he is, Tkachuk has been a consistent presence as both a source of offense and a thorn in the side of the opposition.
Through five games, Tkachuk is second on the team with seven points (two goals, five assists). Mittelstadt is the only other forward on the team averaging more minutes than Tkachuk's 19:58 per game. He plays a physical brand of hockey but still has really great touch in the offensive zone. There aren't a lot of guys who can mix power and finesse as seamlessly as Tkachuk has in Buffalo.
Motzko can't help but gush about the big forward.
"He's just scratching the surface of how good he's going to be," Team USA's coach said. "He is one of the guys who plays the right way every single shift he's out there. Every day, every practice. He's got a great attitude. I love the kid."
Scouts and GMs seem to be loving him, too. Many NHL executives who weren't already here arrived Tuesday to see the top-eight teams in the tournament go head-to-head in the quarterfinals. There's a buzz about Tkachuk that grows with each game he plays.
Filip Zadina, LW, Czech Republic
As much as Tkachuk is rightly gaining praise from the scouting community, nobody is sleeping on Zadina. The Halifax Mooseheads forward has been a player of impact for the Czechs, particularly in their quarterfinal win over Finland. Zadina scored twice in that game, including the late game-tying goal on a tip with the Czech goalie pulled for an extra attacker.
He's been part of the top line with Albert Michnac and do-everything center Martin Necas, a Carolina Hurricanes first-rounder. While Necas has been an all-situations player, Zadina has been looked to as an offensive key, and he's excelling in that role. He leads the team with five goals and leads the tournament with 31 shots on net.
Perhaps that's why coach Filip Pesan affectionately called Zadina a "shark." He has a nose for the net and always wants to be shooting. Four of his five goals have come on the power play, but he has also been a threat at even strength, averaging over six shots on goal per game.
Zadina certainly has to work on rounding out his game, something he readily admits. However, in speaking with Zadina and listening to how his teammates and coaches speak about him, there's definitely a star quality to the player. He carries himself with confidence. His offensive skill set is certainly going to keep him in the top-three conversation all year, but it could also help land the Czechs their first medal at this event since 2005.
Andrei Svechnikov, RW, Russia
This was a tough tournament to evaluate Svechnikov, but that was kind of expected going in. Russian coach Valeri Bragin has traditionally leaned more heavily on older players. Russia tries to bring as many 19-year-olds as it can to this tournament, and it has largely paid off. The Russians collected medals in seven straight World Junior Championships. However, that streak ended with Tuesday's quarterfinal loss to the Americans. In that defeat, Svechnikov's ice time was the lowest among all Russian forwards.
Despite the limited involvement -- at least relative to a player of his talent -- Svechnikov still managed to produce. He had five assists in five games while often playing alongside St. Louis Blues first-rounder Klim Kostin. You could see the power he plays with, as he was difficult to get the puck from and was able to make a few plays here and there. I don't think Svechnikov did anything to hurt his draft stock, but he also wasn't really given the chance to appreciably help it.
Quinn Hughes, D, United States
After earning more ice time than any player in the team's first game, Hughes' minutes have been on a steady decline. It got to the point where he played only two short shifts in the second period and nothing in the third in USA's quarterfinal win over Russia. It's not that Hughes had played particularly poorly, but the U.S. has had older defensemen step up in different roles that have perhaps offered a better fit in tighter games.
It doesn't sound like Hughes is necessarily in the dog house, as Motzko said he wants to see Hughes rediscover his confidence to get back on track in the tournament. There's no question a player with his skill set can thrive in this setting.
Before Hughes' playing time tapered off, you could see all of the skills that have people raving about him. He sees the ice incredibly well and very well could be one of, if not the best skater in this tournament. That makes him a threat already, but his vision and distribution skills make him "dangerous," as his coach likes to say. Hughes defends well for a smaller defenseman. He probably just needs to pick his spots a little better, which comes with the confidence Motzko speaks of.
Isac Lundestrom, C, Sweden
While he's not terribly flashy, Lundestrom is a strong center who has had a lot of trust placed in him by his coach. He is centering Sweden's third line with Boston Bruins pick Oskar Steen and Chicago Blackhawks prospect Tim Soderlund. That line often starts periods for the Swedes to bring energy early and make things difficult for opponents' top lines.
Despite that matchups role that has Lundestrom often in defense-first mode, he scored twice in Sweden's quarterfinal win over Slovakia. He has good quickness and solid offensive skills, but his best attribute appears to be his strength. Lundestrom plays really well down low. His versatility is going to give teams a lot to think about in the mid- to late-first round.
Rasmus Kupari, C/W, Finland
Another young player who ended up with a lower-lineup role, Kupari was decidedly Finland's 13th forward. He averaged just 6:46 of ice time and ended the tournament with no points through five games after the Finns got bounced in the quarters. Despite his relative inactivity, Kupari saw some time when Finland was desperate for offense in the third period against the Czechs. The skill level is certainly there, but the World Juniors is more about what you can do now rather than what your upside says you'll do at the next level. He was the youngest player on an already-young team, so it's hard to judge Kupari too harshly for this one.
Martin Kaut, RW, Czech Republic
A good source of secondary offense, Kaut is tied for third on the Czech team with six points. While he lacks the high-end skill of some of his more heralded teammates, Kaut has a good motor and has been thriving in the higher pace of the WJC. He's played a lot with Rangers first-rounder Filip Chytil on the Czech Republic's second line, showing that this team still sees him as a top player.
Philipp Kurashev, C, Switzerland
The Swiss didn't have a ton of offensive upside in this tournament, but Kurashev was often a threat for them. A key player on Switzerland's power play, he led all Swiss forwards with an average ice time of 20:03. While Kurashev doesn't have amazing hand skills, he analyzes the game well and seems to have good offensive instincts. It would be interesting to see how he'd fare with higher-end finishers around him.
Jakub Lauko, LW, Czech Republic
There wasn't much of a chance for Lauko to make an impact as a young player on one of the deepest Czech teams we've seen in this tournament. He's had one goal through four games and has been engaged offensively when given the chance. Lauko should play a much more prominent role next year.
Milos Roman, C, Slovakia
In his second go-around at the World Juniors, Roman was relied upon more heavily by the coaching staff. He scored two goals in the tournament before the team was bounced by Sweden in the quarterfinal. The Slovakians didn't have a lot of high-end skill on their roster, but Roman gave opposing teams someone to keep close tabs on. It's tough for players like him to stand out when the team lacks a supporting cast to help him take his game to the next level.
Nando Eggenberger, LW, Switzerland
Eggenberger seems to be generating a little more buzz in recent months, but he didn't have a particularly great tournament. He captained the Swiss team and played in a lot of difference situations. Eggenberger plays hard and can be physical, but there wasn't much of anything there offensively. He finished the tournament with zero points.