It takes some time to digest the 12 days and 31 games of the World Junior Championships.
Canada is the champion again after an incredible team effort that saw contributions from everywhere, right down to 13th forward Tyler Steenbergen. He became the unlikely hero by scoring the gold-medal-winning goal with just 1:40 remaining in the final in Buffalo, N.Y. Sweden suffered another bitter defeat in a title game despite a lineup that was long on both talent and heart. The Americans earned a medal for the third consecutive year, a first in USA Hockey's history in this tournament, and even though it wasn't the color they wanted, they finished on a high note.
This World Juniors could also be remembered as projected No. 1 pick Rasmus Dahlin's statement of arrival. He won the Directorate Award for the tournament's best defenseman, the first 17-year-old to do so since 1982, while helping lead Sweden to silver. Casey Mittelstadt also more formally introduced himself to the city whose NHL team drafted him eighth overall in 2017. He was spectacular in the tournament, earning MVP and best forward honors.
As it always does, the WJC provided a great glimpse of the next wave of talent to hit the NHL. Some of these players will be making an impact at the next level as early as next season. So with that in mind, here's a look at some of the players who stood out for each team, along with a few from whom I would have liked to have seen more.
Canada
Carter Hart, G, Philadelphia Flyers: While Hart did not receive any of the individual goaltending awards, he did finish with the highest save percentage among goalies who played the majority of their team's minutes, with a .930 mark. His best performance came in the gold-medal game, and the kid never really flinched. All of his teammates spoke about his calmness, which rubbed off on them. He rarely had to make the big save because he kept things extremely simple and didn't allow many second chances.
Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche: Canada's highest-drafted player started the tournament getting the least amount of ice time among defensemen. However, as injuries mounted, Makar found himself getting more of an opportunity and seizing the role. He was an asset on the power play thanks to his high-end puck skills and vision. Makar is extremely good at getting pucks to the net, opening holes for himself and maximizing chances for his teammates at the front of the net. There are few defensemen at 19 years old who can make the plays Makar makes, thanks to those quick hands and strong skating skills. Opposing teams had to be aware of him every time he was on the ice, even when he was getting limited minutes.
Conor Timmins, D, Colorado Avalanche: I knew plenty about Timmins' offensive ability prior to the WJC, but I came out of the tournament with a greater appreciation for his versatility. The second-round pick was excellent at both ends of the ice, showing great hockey sense through his decisions with the puck and great defensive awareness. He was leaned on heavily in the tournament in a two-way role, finishing second on the squad in average time on ice with 21:10 per game. His best play came in the biggest moment, when he fed a pass to Steenbergen for the winning goal in the final. It was a great example of why he puts up big points in the OHL.
Jordan Kyrou, RW, St. Louis Blues: Perhaps Canada's most slippery forward, Kyrou was a menace for opposing teams in the offensive zone. He scored one of the best goals of the tournament, crossing up a Slovakian defender with some great moves before wiring a shot. He was dangerous on the rush, created his own space, distributed the puck well and made plays all over the ice both on the power play and at even strength. Along with Sam Steel and Dillon Dube, Kyrou helped make Canada's first line near impossible to slow down.
Sam Steel, C, Anaheim Ducks: After getting cut last year, Steel made the most of his second chance. He, Kyrou and Dube worked incredibly well together. Steel also showed off his solid offensive skills with great movement in the offensive zone, patience with the puck and an ability to create his own space. He helped make Canada's top line the threat that it was.
Drake Batherson, C/W, Ottawa Senators: One of the surprises of the tournament, Batherson led Canada with seven goals. Four came on the power play, often with the primary assist going to Makar as Batherson was asked to be the net-front player on their second unit. Batherson represents what made Canada so good, as he was a bottom-six forward who produced in the role he was given. He also forced the turnover that eventually led to Canada's winning goal. Considering he wasn't really even in the mix for this team over the summer, Batherson earned everything he got and then made his inclusion on the team count in a big way.
Robert Thomas, C, St. Louis Blues: Scouts have loved Thomas all season for good reason. However, in this tournament, I don't think he made nearly the impact most would have expected of him. He centered Boris Katchouk and Taylor Raddysh, and that line never got it going on a consistent basis. I wouldn't say Thomas was bad in the tournament, but there wasn't a ton that stood out. You can see some of the tools, but it wasn't all clicking for him at the WJC's pace. One tournament shouldn't downgrade a prospect who has been otherwise brilliant this year, but I thought we'd see more from him in Buffalo.
Sweden
Rasmus Dahlin, D, 2018 draft-eligible: Based on all of the games I saw, there was not a player in this tournament better than Dahlin at any position. He received my vote for MVP for the media all-star team and was the tournament's best defenseman, making him the first to win the award in his draft season since Gord Kluzak. Like Dahlin will be in June, Kluzak was the first overall selection in the 1982 NHL draft. Dahlin ended up with six assists for his total production, which is probably why he did not also win the MVP award, but he ate massive minutes for Sweden, matched up against top lines a lot and helped his team keep the ice tilted in its favor. He needs to round out his defensive game a little more, but I don't think it's a liability or cause for concern. His team is going to have the puck a lot when he's on the ice.
Elias Pettersson, C/W, Vancouver Canucks: There was a lot of hype around Pettersson, who entered the WJC leading the Swedish league in scoring. His offensive skills are absolutely high-end, particularly his shot, and he's got some good agility. Despite his pro success, he did not dominate the tournament and didn't appear to separate himself much from other prospects. However, we are seeing growth in his overall game. He needs to get physically stronger to be able to play in the NHL. He protects the puck well for a lighter player, but if he can add some strength, his offensive skill set expands. Most of his production came on the power play, but he made things happen in every game, and his best goal of the tournament came at even strength.
Alexander Nylander, RW, Buffalo Sabres: Swedish coach Tomas Monten was very high on Nylander all tournament and spoke a lot about how important he was to the team. He tied for the team lead with seven points. He was a bit inconsistent and seemed less engaged at times, which is a common gripe about his play at the AHL level. That said, you can see he has a higher-end offensive sense, with great vision and quick decisions with the puck. The key is consistency. He has the confidence to make plays, but I just wish he'd do it more.
Lias Andersson, C, New York Rangers: A lot of people are going to remember him for tossing his medal in the stands. I'm going to remember a player who played valiantly through an injury that definitely hampered his play throughout the playoff round. I'll also remember Andersson as the player who scored a lot of big goals for his team in the prelims and a really big one in the semifinal. You could also see why this team selected him as captain, as he played hard every game. He's not as skilled as some of the other forwards and defensemen he played with, but he is an incredibly smart player and has a great on-ice work ethic.
Filip Gustavsson, G, Pittsburgh Penguins: Both a media all-star and Directorate Award winner, Gustavsson played well in six starts for the silver medalists. He finished with a .924 save percentage and made saves of both low- and high-danger variety. I thought Gustavsson's best performance came against the Americans in the semifinals. He stopped Mittelstadt on a 3-on-0 breakaway, but that was just one of many key saves in that one. He is the third straight Swede and fourth in five years to win the Directorate Award for goaltending at the WJC.
Erik Brannstrom, D, Vegas Golden Knights: I thought Brannstrom was one of the best skaters in this tournament. Sweden trusted him in all situations, and even though he's not a very big guy, he handled himself well at both ends of the ice. I think he's only just starting to realize his potential as a player.
Timothy Liljegren, D, Toronto Maple Leafs: I thought we could have seen more than just two points from Liljegren offensively in this tournament. Some of the lack of production is based on circumstance, as he was mostly on the second power play and didn't get much time with the top guys. That said, Liljegren played a very physical game and showed some ability defensively. Still, I thought he'd make a bigger impact, but he's only 18 with a year of eligibility left.
United States
Casey Mittelstadt, C, Buffalo Sabres: The plays that Mittelstadt was making early on in this tournament were the kind that would bring you right out of your seat. From a puck-handling standpoint, Mittelstadt was without peer in Buffalo, which is great news for the host city. Heck, he was even making plays in the outdoor game. Mittelstadt is asserting himself as a top prospect this year, and for much of the WJC, that's what he did. He lacked some consistency, as there were a few games in which he couldn't get things going, but he's got something special with his puck skills and vision. Team USA GM Jim Johannson noted Mittelstadt's ability to beat players one-on-one as a separating factor with him and most other forwards in the tournament. That's a skill that can be difficult to come by. He tied for the tournament lead with 11 points and was selected as a media all-star, tournament MVP and won the Directorate Award for best forward.
Kieffer Bellows, LW, New York Islanders: With nine goals in the tournament, Bellows led all players and broke Jeremy Roenick's 29-year-old record for goals by an American in a single WJC. As great as his goal scoring was, we already knew Bellows had an NHL shot. What I think we saw in this World Juniors was a player who has grown a lot in the last year. Skating has long been a knock, and rightfully so, but I think he's gained a step or two from last year. More important, the Americans wanted to play at a high pace, and he could keep up this time. Playing at speed is different than skating fast, and I think he can play with pace now, or at least better than he did a year ago. He's also physically stronger. Again, his greatest asset is his shot, which he can get off in a lot of different ways, and he finds the net an awful lot, leading the tournament with 38 shots on goal.
Brady Tkachuk, LW, 2018 draft-eligible: Some players have been able to use the WJC as a springboard up the draft charts, so long as they continue their strong play the rest of the season. Tkachuk definitely raised his stock and was a hot topic among scouts and media alike. He was used in all situations by head coach Bob Motzko and finished the tournament with nine points. He also averaged 19:36 of ice time and was a bear to play against with big hits, heavy forechecking, excellent board work and an ability to drive the net. However, what makes him so impressive is that he's got great offensive tools on top of his physicality. He's a really good passer and sees the ice well. Tkachuk also has touch around the net, which materialized often in Buffalo.
Adam Fox, D, Calgary Flames: Mittelstadt said he thinks Fox has the best vision he's seen, and while there may be a touch of hyperbole in the statement, Fox is an incredible playmaker. He was Team USA's No. 1 defenseman in the tournament. He is more known for offense, but he was also able to defend pretty well in the tournament. He's not amazing in the D zone, but I think he's getting better. The offensive vision is absolutely an asset, as his distribution skills are near elite level for this age group. Fox did make a few unwise decisions with the puck, but I think you can live with the risk in his game. I liked the way he was able to extend plays with his skating, and he protects the puck pretty well, too.
Joey Anderson, RW, New Jersey Devils: I thought Anderson was really strong in his two-way game. His offense really took off when Team USA put him with Mittelstadt, which wasn't a shock. Anderson is a powerful skater who just hunts the puck down. He nearly matched his point total from the first half of his season at Minnesota-Duluth.
Riley Tufte, LW, Dallas Stars: Tufte is a better hockey player this year than he was last, but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. He was given a big chance to prove he could play with top players in the tournament, starting the WJC on Mittelstadt's line. By the end, he was a fourth-liner. I think the pace was just a little too much for him at this point. He's a physical specimen, but hockey sense -- particularly in faster-paced games -- is the concern.
Kailer Yamamoto, RW, Edmonton Oilers: With Yamamoto already having a taste of the NHL, I thought we'd see him take on a big role with Team USA. It certainly tried to put him in positions to succeed, but ultimately it was not a memorable tournament. In his best game, the quarterfinal against Russia, we saw all of the things that make him a good prospect, but there has to be some mild concern given that he has not produced at a terribly high clip since being returned to the WHL and didn't make much of an impact beyond one game for Team USA.
Czech Republic
Filip Zadina, RW, 2018 draft-eligible: I thought Zadina was excellent in this tournament. He oozes offense and does a nice job of creating his own chances. He can back defensemen off and give himself some extra time and space. If he's got an opening, he's shooting. Zadina finished the tournament with 37 shots on goal, and seven of them went in. Without him on the ice, the Czechs weren't much of a threat. With him out there, they could hang with anybody. He averaged over 20 minutes a game and surely gave scouts more to think about in terms of where Zadina slots in against other top forwards in the draft.
Martin Necas, C, Carolina Hurricanes: As far as I'm concerned, there wasn't a better two-way forward in this tournament. Necas played in all situations for the Czechs, and only No. 1 defenseman Libor Hajek averaged more ice time. I think he ran out of gas at the end of the tournament, as he was less effective in the semifinal and bronze-medal game, but Necas was a force early on. He tied Mittelstadt for the tournament lead with 11 points while also handling so many tough responsibilities for his team. He is a smart, aggressive hockey player who just goes to work every shift.
Libor Hajek, D, Tampa Bay Lightning: Hajek received a vote from me for the tournament all-star team. While he did not earn that designation, he was another guy whom the Czechs rode as much as they could. He averaged 23:28 per game, tied for the tournament lead in scoring by a defenseman with eight points and made the Czech team better when he was on the ice. He's another one who I just think ran out of steam at the end, but he helped in a big way to put this team in position to play for a medal. I thought his offensive game was strong, particularly passing and play in transition. He is a smart defender, too.
Filip Chytil, C, New York Rangers: I wanted to see more from Chytil, and at one point in the tournament, Czech coach Filip Pesan said the same thing. I think Chytil had the potential to make the Czech Republic a two-line team at worst, but he just wasn't driving things offensively enough. He made some strong plays in the tournament but would go long stretches without making much of an impact. He's getting stronger, and that showed a bit in this tournament, but his inconsistency was a bit concerning given that he's been playing so well in the AHL.
Russia
Klim Kostin, C, St. Louis Blues: This Russia team was offensively underwhelming, but Kostin shouldn't be included there. He had five goals and eight points and sometimes would put this team on his shoulders, at least as much as one can. Russia's system is very reliant on rolling all four lines, which sometimes takes ice time away from top players. Kostin simply looked comfortable in this tournament, perhaps because he's spent a lot of time in the AHL this year.
Andrei Svechnikov, RW, 2018 draft-eligible: Svechnikov didn't exactly have the full trust of coach Valeri Bragin, which is common for young players. As a result, he didn't get a ton of ice time. However, he made the most of it when he was out there and had five assists in five games. Svechnikov is physically strong, which makes him difficult to contain. Normally a goal scorer, he took only four shots on goal in this tournament, perhaps deferring too much to frequent linemate Kostin.
Yegor Zaitsev, D, New Jersey Devils: The best defenseman on a shallow defensive corps, Zaitsev kind of did it all for Russia. He was named one of the team's three best players of the tournament while also serving as captain. Zaitsev was also one of only three players on the roster to average more than 18 minutes per game and often drew a lot of tough defensive assignments. He's not a big guy, but he's a really smart defenseman.
Vitaly Abramov, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets: I thought Abramov was a bit disappointing in this tournament. He's been dominant in the QMJHL and has such great skills, but I just didn't see much of what makes him that good in Buffalo. I don't think it will downgrade him much, as perhaps he was an ill fit for Russia's system, but only one goal at the WJC was a big surprise to me.
Finland
Olli Juolevi, D, Vancouver Canucks: It was a disappointing tournament for Finland, but I don't think it was for Juolevi. He was primarily on this team's second pairing with Henri Jokiharju, and I thought they worked great together. Juolevi could do a lot of different things, playing big minutes and seeing time on both the power play and the penalty kill. The 19-year-old said after the tournament that he's playing his best hockey in a long time, and I'd tend to agree with him.
Eeli Tolvanen, RW, Nashville Predators: You can look at the one goal -- an NHL one-timer from the right circle -- Tolvanen scored and tab this tournament as a failure, but I'd chalk it up more to bad luck. He put 30 shots on goal and was often a threat. He also had five assists. There are a lot of reasons Finland fell short in this tournament, but Tolvanen was not one of them.
Kristian Vesalainen, LW, Winnipeg Jets: I really liked Vesalainen in this tournament, and he was especially good as it progressed. Adjusting to roles and the pace of the tournament can take a little while, and in the Finns' quarterfinal loss, Vesalainen was in on everything, showing good vision and playmaking skills. He finished the tournament with six points.
Henri Jokiharju, D, Chicago Blackhawks: Solid play on the power play and a desire to push the pace offensively made Jokiharju one of Finland's most important defensemen. He concluded the tournament with 19 shots on goal in five games. If the Finns ever decide to open things up a bit more, they've got a good guy to help them get up ice in a bigger hurry than they did in Buffalo.
Miro Heiskanen, D, Dallas Stars: A lot was asked of Heiskanen from an ice time and matchup perspective. I don't think he played poorly, but this Finnish team wasn't able to maximize his abilities either. It seemed like he was on his heels a lot in this tournament, but other times you could see the confidence of a pro defenseman in all areas. I think he was Finland's best overall defender, and the system didn't really let us see what he brings to the table offensively on top of those defensive skills.
Slovakia
Roman Durny, G, undrafted: Stealing a game from the Americans is something a few Slovakian goalies have done in past World Juniors. It usually doesn't translate to long-term success, but Durny had himself a strong tournament with a poor team in front of him. Durny is average size, but he made some particularly athletic saves and seemed otherwise technically sound. He's moving from the Slovakian national team program to the USHL, and it will be interesting to see how he fares.
Switzerland
Philipp Kurashev, C, 2018 draft-eligible: I thought Kurashev had a pretty solid tournament amid a difficult situation. He played a bunch for the Swiss and was one of their most threatening forwards throughout the tournament. He had only three points, but this team overall just couldn't score. He still appears to be trending toward a top-60 pick in the upcoming draft based on his performance in the QMJHL this year.
Denmark
Joachim Blichfeld, RW, San Jose Sharks: It took Blichfeld a while to get going in the tournament, something coach Olaf Eller noted midway through the event. But once things clicked, he started taking over games a bit more. Granted, that mostly took place against Belarus in the relegation round, but Denmark's relative lack of depth meant he needed to step up. He did, scoring six points in the tournament and helping Denmark stay in the top level for a fifth straight year. His tournament ended on a poor note, as he was stretchered off in Denmark's final game, but the injury is reportedly not considered serious.
Belarus
Maksim Sushko, C, Philadelphia Flyers: Belarus struggled in the tournament, but I came away incredibly impressed with Sushko. In fact, he may have been one of my favorite players to watch in Buffalo because he had very little help. Despite the lack of supporting cast, he had eight points in the tournament. No matter the opponent, he played incredibly hard. He has a good two-way game and is just relentless in puck pursuit. Sushko was the team's captain, and after speaking with him following a crushing exit and relegation, you could see why this team leaned on him so heavily. He played with a lot of passion.