The projected top-three picks at next June’s NHL Draft in Montreal are due to be on display for hockey fans over the holidays at the World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic.
Canada leads the group with some intriguing names on display while Sweden should have a pair of players up front who could help their offence.
Here’s a look at the top names who will be available for NHL clubs to select next June and competing at this year’s WJC.
CANADA
Alexis Lafreniere, LW: He’s been the projected first-overall pick for a long time and could solidify that over the next few weeks if he has a solid tournament. This will be Lafreniere’s second world juniors after scoring one goal in five games at last year’s event. He will be relied upon heavily on Canada’s top line and should be well rested given that his first game in nearly two weeks came in a pre-tournament tune-up against Switzerland. He’s lit up the QMJHL so far this season and will have a chance to shine in the international spotlight.
Quinton Byfield, C: If there’s anyone pushing to topple Lafreniere for top spot in the draft, it’s Byfield. With his big, powerful frame, he’s extremely difficult to play against. Add in his impressive goal-scoring ability and Byfield is a remarkable player to watch. He’s third in OHL scoring with 57 points with the Sudbury Wolves and Canada’s coaches liked what they saw from him during selection camp. He’s likely to slot in on one of Canada’s top two lines and should get plenty of ice time.
Jamie Drysdale, D: Drysdale’s smooth-skating and solid decision making skills earned him a spot on Canada’s roster as a seventh defenceman. He’s been projected to be a top-10 pick at the draft although how much time he plays for the Canadians at the world juniors will depend on the performance and health of others. An exciting, offensive blueliner.
Dawson Mercer, RW: The product of Bay Roberts, N.L., is projected to be a mid-first round selection following a strong first half with the Drummondville Voltigeurs. His crafty hands in front of the net earned him a goal in pre-competition play against Switzerland as he continues to make a case for minutes in Canada’s lineup.
SWEDEN
Lucas Raymond, LW: There was some uncertainty as to whether Raymond would even make Sweden’s team at all, but he’s arrived at the tournament with lots to prove. His numbers at the pro level with Frolunda of the SHL haven’t been outstanding, but now he’s got a chance to play against players his own age. He’s a skillful forward and Sweden hopes he can provide some much-needed offence. Projections have Raymond going third overall.
Alexander Holtz, RW: Another young forward with a lot of upside for Tre Kronor. Holtz has good size at six foot, 183 pounds, which he uses to his advantage. A good friend of Raymond’s, Holtz has a nice shot and explosive speed. He’s a first-year pro with Djurgardens IF and played on the same line as Raymond in some tournaments leading up to the world juniors. It could make for an exciting trio to watch when the under-20 event begins.
FINLAND
Anton Lundell, C: There was doubt as to whether Lundell would even play at the tournament after an elbow injury earlier this month had him projected to miss six weeks. He was productive last year as Finland won WJC gold with one goal and three assists and has carried that forward in his second season in Liiga, Finland’s top professional level. Early projections have Lundell being a top-10 pick.
RUSSIA
Yaroslav Askarov, G: Askarov is the top goaltender available at the draft with his impressive numbers at every level he’s played at so far. Currently with SKA-Neva St. Petersburg of the VHL, a league below the KHL, he’s got a 2.38 goals-against average and .922 save percentage in 16 games. Can anyone say this year’s Andrei Vasilevskiy?
CZECH REPUBLIC
Jan Myšák, LW: Projected as a mid-to-late round pick, Mysak has played this season in his native Czech Republic with HC Litvinov where he has five goals and four assists in 26 games. Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino lists him as a good, all-around player.
Jaromir Pytlik, C: A big centre at six-foot-three and almost 200 pounds, who can put the puck in the net. Pytlik has 14 goals and 18 assists in 31 games this season with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL. He decided to come to North America to raise his draft stock at the start of January and so far it appears as though it’s paid off.
GERMANY
Tim Stutzle, LW: Stutzle will be one to keep an eye out for this year. He’s projected to be just outside the top-five, but playing in a best-on-best tournament like this one could change the opinions of scouts. He has five goals and 18 assists in 25 games during his first year of pro with Adler Mannheim of the DEL. He has good size and skill and it will be fun to see what he can do for Germany.
TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors are expected to confirm today that Vince Carter’s No. 15 will be the first number to be retired by the NBA franchise.
Carter will attend an MLSE Foundation event this afternoon at the renovated Vince Carter Court at a park in the city’s northwest end.
Raptors president and vice-chairman Masai Ujiri will also be on hand along with some current players and city officials.
Reports this week said that Canada’s lone NBA team would honour Carter on Nov. 2 when Toronto plays the Sacramento Kings at Scotiabank Arena.
Carter, an eight-time all-star, played parts of seven seasons with the Raptors. He was named NBA rookie of the year in 1999 and won the Slam Dunk Contest in 2000.
He was the Raptors’ first superstar and is credited for raising the profile of the team and igniting enthusiasm for basketball across Canada.
Carter guided the Raptors to the Eastern Conference semifinal in 2001. Toronto had a chance to beat the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 but Carter’s shot at the buzzer hit the rim and bounced out.
He asked for a trade in 2004 and was dealt to New Jersey in a mid-season deal that saw the Raptors receive little in return. The Nets, who are now based in Brooklyn, plan to retire Carter’s number in January.
Carter played 22 seasons in the NBA before retiring after the 2019-20 season. He’ll be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame next month.
The Raptors are celebrating their 30th anniversary this season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 58th home run, going deep for the fifth straight game to help the New York Yankees wrap up their second AL East title in three years with a 10-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.
Giancarlo Stanton had four RBIs that included his 27th homer, Alex Verdugo also homered and Gerrit Cole outpitched Corbin Burnes in a possible postseason preview. Judge and Stanton homered in the same game for the 14th time this year, tying Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris in 1961 for the most in Yankees history.
New York assured itself a first-round bye and home-field advantage in a best-of-five AL Division Series starting Oct. 5.
Baltimore, which clinched a postseason berth by winning Tuesday night’s opener of the three-game series, will be in a best-of-three Wild Card Series starting Tuesday.
Stanton homered in the second to put the Yankees ahead and hit a three-run double in a six-run sixth.
Judge hit a two-run homer in the seventh against Bryan Baker and has 144 RBIs, the most in the major leagues since Ryan Howard’s 146 in 2008. Judge matched his career best by homering in five consecutive games.
Making his last start before the playoffs, Cole (8-5) allowed two hits in 6 2/3 innings, struck out five and walked one, lowering his ERA to 3.41. He struck out Anthony Santander with a 98.1 mph fastball that ended the eighth after plate umpire David Rackley called a ball on the previous pitch, a knuckle-curve that appeared to be just above the strike zone. Cole glared as the umpire as the pitcher walked back to the dugout.
Cole was given a standing ovation when he walked to the dugout with two outs in the seventh and tipped his cap to the crowd of 42,022.
Burnes (15-9) allowed two hits in five innings, one walk and nine strikeouts — including eight on cutters. Burnes came out after 69 pitches and is likely to start the Orioles’ postseason opener on Tuesday. He had a 1.20 ERA in five September starts.
Stanton lofted a slider at the bottom of the strike zone into the left-field seats after missing badly at a slider on the prior pitch.
Austin Wells, in a 4-for-42 slide, forced in a run when he walked with the bases loaded against Cionel Pérez. Stanton drove the next pitch on one hop to the wall in right-center for a 5-1 lead. Stanton has 72 RBIs after hitting 6 for 18 with two doubles, two homers and eight RBIs in his last five games.
Anthony Rizzo added a two-run single against Baker.
Emmanuel Rivera hit a ninth-inning sacrifice fly for the Orioles.
UP NEXT
Orioles: LHP Cade Povich (2-9, 5.59) starts a series opener at Minnesota on Friday, when LHP Pablo López (15-9, 4.11) will be on the mound for the Twins.
Yankees: LHP Carlos Rodón (16-9, 3.98), 7-2 with a 2.87 ERA since the All-Star break. starts Friday’s series opener against Pirates RHP Jared Jones (6-8, 4.14).
OTTAWA – Noah Ostlund scored the overtime winner for the Buffalo Sabres in a 3-2 pre-season win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.
Buffalo’s lineup had a combined total of just over 100 NHL games of experience as most of its regular roster is in Munich, Germany for the upcoming Global Series Challenge.
Felix Sandstrom made 14 saves for the Sabres (4-0-0). Josh Dunne and Isak Rosen had the Buffalo goals.
Adam Gaudette and Noah Gregor scored for Ottawa. Linus Ullmark made his first start in a Senators (3-1-0) uniform and didn’t disappoint, stopping 28 of 29 shots through 30 minutes of play.
Dustin Tokarski made 10 saves over a period and a half.
Ottawa opened the scoring at 7:55 after Carter Yakemchuk made a great defensive play to create a turnover. Gregor was then sent down the wing and he beat Sandstrom on the glove side.
Buffalo tied the game at the 10-minute mark. Vsevolod Komarov made a cross-crease pass to Dunne who stepped into the faceoff circle and beat Ullmark.
Buffalo had a 24-5 edge in shots after the first period.
Gaudette gave Ottawa the lead midway through the third with a power-play goal that was set up by Yakemchuk. Rosen tied it with 40.7 seconds remaining.
The Senators were expected to make a number of cuts after the game to reduce the size of their roster.
NOTES: The Sabres were given a special exemption from the league before the game. Teams usually have to dress a minimum of eight NHL veterans, but Buffalo didn’t have any in its lineup.
UP NEXT: The Senators will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday in Sudbury, while the Sabres will head to Columbus on Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2024.
