Some Of The Most Effective Players in the 2022 World Junior Championship

This article is meant to highlight some players who don’t get the well-earned ink that Connor Bedard gets. He’s the best player in the tournament and he will go first overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. I am going to highlight some key players that have helped their teams get to the quarterfinals.

Ridly Greig is the third line center for Team Canada. He was the third line center for team Canada in last year’s tournament that was canceled. That just shows the depth that Canada possesses and, in that year, Greig has made a massive jump in his development. The Ottawa Senators first-rounder had 26 goals and 37 assists with the Brandon Wheat Kings last season. He’s winning face-offs, he’s blocking shots. He goes to the net to score. Greig is third on the team in scoring with three goals and three assists in six games, but he may be the most unheralded as his team tries to win gold.

Matt Coronato is on the 1b line for Team USA. The Long Island native is second on the team in scoring, and he and Logan Cooley have been magic. His six points in four games have been a big key. The other big key for this winger is his ability to play either side. He may be the right wing on the ice but, he is comfortable from either side. His scoring ability has gone to another level because Cooley has a knack for finding open spaces and has been using his playmaking ability to set the Calgary Flames first rounder up. Coronato has an elite release that makes him a dangerous goal scorer, and he may fuel Team USA deeper in the medal round.

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Detroit Red Wings’ first-rounder, Simon Edvinsson has been playing like a manchild in this tournament. Philadelphia Flyers prospect, Emil Andrae has been scoring the points on the blueline, but this defenseman is the backbone. He did miss a game as a precaution, but he’ll be back against Latvia. His big shot has been on display, but the fact that he’s been logging big minutes has been incredible for the 19-year-old to do. Besides his size and physicality, he hasn’t committed a penalty yet and he’s going up against some top talent. In a loss to Team USA, Edvinsson logged over 21 minutes blocking shots and drawing penalties as well.

Aatu Raty was drafted 52nd overall by the New York Islanders back in 2021. At that time, I thought he was better than that, and ever since then, he’s been showing some pundits and teams that didn’t value him what he can do. He’s leading his team in scoring with nine points. Was that expected? If this was Joakim Kemell, that would check out, and he has nine as well much to the delight of Nashville Predators fans. Raty has been a beast on the power play. He had a three-point game against Slovakia, and he’s been a standout for Finland who is on another medal run. He was able to beat Mason McTavish on face-offs in the offensive zone, and he bested Ridley Greig too. That’s another facet of his game that this center has improved upon. He’s a multi-faceted threat as Finland pushes towards another medal.