PROSPECT WATCH: Six Devils Prospects Head to World Juniors

When the 2021 World Junior Championship begins on December 25th, there will be several Devils prospects eyeing the ultimate prize. Not every fan base is as lucky as New Jersey to have so many prospects in the tournament, only Detroit (7) and LA (9) have more prospects set to play with their national teams.
While there's much excitement for the tournament, other Devils prospects are continuing to make their mark on their teams, as we check-in with players who were in action this week in our Prospects Watch, presented by Verizon.

UNITED STATES

Patrick Moynihan
Moynihan is away from his NCAA team having made USA Hockey's World Junior team that has arrived in Alberta, preparing for the World Junior tournament that is set to begin on Christmas Day.
The US kicks off the tournament on the 25th against Russia at 9:30 pm ET
Artem Shlaine
It was a big week for Shlaine's UConn hockey team. For just the third time ever the UConn Huskies beat the Boston College Eagles in a 3-1 final. UConn pulled off the upset over the number 2 ranked Eagles.
The Huskies took a 1-0 lead over BC when Shlaine made a slick cross-ice pass, right in front of the blue paint, to teammate Jonny Evans who re-directed the puck into the net.

The assist would be Shlaine's lone point of UConn's two games this past weekend, but certainly, one that was part of a memorable victory for the Huskies. The Huskies are 3-12-1 in their history playing against the BC program.
The assist was Shlaine's first point playing college hockey. UConn has played four games to date.
Matthew Hellickson
Hellickson and the Fighting Irish played two games over the weekend against Ohio State. The 22-year-old defenseman was plus-2 in a 3-0 win on December 12th and plus-1 the next night in the Fighting Irish's 3-2 loss.
Ethan Edwards
It was a three-point week for the left-shooting defenseman who earned his first points in the USHL.

On December 12th he picked up his first point, an assist for the Musketeers, and the following night scored his first career USHL goal. He added another assist to bring his season totals to three points in seven games.
Aarne Talvitie
Talvitie played his seventh game of the season with Penn State this week, with just one game on the schedule.
Talvitie has started his season with two goals and two assists, held without a point in his lone game this week.

CANADA

Dawson Mercer
On December 12th, Mercer was named to Team Canada's World Junior team after the final round of cuts. He is one of six players that played in the 2020 tournament, taking home the gold medal.

Canada opens the tournament on December 26th against Germany at 6 pm ET.
Graeme Clarke
Clarke was among the final cut for Team Canada.
RUSSIA
Yegor Sharangovich
Another week, more points for Yegor Sharangovich with Dinamo Minsk. This time it wasn't goals, but three assists over three games.

He continues his impressive KHL run, up to 25 points in 34 games. His three assists bring his season total to eight while sitting on 17 goals. His 25 points are two off the team lead, his 17 goals lead Minsk, and he is in the top five in assists.
Daniil Misyul
Misyul has played 28 games with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl after two games this past week. The defenseman has two assists this season.
Yegor Zaitsev
Zaitsev brought his season total to 35 games played after three games this past week. He has five assists with Dynamo Moskva.
Nikita Popugayev
Popugayev had a solid week of two points in three games for Moskva. His goal and assist bring his season totals to three points in 12 games (one goal, two assists).
Shakir Mukhamadullin
Mukhamadullin is one of two Devils prospects that made the Russian World Junior team. The first-round defenseman will make his tournament debut against fellow Devils prospect Patrick Moynihan and Team USA on December 25th at 9:30 pm ET.
Arseni Gritsyuk
The 19-year-old left wing will also make his World Junior debut this year, chosen as one of Russia's fourteen forwards.
Artur Gavrus
With Dynamo St. Petersburg in the VHL, Gavrus had an assist in his two games played this week to bring the left-winger's season totals to nine points in 18 games with three goals and six assists.

SWEDEN

Alexander Holtz
Holtz has arrived in Alberta with the rest of the Swedish World Junior team. The 18-year-old is participating in the tournament for a second consecutive year. He made an impact at the 2020 tournament where Sweden won the bronze medal. He had five points in seven games in 2020, with three goals and two assists, and will be expected to take on an even bigger role during the 2021 tournament, especially as the Swedish team has lost several members of the team and coaching staff due to positive COVID-19 tests that have prevented them from traveling to Canada.
Sweden begins the tournament on December 26th at 2 pm versus the Czech Republic.
Nikola Pasic
With Linköping HC this past week in the SHL, Pasic had an assist in two games played. It was his first assist of the season, after sitting on four goals in his opening 18 games. The left-winger now has five points in 20 games played.
Fabian Zetterlund
Playing with AIK in HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden's Tier-2 league, Zetterlund has played in 10 games with five points (two goals, three assists).

CZECH REPUBLIC

Jaromir Pytlik
The 2020 draft pick was named to the Czech Republic's 2021 World Junior roster. He is currently in Alberta, Canada with his national team preparing for the tournament that begins on December 25th. The Czech Republic begin their tournament on December 26th versus Sweden (2 pm ET).

SLOVAKIA

Marian Studenic
Marian Studenic has played 18 games with HC Slovan Bratislava while on loan with the Slovakian club. In his 18 appearances, he has 11 points, with six goals and five assists. His 11 points and six goals respectively rank fifth on his team.

SWITZERLAND

Benjamin Baumgartner
Baumgartner had an assist this past week, in three games played with Davos. He now has six assists on the year with three goals through 13 games.