Prospect Report: International Medals & Individual Honors

RALEIGH, NC. - As hot as the present Carolina Hurricanes have been lately, the future ones are having success too.

While Felix Unger Sorum and Jakub Vondras brought home hardware from the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, 2023 first-round pick Bradley Nadeau continues his impressive freshman season at the University of Maine.

Jackson Blake and Scott Morrow continue to be fantastic at the NCAA level as well, plus Alexander Rykov and Alexander Nikishin are cooking in Russia.

World Juniors Recap...

Both Czechia and Sweden earned medals at this past week's event, bronze for the Czechs, and silver for the host country.

Unger Sorum, a 2023 second-round pick of the Canes, appeared to have his stock rise once again, producing six points in seven games.

"I thought he was great. I think you saw the best of his attributes. He holds onto pucks and he creates plays out of nothing," Canes Assistant General Manager Darren Yorke said of Unger Sorum's play in the tournament. "The ability to find time and space is always challenging when you move up a level, and that's not to say that World Juniors is a step up from the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), but being able to adapt to making decisions quicker and finding time and space is a premium in the NHL, and that's something that Felix excels at."

Now set to finish the season with Leksands IF of the top-tier SHL, the 18-year-old has provided lots to be excited about over the last six months.

As for Vondras, a 2022 sixth-round selection, he appeared in just one game, but he made it count when his number was called.

Czechia rode with Arizona Coyotes top prospect Michael Hrabal for the first six games of the tournament but elected to turn to Vondras during the first period of the bronze medal game. After a rocky start, Vondras dialed it in, stopping 17 out of 20 in total as his team put together an amazing come-from-behind effort.

The athletic, 6-foot-4 netminder will now return to the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Currently leading the Central Division, Sudbury is expected to compete for an OHL title, and there may be some big, important games for Vondras to play in the next few months.

Nadeau Continues To Impress...

If you thought the production that Carolina's 2023 first-round pick was putting up at the start of the season was just a flash in the pan, think again.

With 13 points in eight games since December 1, Nadeau has been held off the scoresheet just once during that time. Now up to 25 points in 18 games, his 13 goals rank tied for fifth among all NCAA skaters this season.

"All Brad has done is be able to have success in multiple different ways since graduating from the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). His ability to score goals has been consistent in his game," Yorke continued. "In the very few games that he hasn't scored, he's been able to have a physical presence and a hard-to-play-against style. That suits any coach in any league. It's something that he's added to his game."

Named Hockey East's Rookie of the Week to start the new year, Bradly and his brother Josh have played a crucial role in Maine's 5-2-1 start to conference play.

"He's just so competitive. He's always trying to find a way to impact the game when he's not scoring and that just rarely happens," Yorke wrapped up with. "He's been excellent."

Elsewhere Around The Globe...

Some of the prospects we've covered in our Prospect Reports already this season have continued to perform at a high level over the past month.

• Like Nadeau, Jackson Blake is scoring at will for the University of North Dakota. Pacing the team with his 24 points in 20 games, Carolina's fourth-round selection in 2021 also sits just outside the top 10 among all NCAA skaters.
• When it comes to the blue line, only three defensemen in the country have more points than Scott Morrow's 21. Continuing to be effective in all stages of the game, these next few months will be very important for the 21-year-old, as discussions may be had about him potentially turning pro this spring.
• Overseas, Alexander Rykov's production is catching more and more attention. Now up to 24 points in 25 VHL games, Canes brass has liked what they've seen from him since taking him in the fourth round last June.
• And lastly, but certainly not least, Alexander Nikishin continues to be, well, Alexander Nikishin. Now captaining SKA St. Petersburg, a remarkable honor for someone just 22 years of age, he leads the team and all KHL defensemen in scoring. With 11 goals, he has already tied a career-high and he's on pace to finish with 53 points.

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