Four Islanders Prospects to Play in 2022 World Juniors

Hockey in August? Yes please.
After being delayed due to COVID-19 complications, the 2021 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship is getting underway this week, running from Aug 9-20 in Edmonton, AB.

Four New York Islanders prospects are set to compete in this year's World Juniors. William Dufour will represent Canada, while Aatu Raty, Matias Rajaniemi and Eetu Liukas are suiting up for Finland.
You can follow their progress through our 2022 World Juniors Tracker.

THE SCHEDULES:

Both Canada and Finland are in Group A, along with Czechia, Latvia and Sloavkia. Team USA is playing in Group B with Austria, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland.
The full schedule is available here
.
Canada Schedule:
Wed. Aug. 10 vs Latvia at 6 p.m. est
Thurs. Aug. 11 vs Slovakia at 6 p.m. est
Sat. Aug. 13 vs Czechia at 6 p.m. est
Mon. Aug. 15 vs Finland at 6 p.m. est
Finland Schedule:
Tues. Aug. 9 vs Latvia at 6 p.m. est
Thurs. Aug. 11 vs Czechia at 2 p.m. est
Sun. Aug. 14 vs Slovakia at 2 p.m. est
Mon Aug. 15 vs Canada at 6 p.m. est
USA Schedule:
Tues. Aug. 9 vs Germany at 10 p.m. est
Thurs. Aug. 11 vs Switzerland at 10 p.m. est
Sat. Aug. 13 vs Austria at 2 p.m. est
Sun. Aug. 14 vs Sweden at 10 p.m. est
Medal Round Schedule:
Quarterfinals - Aug 17
Semifinals - Aug 19
Bronze Medal Game - Aug 20 at 4 p.m. est
Gold Medal Game - Aug 20 at 8 p.m. est

THE PROSPECTS

William Dufour
William Dufour's dream season continues, as the Islanders 2020 fifth-round pick (152nd overall) gets the call to represent his country.
Dufour wasn't originally included on Canada's roster for the winter edition of the World Juniors, but would have been impossible to leave off after the season he had in Saint John. Dufour was named the QMJHL's MVP, scoring 56 goals and 116 points in 66 games. Dufour won a Memorial Cup (Saint John qualified as the host city) and was named the tournament MVP.
His QMJHL career is over, but his first World Juniors nod is just another high note for his junior career to go out on.

Aatu Raty
Like Dufour, Raty wasn't on Finland's roster for the December tournament, as Raty was in a quarantine with his Liiga team and missed the deadline to arrive in Alberta.
Raty, the Islanders 2021 second-round pick (52nd overall), recorded 40 points (13G, 27A) in 41 games with Jukurit. Raty joined the Bridgeport Islanders for the team's playoff run, netting four points (1G, 3A) in six games as Bridgeport advanced to the second round.
This marks Raty's second World Juniors after representing Finland in 2020.

Eetu Liukas
Eetu Liukas made a mark with TPS this season, setting career highs for games (48), goals (8), assists (4) and points (12) in Finland's top league. The 19-year-old stuck with the TPS' top team and appeared in 17 playoff games, recording four goals.
The big-bodied winger is making his World Juniors debut.

Matias Rajaniemi
One year after
winning a bronze medal with Finland
, Matias Rajaniemi returns for his second World Juniors experience.
The Islanders' 2020 sixth-round pick (183rd overall) had seven points (1G, 6A) in 58 games with Pelicans. The defenseman has now played the past two seasons exclusively in Liiga, Finland's top league.