Islanders Prospect Report: 2021 World Juniors Preview

Welcome to the Islanders Prospect Report, a weekly roundup of the Islanders junior, collegiate and European prospects. Visit our
In The System page
for more prospect content.

2020 has presented a surplus of unknowns and unprecedented circumstances, but fortunately the year will end with the annual - and fan favorite among the hockey community - World Junior Hockey Championships.
This year's 2021 WJC will take place at Rogers Place in Edmonton. The tournament will begin on December 25, 2020 and close with the gold medal game scheduled for January 5, 2021. Due to the ongoing circumstances of the COVID-19 outbreak, this year's WJC tournament will utilize a bubble setup without fans that is similar to the one the NHL used for the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, to ensure the safety of players and staff.
The Islanders have two prospects competing at World Juniors this year: Simon Holmstrom (Sweden) and Matias Rajaniemi (Finland). Both Holmstrom and Rajaniemi will be partaking in their first WJC tournament.
See below for a full primer on both prospects, as well as
Team Sweden
and
Finland's
schedules. Check back for daily updates.

SIMON HOLMSTROM, TEAM SWEDEN

Holmstrom, who the Isles selected 23rd overall at the 2019 NHL Draft, has experience at the international level, but will be making his WJC debut. Holmstrom represented Team Sweden at the 2019 under-18s.
Holmstrom, who spent last season playing for the the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the Isles' AHL affiliate, was loaned from Bridgeport to HC Vita Hasten in Sweden's HockeyAllsvenskan on Aug. 28.
The 19-year-old winger compiled 15 points (8G, 7A) and had six PIMs through 46 games with Bridgeport. During his most recent stint with Vita Hasten, Holmstrom put up two points (1G, 1A) and two PIMs through 11 games.
Team Sweden History:
Last year, Team Sweden took home a bronze medal with their 3-2 victory over Team Finland. In its history, Team Sweden has won the gold medal twice, taken home silver 11 times and claimed seven bronze medals.
Team Sweden has competed in the WJC tournament since 1974, although the tournament didn't become official until 1977. In 1981, Team Sweden claimed its first gold medal title in a round-robin style of play. Team Sweden won its second and most recent gold medal title in 2012 with a 1-0 overtime win over Team Russia.

MATIAS RAJANIEMI, TEAM FINLAND

Like Holmstrom, Rajaniemi has experience suiting up for his home country at the international level, but this year will be the first time that he represents Team Finland at the WJCs.
Rajaniemi, who the Isles selected in the sixth round (183rd overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft, spent this past season with the Pelicans in Finland's top professional league, Liiga. There, the 18-year-old blueliner picked up two assists and eight PIMs through 18 games.
Team Finland History:
At last year's WJC tournament, Team Finland finished in fourth place with a 3-2 loss to Team Sweden in the bronze-medal game. Since 1974, Team Finland has won the gold medal on five occasions, claimed the silver medal five times and taken home a bronze medal six times.
Team Finland's most recent gold medal was claimed in 2019 with a 3-2 victory over Team USA.

(All games on NHL Network in the U.S. and on TSN in Canada)

TEAM SWEDEN SCHEDULE

Saturday, Dec. 26
Czech Republic vs. Sweden, 2 p.m. ET
Monday, Dec. 28
Sweden vs. Austria, 6 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Dec. 30
Sweden vs. Russia, 9:30 p.m. ET
Thursday, Dec. 31
United States vs. Sweden, 9:30 p.m. ET

TEAM FINLAND SCHEDULE

Friday, Dec. 25
Finland vs. Germany, 6 p.m. ET
Sunday, Dec. 27
Switzerland vs. Finland, 2 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Dec. 30
Slovakia vs. Finland, 2 p.m. ET
Thursday, Dec. 31
Finland vs. Canada, 6 p.m. ET

TEAM USA SCHEDULE

Friday, Dec. 25
United States vs. Russia, 9:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, Dec. 26
Austria vs. United States, 9:30 p.m. ET
Tuesday, Dec. 29
Czech Republic vs. United States, 2 p.m. ET
Thursday, Dec. 31
United States vs. Sweden, 9:30 p.m. ET

GOLD MEDAL SCHEDULE:

Saturday, Jan. 2
Quarterfinal 1, 12 p.m. ET
Quarterfinal 2, 3:30 p.m. ET
Quarterfinal 3, 7 p.m. ET
Quarterfinal 4, 10:30 p.m. ET
Monday, Jan. 4
Semifinal 1, 6 p.m. ET
Semifinal 2, 9:30 p.m. ET
Tuesday, Jan. 5
Third-place game, 5:30 p.m. ET
Championship game, 9:30 p.m. ET

OTHER PROSPECT NEWS:

Tweet from @UNDinsider: Five golden goals! Adams cashes in! @UNDmhockey#UNDproud | @MidcoSN pic.twitter.com/hfETh84KQv
Collin Adams continues his hot streak with the North Dakota Fighting Hawks in the NCHC 'pod.' The Isles 2016 sixth rounder (170th overall) is riding a three-game goal streak and a four-game point streak with five points (3G, 2A) during that span.
Adams' senior season with North Dakota is off to a strong start. Through 10 games in the NCHC pod - a bubble set up in Omaha, Nebraska - Adams has compiled nine points (4G, 5A), including one game-winning goal.
The winger lit the lamp on Dec. 16 in the Fighting Hawks' eventual 4-3 win over St. Cloud State. On Dec. 19, Adams converted on his first power-play goal of the season where he also had an assist on North Dakota's third-period game-winning goal against Minnesota Duluth. The 22-year-old scored his fourth goal of the season on Dec. 20 in a 6-2 route over Miami University Ohio.
North Dakota and Adams are ranked first overall in the NCHC with 7-2-1 record and 22 points.
In Liiga, Ruslan Iskhakov recorded an assist on Dec. 18 in TPS' 6-3 loss to Tappara. The Isles' 2018 second rounder (43rd overall) has eight points (2G, 6A) through 17 games this season. TPS and Iskhakov are ranked fifth overall in Liiga with a 7-5-8 record.
PROSPECT STATS