“I knew I would score on the second one [game-and bronze-winner],” said Sale, matter-of-factly. “I was happy for our guys, to be the leader, to them celebrating in the locker room, especially the young guys. It was something special. I know we didn’t win gold, but it is still our [straight medal].”
Three-Time Medal Winner, Consistent High Producer
Sale is a vital common denominator on those three Czechia squads (one silver, two bronze). In post-game comments, Czechia coach Patrik Augusta clearly sensed the Kraken prospect’s confidence level and didn’t expect his captain to wilt in the high-beam WJC lights. Even before the game started, Augusta informed Sale he had the chance to be the first Czechia player to win three straight medals.
The 19-year-old center finished the tournament with six goals and a pair of assists. He completed World Juniors play with 21 points in 21 games with steady numbers – six points (one goal, five assists) in 2023, seven points (3 G, 4 A) last year, and eight points this tourney.
Sale, who joined the team in Ottawa days before the tournament, said he welcomed being captain and allowed that he talked with younger teammates about the spotlight and pressure of World Juniors back home in Czechia, but that in the locker room, he was vocal last December/January too. He was complimentary about the play and spirit of his teammates and “we became a close team” during the two weeks.
“Eddie gets high marks for him to take on the leadership role for his country,” said his current Coachella Valley coach Derek Laxdal, who won World Juniors silver in 1986 as a Team Canada forward who scored a goal and notched four assists in seven games. “That’s really hard to do in the short period of that tournament. He really stepped up.”
Hall of Fame goaltender Grant Fuhr, broadcast analyst for Coachella Valley who has watched the Sale in the AHL this season, said during a recent phone talk before Sunday’s bronze game that Sale improved each month for Coachella Valley this season.
“He has been outstanding in the tournament,” said Fuhr. “Playing at the AHL level gives him more and different experience to bring to World Juniors.”
“Any time a prospect is eligible to play in the AHL, it will only benefit his play,” said Jeff Tambellini, Kraken director of player development.
Value of World Juniors for NHL Prospects
Tambellini said watching prospects (the Kraken had eight in this tournament) is an important gauge to see how young skaters and goalies size up compared to others their own age. For example, per Tambellinbi, 2024 seventh-round pick and Czechia defenseman Jakub Fibigr enjoyed a “fantastic” tournament, earning the trust of Augusta and his coaching staff and admiration from the Seattle hockey operations group “(under high pressure”). Fibigr was a stalwart on the penalty kill, consistently taking shifts in the closing minutes of tight games.
In Sale’s case, Tambellini said, “Eddie played some of his best hockey and showed his skills and [offensive] creativity from Day 1 of the tournament until the last shot.” The Kraken executive pointed out that Sale played his best against the tournament’s top teams.
Czechia’s dramatic bronze win avenged a 4-2 loss to Sweden in the final preliminary round game on New Year’s Day. Sale had seven shots on goal in the first two periods against Sweden Tuesday, plus some near misses. He was all over the ice, playing what Kraken evaluators considered his best all-around game in his overall outstanding WJC performance.
Sale broke through with a score 31 seconds into the third period when he was slashed while breaking for the net. Awarded a penalty shot, he put some moves on Swedish goalie Melker Thelin that Kraken fans will welcome during future shootouts for the NHL club. That and portending of the happy heroics to come for Team Czechia and an entire nation looking to Sale in the clutch.
