Sweden announces roster for 2022 World Junior Championship
Eklund of Sharks one of six from first round of 2021 draft; Finland also reveals tournament team
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The tournament will be held Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.
Eklund began the season with the Sharks and had a point in each of his first three NHL games. The forward was reassigned to Djurgarden in the Swedish Hockey League on Nov. 5, and he has three assists in seven SHL games.
"This was one of the toughest decisions we have had to make," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said in November. "William's tremendous skill and vision have been evident since his participation in our rookie tournament in September. In his nine NHL games as a teenager, he has shown that he is going to be a special player in this league. But ultimately we feel it is in the best interest of his long-term development to return to Sweden and continue to work on becoming the dominant player we know he can be."
Joining Eklund will be defenseman
Simon Edvinsson
(Detroit Red Wings, No. 6), forwards
Isak Rosen
(Buffalo Sabres, No. 14),
Fabian Lysell
(Boston Bruins, No. 21) and
Oskar Olausson
(Colorado Avalanche, No. 28), and goalie
Jesper Wallstedt
(Minnesota Wild, No. 20).
Finland also announced its team for the tournament, including two players who received A ratings from NHL Central Scouting on its Players to Watch list for the 2022 NHL Draft: forwards Joakim Kemell (5-foot-11, 171 pounds) and Brad Lambert (6-0, 175) of JYP in Liiga, the top professional league in Finland.
Kemell is tied for third in Liiga with 12 goals in 18 games, and his 18 points leads JYP.
"He plays a high-character team game," Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr said. "He is a strong skater, he's got the deceptive speed to gain advantages on the play. Very smart, responsible two-way game because he does have a strong understanding of the game. which is why at the pro level he doesn't make any mistakes. … Then when he does have the puck, he has such a composed, heads-up game moving the puck around. And his passes, everything is with authority and with precision. The way he's got the ability to finish his chances and produce at that level is both impressive and he's showing that he's capable of being a difference maker."
Lambert has scored five points (two goals, three assists) in 21 games, and Marr compared his style of play to Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin.
"He's a very consistent performer, he's a very dedicated player," Marr said. "For my money, when he's healthy and on his game, you always get a strong performance from him but it's not a highlight-reel performance. It's a strong performance because he's a smart player who's very good with the puck. He finds ways to produce and contribute. He's got such a quick read-and-react game to gain advantage on the plays. And he does know how to finish."
Finland, which finished third in the 2021 WJC, will play its preliminary-round games in Group A at Rogers Place in Edmonton, along with Canada, Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria. Sweden will play in Group B at WP Centrium in Red Deer, along with the United States, Russia, Slovakia, and Switzerland.
The top four teams in each group will play in the quarterfinals Jan. 2. The semifinals are Jan. 4, and the championship and third-place games are Jan. 5.
The United States won the 2021 WJC. Finland last won the WJC in 2019; Sweden's last championship was in 2012.
SWEDEN WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER
GOALIES:
Calle Clang
, Rogle, SWE (Pittsburgh Penguins);
Jesper Vikman
, Vancouver, WHL (Vegas Golden Knights); Jesper Wallstedt, Lulea, SWE (Minnesota Wild)
DEFENSEMEN:
Emil Andrae
, HV 71, SWE-2 (Philadelphia Flyers); Simon Edvinsson, Frolunda, SWE (Detroit Red Wings); Mans Forsfjall, Skelleftea, SWE (2022 draft eligible);
Helge Grans
, Ontario, AHL (Los Angeles Kings);
Leo Loof
, Ilves, FIN (St. Louis Blues);
Joel Nystrom
, Farjestad, SWE (Carolina Hurricanes);
Anton Olsson
, Malmo, SWE (Nashville Predators); Victor Sjoholm, HV 71, SWE-2 (2022 draft eligible)
FORWARDS:William Eklund, Djurgarden, SWE (San Jose Sharks);
Elliot Ekmark
, Linkoping, SWE (Florida Panthers);
Daniel Ljungman
, Linkoping, SWE (Dallas Stars); Fabian Lysell, Vancouver, WHL (Boston Bruins);
Oskar Magnusson
, AIK, SWE-2 (Washington Capitals);
Theodor Niederbach
, Frolunda, SWE (Detroit Red Wings);
Zion Nybeck
, HV 71, SWE-2 (Carolina Hurricanes); Oskar Olausson, Barrie, OHL (Colorado Avalanche); Isak Rosen, Leksand, SWE (Buffalo Sabres);
Albert Sjoberg
, Sodertalje, SWE-2 (Dallas Stars); Ake Stakkestad, Karlskoga, SWE-2 (2022 draft eligible); Elias Stenman, Skelleftea Jr., SWE-JR (2022 draft eligible);
Daniel Torgersson
, Frolunda, SWE (Winnipeg Jets)
FINLAND WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER
GOALIES:
Joel Blomqvist
, Karpat, FIN (Pittsburgh Penguins); Juha Jatkola, KalPa Jr., FIN-JR (2022 draft eligible);
Leevi Merilainen
, Kingston, OHL (Ottawa Senators)
DEFENSEMEN:
Aleksi Heimosalmi
, Assat, FIN (Carolina Hurricanes); Rami Maatta, Assat, FIN (2022 draft eligible);
Topi Niemela
, Karpat, FIN (Toronto Maple Leafs); Petteri Nurmi, HPK, FIN (2022 draft eligible);
Ville Ottavainen
, JYP, FIN (Seattle Kraken);
Kasper Puutio
, KalPa, FIN (Florida Panthers); Ruben Rafkin, TPS, FIN (2022 draft eligible);
Eemil Viro
, TPS, FIN (Detroit Red Wings)
FORWARDS:
Samuel Helenius
, JYP, FIN (Los Angeles Kings);
Roni Hirvonen
, HIFK, FIN (Toronto Maple Leafs);
Roby Jarventie
, Belleville, AHL (Ottawa Senators);
Oliver Kapanen
, KalPa, FIN (Montreal Canadiens); Joakim Kemell, JYP, FIN (2022 draft eligible);
Ville Koivunen
, Karpat, FIN (Carolina Hurricanes); Brad Lambert, JYP, FIN (2022 draft eligible); Joel Maatta, Vermont, H-EAST (2022 draft eligible); Juuso Maenpaa, KalPa, FIN (2022 draft eligible); Olli Nikupeteri, Lulea Jr., SWE-JR (2022 draft eligible); Sami Paivarinta, Lukko Jr., FIN-JR (2022 draft eligible);
Aatu Raty
, Jukurit, FIN (New York Islanders);
Kasper Simontaival
, KalPa, FIN (Los Angeles Kings);
Kalle Vaisanen
, TPS, FIN (New York Rangers)
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