World Juniors rosters stacked with NHL potential

The struggles of the Chicago Blackhawks in the present could be short-term issues if the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship is any indication.

The Blackhawks (13-20-6, 32 points), who are last in the Central Division and have the third-fewest points in the League, will have seven prospects at the under-20 international tournament, tied for the most among NHL teams.
The Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers also will have seven prospects at the tournament. Twenty-nine of 31 teams will have at least one player taking part; the Minnesota Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning will not be represented.
\[Complete World Junior Championship schedule\]
The World Juniors runs from Wednesday through Jan. 5 in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia.
Among the Chicago prospects at the tournament will be defenseman Henri Jokiharju, who was loaned by the Blackhawks to Finland on Dec. 19. The 19-year-old rookie had 11 assists and was averaging 20:00 of ice time in 32 NHL games.
"It's a great opportunity, we think, for him, but also for our team," Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton said. "We're thinking about what kind of player he's going to be months down the road and years down the road. It's a chance for him to go there and be, if not the top player then one of the top players and lead them to success, be a leader and being a top guy. You don't get those chances very often."
Jokiharju isn't the only high-end defenseman the Blackhawks will have at the tournament. Adam Boqvist, the No. 8 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, will play for Sweden. He has 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) and a plus-11 rating in 23 games with London of the Ontario Hockey League. And Ian Mitchell, picked in the second round (No. 57) of the 2017 NHL Draft, will play for Canada. A sophomore at Denver University, he has 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 14 games.

Forward Evan Barratt (No. 90 in the 2017 draft, will play for the United States. A sophomore at Penn State, Barratt is tied for the lead among NCAA players with 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) in 17 games.
Other Blackhawks prospects at the tournament will be Czech Republic defenseman Jakub Galvas, Switzerland forward Philipp Kurashev and Canada forward MacKenzie Entwistle, who Chicago acquired from the Arizona Coyotes as part of the Marian Hossa trade July 12.
The Canadiens will have three players from the 2017 draft in the tournament. Forward Ryan Poehling (No. 25) and goalie Cayden Primeau (No. 199) will play for the United States, and defenseman Josh Brook (No. 56) will play for Canada.
Primeau, who could be the U.S. starter, impressed during final selection camp.
"I like his battle level," assistant David Lassonde said. "He has proven that when things don't go well he can park it and move on, and that's huge as a goalie."

Also representing Montreal will be Russia defenseman Alexander Romanov, Sweden forward Jacob Olofsson, Finland forward Jesse Ylonen, and Canada forward Nick Suzuki, who was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights as part of the trade for forward Max Pacioretty on Sept. 9.
Among the seven Flyers prospects are three first-round selections. Forward Morgan Frost, the No. 27 pick of the 2017 draft, will play for Canada. Forwards Joel Farabee (No. 14) and Jay O'Brien (No. 19), chosen in the 2018 draft, will play for the United States.
Farabee likely will start the tournament at left wing on the top line, alongside center Jack Hughes, expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, and right wing Oliver Wahlstrom (New York Islanders).
Other Flyers prospects in the tournament will be defenseman Jack St. Ivany and forward Noah Cates with the United States, and goalie Samuel Ersson and defenseman Adam Ginning with Sweden.