The International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship is one of the best opportunities for young hockey stars to showcase their talent while playing alongside some of the best young players in the country. Each team is made up of the best of the best, and for this year’s tournament, which begins on December 26th, seven members of the Blackhawks have been given the opportunity to be considered for spots.
Team USA
Though scouts have likely kept a close eye on many players in the running for the national team, the majority of the evaluations will be done at the 2023 World Junior Summer Showcase beginning today and running through next Friday. 45 of the top young players in the United States received invitations to the event, which is the final evaluation for American players seeking to make the national team. The prospects are split into two teams, USA Blue and USA White.
This year, Chicago has four prospects participating in the camp. Gavin Hayes and Oliver Moore will play on the Blue team, and Frank Nazar and Sam Rinzel are on the White team. None of the four prospects is over the age of 19, so the invite is a great opportunity for the young skaters to get on the ice in a competitive format as they try to prove their worth to the team.
The teams will play a series of games against squads from Sweden and Finland, as well as a game between themselves. The game schedule begins this Saturday.
Team Canada
Meanwhile, on the north side of the border, three Blackhawks are being considered for Team Canada. Fans may remember that their beloved skater Connor Bedard was named the most valuable player of the IIHF Championship last year. Unfortunately, Team Canada isn’t holding their evaluation camp this summer. Instead, they compiled a list of the 45 top Canadian prospects, and will be holding virtual meetings to determine the players best fit for their roster.
Yesterday, the team released its summer meeting invites, and three Blackhawks prospects cracked the list. Kevin Korchinski, Paul Ludwinski, and Samuel Savoie will be considered for the December tournament. Korchinski in particular should be a near-lock to make the team, as he was an integral part of Canada’s gold medal-winning group last winter. All three Canadian prospects have been signed by Chicago, with Savoie’s contract coming earlier this week.
Another promising aspect of the seven roster invites is that six of the Blackhawks’ draft picks from 2022 are being considered for the teams, with the other being drafted this year in Moore. Not a bad resume already for GM Kyle Davidson, whose first draft in the role was in ‘22.
The massive influx of evaluation invitees from the Blackhawks continues to prove that the bones of this team are rock solid. A group of prospects that has been ranked among the best in the NHL is getting the recognition it deserves on a national level.
