Grading CBJ Prospects
Just a quick blurb on how I thought each prospect for us performed at the WJC ... keep in mind that I watched a ridiculously tiring amount of hockey over the last two weeks, and if I missed anything or you felt I got something wrong, please let me know.
Alexander Wennberg (SWE): A+
Not much that hasn't been said about Wennberg, all of which has been positive. Wennberg was not only one of the best forwards for his team, but was one of the most consistent, dominant performers at the tournament overall. In all three zones. I loved Wennberg's tournament ... he played his game to perfection. 3 goals, 7 points, +5 rating.
Oscar Dansk (SWE): A
I wouldn't call Dansk's tournament a negative by any means. He was, after all, named top goaltender (though, Saros from Finland may have been more deserving) ... but, at times, Dansk looked slightly "off", and seemed to be fighting the puck a bit. All in all, a solid performance at the tournament, which has me excited for his future, though it may be awhile before he's ready to make an impact for us. 6-1 record; 92.9% save percentage, 1.79 GAA.
Kerby Rychel (CAN): D
Most people would probably grade Rychel a bit lower, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I thought in the second and third game for Canada, he started to come on a little bit, but was relegated to the fourth line and never really had much of an opportunity to play after that. Goal scorers are notoriously streaky, and in a short tournament, it's either boom or bust. Unfortunately for Rychel, he wasn't a key factor for team Canada. 0 points, -3 rating.
Josh Anderson (CAN)L C
Anderson played exactly the role I expected; that of a fourth line banger. He started out the tournament on a line with Frederik Gauthier and Scott Laughton, before Laughton was promoted to a bigger role. After the change, Anderson seemed to take a slight step back, but still played a solid, straight lines, two-way type of game. I didn't think he was bad at all in the tournament, actually performed about as I expected him to. 1 goal, -2 rating.
Marko Dano (SVK): C+
I mentioned earlier that I expected a bit more of Dano, as he was nothing short of a force for Slovakia at last year's WJC, registering 9 points and 12 penalty minutes. This year, Dano was a less consistent threat, constantly facing the opposition's top players, which limited his effectiveness overall. As it stands, Dano was still a solid two-way player for the Slovaks, and didn't necessarily have a bad tournament - just underwhelming. 2 goals, 1 assist, +1 rating.
Markus Soberg (NOR): C
Soberg's tournament was shortened due to injury, which was unfortunate because he has the potential to be a gamebreaking forward for the Norwegians. Unfortunately for Soberg, he wasn't enough to help keep Norway from being relegated to the B division for next year's tournament. Playing for one of the biggest underdogs in the tournament, and being their best player, meant that Soberg was watched like a hawk by the opposition. I don't think we saw everything he had to offer, and I feel he may have been playing injured. 1 assist, -1 rating.
Oliver Bjorkstrand (DEN): B+
One of the most talented players for team Denmark is Jacket prospect Oliver Bjorkstrand, who helped earn the team a promotion to the main tournament in 2015. Next year, Bjorkstrand will certainly be a key weapon for the team as they compete against the best in the world. 5gp, 4 goals, 2 assists, +2 rating.
