What a 2022 World Junior Championship it was for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Kent Johnson shined and scored both a 'Michigan' and the golden goal for Team Canada, and David Jiricek, Stanislav Svozil, and Martin Rysavy all showed promise for Team Czechia.
Kent Johnson puts Canada up late in the first with the Michigan! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/CaS79vMuc8
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 13, 2022
The goal that made Kent Johnson a Canadian legend forever. #CBJ #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/qj94yvRoqn
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) August 21, 2022
But, that tournament is in the past, and it's time to look ahead to the 2023 World Juniors, which will be played from December 26, 2022-January 5, 2023 in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada and Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. So, which players in the Jackets organization are will be eligible to play?
Per the IIHF's bylaws, in order to be eligible, a player must "be no younger than fifteen (15) years of age, and no older than twenty (20) years of age, on December 31 of the year in which the Championship Season ends."
Additionally, Russia and Belarus have been suspended from IIHF until further notice, so barring any changes, Kirill Dolzhenkov, Sergei Ivanov, and Nikolai Makarov will be ineligible to play.
Eligible Players:
Cole Sillinger (Canada), C, Columbus Blue Jackets [NHL] Acquired: 2021 Draft, 1st round, 12th overall
The chance that Sillinger plays for Team Canada in this tournament instead of suiting up for the Jackets (they have five games between Dec. 26-Jan. 5) are almost zero, but that doesn't change the fact that he's eligible to play. He scored 16 goals and 31 points in 79 games as a rookie this season.
David Jiricek (Czechia), D, HC Plzen [Czech] Acquired: 2022 Draft, 1st round, 6th overall
Like Svozil, the 2023 World Juniors would be Jiricek's third if he participates in it. In 2022, he scored four assists in seven games and added a goal and two points in five games 2021.
Denton Mateychuk (Canada), D, Moose Jaw Warriors [WHL] Acquired: 2022 Draft, 1st round, 12th overall
Mateychuk scored 13 goals and 64 points in 65 regular-season games and added one goal and 10 points in 10 playoff games in his third season in the WHL.
Stanislav Svozil (Czechia), D, Regina Pats [WHL] Acquired: 2021 Draft, 3rd round, 69th overall
If Svozil plays in the 2023 World Juniors, it will be his third. He scored a goal and three points in six games in 2022 and added an assist in 2021.
Corson Ceulemans (Canada), D, Univ. of Wisconsin [Big 10] Acquired: 2021 Draft, 1st round, 25th overall
In his freshman year at Wisconsin, Ceulemans scored seven goals and 22 points in 34 games.
Luca Del Bel Belluz (Canada), C, Mississauga Steelheads [OHL] Acquired: 2022 Draft, 2nd round, 44th overall
In 2021-22, his second season in the OHL, Del Bel Belluz scored 30 goals and 76 points in 68 regular-season games and added one goal and four points in 10 playoff games.
Martin Rysavy (Czechia), LW, Moose Jaw Warriors [WHL] Acquired: 2021 Draft, 7th round, 197th overall
Rysavy scored two goals in seven games for Team Czechia at the 2022 World Juniors and will likely be on their roster again come December.
Ben Boyd (Canada), RW, Charlottetwon Islanders [QMJHL] Acquired: 2021 Draft, 6th round, 165th overall
In 2021-22, his second season in the QMJHL, Boyd scored seven goals and 16 points in 38 regular-season games and added a goal in 10 playoff games.
James Malatesta (Canada), LW, Quebec Remparts [QMJHL] Acquired: 2021 Draft, 5th round, 133rd overall
Malatesta scored 28 goals and 53 points in 68 regular-season games and added five goals and eight points in 12 playoff games in his third season playing for Quebec.
James Fisher (United States), RW, Northeastern Univ. [H-East] Acquired: 2022 Draft, 7th round, 203rd overall
Fisher scored 17 goals and 28 points in 27 games at Belmont Hill High School last season.
Jordan Dumais (Canada), RW, Halifax Mooseheads [QMJHL] Acquired: 2022 Draft, 3rd round, 96th overall
Dumais posted 39 goals and 109 points in 68 regular-season games and added two goals and six points in five playoff games in his second season in the QMJHL.
Guillaume Richard (Canada), D, Providence College [H-East] Acquired: 2021 Draft, 4th round, 101st overall
In his first year playing collegiate hockey, Richard posted three goals and 14 points in 36 games.
In December, we'll know which of these players will be participating in the 2023 World Juniors.
