While the festive season begins, for some of the top young talent in the world the games continue as the IIHF World Junior Championship begin in a few days' time. Ten countries will compete between 26 December and 5 January 2023 to be crowned champions.
Though Champions Hockey League action doesn’t return until early January, CHL fans should be interested in this tournament as some of Europe’s top rising talents, including many players that we've seen play in the CHL this season, will be heading out to Canada for the tournament. Here's a breakdown of players from the CHL to keep an eye on.
Austria
Johannes Tschurnig and Luca Auer are the two main CHLers on Team Austria's line-up. While Tschurnig, a player of Villach SV, played in four games in the pan-European competition before his side exited in the Group Stage, Auer has played in two CHL seasons for Red Bull Salzburg. He only managed one game in 2021/22, but played in seven this season. Keep an eye on these two, who are both just 18 by the way, at the WJC!
Czech Republic
Team Czechia has opted for a line-up of players that are familiar with the ways of North American hockey for the 2023 tournament, with most of the nominated players playing in junior leagues of Canada and the USA. But two players from the line-up that we know from our side of the pond are Petr Hauser of Sparta Prague and Lukáš Pajer of Quarter-Finalists Mountfield HK.
Hauser, who was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, has played in three games this season while Pajer has jumped on for four and picked up a very decent three points (2G, 1A).
Finland
Team Finland were awarded the silver medal at the 2022 World Juniors. This time, they’ll continue their pursuit for gold with a bevy of players from across the country and no shortage of youngsters who we have seen flash their talent in the CHL.
Top of that list is Jukurit Mikkeli's Niko Huuhtanen, who has played seven games this season, scoring three times and assisting once for four points total. Ilves Tampere's Jani Nyman will also be representing the Suomi, as will a trio of TPS Turku players and Topi Rönni of Tappara Tampere, who are still in the race for the European Trophy.
Germany
Team Germany have a few representatives hailing from reigning DEL champions Eisbären Berlin, while the Straubing Tigers, who made their CHL debut this season, also have a player who has been nominated - Adrian Klein, who played in the CHL five times this season.
Red Bull Munich have two players set to compete, with Julian Lutz and Veit Oswald both flying out to Canada. Lutz is the best of the line-up having scored 1G and 1A in four games this season.
Sweden
Team Sweden have mixed and matched the best young players from their domestic leagues with some of Sweden's youngsters already proving themselves overseas. Reigning CHL Champions Rögle Ängelholm, who have unfortunately already been knocked out of the CHL and will therefore not defend their maiden European title, have Adam Engström nominated. The 19-year-old played in nine games this season, scoring 1G, 1A, while Skellefteå AIK's Simon Robertsson is also headed for Canada.
Robertsson, an unsigned St. Louis Blues draftee, played his second season in Europe's biggest club ice hockey competition this year and has now played 15 CHL games!
Switzerland
Team Switzerland, like other European countries, have a host of players playing abroad in order to mature their game. Yet, there are those who chose to stay in their homeland to continue their hockey careers. Of those clubs competing in the CHL this year, ZSC Lions Zurich have three who have played for them in the CHL this season - Nicolas Baechler, Joel Henry and Livio Curdin Truog.
Of the three, Curdin Truog is the most experienced having played six times in the CHL, picking up one assist.
Mats Alge, who helped Rapperswil-Jona Lakers make their CHL debut, is also nominated, as is EV Zug's Tim Muggli, who played one game for the Semi-Finalists this season.
The 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship will be played between 26 December and 5 January 2023. The CHL will return in 2023 for the CHL Semi-Finals in January and ultimate one-game Final in February!