The 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship had some great under 20 players that showed some true skill in many games this year. There are some players that will be playing at the championship this year who have had great hockey seasons thus far.
Here are our favorite NHL players going to the u20 Championship
Trevor Zegras, United States
Zegras, who plays for the Anaheim Ducks, was born in New York State. The two-way forward is capable of playing both wing and center.
The 19-year-old makes finishing and play creation look incredibly easy. He has also had nine assists so far in the tournament.
Yegor Zamula, Russia
This 20-year-old hockey player who currently plays for the Philadelphia Flyers has been an unexpected championship player who has had a great season. He has scored five points with two goals included after his first game earlier this year.
The Russian team management also considers him their most important player this year. This makes him one of the best juniors out of Russia this year.
Yaroslav Askarov, Russia
The Russian 18-year-old could become one of the greatest goalies in the world after a great year with many saves.
At such a young age it is almost impossible to have such a functioning and analytical goaltender as Askarov. Not only did he help lead Russia to victory at the Under-17 Hockey Challenge, but he also had the highest goals-against average in that tournament.
Although his numbers in the 2020 world juniors was subpar, he still had a great season this year and will put up a good fight in the championship and may help lead Russia to victory.
Aatu Raty, Finland
This 18-year-old center from Finland is one of the hottest names in the junior league this year. Primarily because he is a top prospect for the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
He had a wonderful year playing for Karpat U20 with 19 assists in 30 games. He also had two goals in that tournament.
He is known for his space creation. Allowing teammates passing opportunities. He plays with confidence and powerful strides. A lot of this comes down to the wider spaces that Finnish rinks have. He can hold the puck with perfect control for longer time periods than his competitors and teammates. All of this culminates in a formidable opponent who is a hot name to watch in the big leagues.
Our Finnish readers can find more information about the u20 championship here.
Spencer Knight, United States
This 19-year-old goaltender who was selected by the Florida Panthers in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft is a force to be reckoned with.
He has produced some great numbers in the junior league and next year he will finally start for Florida. He is considered to be the future of the NHL goalies and is expected by most to be the best goalie in the game. He was ranked as the top eligible goaltender at the 2019 draft too.
An interesting fact about Knight is that he got his ice hockey genes from his mother who played at Hobart William Smith College.
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