NHL draft expert shares his scouting report on Canada's Macklin Celebrini, Team USA's Zeev Buium and Norway's Brandsegg-Nygard at the 2024 world juniors.
NHL draft expert shares his scouting report on Canada's Macklin Celebrini, Team USA's Zeev Buium and Norway's Brandsegg-Nygard at the 2024 world juniors.
Throughout the season, I maintain a “notebook” with scouting reports on 2024 NHL draft-eligible players throughout the year. This month's edition is the world juniors special.
The notebook gives me an excellent chance to track a player's development throughout the season and note improvements in their play – or the lack thereof. Through numerous views, I do my best to evaluate what I see on the ice from players, from their big, flashy plays to minor details, such as board play or off-puck tracking.
With the World Junior Championship in full swing, looking at a few of the NHL draft-eligible players competing for their countries at the top under-20 event seems like a great idea. This edition of the draft notebook features Canada’s Macklin Celebrini, Team USA’s Zeev Buium, and Norway’s Michael Brandsegg-Nygard.
Macklin Celebrini, C, Canada U-20, 6-foot, 190 pounds
Dec. 26, 2023, vs. Finland U-20 - Despite being listed as the third-line center, Celebrini was Canada’s best player in this game. His ability to play on or off the puck offensively was evident throughout the game, and his defensive play was actually quite noticeable against the Finns.
Celebrini had a number of notable offensive chances in the game. The first came on the power play, where he dangled two Finnish defenders in the slot, showcasing his excellent puck control and protection. He maintained control while extending from his body, pulling it into his feet and seamlessly extending it back out before getting a shot off from a prime scoring position.
Later in the game, he was trailing a teammate on the outside and jumped on the puck when they fanned on it. His ability to quickly pounce and get a quality shot off was enviable. He was opportunistic throughout the game.
His first world juniors goal came on a mess of a play in front of the Finnish net. Brayden Yager kept the puck in the zone along the boards, and as Celebrini and another Canadian forward drove the net, Yager sent the puck out front. It bounced around and into the crease. Celebrini poked the puck back into the goalie and then just under him to score as the Finnish netminder's legs were in the net, which made for a long review as the puck went into the pads. Celebrini scored a gritty and ugly goal that won’t wind up on highlight reels, but it wound up being the game-winner.
Celebrini’s offensive creation and willingness to go to the net to make things happen were noticeable. He had plenty of chances to shoot as the off-puck attacker, getting a few one-timers off and transition plays. Celebrini showed excellent anticipation in the defensive zone, picking off or deflecting passes or pressuring opponents with his speed and agility.
When he carries the puck up ice, Celebrini has a gravity to him that draws the attention of defenders and the goalie. He garners all of the attention, which opens up chances for his teammates as everyone remains focused on Celebrini. It’s not often that a draft-eligible player can garner that kind of attention. Celebrini was the best Canadian in the game despite only registering one goal.
Despite being Canada's youngest player on the ice, he was a leader. You could see just how ecstatic the team was for him in being awarded the goal after the lengthy review in the game. Celebrini may not have a letter on his chest, but Canada looks to him as a leader.
Zeev Buium, LHD, USA U-20, 6-foot-2, 180 pounds
Dec. 28, 2023, vs. Switzerland U-20 - In a game where the Americans absolutely dominated the Swiss U-20 squad, Zeev Buium was quietly one of their best defenders at both ends of the ice.
His first shift of the game was instantly effective – he made quick work to set up Will Smith for a goal just over a minute into the game. Buium patrolled the offensive blueline and feathered an absolutely pristine pass over a defender's stick to Smith just below the faceoff dot for a one-timer. The finesse on the pass was simply beautiful.
Toward the end of the period, Buium notched his first goal of the tournament. He was trying to feather a backhand pass to the slot through traffic, but it went off a Swiss defender and into the back of the net. While clearly not intentional, Buium’s timely activation into the rush and speed to get in behind the Swiss defenders was impressive on the play.
Buium consistently made plays all over the ice as a passing threat, moving the puck up ice quickly and efficiently.
He also showed the calming presence he’s always shown in the NCAA. Buium diffuses play by closing in on the puck carrier and calmly stripping them of the puck with well-timed poke checks and stick lifts. Poise is often an overused term, but Buium exemplifies it.
Buium was quarterbacking the power play on the final Team USA goal, and the puck was weakly won back to him at the blueline. A Swiss defender quickly closed the gap with speed. Buium calmly collected the puck, rotated his hips into the incoming defender and sent a quick pass on his backhand to a teammate. Two passes and two seconds later, the puck was in the back of the net. Buium didn’t get an assist on the play, but his composure and quick thinking to not only keep the puck in the offensive zone but off the stick of the Swiss player allowed it to happen.
Buium was the Americans’ most consistent and effective defender in this game. The NCAA stud was on the ice for seven goals-for, including one on the power play, and just one goal against. Every time Buium seemed to touch the ice, good things were happening for the Americans.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW, Norway U-20, 6-foot-1, 194 pounds
Dec. 26, 2023, vs. USA U-20 - In a game where Norway was going up against one of the world junior superpowers in Team USA, they put up a very solid fight led by their top line featuring Michael Brandsegg-Nygard. The Norwegian winger was a nuisance on the forecheck, a disruptor on the American breakout and a solid offensive presence for the team.
He and Petter Vesterheim were the Norwegians' best duo throughout the game, playing a smart, effective pro-style game that pressured the opposing team every chance they got. In the first period, they were buzzing, playing in the American zone every time they were on the ice. They controlled play with cycles along the boards and strong puck protection.
Brandsegg-Nygard created an excellent chance in the first period. He drove the center lane, got a shot off from the slot and then hunted the puck down again in the corner. He sent a pass to a teammate who lost it, but because Brandsegg-Nygard was consistently reloading into a high position in the offensive zone when he wasn’t the point-of-attack forward, he knocked down an aerial pass inside the blueline. He fed a teammate on the half wall and, once again, drove the net. Later in the game, Brandsegg-Nygard was all over the Americans below their goal line, winning a puck battle against two Americans and coming out with the biscuit.
His defensive play was excellent throughout the game, too. The Norwegian winger consistently closed the space and forced play to the walls where he was at his best, establishing body position and winning the puck battles with a combination of strength and skill. Brandsegg-Nygard consistently made the right play at both ends of the ice. He never lacked effort and found ways to generate chances. He wasn’t out there dancing his way around U-20 defenders, but he was dropping a shoulder to invite contact or chipping a puck into space to skate onto it.
When one of Norway’s defenders would send a breakout pass onto the tape of an American’s stick, Brandsegg-Nygard was the first player on them to physically engage, push them into the boards and force a turnover or bad decision. From defensive stick positioning and awareness of the threats behind him to a non-stop motor and relentless pursuit of the puck, Brandsegg-Nygard was one of the best players on the ice for either team.
Although he didn’t register a point, he was involved in every facet of the game. He wasn’t on the ice for a goal against, showed he belonged at this level and was very effective away from the puck. Points may be hard to come by for him at the world juniors because of the lack of a supporting cast beyond Vesterheim.