It may be the dog days of Summer in NHL terms, but for players under 20 years old, the road to the World Junior Championship starts now with the Summer Showcase held in Minnesota.
The Montreal Canadiens will be well-represented at the event. Fighting for a spot on Team Canada’s roster will be center Michael Hage and defenseman Owen Protz, neither of whom has a contract with the Habs so far. Hage is committed to Michigan in the NCAA for the upcoming season, and Protz is expected to return to the Brantford Bulldogs in the OHL.
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Trying to get a spot on the Team USA roster will be newly selected LJ Mooney. The diminutive forward was picked 113th overall at the latest draft. He packs a lot of speed and skill, and had it not been for his size, he would have gone much earlier than the fourth round. He will be playing for the Minnesota Gophers in the NCAA this upcoming season.
As for Team Finland, it features former captain Saku Koivu’s son Aatos. The Turku native was picked 70th overall at the 2024 draft and had his season somewhat derailed by an episode of mononucleosis. He’ll be looking to get back on track this upcoming season, and nabbing a spot on Team Finland would be an excellent way to start. Koivu Jr. will return to Finland for the forthcoming season, aiming to make a greater impact with TPS Turku.
The showcase will take place at Ridder Arena on the University of Minnesota Campus, and four teams will compete, with Sweden joining the teams mentioned above. It kicked off with practices on Friday, July 25. The first games were held on the 27th, and activities will conclude on Saturday, August 2.
Photo credit: Ariane Bergeron, Club de Hockey Canadien inc.
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