Day two of Canada's World Junior Selection Camp has completed, consisting of two group practices, and a scrimmage mixed in with some special teams work.
Day two of Canada's World Junior Selection Camp has concluded, and with two days left in camp, things are starting to come together.
Today we saw the first bit of scrimmage action, including some special teams work and in-game situations. Powerplay and penalty kill units were tested, as well as some 3-on-3 practice.
Domenic DiVincentiis stood tall in the crease, not allowing any goals in today's scrimmage.
Canada's scrimmage powerplay lines consisted of:
Team Red Unit:
Carson Rehkopf - Macklin Celebrini - Jordan Dumais
Brayden Yager - Michael Buchinger
Team White Unit:
Matthew Wood - Denver Barkey - Markus Vidicek
Ty Nelson - Jorian Donovan
OHL Player Standouts:
Ty Nelson, D, North Bay Battalion
Nelson was activating lots from the point in brief scrimmage action. He was making quick decisions with the puck and moving it without hesitation. He was playing on the right flank of the powerplay unit, just as he does in North Bay. Nelson was able to generate lots from this position with a balance of shooting and passing. Nelson is certainly proving to be one of the better offensive defenders at Canada's camp.
Easton Cowan, F, London Knights
Simply put, Cowan has been playing his own game and playing to his strengths. His work ethic and compete on the forecheck and backcheck consistently stands out, and was a large reason why Toronto drafted him in the first round. Cowan looked dangerous in the 3-on-3 segment, and was able to find some chemistry with consensus 2024 1st overall pick Macklin Celebrini. This is a pair that I would look for Canada to use in a variety of situations in this tournament.
Denver Barkey, F, London Knights
Barkey was flying up and down the ice at camp today, showing off his tremendous combination of quickness and pure skill. He makes decisions incredibly quick, and thinks the game ahead of a lot of players. It is clear that Barkey is battling hard for a spot on this roster, and with his performance today, he could be a viable secondary-scoring option for this team.
Tomorrow, the group has one more practice before their first exhibition game against U Sports, which begins at 3:00pm EST.
Tough battles and competition should be expected in these exhibition games, especially for those fighting for a spot in the bottom-six/bottom pair.