The World Junior Summer Showcase has concluded, and the march towards the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship is on! The Summer Showcase provided an early snapshot at potential World Junior players for Canada, the United States, Finland and Sweden, and now the under-20 players from those countries will be vying to cement a spot on their respective national junior teams.
Over at Daily Faceoff, our pal Steven Ellis has sketched out his early projection of Canada’s roster… and a pair of Calgary Flames prospects made the cut.
Ellis projects Zayne Parekh and Etienne Morin on Canada’s blueline.
Parekh was selected at ninth overall by the Flames in June’s 2024 NHL Draft. He signed his entry-level deal with the Flames during development camp in July. Here’s what Ellis had to say about Parekh’s placement on Canada’s roster:
“On the second line, it’s all about puck-moving. Tanner Molendyk was set to play a big role with Canada a year ago, but an injury knocked him out during the pre-tournament action. But could you imagine the destruction he and Zayne Parekh could cause at an event like this? Pure magic. It would be like having two extra forwards there, and neither are afraid to lay the body, either.”
Morin was selected at 48th overall by the Flames in the 2023 NHL Draft. He, too, signed his entry-level deal with the Flames during development camp. Here’s Ellis’ assessment of his candidacy:
“If they want a pure shutdown pair, Etienne Morin and Andrew Gibson would be the best options going. Both had good showings between Windsor and Plymouth, with Gibson, in particular, being one of the most improved prospects over the past calendar year. Carter Yakemchuk could fill a variety of roles for the Canadians, but it’s his mix of brute physicality and high-scoring, puck-moving nature that will come in handy for Canada.”
For what it’s worth, over at The Athletic they also put together a projected Team Canada roster – as well as projected rosters for the United States, Finland and Sweden. Parekh made Team Canada, while Morin didn’t. Flames prospect Axel Hurtig landed on Team Sweden as the seventh defender in The Athletic’s projections.
Which Flames prospects do you think will appear at the 2025 World Juniors? Let us know in the comments!