Aaron
Vickers
January 4, 2024

Here’s who coaches voted as the top players at the World Juniors

Macklin Celebrini left his mark on the World Juniors.

Though Canada couldn’t advance beyond the quarterfinal and did not compete for a medal, the 2024 NHL Draft’s consensus top pick had himself a showing at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship. And it didn’t go unnoticed.

Celebrini was one of the three skaters named as Canada’s top skaters, as judged by the team’s coaches. The 17-year-old, who has 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 15 games back at Boston College, paced Canada with eight points (four goals, four assists) in five games and was a factor in all three zones.

“Celebrini was by far the most impactful Team Canada’s player,” FCHockey scout Joey Fortin Boulay said. “He’s been dangerous shift after shift in an astonishing way for a 17-years-old. His most impressive trait is the way he attacks the interior ice and creates high-danger opportunities from there. He’s shown he’s already a very complete two-way player as well. If there’s been little doubt about his No. 1 status for the 2024 draft, it’s now all gone. He’s the best available prospect in his draft class.”

Celebrini isn’t the lone member of the 2024 draft class to receive recognition. Either.

Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, who held a share of his country’s lead in scoring with five points (three goals, two assists) received a nod from Norway’s coaches.

Here’s a look at the best players from each country, as judged by the team’s coaches:

TEAM PLAYER NHL PLAYER NHL PLAYER NHL
Canada Maveric Lamoureux ARI Macklin Celebrini DRAFT Denton Mateychuk CBJ
Czechia Michael Hrabal ARI Marek Alscher FLA Jiri Kulich BUF
Finland Kasper Kulonummi NSH Jere Lassila DRAFT Tommi Mannisto DRAFT
Germany Samuel Schindler DRAFT Roman Kechter DRAFT Matthias Bittner DRAFT
Latvia Dans Locmelis BOS Sandis Vilmanis FLA Niks Feneko DRAFT
Norway Gabriel Koch DRAFT Petter Vesterheim DRAFT Michael Brandsegg-Nygard DRAFT
Slovakia Adam Gajan CHI Maxim Strbak BUF Servac Petrovsky MIN
Sweden Hugo Havelid DRAFT Noah Ostlund BUF Jonathan Lekkerimaki VAN
Switzerland Alessio Beglieri DRAFT Rodwin Dionicio ANA Jonas Taibel DRAFT
Team USA Cutter Gauthier PHI Gavin Brindley CBJ Lane Hutson MTL

 


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