The 2017 World Junior Championships kicked off yesterday with wins for Sweden, the USA, and the Czech Republic. Joel Eriksson Ek started out with a goal and an assist in the tournament’s opening game. Jordan Greenway converted a goal off a Luke Kunin rebound and earned Player of the Game for the US. Lastly, Kirill Kaprizov scored on the power play for Russia to help tie the game.
In non-Wild prospect related WJC news, Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin looks like a future star, and he’s only 16. Eligible for the 2018 NHL draft, the Swede assisted on Eriksson Ek’s goal and scored his own goal from the blueline while showing quite a bit of skill and positional awareness.