Photo by Kevin Light/Getty Images
Topi Niemelä
Niemela started the game on the third pair with Eemil Viro, but was put on the first power play unit and was given spot shifts higher up the lineup with fellow Leaf Mikko Kokkonen and Ville Heinola. By the end of the game when Finland was trying to tie a 3-2 game, he was moved up permanently to the top pair to get maximum offense. Finland is basically using him as a Travis Dermott.
In terms of highlights, Niemela set up the first goal of the game on the power play.
Niemela picks up an assist on his first shift: pic.twitter.com/QCn6QNgEfi Kevin Papetti (@KPapetti) December 23, 2020
Canadian NHL team prospects at the 2021 world juniors
Team Canada Assistant Coach Michael Dyck talks what progress the team has made since the start of training camp and where he sees team chemistry going down the line in a press conference.
Emily Sadler | @EmmySadler December 22, 2020, 10:04 AM
Every holiday season, the world juniors gives hockey fans a glimpse of the future of the game both on the international stage as well as in the NHL. With so many top NHL prospects hitting the ice at once in best-on-best competition, the tournament is a great way to check in on your favourite team’s next stars.
World Junior Championship Group A preview
Canada s forward depth fuels repeat bid; Finland will rely on defense by Adam Kimelman @NHLAdamK / NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor
Canada s deep, versatile group of forwards could make it the favorite to win the IIHF World Junior Championship for the second straight year.
That depth will be important after forward Kirby Dach, their captain and a Chicago Blackhawks forward, injured his right wrist during a pre-tournament game against Russia on Wednesday and will not play in the tournament.
Even without Dach, Canada s remaining 13 forwards each is a first-round NHL draft pick. That includes four players who returning from the 2020 WJC championship team: Quinton Byfield (Los Angeles Kings), Dylan Cozens (Buffalo Sabres), Connor McMichael (Washington Capitals) and Dawson Mer