The Tampa Bay Lightning have one representative playing in the 2024 World Junior Championships (WJC). Isaac Howard has played quite well for Team USA and has helped lead them to the number one seed in Pool B heading into the quarterfinals. The tournament has become a holiday tradition for many hockey fans worldwide, beginning on Dec. 26 each year and ending during the first week of the new year. The WJC has grown remarkably since the inaugural tournament was held in 1977 and has a massive amount of international support.
The WJC offers one of the most prestigious stages for young hockey players and can significantly boost a player’s value for upcoming NHL Entry Drafts. Throughout the past 15 years, many current and former Lightning organization members have significantly impacted their teams in this tournament. Here is a look at some players and their moments in this tournament.
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Unsurprisingly, the netminder who led the Lightning to two Stanley Cup titles excelled in his appearances at the WJC. Vasilevskiy made three appearances for Team Russia in the tournament in 2012-14, leading them to one silver and two bronze medals. His stats were outstanding, compiling goals-against averages (GAA) of 2.01, 1.81, and 1.83 to go along with save percentages (SV%) of .953, .950, and .933. His teammates on the 2012 team included current Lightning teammate Nikita Kucherov and former Lightning defenseman Nikita Nesterov.
With all of the success in the WJC, Vasilevskiy was never recognized as the top goaltender in the tournament. Instead, those awards went to current Chicago Blackhawks netminder Petr Mrazek in 2012, longtime Anaheim Duck goaltender John Gibson in 2013, and current Nashville Predator Juuse Saros in 2014.
He appeared in six WJCs, starting in the U18s as a 15-year-old. He also appeared in the 2013 World Championships, backing up Sergei Bobrovsky on the gold medal-winning team, going 1-0 in two games with a 0.50 GAA and .985 SV%. His international play certainly helped prepare him for success in the NHL with the Lightning.
Austin Watson
One of the leaders for the Lighting in penalty minutes was one of the top scorers for Team USA in the 2012 WJC and was one of the few bright spots for the team as they finished seventh. Watson scored nine points on three goals and six assists, the same amount of future NHLers Ryan Strome and Jonathon Huberdeau and two more than current teammate Kucherov. Watson had a hat trick in a relegation game against Latvia and was instrumental in leading Team USA to a 2-1 win over Switzerland to win the relegation round.
Future Teammates Square Off for Gold
In 2008, Steven Stamkos helped lead Canada to a 3-2 win in the Gold Medal game over Team Sweden, which had on its roster a future teammate of Stamkos in Victor Hedman. Hedman took home two WJC Silver medals and a Bronze as he was on Team Sweden, which lost to Team Canada in the finals in 2009 before finishing third in 2010. In 2008, he played for Sweden’s U20 team, helped lead the U18 Team Sweden to a bronze medal in 2007, and competed with them again in 2008. The 2007 Bronze was won at the expense of Stamkos and Team Canada.
The 2008 WJC performance boosted Stamkos’s draft value, leading him to be selected second overall by the Lightning. Stamkos and Team Canada teammate Drew Doughty, who was drafted first overall by the Los Angeles Kings, have combined to win three Stanley Cups, two Olympic gold medals, two World Cups, a Norris Trophy (Doughty), and two Rocket Richard trophies (Stamkos).
Brayden Point/Nick Paul
These two were also teammates for Team Canada at the WJC, helping them win the gold medal in 2015. The medal was significant because it marked Canada’s first medal at the World Juniors since 2012 and Canada’s first gold since 2009. Point had the assist on the Paul goal in the Gold Medal game, putting Team Canada up 2-0 before defeating Team Russian 5-4. Paul’s goal early in the first period was significant because it led to the benching of Igor Shesterkin and being replaced by Ilya Sorokin. The coach for Team Canada was former Syracuse Crunch head coach Benoit Groulx.
2017/2018 Team Canada
These teams featured many Lightning prospects and had former Syracuse Crunch head coach Benoit Groulx as the general manager. The 2017 team won the Silver medal and featured current Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli, as well as Taylor Raddysh, Connor Ingram, Mathieu Joseph, and Mitchell Stephens. The scandal-plagued 2018 squad that won the gold medal had Raddysh and Lightning prospects Cal Foote, Boris Katchouk, and Brett Howden.
Current Lightning defenseman Phillipe Myers made a great showing at the 2017 WJCs. He got three assists in four games before suffering an injury at the hands of current San Jose Shark Luke Kunin that put him out of action for the rest of the tournament. Myers and Cerelli were also on Team Canada’s World Championship silver medal-winning team in 2019.
Related: WJC Standout Isaac Howard Making Lightning’s Future Very Bright
So, as Stamkos gives Hedman his yearly reminder about his victory over him in the WJC, other current and former members of the Lightning will also cheer on their respective nations, giving them something to follow as the Lightning continues its three-game road trip against the Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota Wild, and Boston Bruins.
