For the first time in more than a decade, the Edmonton Oilers do not have any prospects participating in the World Junior Hockey Championship (WJC), which gets underway on Tuesday (Dec. 26) in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Related: Guide to the 2024 World Junior Championship
But the Oilers are a team rich in WJC experience, as Edmonton’s roster currently includes nine players, from four different countries, who were part of the annual tournament earlier in their respective careers. As the NHL continues its Christmas break and the hockey world shifts its gaze to Gothenburg, here’s a look at the top 5 WJC performers by members of the Oilers.
5) Evander Kane, 2009 WJC
Evander Kane helped Canada win a record-tying fifth consecutive gold medal, with six points in six games at the 2009 WJC in Ottawa. Oilers fans best remember this tournament for then-prospect Jordan Eberle’s epic goal with five seconds left in the semi-final against Russia, which tied the game 5-5 before Canada went on to win in a shootout. Kane had two assists in what is considered one of the greatest games in WJC history. The Vancouver native scored twice, one goal against each Kazakhstan and Germany, during the round-robin portion of the tournament.
4) Leon Draisaitl, 2013 WJC
A 17-year-old Leon Draisaitl saved his best for last at the World Juniors in 2013, and his best saved his country a seat at the table. After recording two points through Germany’s first five games of the tournament, the forward erupted for two goals and two assists to lead Germany past Latvia 5-2 in a must-win game where the loser would be relegated.
Thanks to his heroics, Germany returned to the World Juniors in 2014, and so did Draisaitl, as team captain. Unfortunately, his second trip to the WJC was marred by his suspension for a hit from behind. Months later, he was drafted third overall by the Oilers.
3) Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 2013 WJC
The 2013 WJC was a massive disappointment for Team Canada, which missed the podium for the first time in 15 years, but that certainly wasn’t for lack of production by its captain. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins racked up a tournament-leading 15 points, including four in the bronze medal game, a 6-5 overtime loss to Russia. He was selected as the top forward of the tournament and named to the media all-star team.
Nugent-Hopkins had already spent a full season in the NHL, suiting up for 62 games with the Oilers in 2011-12 after being the first overall pick at the 2011 NHL Draft, but was available to take part in the 2013 WJC because the NHL was shut down by a lockout.
2) Connor McDavid, 2015 WJC
Around six months before he was drafted first overall by the Oilers, Edmonton’s future captain helped end a five-year gold medal drought for host nation Canada at the 2015 WJC. Though he was only 17, Connor McDavid was already a WJC veteran, having made his World Juniors debut the year prior. He served as one of Canada’s alternate captains in 2015.
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McDavid was named to the media all-star team for the tournament, after leading all players with eight assists and tying teammates Nic Petan and Sam Reinhart for most points, with 11. He scored the third goal for Canada in its 5-4 gold medal game victory over Russia at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
1) Darnell Nurse, 2015 WJC
Canada likely would not have beaten Russia for gold in the 2015 final were it not for a legendary performance by McDavid’s future NHL teammate, who was named Canada’s player of the game despite not even recording a point. That’s how much of an impact Darnell Nurse had on defence, burying Russian players with huge hits and battling for pucks in the corners. He finished the game with a plus-2 rating.
Nurse, Edmonton’s first-round pick in 2013, was also named one of the three best players on Team Canada for the entire tournament. Opponents did not score a single even-strength goal with Nurse on the ice in any of Canada’s seven games.
“I don’t know if there will ever be anything that feels better than how I feel right now. This is an incredible feeling, and I’m so fortunate to have had the opportunity to play in this team.”
Darnell Nurse, Team Canada, 01/05/2015
Other present-day Oilers that played in the WJC include defencemen Evan Bouchard (Canada, 2019) and Mattias Ekholm (Sweden, 2010) as well as forwards Adam Erne (USA, 2014) and Sam Gagner (Canada, 2007). Goaltender Jack Campbell, who the Oilers assigned on Nov. 8 to the American Hockey League where he is currently with the Bakersfield Condors, suited up for Team USA in three consecutive WJC tournaments from 2010 to 2012.
The WJC alumni can cheer on their respective nations while the Oilers prepare to return to action on Thursday (Dec. 28) with a road game against the San Jose Sharks.
