Pipeline Podcast: CBJ viewers' guide to the 2022 World Juniors

It's the most wonderful time of the year again if you like to watch the future of NHL hockey.
The IIHF World Junior Championship -- aka the World Juniors -- begins Sunday in Alberta, with the top players in the world age 20 and younger battling for international supremacy in what has become one of the most hotly anticipated tournaments on the annual hockey calendar.

It's a mix of players who have been drafted as high as No. 1 overall (Canada defenseman Owen Power, who went first in 2021) or will be drafted there (see Canada's Shane Wright in 2022, plus teammate Connor Bedard or Russian forward Matvei Michkov in 2023), plus the rest of the top junior players in the world. You can be sure there is plenty of future NHL talent on the ice, and Canada forwards Jake Neighbours (St. Louis) and Mason McTavish (Anaheim) already have skated NHL games this year.
On top of that, the tournament is hotly contested and full of incredible drama each year, including a winter ago when a Team USA squad led by current Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras and Florida Panthers goalie Spencer Knight beat Canada by a 2-0 score in the final to capture the crown for the fifth time and first since 2017.
With just a few days to go until action kicks off in Edmonton and Red Deer, four Blue Jackets draft picks will play in the event. Highly touted prospect Kent Johnson has made Canada's roster and could be in for a starring role, while Samuel Knazko is in the event for the third straight year and will captain Slovakia. In addition, 2021 draft picks Stanislav Svozil and Martin Rysavy have been chosen to represent Czechia.

In addition, 2021 fifth-round pick Nikolai Makarov was invited to Russia's camp but did not make the final roster, while 2020 fifth-round pick Ole Julian Bjorgvik-Holm captained Norway's team that played in the lower-tier Division I event and finished third. Bjorgvik-Holm had a 2-4-6 line in five games.
Pool play runs from Boxing Day through New Year's Eve, with each team playing in four round-robin games. Quarterfinals are set for Jan. 2, semifinals on Jan. 4 and the final on Jan. 5.
Here's when to watch each CBJ prospect and a little background on each, with games to be shown on NHL Network.

Kent Johnson, LW, Canada

CBJ notes: Johnson was the Blue Jackets' first pick in the 2021 draft, going fifth overall to the CBJ. The Port Moody, B.C., native was the first of three first-round picks by the Jackets in this summer's draft, and he's known for his incredible skill with the puck on his stick that
has been turning heads
since he hit the ice with the Canadian squad. Johnson also could make his CBJ debut later this year should he decide to go pro at the end of his college season.
Club notes: The 19-year-old has spent the past two seasons with the University of Michigan, where he is one of the top scorers in college hockey this season with a 4-19-23 line in 17 games for the No. 3-ranked Wolverines. He had 27 points in 26 games last year and became the quickest Wolverine to 50 career points since Winnipeg Jets star Kyle Connor did so in 2015-16.
Jersey number: 13

Johnson's role: Johnson got to camp a bit late as he went through a battle with COVID, but he immediately was placed into a top-six role on the right wing. Early returns potentially have Johnson skating with fellow top-10 pick McTavish as well as 2020 first-rounder Mavrik Bourque, but wherever he ends up, Johnson is expected to be a key part of the Team Canada attack and someone who could take over the tournament like Zegras did last year for Team USA.
Canada's chances: As always, the Canadians expect to win, especially skating on home ice. It's an absolutely loaded team, with Johnson's U-M teammate Power leading the blue line, 2021 first-rounder Sebastian Cossa in net and a bevy of talented forwards, including potential future No. 1 overall picks in Wright and Bedard. Team Canada and Team USA often seem to meet in the gold medal game, and it would surprise no one if it happened again this year.
Group A schedule: Czech Republic, Dec. 26, 7 p.m.; Austria, Dec. 28, 7 p.m.; Germany, Dec. 29, 7 p.m.; Finland, Dec. 31, 7 p.m.

Samuel Knazko, LD, Slovakia

CBJ notes: Knazko is a third-round draft pick, having been selected 78th overall in the 2020 draft, and signed a three-year entry-level contract with Columbus in June. Already an experienced international player, he is thought to bring a two-way game to the table with some pretty good offensive upside as a passer.
Club notes: Knazko started this year on loan with the TPS organization in Finland, where the Trencin, Slovakia, native was playing mostly with the U-20 team. He was impressive there, posting a 4-10-14 line in 15 games, but got only one game with the full TPS senior squad. Eventually, the decision was made for him to come to North American hockey, and he joined Seattle of the WHL, where he has a goal and two assists in his first five games.
Jersey number: 12

Knazko's role: He brings a ton of international experience to the table, as at age 19, Knazko already has played for the full Slovak national team at the World Championships and helped the country qualify for the Olympic Games this summer at a qualifying tournament. This will also be his third World Juniors, and Knazko will repeat as Slovakia's captain at the tournament. Fighting injuries a year ago, he finished with a sole assist in four games, but the hope is he can bring more offense to the table this time around and lead the way from the back end.
Slovakia's chances: The country enters as the fourth-ranked team in Pool B behind the United States, Russia and Sweden, and a pesky Switzerland team rounds things out. Slovakia has lost in the quarterfinals each of the past six years, so it's fair to say it would take an upset to get past that point. But there are some notable names to know, including potential 2022 first-round picks on the roster in forward Juraj Slafkovsky and defenseman Simon Nemec.
Group B schedule: United States, Dec. 26, 9:30 p.m.; Sweden, Dec. 27, 9:30 p.m.; Russia, Dec. 29, 4:30 p.m.; Switzerland, Dec. 30, 7 p.m.

Stanislav Svozil, LD/Martin Rysavy, RW, Czechia

CBJ notes: Svozil was projected as a potential first-round pick by some going into the 2021 NHL Draft, but he ended up being the Blue Jackets' third-round selection (69th overall) this summer. A two-way defenseman with excellent poise on the puck who is playing in his second World Juniors, Svozil is a few years away from Columbus but looks like he could become a dependable blueliner as he gains more experience. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with Columbus in August.
Rysavy, meanwhile, was chosen in the seventh round of that same draft this summer. A winger with excellent size (6-2, 212) and some scoring touch, Rysavy attended the Traverse City Prospects Tournament this year as well as CBJ training camp, and he's a project with upside who hopes to continue blossoming at the junior level.
Club notes: Svozil, 18, spent the past two seasons playing against men in the top level of Czech hockey, the Extraliga, skating in 71 games with HC Kometa Brno. This year, the Prerov, Czech Republic, native made the decision to come over to North America to continue his development and play big minutes with Regina of the WHL, where he has settled in and posted one goal and 17 assists for 18 points in 26 games.
Rysavy also is an 18-year-old who hails from the same city and has basically followed the same path. He spent most of last year with HC Prerov in the Czech second division but did make it to the top-level Extraliga, skating in six games with HC Vitkovice. He also headed to North America this year to play in the WHL, and Rysavy has five goals and 11 assists in 28 games with Moose Jaw while posting a plus-7 rating.
Jersey numbers: Svozil -- 14; Rysavy -- 29
Svozil's role: Considering Svozil's pedigree and experience in the international sweater, it wouldn't be huge surprise to see him earn big minutes on the blue line for Czechia. His defensive game, already thought to be a strength, is continuing to develop in the WHL and he has enough skill in his game to contribute on the offensive end as well as a distributor.
Rysavy's role: Rysavy made the final cut and figures to be fighting for a bottom-six role. With his size, ability to play physical hockey and defensive capabilities, he could be an ideal fit there and perhaps even add a little offense.
Czechia's chances: The country enters as the fourth-seeded team in its five-team pool, but there is enough talent there -- including Montreal second-round pick Jan Mysak up front and Detroit fourth-rounder Jan Bednar in net -- to surprise some teams and challenge Finland and Germany for a higher finish (with Canada expected to top the group). The play of someone like Svozil could go a long way in making that happen.
Group A schedule: Canada, Dec. 26, 7 p.m.; Germany, Dec. 27, 7 p.m.; Finland, Dec. 29, 2 p.m.; Austria, Dec. 30, 4:30 p.m.