2022 World Junior Championship Preview

BostonBruins.com- After a long-awaited eight months, the rescheduled 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship is set to begin on Tuesday in Edmonton, Alberta with the Bruins organization represented by prospects Fabian Lysell (Sweden), Riley Duran (USA), and Dans Locmelis (Latvia).

Video: Duran, Locmelis, and Lysell to play in 2022 WJC

Fabian Lysell

After missing out on Bruins Development camp in July, Lysell is gearing up to represent Sweden starting on Wednesday (2 p.m. ET vs. Switzerland). The winger wanted to be in Boston for Development Camp, but with such a busy summer ahead of the rescheduled World Juniors, the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo coming up in September, and training camp immediately following, it made more sense to avoid the back and forth and gear up for what was ahead.
"He wanted to be here," said Bruins player development director Jamie Langenbrunner. "But after talking through with him, it just makes more sense [to skip Development Camp]. For him to bounce back and forth, it would mess up his summer way too much."
The Bruins' 2021 first-round pick was set to be the only representative in the tournament from Boston back in December of 2021, but COVID-19 concerns postponed the tournament after four days of play. Lysell will now be one of three Bruins prospects heading to Edmonton.
Lysell has been an exciting player to watch, as he finished out the 2021-22 season with the WHL's Vancouver Giants with 22 goals and 40 points in 53 games. The 19-year-old really stood out in the WHL playoffs, finishing with 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in the six games played.

Riley Duran

Riley Duran will play for Team USA after a successful rookie season with Providence. The Woburn, Mass., native appeared in all 38 games and totaled 10 goals and nine assists for 19 points for the Friars. Duran also joined the B's for his second Development Camp in July, "I'm just so happy I got the invitation," Duran said when asked about heading to the World Juniors camp. "I just have to go there and play my game and good things will happen if I just compete."
Duran showed off his physical style of play at Development Camp and plans on bringing that to Edmonton. "I love to win battles, I think thats a huge part of my game," said Duran.
Duran will be no stranger to the coaching style as Nate Leaman, head coach of the Providence College Friars, will lead Team USA as head coach. Leaman will be striving for the same success as the 2021 World Juniors, where he led Team USA to the gold.
Duran and Team USA will play Tuesday at 10 p.m ET.

Dans Locmelis

Newest 2022 Bruins draft pick Dan Locmelis is set to compete for Latvia at the 2022 World Juniors. The 6-foot center worked hard at Development Camp in July, and is coming off a successful season in the Swedish Hockey League. He appeared in 44 games for Lulea HF J20 of the J20 Swedish Hockey League where he had 18 goals and 16 assists for 24 points. Locmelis will play for the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL for the 2022-23 season.

2022 WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Aug. 9
Czechia vs. Slovakia, 2 p.m. ET
Latvia vs. Finland, 6 p.m. ET
United States vs. Germany 10 p.m. ET
Aug. 10
Sweden vs. Switzerland, 2 p.m. ET
Latvia vs. Canada, 6 p.m. ET
Germany vs. Austria, 10 p.m. ET
Aug. 11
Finland vs. Czechia, 2 p.m. ET
Slovakia vs. Canada, 6 p.m. ET
Switzerland vs. United States, 10 p.m. ET
Aug. 12
Austria vs. Sweden, 2 p.m. ET
Slovakia vs. Latvia, 6 p.m. ET
Aug. 13
Austria vs. United States, 2 p.m. ET
Canada vs. Czechia, 6 p.m. ET
Germany vs. Switzerland, 10 p.m. ET
Aug. 14
Finland vs. Slovakia, 2 p.m. ET
Czechia vs. Latvia, 6 p.m. ET
United States vs. Sweden, 10 p.m. ET
Aug. 15
Switzerland vs. Austria, 2 p.m. ET
Canada vs. Finland, 6 p.m. ET
Sweden vs. Germany, 10 p.m. ET
Aug. 17
Quarterfinal 1, 12 p.m. ET
Quarterfinal 2, 3:30 p.m. ET
Quarterfinal 3, 7 p.m. ET
Quarterfinal 4, 10:30 p.m. ET
Aug. 19
Semifinal 1, 4 p.m. ET
Semifinal 2, 8 p.m. ET
Aug. 20
Third-place game, 4 p.m. ET
Championship game, 8 p.m. ET
All games of the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship can be seen live in the U.S. on the NHL Network.