The holiday season is full of traditions, and one such custom is the World Junior Championship, where the best Junior-aged players on the planet come together to represent their countries. The 42nd edition of this annual tournament is around the corner, and three of the most promising players in the Habs organization will be at the forefront of the competition. And the three are all part of the same group in the preliminary round.
Victor Mete (Canada), Ryan Poehling (United States) and Joni Ikonen (Finland) will face off against each other in Group A, which is rounded out by Denmark and Slovakia. Russia, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Belarus make up Group B.
Habs fans have been able to see Mete in action in Montreal this season. He has played 27 games with the big club, collecting four assists to go along with a plus-5 differential. On December 11, the Habs decided to lend the Woodbridge, ON native to the national team for the tournament. He was one of the first players cut by Hockey Canada at last year's selection camp.
A first-round pick (25th overall) at the 2017 Draft, Poehling will be making his first appearance at the World Junior Championship. Now in his sophomore season at St. Cloud State in 2017-18, the 18-year-old centerman has scored five goals for 16 points in 14 games, good for third on his team.
For his part, Ikonen has suited up for 33 games with the Kuopio KalPa this season, scoring three goals and adding as many assists in that span. The Habs' second-round pick (58th overall) in the most recent Draft will also be taking part in his first WJC tournament.
Canadiens fans won't have to wait very long before they get to see their favorite prospects in action, with Mete and Ikonen set to go head-to-head on the very first day of the tournament, when Canada takes on Finland on December 26. Poehling and the host United States are also on the agenda for Day 1, as they will take on the Danes in an evening matchup at the KeyBank Center.
One of the highlights of the tournament will take place on December 29, when the very first outdoor game in WJC history will feature Poehling's Team USA and Mete and the Canadians. The historic game will be played at New Era Field, home of the NFL's Buffalo Bills.
The two Habs hopefuls from the 2017 Draft class will close out the preliminary round when they do battle on December 31.
After a day off on January 1, the medal round will commence the next day with the gold- and bronze-medal games slated for Friday, January 5.
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