What Sabres fans should watch for at the 2023 World Junior Championship

It's the most wonderful time of the year!
With the gifts exchanged and the holiday meals consumed, hockey fans can settle in front of the television today when the puck drops on the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.
Among the under-20 participants looking to add a gold medal to their trophy case will be a trio of Sabres forward prospects in first-year Rochester Americans forwards Jiri Kulich (2022, first round) and Isak Rosen (2021, first round), and nifty playmaker Noah Ostlund (2022, first round), who is currently developing with Djurgarden IF in Sweden's second professional division, HockeyAllsvenskan, have been tabbed to represent their countries.

Czechia received a significant boost when Kulich was given the green light from Buffalo to join their national junior team. The 18-year-old, who joins defenseman David Jiricek (CBJ) as the only Czechs with North American professional experience, is expected to be the drivetrain of an emerging attack after contributing eight points (2+6) in seven games at the rescheduled 2022 World Junior Championship in August.
Kulich arrives at the tournament as a man well-adjusted to his new American Hockey League surroundings, netting 16 points (6+10) and a team-best 57 shots on goal though his first 24 games, with four tallies coming in his last eight contests.

Kulich should also be seen as a man on a mission after the Czechs, despite showing they're a program to be reckoned with, came up short of a medal at the 2022 event with a 3-1 loss to Sweden in the third-place game.
A lethal shooter who can also pressure the net front, Kulich's two-way strength and excellence managing the elevated game speed on the smaller ice surface should be a factor as he drives the bus at left wing on what should be an exciting top line with Matyas Sapovaliv (VGK) and 2023 Draft prospect Eduard Sale.
Kulich's line was active early and often in Thursday's 4-2 pre-tournament loss to Switzerland. After sniping a power-play goal from the right circle in the 47th minute, the Czechs consistently tried to find him the rest of the way.
Kulich nearly tied the game twice in the final three minutes when he was robbed by a great glove save and then rung a shot off the post before the Swiss capped the victory with an empty-net goal.
Czechia will be immediately tested as they face Canada on the first day of Group A play.

Four months removed from netting four goals and five points at the 2022 event, Rosen will again play a prominent offensive role as Sweden aims to upgrade the bronze medal they brought home in August.
It's safe to say Rosen's development has gotten firmly on the rails since joining the Rochester Americans this fall.
In 2021-22, ice time was hard to come by with Leksand IF of the Swedish Hockey League. Rosen, who secured two goals in two assists while averaging 7:53 of work per game in the SHL, found immediate success following a loan to Mora IK of HockeyAllsvenskan with a goal and an assist in his second appearance. The going again got tough when he blocked a shot and suffered a season-ending hand injury in his third game, stunting any rhythm he was desperately seeking.

All Rosen has done since then is get back on track at the August World Junior event and significantly ramp up his development with the move to Rochester in 2022-23, showing his explosive skating game and playmaking skill with 15 points (3+12) through his first 25 AHL games.
With Sweden mixing lines in their two pre-tournament contests, it appears certain that Rosen will occupy the left wing on their top forward unit while also moving around and launching shots from both sides on the power play. Rosen was unable to get on the board in Wednesday's 5-1 loss to the U.S., but he powered up with goal and an assist in a win over Switzerland in Friday's final preparatory match.
Rosen showed in August that he can work well opposite the sometimes-unpredictable Fabian Lysell (BOS), who likes to hang on to the puck and get defenders chasing. This afforded Rosen the opportunity to find soft spots in coverage around the net, but he is more than capable of turning on the jets, calmly navigating traffic with the puck, and making plays himself.
An improved off-the-puck performer with his active stick and ability to read the play, look for Rosen to spark the transition game by forcing and collecting turnovers in addition to flashing his usual puck skills.

When Ostlund joins Rosen with Team Sweden, he could potentially see some familiar faces on his wings in Djurgarden teammates Jonathan Lekkerimaki (VAN) and Liam Ohgren (MIN).
The young DIF trio left a mark on the international hockey landscape at the 2022 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, accumulating a combined 34 points in Sweden's six-game march to the gold medal.
Ostlund ran point on the unit, accounting for four goals and six assists to continue vaulting up NHL draft boards.
With Ostlund returning from an injury suffered in a November 24 practice and Lekkerimaki still searching for consistency, Ohgren is the one coming in hot with a hat trick in his final game with Djurgarden prior to joining his Under-20 teammates.
The group started the pre-tourney slate together, but were split up Friday in the Swedes' final tune-up against Switzerland as Ostlund and Ohgren skated with Lysell.

Ostlund has displayed his versatility in his first professional season for a Djurgarden club looking to earn its way back to the SHL. He started the season as a first-line winger, and later saw his game start to blossom with a shift in role to a middle-six centerman.
Prior to leaving for the Four Nations Tournament in November, Ostlund was riding a four-game point streak and tied for first in points among junior aged skaters in HockeyAllsvenskan. To date, the speedy pivot has amassed 11 points (2+9) in 19 appearances.
Ostlund's up-tempo game is defined by his crafty distribution skills and three-zone intelligence. Given Sweden's depth, an Ostlund-centered line could draw favorable matchups and generate its fair share of chances. Ostlund garnered one power-play assist for the Swedes in two pre-tournament outings.
It's worth noting that during overtime of Friday's 4-3 loss to Switzerland, Ostlund made a nice play to intercept a Swiss crossing feed and quickly flipped a lead pass to spring Rosen on a breakaway. Rosen went down and scored, but the goal was disallowed- The Swiss ended it a minute later.

Sweden opens their Group A schedule Monday versus Austria.
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As the Sabres staff monitors their own prospects, the World Junior Championship provides them an opportunity to build a deeper scouting book on several players eligible for selection at the 2023 NHL Draft. Among those eligible are this tantalizing six pack:
Connor Bedard - C/W, Canada

Expected to go first-overall come June, the Regina Pats megastar is facing pressure off the ice but he certainly knows how to beat those forces on it.
Bedard is simply a threat from all areas of the ice as a big-time goal scorer and incredible playmaker. He's a team-first talent that holds on to pucks like a very mature forward and can make the opposition look silly.
Bedard currently holds a 27-game point streak in the WHL heading to the tournament.
Adam Fantilli - C/LW, Canada

The race to chase Bedard likely begins with his Canadian teammate, Fantilli.
A freshman at the University of Michigan, the quick and agile Fantilli has kicked off what appears to be a serious Hobey Baker campaign with 11 goals and 26 points in just 15 games. Oozing a full package of skill in a prototypical 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame, Fantilli is set up to cement himself as more than just a draft consolation prize as Canada comes at teams in waves.
Leo Carlsson - LW, Sweden

A dynamic big-bodied forward, the 6-foot-3 Carlsson has excelled with Orebro HK this season with 14 points (3+11) to tie Austrian standout Marco Kasper (DET) for most among junior-aged scorers.
Carlsson will likely celebrate his 18th birthday Monday playing on a line with fellow big body Filip Bystedt (SJS) at center, and perhaps Rosen, who joined them in their final pre-tourney contest.
A strong performance can solidify Carlsson's standing a consensus top-five pick.
David Reinbacher - RHD, Austria

We know that NHL teams are always looking for right-shot defenders. In a draft class hungry for rearguards to emerge, enter Reinbach as one who can gain steam as the season progresses.
The 6-foot-2 Austrian is a strong skater that can drive the attack from the back end and has the length to defend. His defensive acumen will be put to a test in Group A matchups with Canada and Sweden. On the offensive side, Reinbacher has put his playmaking on display with two goals and 12 assists with EHC Kloten in the Swiss league.
Eduard Sale - RW, Czechia

A slippery offensive producer, Sale is playing professionally in top Czech league this season with HC Kometa Brno.
Scouts will get a good look at Sale's total game as he is expected to get plenty of time on the Czech's top forward unit with Kulich. The tournament can help the 17-year-old Sale bring a greater level of confidence back to the Extraliga, where he's collected three goals and three assists in 26 contests.
Charlie Stramel - C/RW, United States

A freshman at the University of Wisconsin with a U.S. National Team pedigree, Stramel plays the game hard at both ends of the ice. There is the look of a future power forward in play with Stramel given his ability to grind down low and operate in the small areas with a high level of intelligence.
Look for the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Stramel, who has hit for four goals and seven points in 18 games with the Badgers, to be used as a lower-line centerman as a precursor to him being relied upon more heavily at the 2024 event.