Prospect Report: Point earns spot on Canada's World Junior team
The Stars' fifth-round pick is the first NCAA goalie to make the country's squad since 2003
© Jeffrey T. Barnes
By
Mark Stepneski @StarsInsideEdge / <b>Inside Edge</b>
Pretty good for a guy who wasn't even on the radar for the World Juniors when the season began. In fact, Point wasn't among the four goaltenders Canada invited to the World Junior Summer Showcase back in late July when the process of selecting a roster for the tournament got underway.
But the 19-year-old Point, a sophomore at Colgate University, has been among the best goaltenders in the NCAA this season, ranking fourth in the nation in save percentage (.938) and eighth in goals against average (1.90).
That performance at Colgate earned him an invitation to Canada's World Junior selection camp last week, and he shined there as well. And on Friday, Team Canada announced that Point, the Stars fifth-round pick in 2016, would be on the roster for the 2018 World Junior Championship in Buffalo.
"I think it's a testament to my potential," Point told TSN. "I've been underrated for a long time in my life and I'm just glad I'm finally getting an opportunity to show what I'm capable of."
Point, who is the first NCAA goaltender to make Canada's World Junior team since David LeNeveu in 2003, is expected to be the teams' number two goaltender behind Philadelphia Flyers prospect Carter Hart, who is having a great season in the Western Hockey League. But Canada has a lot of confidence in Point.
"He's having a great year," Team Canada coach Dominique Ducharme told reporters. "We like what he's bringing in net. His presence, the way he plays, and the way we see our team and our structure, the style that he has, we're comfortable."
Point is one of several Dallas prospects in the mix for the 2018 World Junior Championship. Defenseman Miro Heiskanen (1st round/2017) will play for Finland. Goaltender Jake Oettinger (1st round/2017) is expected to be one of the goaltenders for the USA. Forward Riley Tufte (1st round/2016) is on the USA's preliminary roster for the tournament. Fredrik Karlstrom (3rd round/2016) is expected to play for Sweden. And defenseman Ondrej Vala (free agent/2016) will play for Czech Republic.
The 2018 World Junior Championship begins Dec. 26 and runs through Jan. 5.
Here's a look at how Dallas prospects playing in Europe, college and juniors fared over the past week.
North American Juniors
LW Jason Robertson (2nd round/2017) scored three goals in three games for Kingston of the Ontario Hockey League over the past week giving him 42 points (20 goals, 22 assists) in 33 games. Robertson is tied for fifth in goal scoring in the OHL.
Robertson Stats: Kingston (OHL) | 33 GP | 20 G | 22 A | 42 PTS | +11 | 24 PIM
RW Nick Caamano (5th round/2016) played one game for Hamilton in the OHL last week and tallied one assist to extend his points streak to six games (3 goals, 4 assists). But Caamano missed two games this past weekend due to an undisclosed injury. Caamano has 30 points (16 goals, 14 assists) in 31 games for both Hamilton and Flint this season.
Caamano Stats: Hamilton/Flint (OHL) | 31 GP | 16 G | 14 A | 30 PTS | -4 | 48 PIM
C Liam Hawel(4th round/2017) did not register any points in two games for Guelph of the OHL. Hawel has 15 points (4 goals, 11 assists) in 28 games.
Hawel Stats: Guelph (OHL) | 28 GP | 4 G | 11 A | 15 PTS | -8 | 11 PIM
D Ondrej Vala (Free agent/2016) picked up one assist in one game with Kamloops of the Western Hockey League before joining Czech Republic's World Junior team. Vala has 20 points (7 goals, 13 assists) in 31 games with the Blazers.
Vala Stats: Kamloops (WHL) | 31 GP | 7 G | 13 A | 20 PTS | +3 | 30 PIM
C Brett Davis (6th round/2017) tallied one assist in two games for Kootenay in the WHL over the past week giving him 16 points (8 goals, 8 assists) in 34 games.
Davis Stats: Kootenay | 34 GP | 8 G | 8 A | 16 PTS | -6 | 11 PIM
Europe
D Miro Heiskanen (1st round/2017) tallied one assist in one game with HIFK in Finland's top league before joining Finland's World Junior team. Heiskanen, who has 14 points (9 goals, 5 assists) in 20 games with HIFK, leads the league in average ice time at 24:49 per game and is tied for second in goal scoring among defensemen despite missing the first month of the season due to injury.
Heiskanen Stats: HIFK (Liiga) | 20 GP | 9 G | 5 A | 14 PTS | +9 | 6 PIM
D Jakob Stenqvist(6th round/2016) will get an opportunity to make his debut in Sweden's top league due to the World Junior Championship. Stenqvist has been loaned to Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League from Bjorkloven of the second league because Frolunda is down three defensemen including two playing in the World Juniors. "[Stenqvist] has done well and produced. It will be exciting to see him with us and in SHL," Frolunda GM Fredrik Sjostrom told the team's official site. The 19-year-old Stenqvist ranks third in scoring among defensemen in the second league with 15 points (2 goals, 13 assists) in 27 games. He scored his second goal of the season in the second league last week.
Stenqvist Stats: Bjorkloven (Allsvenskan) | 27 GP | 2 G | 13 A | 15 PTS | 0 | 10 PIM
LW/C Fredrik Karlstrom (3rd round/2016) did not play last week since the SHL on a break. He is now with Sweden's World Junior team. Karlstrom has three points (1 goal, 2 assists) in 26 games with Linkoping of the SHL.
Karlstrom Stats: Linkoping (SHL) | 26 GP | 1 G | 2 A | 3 PTS | -1 | 6 PIM
Linkoping (Sweden, Jr.) | 3 GP | 2 G | 0 A | 2 PT | -3 | 4 PIM
D John Nyberg (6th round/2014) did not play with the SHL on a break. Nyberg has 10 points (2 goals, 8 assists) in 26 games.
Nyberg Stats: Frolunda (SHL) | 26 GP | 2 G | 8 A | 10 PTS | E | 32 PIM
C Jacob Peterson (5th round/2017) did not play last week in either the SHL or juniors. Peterson has 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 22 junior games and no points in 5 SHL games.
Peterson Stats: Frolunda (Sweden, Jr.) | 22 GP | 11 G | 12 A | 23 PTS | -6 | 12 PIM
Frolunda (SHL) | 5 GP | 0 G | 0 A | 0 PTS | -1 | 0 PIM
G Markus Ruusu (6th round/2015) played two games for TUTO Hockey in Finland's second league over the last week going 1-0-1 and stopping 52 of 58 shots. Ruusu is 2-0-2 in the second league with a 3.00 goals against average and .890 save percentage.
Ruusu Stats: Ilves (Liiga) | 5-6-0 | 3.75 | .851
Ilves (Finland, Jr.) | 0-2-0 | 2.57 | .924
TUTO (Mestis) | 2-0-2 | 3.00 | .890
D Miro Karjalainen (5th round/2014) did not play last week. He is currently serving a three-game suspension following an altercation in his last game in Finland's top league. Karjalainen has three assists and 106 penalty minutes in 19 games for HPK.
Karjalainen Stats: HPK (Liiga) | 19 GP | 0 G |3 A | 3 PTS | -5 | 106 PIM
LW Valeri Nichushkin (1st round/2013) scored one goal in one game played for CSKA in the KHL over the past week giving him 19 points (12 goals, 7 assists) in 34 games.
Nichushkin Stats: CSKA (KHL) | 34 GP | 12 G | 7 A | 19 PTS | +8 | 10 PIM
NCAA
C/LW Rhett Gardner (4th round/2016) scored a goal as No. 5 North Dakota and No. 2 St. Cloud State battled to a 2-2 tie Friday. Gardner has 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists) in 20 games.
Gardner Stats: North Dakota (NCHC) | 20 GP | 4 G | 7 A | 11 PTS | +5 |14 PIM
G Jake Oettinger (1st round/2017) did not play with Boston University last week. He is currently with the USA's World Junior team. Oettinger is 7-9-1 with a 2.91 goals against average and .902 save percentage with BU.
Oettinger Stats: Boston University (Hockey East) | 7-9-1 | 2.91 | .902
G Colton Point (5th round/2016) did not play with Colgate University last week. He is with Canada's World Junior team. Point is 8-4-4 with a 1.90 goals against average and .938 save percentage for Colgate.
Point Stats: Colgate (ECAC) | 8-4-4 | 1.90 | .938
LW Riley Tufte (1st round/2016) did not play for Minnesota Duluth this past week. He is with the USA's World Junior team. Tufte has 11 points (8 goals, 3 assists) in 19 games for UMD.
Tufte Stats: Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) | 19 GP | 8 G | 3 A | 11 PTS | +2 | 20 PIM
D Joe Cecconi(5th round/2015) and the University of Michigan did not play last week. Cecconi has 11 points (3 goals, 8 assists) in 16 games.
Cecconi Stats: Michigan (Big Ten) | 16 GP | 3 G | 8 A | 11 PTS | -8 | 16 PIM
D Michael Prapavessis (4th round/2014) and RPI did not play last week. Prapavessis has 9 assists in 17 games.
Prapavessis Stats: RPI (ECAC) | 17 GP | 0 G | 9 A | 9 PTS | -7 | 8 PIM
Mark Stepneski is an independent writer whose posts on DallasStars.com reflect his own opinions and do not represent official statements from the Dallas Stars. You can follow Mark on Twitter at @StarsInsideEdge.
