The World Championship will be another step for Heiskanen as he prepares to make the jump to North America next season. He'll face some good competition in Denmark including some high-end NHL players.
"It just adds to his resume," said Nill. "He's still 18 years old. You are looking at World Juniors, Olympics, World Championship and his team (in the Finnish League) went a long way in the playoffs. It's going to harden him, put him in intense situations. And it's not like he is a bit part. He's playing high-end minutes and in key situations. As he comes across the ocean next year, it is just going to help him build on his foundation even more."
The tournament will be a good opportunity for Honka as well. He only played in 42 NHL games this year and averaged 13 minutes of ice time per game. He is expected to get ample ice time in Denmark, and that presents an opportunity to show what he can do.
"It was a frustrating year for him, but I think he learned a lot," Nill said. "Now, he can just go and play the game and learn what he learned from this season and grow his game.
"He's still young, and you can never get enough experience playing in good games."
The tournament, which begins Friday, lasts a little more than two weeks and includes a round-robin preliminary round and then a single-elimination playoff round to the determine who takes home the gold, silver, and bronze medals.
"It's high-pressure hockey, and it's like playing in the playoffs," said Nill. "It just continues their growth."
