The Columbus Blue Jackets announced today that four prospects have been selected to participate in the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships, which runs from August 9-20 in Edmonton, Alberta. This year's tournament originally kicked off in December but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is composed of the best Under-20-year-old players in the world and consists of 10 countries split between two pools. F Kent Johnson will compete for Canada while D David Jiricek, LW Martin Rysavy and D Stanislav Svozil will suit up for Czechia.
Johnson, who will serve as an alternate captain for Canada, made his international debut for his country this year, playing in the 2022 Winter Olympics, cancelled winter 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships and 2022 IIHF World Championships (silver medal). The 6-1, 168-pound native of Port Moody, British Columbia made his NHL debut in 2021-22 and collected three assists, two penalty minutes and was +2 in nine appearances with the Blue Jackets. Selected fifth overall at the 2021 NHL Draft, the 19-year-old racked up 17-47-64 and a cumulative +41 plus/minus rating in 58 outings over two seasons at the University of Michigan from 2020-22, including 8-29-37 in 32 games this past season.
Jiricek has represented Czechia at numerous international tournaments, helping the country capture a bronze medal at the 2022 IIHF World Championships and skating in the 2021 and cancelled 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships. The 6-3, 189-pound blueliner has totaled 8-12-20 with 85 penalty minutes and a cumulative +14 rating in 67 career outings with HC Plzen in the Czechia Hockey League from 2019-22. He collected 5-6-11 with 49 PIM and an "even" plus/minus rating in 29 games with the club in 2021-22. The 18-year-old native of Katovy, Czechia was selected sixth overall by the Blue Jackets at the 2022 NHL Draft.
Rysavy has skated for Czechia on several occasions, suiting up for the country at the cancelled 2022 IIHF World Championships, 2021 IIHF U18 World Championships and 2020 World U17 Hockey Challenge (bronze medal). The 19-year-old made his Canadian junior hockey debut in 2021-22 and recorded 8-18-26 with 27 penalty minutes in 45 contests for the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Western Hockey League. The 6-3, 218-pound winger is a native of Prerov, Czechia and was drafted by the Blue Jackets in the seventh round, 197th overall at the 2021 NHL Draft.
Svozil has represented Czechia at multiple international tournaments, including the 2021 and cancelled 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships, 2021 IIHF U18 World Championships and 2019 World U17 Hockey Challenge (bronze medal). A native of Prerov, Czechia, the 6-0, 168-pound defenseman also made his Canadian junior hockey league debut this past season, totaling 10-31-41 with 23 PIM in 59 contests for the Regina Pats in the Western Hockey League. The 19-year-old was selected by Columbus in the third round, 69th overall, at the 2021 NHL Draft.
In addition, G Pavel Cajan, who was signed by the Cleveland Monsters, the Blue Jackets' American Hockey League affiliate, to a two-year AHL deal on July 12, 2022, will serve as one of three goaltenders for Czechia at this summer's IIHF World Junior Championships. The 6-2, 176-pound netminder also represented his country at the 2020 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. A native of Hlubos, Czechia, the 19-year-old suited up for the Kitchener Rangers in the Ontario Hockey League in 2021-22 and posted a 21-18-4 record with a 3.61 goals-against average and .901 save percentage in 44 appearances.
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