This article is part of our The Daily Puck series.
Around the Rink
Every holiday season, the third-best tournament in all of hockey (after the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the Olympics) takes place, but not many people here in the US even realize it is going on. The tournament I'm referring to is the IIHF World Junior Championship, where 10 teams from around the world compete against each other with teams comprised of players 20 years old and younger.
The WJC is always top-notch hockey because there is so much on the line for the players involved, both personally and as a team. Many of the players involved have represented their countries in tournaments at the U16 and/or U18 level, but the WJC is on a completely different level. Additionally, almost all of the players involved in the tournament are playing with the intention of increasing their professional stock. Some players, like Jake Virtanen of Canada, have already played in the NHL (with Vancouver, in Virtanen's case), but others are aiming to impress the organizations that drafted them, and a further group is hoping to play well enough to get noticed by an NHL organization if they haven't been drafted yet.
On top of the players having so much to play for, the WJC is the best opportunity to see the next generation of NHL stars in action. For instance, Canada's 2004 World Junior team had the likes of Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf, Jeff Carter, Marc-Andre Fleury, Brent Seabrook, Brent Burns, and Dion Phaneuf. That team won silver, just another indication of the amount of talent that plays in this tournament every year. This year, Team USA's Auston Matthews will be the player to watch, as he played well on last year's team and is considered to be the consensus top-pick in next year's NHL Draft.
The tournament gets underway in Finland on Dec.26 and runs until Jan. 5. In the US, NHL Network will air every game, and I highly recommend that you tune in.
Projected Goalie Starters (all times Eastern)
Canucks (Ryan Miller) vs. Panthers (Roberto Luongo), 4:00 PM
Devils (Cory Schneider) vs. Bruins (Tuukka Rask), 5:00 PM
Senators (Andrew Hammond) vs. Lightning (Ben Bishop), 5:00 PM
Flames (Karri Ramo) vs. Red Wings (Petr Mrazek), 7:00 PM
Capitals (Braden Holtby) vs. Rangers (Henrik Lundqvist), 7:00 PM
Sharks (Martin Jones) vs. Blackhawks (Scott Darling), 7:00 PM
For updates on the projected goalies later in the day, check out our Projected Goalies Grid.
Injury News for Teams Playing Today
Vancouver Canucks
Dan Hamhuis, D (jaw) - out until February
Luca Sbisa, D (hand) - could return before the new year
Henrik Sedin, C (undisclosed) - status for Sunday uncertain
Brandon Sutter, C (abdomen) - out an additional two-to-four weeks
Jake Virtanen, LW (hip) - will return upon the conclusion of IIHF World Junior Championship
Florida Panthers
Nick Bjugstad, C (upper body) - currently on injured reserve
Steve Kampfer, D (lower body) - also on injured reserve
Derek MacKenzie, C (knee) - could return Sunday
Alex Petrovic, D (foot) - has been skating since Dec. 11
New Jersey Devils
Bobby Farnham, LW (upper body) - remains on injured reserve
Boston Bruins
Chris Kelly, C (leg) - likely out for the season
Joonas Kemppainen, C (upper body) - remains on injured reserve
Zac Rinaldo, LW (upper body) - on injured reserve
Ottawa Senators
Clarke MacArthur, LW (concussion) - without a timetable for return
Milan Michalek, LW (finger) - remains on injured reserve
Chris Phillips, D (back) - likely out for the season
Tampa Bay Lightning
Matt Carle, D (illness) - could return Sunday
Erik Condra, RW (lower body) - probable for Sunday
Jonathan Drouin, C (lower body) - out Sunday
Tyler Johnson, C (undisclosed) - could return before Christmas
Mattias Ohlund, D (knee) - on long-term injured reserve
Ondrej Palat, LW (ankle) - out until after Christmas
Cedric Paquette, C (upper body) - remains without an update for his return
Joel Vermin, RW (hand) - out six-to-eight weeks
Calgary Flames
Lance Bouma, C (lower leg) - could return Tuesday
Michael Frolik, LW (upper body) - out a "few weeks"
Detroit Red Wings
Jonathan Ericsson, D (upper body) - game-time decision Sunday
Johan Franzen, RW (concussion) - on long-term injured reserve
Drew Miller, LW (jaw) - out for another month
Teemu Pulkkinen (shoulder) - out four-to-six more weeks
Kyle Quincey, D (ankle) - out until late January
Washington Capitals
Brooks Orpik, D (lower body) - out for a "long time"
New York Rangers
Dan Girardi, D (knee) - out Sunday
Kevin Klein, D (oblique) - also out Sunday
Antti Raanta, G (head) - likely out Sunday
San Jose Sharks
Logan Couture, C (thigh) - out until after Christmas
Ben Smith, RW (concussion) - status unclear for Sunday
Chicago Blackhawks
Marcus Kruger, C (wrist) - out for four months
Hot
Sean Monahan, C, CGY - The young center got off to slow start this season after scoring 31 goals in 2014-15, but has been tearing it up as of late. Monahan has scored a goal in each of his last two games, taking his tally for the year to 12, and has 10 points in his last eight contests. Surprisingly, Monahan's success has come after Jiri Hudler was swapped off of Monahan and Gaudreau's line in favor of David Jones.
Reilly Smith, RW, FLA - The former Miami University winger has been a streaky scorer ever since joining the league full time in 2012-13. After going through a cold spell to start the season (13 points from 27 games), Smith has six points in has last six games, including an active four-game goal streak.
Cold
Alex Burrows, RW, VAN - The ever polarizing forward has been horrible this season despite playing in a top-six role. Burrows has 11 points in 33 games this year, and is scoreless in his last 13 contests. Stay away from the former 35-goal scorer like the plague.
Recommended Pickup
Brad Marchand, LW, BOS - While the fact that Marchand has scored five points from his last five games is indicative of strong play, it fails to illustrate just how great he is playing at the moment. In that same five-game span, Marchand has ripped off 22 shots on goal and has been a constant threat to opposing defenses, even on the penalty kill. Marchand is oozing with confidence right now, and there's no reason to believe he'll slow down any time soon.
