Brayden Point ready for role as Team Canada's go-to guy at 2016 WJC

When it comes to players Canada will rely on heavily at the 2016 World Junior Championship, returnee Brayden Point’s name is at or near the top of that list.

“I’m more comfortable this year,” said the 19-year-old forward. “The mindset doesn’t really change. I like to work hard and compete hard no matter what the circumstances. Now, even harder. There’s going to be even more responsibility on me.”

Point started last year’s tournament as the 13th forward, but found various ways to contribute and also wound up with two goals and two assists next to his name.

The Tampa Bay Lightning third-round pick has only gotten better since.

He was Canada’s most productive player with three goals and five assists in a pair of summertime contests. As captain of the Moose Jaw Warriors, he was also the WHL’s leading scorer with 43 points in 19 games – a 2.26 point-per-game average – before sustaining a shoulder injury in November.

Point was an instant junior star from the moment he was summoned by the Warriors from his Calgary midget team during the 2012 playoffs. He netted seven goals in 14 games.

“From that very first time that I saw him, he was arguably the best player in every game that he ever played,” said Al Murray, the Lightning’s director of amateur scouting.

That turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg.

Here’s how Point has evolved and why he figures to be one of Canada’s most important players:

Murray: “Every year he gets a little faster because he works hard on his skating with (former figure skater) Barb Underhill, our skating person. He gets a little better speed of execution through working with Stacy Roest, our player development person. He gets a little bit smarter. All parts of his game mature. Right now you could argue that he’s the best player in junior hockey with and without the puck. He’s put a lot of attention to detail into his defensive play. He’s improved his faceoff play while still maintaining a high level of offensive play. I think you can put Brayden out in any first-unit situation at the junior level and he’s going to be one of the elite players.”

Ryan Jankowski, Hockey Canada director of player personnel: “The amazing thing with Pointer is how much better his skating is. He was always a little bit of an ugly-duckling skater. Wasn’t the fastest guy, but his try and his hockey sense would allow him to get there. He’s a way better skater than he was a year ago, let alone two years ago. That gives him a whole another dimension. On the rush, he’s starting to break away from guys. On the forecheck, when he’s going in to swoop and try and get pucks, he’s there quicker.”

Alan Millar, Moose Jaw GM: “Brayden’s not a real vocal guy. He’s not a real rah-rah guy. When he’s in the room and amongst his teammates, the select times that he does say something it’s very valuable because he doesn’t do it all the time. Where he leads us the most is his work ethic. As a lot of top players are, he’s our hardest worker. He does that every day for us. That’s what we want our young players to learn. Your best player, your captain and arguably one of the top players in junior hockey brings it every day.”

Murray: “He’s a no-ego guy. If they chose to put him on a second, third or fourth line in a shut-down role, contributing offence wherever he could, Brayden’s the type of type that would grab onto that. Last year at the world junior, he was up and down the lineup. When there were injuries he moved in on the first line and he worked hard on the fourth line. He’s a Swiss Army knife, who can play wing or centre on any of the four lines. He comes off the bench with high energy every time. He’s kind of like a microwave oven. You just push a button and his A-game comes right out in any situation.”

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