Yahoo Sports Top Performances By A Flames Prospect At World Juniors
It's a few days after Christmas, so most hockey fans are glued to the screen watching the World Juniors. This year's tournament is back on Canadian soil, in the nation's capital, Ottawa, where Team Canada will look to medal after bowing out in the quarterfinals in Sweden last year.
It's been a couple of years since the Calgary Flames have had a prospect come in and impact the tournament.
As recent as 2024, Samuel Honzek (11 games, four points) was on Team Slovakia, playing out the third year of his eligibility. He was the only one at the 2023 tournament since Matt Coronato (five games, seven points) did not participate.
Only three other Flames prospects have played at the World Juniors this decade, including Yan Kuznetsov (2021), Jakob Pelletier (2021), and Connor Zary (2021).
Related: 5 Things To Know About Axel Hurtig, Flames' Lone World Juniors Player
Unsurprisingly, the last Calgary draftee to reach double digits in points was Matthew Tkachuck, scoring four goals and 11 points in seven games during his only World Juniors appearance in 2016.
Meanwhile, captain Mikael Backlund played at the 2008 and 2009 tournaments, collecting eight goals and 14 points in 12 games.
When discussing the World Juniors, the topics tend to drift toward Team Canada's dominance at the podium, Sweden's 56-game unbeaten streak, and the many future NHLers who scored golden goals.
Today, we want to look at the best performances by a Flames prospect.
Most Career World Juniors Points: Robert Reichel (40)
Only four Flames prospects have ever played at three World Juniors Championships: Honzek (2021-24), Adam Ruzicka (2016-19), Tim Ramholt (2001-04), and Robert Reichel (1987-90).
In 21 games, Reichel scored 18 goals with 22 assists for 40 points, an average of 1.90 points per game. Along with Sergei Makarov (1976-78), he is one of two Calgary draft picks to score over 20 points at the tournament.
1998 Winter Olympics. Semi-Final. Shootout. Roy vs. Hasek. Only one goal was scored and this was it. And honestly, as soon I saw Robert Reichel announced - I knew he'd score. Great shot. Still hurts but to my Czech friends, Na zdraví.🍻pic.twitter.com/tvs1vUea31
— The Hockey Samurai 侍 (@hockey_samurai) June 25, 2023
Reichel scored seven goals and 11 points in 11 games during his first appearance at the 1988 event. He followed that up with four goals and eight points in 1989, finishing his World Juniors career with 11 goals and 21 points as team captain in 1990.
Despite being named the tournament's Best Forward, earning All-Star honors, and leading all players in goals and points, Czechia only won a bronze medal in 1990.
Best Career World Juniors Points Per Game: Brad Bradley (2.00)
The Flames drafted Brad Bradley in the third round (51st overall) at the 1983 Draft. Later that year, he was selected to Team Canada for the 1984 World Juniors. He scored nine goals and 14 points in seven games to finish his only appearance at the tournament with a 2.00 points-per-game average.
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Naturally, Team Canada won a gold medal that year, even though Bradley finished third in the tournament's scoring race behind Esa Keskinen and Esa Tikkanen from Team Finland.
Bradley's 2.00 is slightly better than Reichel's 1.90. Together, they are two of four Flames prospects to register a points-per-game average higher than 1.75, joined by Makarov and Mark Jantunen (1991).
Flames Prospects With World Juniors Gold
Dillon Dube is the last Flames draft pick to win a gold medal at the World Juniors, achieving the feat in 2018. Before his victory, Johnny Gaudreau and Patrick Sieloff won gold with Team USA in 2013.
That year, Gaudreau scored seven goals in seven games to collect the third-highest goal total in a single tournament behind Reichel (11) and Makarov (8).
Three years before Gaudreau won, John Ramage became the first American Flames prospect to win a gold in 2010.
Before him, Canadian-born players padded the medal count, including Dustin Boyd (2006), Dion Phaneuf (2005), Denis Gauthier (1996), Marty Murray (1994, 1995), Joël Bouchard (1993, 1994), Theo Fleury (1988), Pavel Torgayev (1986), Bradley (1985), Sergei Pryakhin (1983), and Markarov (1977, 1978).
Considering that Axel Hurtig is the only Flames prospect at the 2025 World Juniors, can he help Sweden end its lengthy championship drought and get his name on this list?
