The Kraken announced Thursday the franchise has loaned 2022 first-round draft choice Shane Wright to Team Canada for the upcoming International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Nova Scotia, Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. The elite competition represents an opportunity for Wright to play top-end minutes against the world’s best players under 20 years of age.
Wright, the no. 4 overall pick in this past July’s NHL Draft, scored his first NHL goal to tumultuous cheers and applause Tuesday to open the scoring for the Kraken Tuesday night against Montreal at Climate Pledge Arena. He has a goal and one assist in eight NHL appearances, plus four goals in five games with American Hockey League affiliate Coachella Valley.
“Shane has played well during his professional debut,” said Kraken general manager Ron Francis. “We are happy for him and his family in achieving an NHL milestone Tuesday night, scoring his first NHL goal. Now he will represent Canada at the World Juniors in one of the most competitive tournaments and we will watch him closely as he competes with his Gold for teammates.”
The World Juniors tournament is Canada’s version of NCAA March Madness and for good reason. The level of skills and speed along with the pressure of competing for your country has proven a formidable testing ground for future NHL stars. While the 2022 World Juniors was played this August due to COVID-19 pandemic issues, the return to the winter holidays slot will revive the must-watch nature of the event in Canada and, increasingly, the US and Europe.
“Anytime you can represent your country on the World Junior stage, something you grew up dreaming about, it’s definitely a tough thing to pass up if the opportunity comes,” said Wright after practice Monday.
Wright has impressed his Kraken teammates, coaches and front office executives alike. The joy on the faces and bear hugs from Kraken veterans such as Adam Larsson, Vince Dunn, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde The milestone goal after on-ice is the latest proof. The players and Dave Hakstol have complimented Wright’s composure, competitive nature and confidence level from the first day of training camp. Hakstol, in particular, has commended Wright’s continued progress as a player no matter if he was penciled in a forward-deep lineup or not.
“It’s awesome, he’s a great kid,” he said Jared McCann, when asked Tuesday post-game about Wright’s first goal. “With him going to the [AHL on a conditioning loan]where he battled… it was good to see.”
“In the first period, Shane had three or four good looks. That line [Wright centering Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde, who assisted on the goal] had some jump,” said Hakstol Tuesday night. “He was a big part of it. That’s what you want to see as he came back in the lineup, that type of energy and just playmaking ability that he showed. Everybody was excited for him to get his first goal.”
For perspective, especially for those who might consider this loan to be a negative development, there is a long and formidable list of young players who played in the “World Juniors” in the winter after being drafted in July. One example: Toronto forward Mitch Marner is currently on a 20-game point streak that broke a 45-year-old record of 18 for the long-standing Original Six franchise (shared by Kraken broadcaster Eddie Olczyk). He was drafted no. 4 overall himself at the 2015 NHL Draft before playing in the 2016 World Juniors. He spent the entire 2015-2016 season playing for his London Knights junior team before debuting in the NHL in the second season following his draft selection.
Luke Hughes, picked no. 4 overall in the 2021 draft and a star defenseman for the University of Michigan, will be playing for Team USA in his second World Juniors later this month. Logan Cooley, a center picked no. 3 overall by Arizona in July, one spot ahead of Wright, will leave his University of Minnesota team to join Hughes on the USA roster.
Seattle’s 20-year-old Matty Beniers, who leads all NHL rookies in points, stayed with his University of Michigan team last season after being drafted No. 2 in the 2021 draft. He was on the winter roster for World Juniors, which was halted after some preliminary games due to the pandemic. Beniers got the opportunity to play for the US Olympic team and, as fans gladly know, he starred for both Michigan and Team USA before his successful run last spring for the Kraken.
.