A colleague made a shrewd observation the other day.
He wondered aloud if the world junior championship really is what it claims to be, if it actually is an annual best-on-best tournament offering a snapshot of the talents NHL fans can expect to encounter on a regular basis in years to come.
Upon researching Canada’s under-20 national team rosters from 1991 to 2010, it’s apparent my colleague was on to something.
For instance, does the name Kimbi Daniels ring a bell? Yeah, didn’t think so.
At the 1992 world junior in Germany, Daniels recorded seven points in seven games (second on the team to Eric Lindros) but saw action in just 27 NHL games before retiring from pro hockey following the 2008-09 ECHL season.