Of the possible risks with goaltender Benjamin Gaudreau’s game prior to the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, the biggest knock was that he simply hadn’t played any hockey in the season prior to being draft-eligible. That was because in the Ontario Hockey League, where Gaudreau still currently plays, the COVID-19 pandemic hampered any chance for the 2020-21 season to commence.
Gaudreau did, in fact, play five games in that time period — for Team Canada during the 2021 U18 World Junior Championship. Canada won its fourth championship title in the under-18 division, thanks in large part to Gaudreau’s play.