The New York Rangers will be well-represented at the upcoming 2021 World Junior Hockey Championships in Edmonton, beginning Dec. 25. Hunter Skinner and Brett Berard will skate for Team USA while Braden Scheider and Dylon Garand will take the ice for Team Canada.
Let’s go! #WorldJuniors
Congratulations, boys. ? pic.twitter.com/h96hxsUQ83
— x – New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 12, 2020
The tournament will be played in a bubble to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Team Canada leaves for Edmonton on Sunday, when the players will have to isolate for five days. Team USA and the other teams are expected to do the same.
Berard was drafted in the 5th round (134) of the most recent draft. Scouting reports say that he packs high-octane offensive talent into a 5-foot-9 package. He currently plays for Providence College, as did his father David. His father coaches hockey at Holy Cross College. Berard has recently said that he likens his hockey skills to Boston’s Brad Marchand
Skinner was picked in the fourth round of the 2019 NHL draft. Last season, the young defenseman had six goals and 26 assists for London of the Ontario Hockey League.
Schneider was drafted in the first round, 19th overall, by the Rangers in the 2020 draft. He played last season for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL where the defenseman had 7 goals and 35 assists. Scouting reports say that he is a mobile two-way blueliner that makes good decisions and skates well, as well as making a good first pass and understands when to join the rush.
Garand is a goalie who helped the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL rise to one of the top teams in the league before the remainder of the season was canceled. He started 42 games, one of the highest workloads in the WHL, where he recorded 2.21 goals-against-average (GAA) and a 0.921 SV%. Garand was selected in the fourth round of the 2020 draft.
The other teams will be announcing their rosters soon but COVID-19 has affected the selection process for some of the European teams. All teams can roster a maximum of 25 players (22 skaters and three goalies) with official registration for final rosters on Dec. 24. Due to the pandemic, team rosters were increased with no additional players to be included after entering the bubble before the tournament kicks off on Christmas Day.