Montreal Canadiens: All-Time World Junior Team of Habs Prospects
Centre: Ryan Poehling
Ryan Poehling was drafted in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft by the Habs. He played at the World Juniors the following season but played a depth role and was not spectacular. He scored a goal and three points in seven games, helping USA win a bronze medal. The following year, he was exceptional.
Poehling was developing his two-way game at St. Cloud State and showed he was one of the best teenaged players on the planet during the 2019 World Juniors. He played a leading role at both ends of the ice for that team, finishing second in the tournament in goals with five and third in points with eight in seven games. He was even better defensively and it showed in his ice time, leading the team with more than 19 minutes in a nail-biting loss in the gold medal game.
For his dominant defensive game and fantastic offensive production, Poehling was named the MVP of the 2019 World Juniors as well as the Best Forward and the centre on the tournament All-Star team.
Left Wing: Shayne Corson
Shayne Corson was drafted in the first round of the 1984 NHL Draft by the Habs. The 8th overall selection was absolutely lighting up the OHL in 1985-86 when he was asked to represent his country at the World Juniors. He finished the OHL season with just over two points per game, with 98 in 47 contests. In the middle of that season, he suited up for Canada and continued to score at a two points per game pace.
In seven games with Canada, Corson would lead the tournament with seven goals, seven assists and 14 points. It wasn’t exactly the most star-studded lineup Canada ever assembled, but Corson led the team in points ahead of Gary Roberts, Joe Nieuwendyk and was tied with recent first overall pick Joe Murphy.
He lost out in the Tournament MVP race to teammate Jim Sandlak, but Corson led the event in goals and points and was chosen to be on the Tournament All-Star Team.
Right Wing: Martin Reway
Martin Reway was never the most heralded Habs prospect. He was selected in the 4th round of the 2013 NHL Draft, a small, skilled winger from Slovakia. He had just scored 50 points in 47 QMJHL games for the Gatineau Olympiques.
Reway had played at the previous World Juniors, but only scored two points in six games as a 17 year old. He was much, much better as an 18 year old at the 2014 World Juniors.
He started out with a huge game against Germany, scoring a goal and three assists in a blowout victory. However, the slick winger kept producing against much better competition. He scored twice against USA, had a goal and two assists against Canada and an assist against Czech Republic.
Slovakia was outmatched in the medal round and would be shutout by Sweden. Still, though he played just five games and most others played seven, Reway finished fifth in tournament scoring.
Slovakia finished 8th in the tournament, but Reway was one of the best players in the whole tournament and put together one of the best performances we have even seen from a Canadiens prospect at the annual event.
Left Defence: Alexander Romanov
There is no question Alexander Romanov belongs on this list. The only question is, at which tournament did he play better?
In 2019, he scored one goal and seven assists for eight points in seven games. He played a physical defensive style as well and was counted on in all situations for his team as an 18 year old in a tournament dominated by players a year older. He led the tournament in assists and had the most points by a blue liner.
The Russian was named to the tournament All-Star team and was given the Best Defenceman Award for his efforts in helping Russia to a bronze medal.
The next year, Romanov was stellar again. He scored a goal and six points in seven games at the 2020 World Juniors. He was once again named to the tournament All-Star Team but was not picked as the Best Defenceman. Though he had a couple less points, it could be argued he was even better all-around the second time because of his punishing hits and terrific defensive zone play, helping Russia to a silver medal.
No other Habs prospect has performed better than Romanov’s second best World Juniors. That should tell you how good this young player has been on the international stage.
Right Defenceman: P.K. Subban
P.K. Subban was a second round pick of the Habs back in 2007. Two years later he was playing a starring role for a Canadian team looking to win its fifth straight gold medal at the World Junior Tournament.
The team was led offensively by John Tavares, Jordan Eberle and Cody Hodgson, but also had Subban and Ryan Ellis to provide offence from the blue line.
Subban didn’t disappoint in fulfilling his role as a top pairing offensive defenceman who could be counted on to defend against tough competition as well. Subban finished with nine points in six games, including a goal just 38 seconds into the gold medal game, helping propel Canada to a fifth consecutive gold.
He had the most points by a defenceman in that tournament, and he was named to the tournament All-Star team though he lost out on being named Best Defenceman to Erik Karlsson. Subban was also named one of the top three players on a pretty stacked Canada team.
Goaltender: Carey Price
Carey Price was chosen with the 5th overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft. Though it was a surprising pick at the time, he has proven to be an exceptional goaltender and the Canadiens best player of the past decade by a country mile.
Two years after being drafted, Price was selected to the the starting goaltender for Canada at the 2007 World Juniors. He was in the midst of a season where he would be named the WHL and CHL goaltender of the year, so he had high expectations heading into the tournament.
Price did not disappoint. He played every minute of every game for Canada, allowing just four goals in four round robin games. This was not a team with a plethora of stars. Kris Russell who has been known as a defenceman who can blocks shots and block shots alone at the NHL level, led the 2007 Canada team in goals with four. He was tied with Jonathan Toews who is obviously a great player, but this team went undefeated while counting on Steve Downie and Tom Pyatt to score on the power play.
They didn’t need many goals because they had Carey Price in net. He would be phenomenal in the semi-final game, stopping 34 of 35 shots in the game, including 12 in a ten minute overtime period, and turning aside Peter Mueller in a long shootout to clinch a spot in the gold medal game.
Price would stop 25 of 27 shots in a 4-2 win over Russia in the gold medal game.
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Price finished the tournament with a 1.14 goals against average and a .961 save percentage. He was named to the tournament All-Star Team, the Best Goaltender at the event and the Most Valuable Player at the tournament. It was well deserved as he was the backbone of the gold medal winning squad.