Top 10 World Junior Performances by Current Toronto Maple Leafs

Over the years many Toronto Maple Leafs prospects have been given the honour of representing their country at the IIHF U20 World Junior Championships.

The tournament is a great opportunity for young junior player to showcase their talents and garnish their resumes in hope of earning NHL positions.

The 2022 World Junior rosters will all be set soon as the tournament begins on December 26th, but right now Toronto Maple Leafs prospects Topi Niemela and Roni Hirvonen have officially made Team Finland, while Matthew Knies (USA) and Ryan Tverberg (Canada) are on preliminary rosters.

Many of the players on the current Toronto Maple Leafs received an invite to the World Juniors early in their hockey careers, and I thought it would be interesting to examine and compare their World Junior success to their NHL success.

It’s also interesting to compare the current Toronto Maple Leafs World Junior stats to the World Junior numbers of some of their prospects and young stars.  Obviously, there’s a big difference between junior hockey and NHL hockey, but it’s fun to guess at the ceiling of a prospect’s talent.

I’ve comprised this Top 10 list of   Leafs World Junior performances from players on the current NHL roster as well as any Leafs prospects.  I ranked the players based on individual World Junior awards and stats. (stats from hockeydb.com).

Most of the players on the current Toronto Maple Leafs roster played in the World Junior Championships, but obviously not every member of the team has.  Here are the players that missed out on the tournament:

Toronto Maple Leafs that Never Played in the World Junior Championships

T.J. Brodie
Michael Bunting
Kyle Clifford
Pierre Engvall
Justin Holl
Michael Hutchinson
Alex Kerfoot
Ilya Mikheyev
Jake Muzzin
Alex Steeves

It’s really not a big list.  It’s amazing that so many of today’s Toronto Maple Leafs took part in this tournament.

Before we get into the Top 10, let’s start with some Honourable Mentions (aka every current Leaf who played in the World Juniors, but didn’t crack the Top 10):

Toronto Maple Leafs World Junior Honourable Mentions

(stats from EliteProspects.com)

Nick Robertson (F) – USA
2020 World Juniors
5 Games, 2 Goals, 5 Points

Roni Hirvonen (F) – Finland
2021 World Juniors
Bronze Medal
7 Games, 2 Goals, 6 Points

Rodion Amirov (F) – Russia
2021 World Juniors
Alternate Captain
7 Games, 2 Goals, 6 Points

Morgan Reilly (D) – Canada
2013 World Juniors
6 Games, 1 Goal, 3 Points

Mikko Kokkonen (D) – Finland
2021 World Juniors
Bronze Medal
Top 3 Players on Team Award
7 Games, 1 Assist
2020 World Juniors
7 Games, 2 Goals

Artur Akhtiamov (G) – Russia
2021 World Juniors
1-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .944 SV%

Joseph Woll (G) – USA
2018 World Juniors
Bronze Medal
3-2-0, 2.71 GAA, .886 SV%, 1 SO
2017 World Juniors
Gold Medal
2-0-0, 1.50 GAA, .935 SV%

Ondrej Kase (F) – Czech Republic
2015 World Juniors
5 Games, 1 Goal, 2 Points
2014 World Juniors
5 Games, 1 Goal, 3 Points

Timothy Liljegren (D) – Sweden
2018 World Juniors
Silver Medal
7 Games, 1 Goal, 2 Points

Travis Dermott (D) – Canada
2016 World Juniors
5 Games, 2 Assists

David Kampf (F) – Czech Republic
2015 World Juniors
5 Games, 2 Assists
2014 World Juniors
5 Games, 1 Goal, 2 Points

Mikhail Abramov (F) – Russia
2021 World Juniors
4 Games, 2 Assists

Filip Kral (D) – Czech Republic
2019 World Juniors
5 Games, 1 Goal
2018 World Juniors
7 Games, 1 Goal

Wayne Simmonds (F) – Canada
2008 World Juniors
Gold Medal
7 Games, 1 Goal

Nick Ritchie (F) – Canada
2015 World Juniors
Gold Medal
7 Games, 1 Goal

Ian Scott (G) – Canada
2019 World Juniors
1-0-0, 2.00 GAA, .882 SV%

Chad Krys (D) – USA
2016 World Juniors
Bronze Medal
7 Games, 0 Points

Kristians Rubins (D) – Latvia
2017 World Juniors
6 Games, 0 Points
2016 World Juniors (D1A)
D1A Gold Medal
5 Games, 1 Assist
2015 World Juniors (D1A)
D1A Bronze Medal
5 Games, 4 Assists

Pontus Holmberg (F) – Sweden
2019 World Juniors
5 Games, 0 Points

We’ll start out our Top 10 with a player who now seems like an unlikely star:

Joey Anderson (F) – USA

Joey Anderson played in two World Junior Championship tournaments in 2017 and 2018 when he was 18 and 19 years-old.  He had already been drafted in the 3rd round (73rd overall) by the New Jerseys Devils in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Joey Anderson had been playing with the US National Development Team for a couple seasons before he was drafted, so he was definitely known by Team USA years before he played at the U20 tournament.

Anderson only produced a couple assists in his first tournament, but it was enough to help Team USA win the gold medal.

Expectations were high for Joey Anderson prior to his second World Juniors tournament as he was named USA’s Team Captain after an impressive freshman season with the University of Minnesota-Duluth in the NCAA scoring 12 goals and 37 points in 39 games.

Anderson delivered by scoring four goals and seven points in seven games on his way to helping Team USA to a bronze medal finish.

The scoring touch Joey Anderson displayed as a junior player hasn’t seemed to translate into the NHL thus far.  He did have a 34 game NHL season with the New Jersey Devils in 2018-19 where he mustered four goals and seven points.

Since joining the Toronto Maple Leafs in October 2020, Anderson has only found his way into three NHL games and has been pointless.  He has developed a strong defensive game though and may still develop into a strong bottom-six forward.

2018  World Juniors
Team Captain
Bronze Medal
7 Games, 4 Goals, 7 Points

2017 World Juniors
Gold Medal
7 Games, 2 Assists

Mitch Marner (F) – Canada

Mitch Marner played in the 2016 World Junior Championships at the age of 18.  He had been drafted just a few months prior to the tournament by the Toronto Maple Leafs with their 1st round pick (4th overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

Marner was selected for Team Canada after a sensational season with the OHL’s London Knights where he scored 44 goals and 126 points in only 63 games.

Though Mitch Marner scored an impressive four goals and six points in five games, Canada would suffer a huge disappointment as they were eliminated in the quarter finals by the eventual gold medal winning Finnish team.

Marner didn’t return to the World Juniors for his final year of eligibility as he was already enjoying NHL success as a 19 year-old rookie with the Toronto Maple Leafs.  He had 19 goals and 61 points in 77 games during his rookie season in 2016-17 and earned a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team.

As we all know, Mitch Marner is now an NHL superstar who finished fourth in last season’s NHL points race.

2016 World Juniors
5 Games, 4 Goals, 6 Points

William Nylander (F) – Sweden

William Nylander played in two World Junior Championship tournaments in 2015 and 2016 when he was 18 and 19 years-old.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had selected William Nylander with their 1st round pick (8th overall) in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft mere months prior to his first World Juniors tournament.  He had spent the prior season playing professional hockey with MoDo in the SHL.

Nylander took the 2015 tournament by storm scoring three goals and 10 points in seven games.  He would lead Sweden in points and would rank fourth in tournament point scoring.  He was just one point shy of tying the tournament lead held by Canadians Sam Reinhart, Nic Petan and Connor McDavid.

In 2015, Sweden would make it all the way to the bronze medal game before being defeated by Slovakia 4-2 to finish fourth in the tournament.

After his impressive showing in 2015, fans anticipated an even bigger outing for Nylander in 2016.  Unfortunately, he would be knocked out the tournament after scoring a goal in his first and only game getting dealt a blindsided hit to the head at centre ice halfway through the first period.

Nylander was leading the AHL in scoring as a member on the Toronto Marlies at the time.  He missed some time but returned to finish the season with 18 goals and 45 points in 38 games.

2016 World Juniors
Alternate Captain
1 Game, 1 Goal

2015 World Juniors
7 Games, 3 Goals, 10 Points

Jason Spezza (F) – Canada

Jason Spezza played in three World Junior Championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002 when he was 16, 17 and 18 years-old.  This puts Spezza in an elite group of only seven players to play three times for Canada at the U20 WJC tournament.

Spezza is also one of only seven Canadians to play in the U20 WJC as a 16 year-old with legends like Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby, Eric Lindros, and Connor McDavid.  He earned his spot on the Canadian team after putting up 22 goals and 71 points in 67 games as a 15 year-old OHL rookie with the Brampton Battalion.

His World Juniors debut wasn’t too remarkable though as Jason Spezza would only deliver two assists in seven games on the way to Team Canada taking home a bronze medal.

Spezza’s second World Junior tournament was his most productive.  He scored three goals and six points in seven games and was awarded with a spot on the U20 WJC All-Star Team as Canada would take home another bronze medal.

Before his third World Juniors stint, Jason Spezza was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the first round (2nd overall) in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.  His play in the World Juniors may have elevated his NHL draft selection, but his draft status was most likely due to his stellar play in the OHL as he just came off a season where he scored 43 goals and 116 points in 56 games.

The 2002 World Juniors was a slightly better outing for Team Canada as they finished with a silver medal after taking bronze at the two previous tournaments, but Jason Spezza’s stats dipped from the previously year as he managed four assists in seven games.

Jason Spezza was eligible to return to the World Juniors in 2003, but the Ottawa Senators elected to keep him close to the team instead as he split the season with 33 games in Ottawa and  43 games with the AHL’s Binghamton Senators.

2002 World Juniors
Silver Medal
7 Games, 4 Assists

2001 World Juniors
Bronze Medal
All-Star Team
7 Games, 3 Goals, 6 Points

2000 World Juniors
Bronze Medal
7 Games, 2 Assists

Auston Matthews (F) – USA

Auston Matthews played in two World Junior Championship tournaments in 2015 and 2016 when he was 17 and 18 years-old.

Matthews joined the US National Development Team at the age of 16 after scoring 55 goals and 100 points in 48 games of midget hockey, so Team USA knew the type of player they had in Auston Matthews.

During the 2015 U20 WJC tournament, Auston Matthews had a modest outing scoring a goal and adding two assists.

Matthews took the 2016 World Juniors by storm returning as an alternate captain for Team USA to lead the tournament with seven goals, and his 11 points were fourth most in the tournament.  He was awarded with a spot on the U20 WJC All-Star Team and received an award as a Top 3 Player on Team USA as well as the Most Goals in the Tournament award and Team USA would take home the bronze medal.

At the time of the 2016 tournament, Matthews was already dominating professional men’s hockey in the Swiss league as an 18 year-old with Zurich SC and finished the season with 24 goals and 46 points in 36 games.  He ranked fourth in goals and 10th in assists in the league.

His stellar play in the World Juniors, along with his dominance with the USDP and Zurich SC earned Auston Matthews his 1st round (1st overall) selection by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Auston Matthews was eligible to return for the 2017 World Junior Championships, but instead enjoyed his NHL rookie season with the Toronto Maple Leafs scoring 40 goals and 69 points in 82 games on his was to winning the Calder Memorial trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year.

2016 World Juniors
Alternate Captain
Bronze Medal
All-Star Team
Top 3 Payers on Team Award
Most Goals in the Tournament
7 Games, 7 Goals, 11 Points

2015 World Juniors
5 Games, 1 Goal, 3 Points

It’s hard to believe that a generational talent like Auston Matthews is only #6 on this list.  Who could be in the Top 5?

Petr Mrazek (G) – Czech Republic

Petr Mrazek played in 2012 World Junior Championships at the age of 19.  He had been drafted by the Detroit Red Wings with their 5th round pick (141st overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Mrazek was chosen by the Czech Republic team after a stellar season with the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s where he had a 33-15-3 record and a .920 save percentage.

Despite having a 3-3-0 record during the tournament on route to the Czech Republic getting eliminated in the quarter finals, Petr Mrazek was voted Best Goaltender of the Tournament and was awarded a place on the U20 WJC All-Star Team with a .928 save percentage and 2.49 goals against average.  He was also presented with a Top 3 Players on Team Czech Republic award.

Petr Mrazek is now playing in his 10th NHL season, his first with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and hopefully he’ll return from injury soon and contribute to the team’s success.

2012 World Juniors
Best Goaltender Award
All-Star Team
Top 3 Players on Team Award
3-3-0, 2.49 GAA, .928 SV%, 1 SO

Rasmus Sandin (D) – Sweden

Rasmus Sandin played in two World Junior Championship tournaments in 2019 and 2020 when he was 18 and 19 years-old. He had already been drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1st round (29th overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

Before his first World Juniors appearance, Sandin had finished his only OHL season with the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds with 12 goals and 45 points in 51 games and was starting his first AHL season with the Toronto Marlies.

During his first U20 WJC tournament, Sandin was able to score two goals and four points in five games which are great numbers for a defenseman, but he really broke out during his second tournament.

In the 2020 World Juniors, Rasmus Sandin returned to Team Sweden putting up a whooping 10 points in 7 games which included three goals.  He lead all defenseman in the tournament in points and had the fourth most points out of any player at the tournament.

Rasmus Sandin’s 10 points are the seventh most by any defenseman in a single season in the World Junior Championships tournament history.

Sandin would be awarded the Best Defenseman award, a spot on the U20 WJC All-Star Team, a Top 3 Players on Team Sweden award and the award for Most Points by a Defenseman to go along with Sweden’s bronze medal finish.

Rasmus Sandin was playing well in his first 25 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs this season putting up 8 assists while showing defensive maturity but was recently added to the injured reserve after taking a brutal knee-on-knee hit.

Hopefully Sandin will be healthy soon so we can watch him continue to mature into a top NHL defenseman.

2020 World Juniors
Alternate Captain
Bronze Medal
Best Defenseman Award
All-Star Team
Top 3 Players on Team Award
Most Points by a Defenseman in the Tournament
7 Games, 3 Goals, 10 Points

2019 World Juniors
5 Games, 2 Goals, 4 Points

Jack Campbell (G) – USA

Jack Campbell played in three World Junior Championships in 2010, 2011 and 2012 when he was 17, 18 and 19 years-old.  Not many players have attended three World Juniors, especially goaltenders.

Before his first U20 World Juniors tournament, Campbell had played with the U17 and U18 US Development Team.  Campbell played well in the 2010 tournament splitting the crease with Mike Lee.  Campbell went 2-1-0 with a 2.54 goals against average and .923 save percentage.

Mike Lee started the gold medal game for the USA against Canada but was pulled in the second period in favour of Jack Campbell.  The game went to overtime and Campbell captured the gold medal win for Team USA.

For his display at the 2010 U20 and U18 World Juniors and his stellar work with the USDP, Jack Campbell earned a 1st round (11th overall) selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars.

Campbell’s second U20 WJC tournament was his personal best, though Team USA failed to defend their prior gold medal finish and made off with the bronze medal.

Jack Campbell went 5-1-0 while leading the tournament a 1.70 goals against average and a .941 save percentage.  He would be awarded Best Goaltender, earn a spot on the U20 WJC All-Star Team, get a Top 3 Players on Team USA award as well as the awards for Best Goals Against Average and Best Save Percentage.

The 2012 World Junior Championship was an embarrassing tournament for Team USA as they had one win and three regulation losses in their round robin.  Not only were they eliminated before the quarter finals, they had to play in a relegation round just to qualify for the 2013 World Juniors.  Lucky for them, they beat the three other teams and Denmark was relegated to D1A for 2013.

Despite the disappointment, Jack Campbell went 3-2-0 with a 2.62 goals against average and a .907 save percentage.  Not as good as his phenomenal prior tournament but still okay.

After the World Juniors, Jack Campbell struggled for years to find his game in the NHL.  It seems as though he’s finally emerged as a starting goaltender with the Toronto Maple Leafs and is currently a top ranked NHL goaltender in wins, save percentage and goals against average.

2012 World Juniors
3-2-0, 2.62 GAA, .907 SV%

2011 World Juniors
Bronze Medal
Best Goaltender Award
All-Star Team
Top 3 Players on Team Award
Best Goals Against Average in the Tournament
Best Save Percentage in the Tournament
5-1-0, 1.70 GAA, .941 SV%

2010 World Juniors
Gold Medal
2-1-0, 2.54 GAA, .923 SV%

John Tavares (F) – Canada

John Tavares played in two World Junior Championship tournaments in 2008 and 2009 when he was 17 and 18 years-old.

Tavares had an astounding 2006-07 season with the Oshawa Generals in the OHL.  At the age of 16, it was his second season with the team and he scored 72 goals and 134 points in 67 games.

Those stats along with his appearance at the 2007 U18 tournament earned John Tavares the invitation to join Team Canada for the 2008 U20 World Junior Championships.

During his first World Juniors tournament, Tavares won the gold medal with Canada contributing four goals and five points in seven games.

His second trip to World Junior Championship was the best of any current player on the Toronto Maple Leafs as John Tavares scored and incredible eight goals (to lead the tournament) and 15 points in seven games.  Those totals are the 23rd most points and the 25th most goals in a single tournament in World Junior Championship history.

John Tavares took home the Most Valuable Player award, Best Forward award, a Top 3 Players on Team Canada award, the Most Goals Scored in the Tournament award and was on the U20 WJC All-Star Team.  To top in all off, Canada brought home the gold medal.

After his epic tour at the World Juniors and four phenomenal OHL seasons, John Tavares was selected in the 1st round (1st overall) by the New York Islanders in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Tavares was eligible to return for the 2010 World Juniors but instead recorded 24 goals and 54 points in his 82 games NHL rookie season with the New York Islanders earning himself a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team.

2009 World Juniors
Alternate Captain
Gold Medal
Most Valuable Player
Best Forward Award
All-Star Team
Top 3 Players on Team Award
Most Goals Scored in the Tournament
6 Games, 8 Goals, 15 Points

2008 World Juniors
Gold Medal
7 Games, 4 Goals, 5 Points

I’m excited to see what this year’s crop of Toronto Maple Leafs prospects can achieve at this year World Junior Championship tournament.  Hopefully they’ll impress and become NHL contributors soon.