It’s no secret that recent years have seen a shift in the sport of hockey. There’s less of a precedent on size and toughness, with the focus redirecting more towards speed and skill. It’s a direction that allows guys like Johnny Gaudreau and Alex DeBrincat to thrive despite their smaller stature, whereas the previous more traditional style of hockey only featured a handful of smaller players.
It also means that you’re more likely to see plays executed with a high degree of skill, and less of a chance that those plays will be punished with a punch to the mouth. There is no greater example of that from this year than Trevor Zegras pulling off the NHL’s first ever successful ‘Michigan Pass.’
While some, like former NHL head coach John Tortorella, don’t like the direction, others find it thoroughly entertaining. In recent years, the World Juniors have acted as a creative platform for some of the most skilled young hockey players to test the capability limits of a stick and a puck.
Tapping into the upcoming Team Canada World Juniors roster, our own Corwin McCallum asked members of the squad to determine who is most likely to attempt the Michigan pass during the tournament. It came down to two very clear favourites.
Kent Johnson, who plays for Michigan and has successfully pulled it off before, or Connor Bedard, the 16-year-old Phenom that’s been tearing up the WHL.
Who do you think? Let us know @BarDown!
