Edmonton Oilers prospects Caleb Jones (117th overall, 2015) and Aapeli Rasanen (153rd overall, 2016) will represent their respective countries at the World Juniors championship.
Both of them are top Oilers prospects to watch, and offer a lot of promise in their respective games.
Caleb Jones
On the international stage, Jones has played for Team USA at the 2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2015 IIHF World U18 Championship, winning gold in both events. Jones has no goals and eight assists in 13 international games. The 19-year-old Arlington, Texas native is currently in his second WHL season with the Portland Winterhawks and ranks ninth in league scoring among defenceman with three goals and 31 points in 32 games.
In his rookie season, Jones put up 10 goals and 55 points in 72 games, and then signed a three-year entry-level contract with a $705,000 AAV with Edmonton this past April. Though he’s still years away from playing in the NHL, Jones is trending well at the major-junior level.
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The 6-foot-1, 195 pound defender plays a solid all-around game and has a tireless work ethic, which likely comes from having a strong athletic bloodline. He’s the son of retired NBA player Popeye Jones and the younger brother of Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones.
USA has been a top contender at the tournament over the past decade. Since 2007, the States have medalled five times, including two gold medal victories in 2010 and 2013.
The strength of this year’s American squad is its forward depth. So, Jones will be relied on to use his excellent mobility and puck moving skills from the back end to get the puck up to the talented forward group as quickly as possible.
Aapeli Rasanen
Internationally, Rasanen has represented Finland at the 2015 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2016 IIHF World U18 Championship. Rasanen was a teammate of Oilers right-wing and fellow 2016 draftee Jesse Puljujarvi at the World U18s in Grand Forks, North Dakota, winning gold. Rasanen has tallied three goals and 13 points in 13 career games for Finland.
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After registering 19 goals and 38 points in 50 games with Tappara U20 in Finland’s Jr. A SM-liiga last season, Rasanen made the jump to American junior hockey this fall. He plays for the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers and leads the team with 12 assists and has 16 points through 20 games so far this season.
Rasanen is considered a long-term project, but a growing number of hockey pundits believe he could be a sixth-round steal. The 6-foot, 200 pound centre can be an asset on both special-teams units, is strong on the face-off dot and can handle tough checking assignments. He also has the ability to chip in some points and brings to mind a young Mark Letestu.
Finland has captured gold in two of the last three World Junior tournaments, including last year’s memorable victory on home soil. However, with Puljujarvi, Patrik Laine and Sebastian Aho all playing in the NHL this season, the Finns will be relying on youth, once again, to carry the team offensively.
USA opens the tournament against Latvia Monday from the Air Canada Centre at 1:30 PM local time in Edmonton, while Finland will take on the Czech Republic from the Bell Centre at 3:00 PM.
