In the System: World Junior Championship underway

The World Junior Championship opened on Sunday, with three Penguins players representing their countries in the tournament.

Goaltender Joel Blomqvist (second round, 2020) is on Finland's roster for the second consecutive year, and goaltender Calle Clang (third round, 2020) is on Sweden's roster for the second consecutive year. Forward Kirill Tankov (seventh round, 2021) is making his World Junior debut for Russia.

How did they do in the first two days of the tournament?

DAY 1

Blomqvist was a scratch for Finland's 3-1 win over Germany, a surprising development given that he was expected to contend for the starting job.

Sweden and Russia met for their first game of the tournament, with Clang dressing as backup. Clang's mask for the tournament was made in collaboration with the Swedish Childhood Cancer fund. The mask will be auctioned off after the tournament with proceeds benefitting the charity:

Tankov (wearing No. 26) recorded a secondary assist on Russia's first goal in a 6-3 loss:

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DAY 2

Blomqvist dressed as backup for Finland's 7-1 blowout of Austria.

Clang again dressed as backup for Sweden in a 3-0 shutout of Slovakia.

Tankov was scoreless in Russia's 4-2 win over Switzerland.

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Here's how the Penguins' prospects in junior, college, and Europe did this week.

FORWARDS

Raivis Ansons
Position: Right wing/left wing
Size: 6-1/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, fifth round
Team: Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
Season totals: 19 games, 6 goals, 18 assists

The QMJHL is on pause until Jan. 7 due to COVID.

Tristan Broz
Position: Center/wing
Size: 6-0/179
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, second round
Team: University of Minnesota (NCAA)
Season totals: 15 games, 2 assists

The Gophers are on holiday break.

Judd Caulfield
Position: Right wing
Size: 6-3/207
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2019, fifth round
Team: University of North Dakota (NCAA)
Season totals: 19 games, 3 goal, 5 assists

North Dakota is on holiday break.

Liam Gorman
Position: Center
Size: 6-3/199
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2018, sixth round
Team: Princeton University (NCAA)
Season totals: 13 games, 1 goal, 2 assist

Princeton is on holiday break.

Lukas Svejkovsky
Position: Center/right wing
Size: 5-9/170
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2020, fourth round
Team: Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
Season totals: 24 games, 13 goals, 17 assists

The Medicine Hat Tigers traded Svejkovsky to the Seattle Thunderbirds on Monday in exchange for a 2022 first-round pick, conditional 2023 second-round pick, and conditional 2025 fifth-round pick in the WHL draft. 

Medicine Hat was sitting dead last in the Eastern Conference standings, Seattle sits No. 2 in the Western Conference. The move puts Svejkovsky on a contender in his final WHL season.

Kirill Tankov
Position: Center/wing
Size: 6-2/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Team: SKA-Neva (VHL)
Season totals: 25 games, 6 goals, 6 assists

Tankov was in the World Junior Championship this week.

Chase Yoder
Position: Center
Size: 5-11/185
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2020, sixth round
Team: Providence College (NCAA)
Season totals: 21 games, 3 goal, 4 assists

Providence is on holiday break.

DEFENSEMEN

Santeri Airola
Size: 5-9/163
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2019, seventh round
Team: Ilves (Liiga), KOOVEE (Mestis)
Season totals: 2 games (Mestis)

Airola missed the start of the Liiga season with a lower-body injury. His team announced on Oct. 14 that Airola underwent surgery and is expected to be sidelined for 6-8 months.

Isaac Belliveau
Size: 6-2/185
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, fifth round
Team: Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
Season totals: 29 games, 1 goal, 9 assists

The QMJHL is on pause until Jan. 7 due to COVID.

Daniel Laatsch
Size: 6-5/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Team: University of Wisconsin (NCAA)
Season totals: 18 games, 1 assist

Wisconsin is on holiday break.

Ryan McCleary
Size: 6-2/180
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Team: Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Season totals: 23 games, 1 goal, 8 assists

Portland is on holiday break.

Clayton Phillips
Size: 6-0/195
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2017, third round
Team: Penn State University (NCAA)
Season totals: 17 games, 4 goal, 5 assists

Penn State is on holiday break.

GOALTENDERS

Joel Blomqvist
Size: 6-1/183
Catches: Left
Drafted: 2020, second round
Team: Karpat (Liiga), Hermes (Mestis)
Season totals: 8 games, 0.73 GAA, .964 SV% (Liiga), 3 games, 2.07 GAA, .902 SV% (Mestis)

Blomqvist was in the World Junior Championship this week.

Calle Clang
Size: 6-2/176
Catches: Left
Drafted: 2020, third round
Team: Rogle (SHL)
Season totals: 8 games, 2.73 GAA, .892 SV%

Clang was in the World Junior Championship this week.