2026 IIHF World Junior Discussion

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by Teroy

Looking forward to watching all the top guys playing in the W Juniors. Haven't been impressed what I've seen of McKenna so far. Unless he shows up, I doubt he'll be drafted #1.

Sounds like it’s a bit of a horse race. A tournament where you could directly compare the horses would go a long way toward final rankings.

[Tbull8]

I am fine with Mckenna falling down a couple spots. I still think he's the highest offensive ceiling which the Flames are needing very very badly.

[Rick M.]

I wouldn’t judge Mckenna based on exhibition games.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

I wouldn’t judge Mckenna based on exhibition games.

Why not? Now i get players have crappy tournaments but it absolutely should be used as one.

I am curious with multiple scouts raising the same questions as the previous years about mckenna, we saw the lackadaisical attitute in the tournament already, he isnt big, a superstar skater or have a non stop motor so why are do many posters still going well someone said he is generational so ignore the red flags?

Yes the team need talent but i want talent without attitude issues. I have stated several times my problem with mckenna is he is going to spend almost as much time digging pucks out of his own net than the opposition and first game he proves exactly that?

Is he talented? To be sure. Is his attitude a bit of prima donna as long as im scoring goals im good? Ya absolutely i think so exactly why i have stenberg first overall.

I have also heard several posters mention well he will grow into it because if he stayed in jr he would have 1300 points this season? Again matter zero. If he struggles against better opposition is he struggling or does his game not translate well?? And if it doesnt can it be coached into him?

His talent isnt in question his attitude to make improvements is.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Why not? Now i get players have crappy tournaments but it absolutely should be used as one.

I am curious with multiple scouts raising the same questions as the previous years about mckenna, we saw the lackadaisical attitute in the tournament already, he isnt big, a superstar skater or have a non stop motor so why are do many posters still going well someone said he is generational so ignore the red flags?

Yes the team need talent but i want talent without attitude issues. I have stated several times my problem with mckenna is he is going to spend almost as much time digging pucks out of his own net than the opposition and first game he proves exactly that?

Is he talented? To be sure. Is his attitude a bit of prima donna as long as im scoring goals im good? Ya absolutely i think so exactly why i have stenberg first overall.

I have also heard several posters mention well he will grow into it because if he stayed in jr he would have 1300 points this season? Again matter zero. If he struggles against better opposition is he struggling or does his game not translate well?? And if it doesnt can it be coached into him?

His talent isnt in question his attitude to make improvements is.

He was +60 as a 17 year old. That is absurd.

He is a - player this season as an 18YO in a league full of players who are older and bigger than he is.

But you are right....an exhibition game that doesn't matter to anything in the middle of December is the barometer you should rely on for deciding how well he may translate to the NHL.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by transplant99

He was +60 as a 17 year old. That is absurd.

He is a + player this season as an 18YO in a league full of players who are older and bigger than he is.

But you are right....an exhibition game that doesn't matter to anything in the middle of December is the barometer you should rely on for deciding how well he may translate to the NHL.

His stats in jr dont mean squat?? What he does now and moving forward does. He is good player? Generational i doubt it. More laine than marner to my mind.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Why not? Now i get players have crappy tournaments but it absolutely should be used as one.

I am curious with multiple scouts raising the same questions as the previous years about mckenna, we saw the lackadaisical attitute in the tournament already, he isnt big, a superstar skater or have a non stop motor so why are do many posters still going well someone said he is generational so ignore the red flags?

Yes the team need talent but i want talent without attitude issues. I have stated several times my problem with mckenna is he is going to spend almost as much time digging pucks out of his own net than the opposition and first game he proves exactly that?

Is he talented? To be sure. Is his attitude a bit of prima donna as long as im scoring goals im good? Ya absolutely i think so exactly why i have stenberg first overall.

I have also heard several posters mention well he will grow into it because if he stayed in jr he would have 1300 points this season? Again matter zero. If he struggles against better opposition is he struggling or does his game not translate well?? And if it doesnt can it be coached into him?

His talent isnt in question his attitude to make improvements is.

You don't have a single clue about what you are talking about.

Prima Donna? Lmao
Poor attitude? Get outta here with that crap.

Nothing like a dork on the internet calling into question the personality of a kid hes never met.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

You don't have a single clue about what you are talking about.

Prima Donna? Lmao
Poor attitude? Get outta here with that crap.

Nothing like a dork on the internet calling into question the personality of a kid hes never met.

I have noticed differences of opinion get treated pretty much the same here.

What do you describe his backcheck in the game the other night other than i couldnt be bothered to try?

He is going to be a goalscorer and nothing else. If you want to base the team dymnamics on i dont back check be my guest. I would rather have stenberg who is already eclipsing anything mckenna has done to this point and is a far more complete player, just less flashy. I dint csre about flash i care about results and right now mckennas results are just good not great?

Oh and multiple scouts have now mentioned they keep him at first because they think the skill is high enough to overcome, i dont.

So not sure what being condescending is gaining you?

[Royle9]

Historically Canada doesn't Edmonton their way through pre-tournament games going 6-0 and becoming the "pre" Champions we're all maybe accustomed to.

These games are for finding chemistry and getting systems and stuff in place.
I wouldn't read into the results too much, we're getting super judgmental on these guys after 2 meaningless games.

If they bomb out in the actual tournament for some reason then yes, your criticisms would then be warranted, but lets get there and see what happens.

Biggest thing is getting the guys slotted on the proper lines, and I trust the Hunter's to find that and get it sorted out for game 1.


Whats funny is if Parekh and the team came out of these 2 games with massive points and blowing out SWE in back to back games people would still find a way to downplay it and point out it was pre-tournament games and means nothing... which isn't wrong but lets use that analogy going both ways. Pre-tournament means nothing, no sense getting worried/worked up about it.

I'll lead the pitchfork rally if Canada comes out of the gates flat and looks terrible across the board, but I personally don't see that happening.
If this roster cant get it done, I don't know what to say.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Fan69

I have noticed differences of opinion get treated pretty much the same here.

What do you describe his backcheck in the game the other night other than i couldnt be bothered to try?

He is going to be a goalscorer and nothing else. If you want to base the team dymnamics on i dont back check be my guest. I would rather have stenberg who is already eclipsing anything mckenna has done to this point and is a far more complete player, just less flashy. I dint csre about flash i care about results and right now mckennas results are just good not great?

Oh and multiple scouts have now mentioned they keep him at first because they think the skill is high enough to overcome, i dont.

So not sure what being condescending is gaining you?

What is claiming he has a poor attitude or hes a prima Donna gaining you?

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Fan69

His stats in jr dont mean squat?? What he does now and moving forward does. He is good player? Generational i doubt it. More laine than marner to my mind.

Yes...very much in fact.

Guess where that +60 occurred? As a 17 YO i might add.

Is he finding it a bit more difficult against much more veteran and mature opposition this season in a league he is a rookie in? Of course.

McKenna did things the last couple years that you just do not see very often, which is why judging him on a bad showing while playing with a bunch of guys he has never played with before in a game that matters zero...is pretty odd.

[Enoch Root]

Judging teenagers, based on exhibition games where they are simply getting themselves prepped for the actual tournament...

Perhaps these games shouldn't be televised - some of you don't seem capable of handling it.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

What is claiming he has a poor attitude or hes a prima Donna gaining you?

Funny i thought i was on a message board discussing prospects?

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Funny i thought i was on a message board discussing prospects?

Yes, and if that's your opinion of him then we're right back to you not having a clue what you're talking about. He's neither a prima donna nor does he have a poor attitude. If you want to share uninformed opinions like that on a message board be ready to be called out on it without crying about it.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Yes...very much in fact.

Guess where that +60 occurred? As a 17 YO i might add.

Is he finding it a bit more difficult against much more veteran and mature opposition this season in a league he is a rookie in? Of course.

McKenna did things the last couple years that you just do not see very often, which is why judging him on a bad showing while playing with a bunch of guys he has never played with before in a game that matters zero...is pretty odd.

Dont disagree, and it means entirely 0.

Parekh put up historic numbers still didnt transition instantly, still has questions as to ultimate ceiling doesnt mean he isnt a good prospect, but slso doesnt mean he will be a star? Mckenna is no different. Hagens was considered a clear number one didnt pan out that way.

Not entirely sure why my questions about mckenna based on observation and scouts reporting. He isnt 1 on a number of lists.

At the end of the day he is the consensus number one i expect him to elevate and i havent seen that.

Stenberg is playing in a professional league and putting up historical numbers as a kid. He has already proven what mckenna has yet to prove that against top competition he is still exceptional. The fact most dont have him as number one i find ridiculous.

Vaerhoff same thing. Who has more impact on a game an average sized scoring machine who doesnt care about defence or a minute munching goal scoring number one D?

Do i think Mckenna will be a point producer? Yup! Do i think he will be one if the top players in the league? Probably not unless your just looking at points.

Team Stenberg.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Yes, and if that's your opinion of him then we're right back to you not having a clue what you're talking about. He's neither a prima donna nor does he have a poor attitude. If you want to share uninformed opinions like that on a message board be ready to be called out on it without crying about it.

Perhaps it didnt come across clean.

I dont think he is a poor individual. I do think his commitment to team structure and defence will be a question with him his entire career.

[PepsiFree]

A few things are true at the same time here, I think:
- judging any player (McKenna, Parekh) too seriously on exhibition games is silly. These are players that are trying to find chemistry, get up to speed, not get hurt, etc. They’re literally just exhibition games, they do not matter
- “he’s playing against older, stronger players” is not a valid excuse for McKenna’s NCAA performance. He is not close to the first nor the youngest to do this, and not top of the class of guys who have.
- People read way too much into certain things and then think they’re somehow in the mind of a player and it always comes off as cringe. Talking about offence first players like McKenna and Parekh as “prima donnas” or saying they need an “ego check” based on their play is 100% people projecting their own weird hang ups onto them. You don’t know these people, stop pretending you do based on how they skate
- People are also way too invested in defending and excusing every potentially negative thing about a player the Flames will most likely not have the chance to draft. While some of the criticism do go overboard, a lot are valid, so don’t get so caught up in excusing everything because it makes valid dismissals of stuff (like saying you shouldn’t judge him on exhibition games) seem less valid by association

[sureLoss]

https://twitter.com/user/status/2003170211416195453

[Teroy]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Yes, and if that's your opinion of him then we're right back to you not having a clue what you're talking about. He's neither a prima donna nor does he have a poor attitude. If you want to share uninformed opinions like that on a message board be ready to be called out on it without crying about it.

Spoken like a true know it all.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Teroy

Spoken like a true know it all.

Yeah, that's right. I know him.