The Kids' Table: Breaking Down Canada's WJC Camp Roster

Every time December rolls around, everyone gets amped up for Christmas and the Winter Classic. But it's also time for one of the most exciting tournaments of the season, the World Junior Championship, which will kick off Dec. 26 in Helsinki, Finland. The WJC will showcase the top under-20 talent from around the globe and will give most of the general public a chance to witness that talent for the first time. For a prospects nut like myself, it's pretty much the equivalent of March Madness or the College Football Playoff.

On Tuesday, Hockey Canada announced its selection camp roster for the 2016 WJC, comprised of 30 top prospects from north of the border. There are obviously a lot of moving parts in the construction of the team, but generally, guys who land on this 30-man roster are the prospects you'll want to target in fantasy leagues. The WJC has always been a precursor to NHL success. In last year's tournament, Canada pretty much ran away with the gold medal, led by a few names you may have heard of: Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, Sam Reinhart, and oh yeah, that Connor McDavid fellow.

So now that we know who'll compete for roster spots in 2016, let's break down the list to find the ones who stand out the most from a fantasy perspective.

NHL Prospect Breakdown

The Islanders and Coyotes lead the way with three prospects each on the list.

Mathew Barzal, Michael Dal Colle and Anthony Beauvillier all got invites as New York's young forward pool continues to develop nicely. Barzal and Dal Colle seem like locks to make the team; Beauvillier will have to show his worth, likely in a bottom-six role. That isn't to say Beauvillier isn't talented – with 16 goals and 35 points in just 18 games, he's been one of the top scorers in the QMJHL this year.

Dylan Strome, Brendan Perlini and Nicholas Merkley will represent the Coyotes organization at camp, and none of the three should have much to worry about. Strome and Perlini seem like no-brainers, though like Beauvillier, Merkley will have to prove himself. Merkley brings a ton of energy, though; he could make for the perfect third-line center or wing, considering Canada's depth down the middle. Strome and Perlini were left off last year's team as well, but that was mostly because the team was stupid deep. This time around, each will be asked to serve in a top-six role, and their success at this tournament will be directly linked to how they'll be perceived when they make the leap.

A handful of teams will be represented by two prospects, including the Devils, Panthers, Lightning, Flames, Hurricanes, Flyers and Maple Leafs. For many of these teams front offices, it's an absolute dream to see some of their guys included in camp, regardless of whether they make the team or not.

The Devils, who have one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL, managed to land two players on Canada's camp roster after seeing just one significant prospect make any team last year (Miles Wood for the United States). John Quenneville (yes, he's related to Blackhawks coach Joel), a feisty two-way center for the Brandon Wheat Kings, will try to make his case as either the third- or fourth-line center. He lacks the elite skating ability and skill of some of the other guys, but makes up for it with grit and determination. Quenneville may be tasked with protecting some of the top players on Canada against some of the elite squads, like the United States and Russia. Goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood is the other representative from New Jersey and the lead candidate to start in goal. He's experienced an incredible start to the OHL season with the Barrie Colts, posting a 16-7 record with a 2.39 GAA and .930 save percentage in 23 games. This is a good sign for the likely successor to Corey Schneider in the Devils' net, and his status as the goalie of the future will be cemented if he can lead Canada to another gold medal.

Behind Blackwood is Mason McDonald, another second-round pick, this one by the Flames. McDonald is a bit older than Blackwood and also has experience at the U-18 WJC, so he'll be a strong contender to land the starting gig as well.

The ever-so-polarizing Lawson Crouse will again take the ice at the WJC, looking to build on a defensively dominant tournament in 2015. Everybody knows that Crouse is going to play physically and cause matchup nightmares for the opposition, but we're really looking for some flashes of elite offensive ability, particularly his laser of a wrist shot.

A couple of namefellows from the Flyers' pool, Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim, should be able to crack the starting rotation – especially Sanheim, who has been one of the top defenseman in the WHL this season. Konecny nearly made Philly's roster out of camp, so I can't envision him being left off this roster, though crazier things have happened. He seems like the perfect second-line center to pair with Crouse and perhaps Mitch Marner.

Speaking of Marner, he was another kid who didn't get a shot to play in front of the home crowd last time around. Now, like Strome and Perlini, he'll be tasked with carrying the team and should have no problem putting on a show in Finland. There's a shot Marner will start next season with Toronto, and a big-time performance in this tournament will help him prove to Lou Lamoriello and the Leafs' brass that he belongs in the NHL.

Show Me What Ya Got, Young Gun

It's always fun to talk about the 2016 NHL Draft-eligible players who get invited to WJC camps. For Canada, this year's crop is no different than previous tournaments, with defenseman Jakob Chychrun – a prospective top-three pick – having been invited as a 17-year-old. The Sarnia Sting's third-leading scorer has the makings of an all-world defenseman, possessing elite vision and skating to go along with leadership intangibles. He's got a decent shot at cracking Canada's defensive rotation and will be under the scouting microscope for his entire ride.

The other two names aren't as well known. Pierre-Luc Dubois and Julien Gauthier, a pair of big forwards out of the QMJHL, also got invites. Dubois, 17, ranks ninth in the Q in scoring with 19 goals and 43 points in 30 games this season. Each are considered top-15 prospects for the upcoming draft, and their size likely has something to do with the fact that they got the call.

Surprise, Surprise!

There were a handful of surprises on the camp roster, particularly on the blue line. A pair of defensemen from the Hockey East, Brandon Hickey (a 2014 third-round pick by Calgary) and Jake Walman (a third-rounder that same year by the Blues), were invited to camp. Both are offense-oriented defensemen who have been forced into playing a tighter game in the NCAA, so perhaps the more up-tempo game of Canada will benefit each of them.

Noah Juulsen, the Habs' first-rounder this yer, is another interesting name after his breakout season in 2014-15 – he put up 52 points in 68 games for the Everett Silvertips in the WHL. Juulsen was always a strong two-way defender, but his offensive outburst is what must have caught the attention of Hockey Canada.

In the forward crop, the Sharks' Rourke Chartier is finally getting a shot at WJC glory. He plays alongside Merkley with the Kelowna Rockets; while both are a bit undersized, they make up for it with great puck possession skills and also provide some leadership.

Jayce Hawryluk, Brayden Point, Spencer Watson and Mitchell Stephens are last four forwards who aren't really household names. Stephens, who dealt with a broken foot earlier in the season, has only played seven games this season for Saginaw, but still has five goals. Point, Watson and Hawryluk are all experiencing great starts to their respective seasons, and while all three are relatively undersized, they should be very nice spark plugs if any can land on the final roster.

The tournament can't come soon enough, and if your dynasty team is looking bleak, the WJC is a perfect opportunity to target some young players who can help lift your franchise out of the dumpster.