On December 12, 2021, Hockey Canada published a press release regarding the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships. They announced their 25-man roster that will wear the maple leaf crest at the World Juniors. Eight players were cut from the roster prior to announcing the World Juniors team, one of the eight being Islanders forward prospect William Dufour.

Dufour was originally part of the group of 35 players that were invited to the National Junior Team selection camp on December 1, and the camp took place in Calgary from December 9-12. The 2022 World Junior Championships will take place in Edmonton and Red Deer from December 26, 2021, through January 5, 2022.

Director of Player Personnel Alan Millar and the U20 lead for the Program of Excellence management group, James Boyd of the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, headed the decision making process to determine the final roster, while the rest of the front office and coaching staff, which is headed by Dave Cameron of the 67’s.

Dufour, the Islanders’ fifth-round selection in the 2020 NHL Draft, was traded from the Drummondville Voltigeurs to the Saint John Sea Dogs ahead on June 23, 2021, ahead of the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft. After scoring 17 goals and 29 points in 23 games last season, he has surpassed those totals by a large margin, scoring 22 goals and 47 points in 28 games this season.

Debatably one of the breakout players of the year in the entire Canadian Hockey League, William Dufour was considered for the roster, but I believe that he was snubbed from the finalized team.

Despite having some of the league’s best young talent on the roster, adding Dufour to the roster would have given the Canadian team another scoring threat that can play anywhere in the lineup.

Rather than playing for Team Canada, he will not be playing a game until January 2, 2022, as the Sea Dogs are on break.

Despite Dufour not participating, you can catch the 2022 World Junior Championships on NHL Network in the United States, and TSN and RDS in Canada.

SEF