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Reign Insider Zach Dooley on Team USA, Kings Contingent at World Juniors

(Arthur Kaliyev — Photo courtesy of USA Hockey)

The days are being counted down one by one.

In less than one month, NHL hockey will return as the league and the NHLPA have agreed to begin the 2020-21 season on January 13 with a 56-game campaign. However, while the excitement is undoubtedly palpable for the NHL’s return, there will be some exciting hockey being played just prior to the new season.

Zach Dooley (@ReignInsider)

In spite of the sports slowdown this past year, an annual holiday tradition will proceed as normal.

The World Juniors are just about upon us as this year’s installment will take place in Edmonton and Red Beer, Alberta, with the defending gold-medallists, Team Canada, playing host.

So, while Canada looks to repeat with a couple of Los Angeles Kings prospects in Quinton Byfield and Jordan Spence, look for Team USA to avenge their quarterfinal finish from one year ago.

Like their Canadian counterparts, Team USA has a few Kings prospects on their own roster, including 2020 pick, Brock Faber. Of course, the Americans also have a couple of returning Kings prospects in Alex Turcotte and Arthur Kaliyev.

I recently had a chance to speak with Ontario Reign Insider Zach Dooley on his thoughts on said prospects for Team USA as well as fellow Kings prospect, Tobias Bjornfot, who will be representing Team Sweden. Dooley also shared his excitement on the return of pro hockey and what he’s looking forward to most when the Reign hit the ice in February.

Red, White & Blue… and Silver & Black

Unlike last December, Alex Turcotte and Arthur Kaliyev will be entering the 2021 World Juniors as veterans. For Turcotte, in particular, he hopes to improve on his two-assist total from last year. Still, the Americans have a lot of solid competition in front of them.

I asked Dooley how he liked Team USA’s chances in Alberta, especially with the aforementioned Kings prospects in tow.

Alex Turcotte (Rena Laverty/USA Hockey)

“I think it should be a pretty good squad,” Dooley said. “You look at Alex Turcotte and Arthur Kaliyev, two returning Kings prospects, they should have pretty large roles with the team. Earlier reports from [USA Junior] camp had them on the same line and what you’d expect to be a pretty offensively gifted line.”

Like Turcotte, Kaliyev had a limited role for Team USA 12 months ago. Unlike Turcotte, though, the former Hamilton Bulldog was tied for the team lead in goals with four while adding a pair of assists at last year’s tournament.

The Reign Insider is certainly intrigued to see what Kaliyev can do for an encore.

“You look at Kaliyev, who’s a good goal-scorer and a guy who had a few goals in a limited role and it’ll be exciting to see what he can do with some expanded minutes this year,” Dooley continued. “Turcotte has that playmaker build but can also put the puck in the net. So, those are two guys who you think would have a pretty big role with Team USA and its top team prospects and definitely have them out there along with Brock Faber, a second-round pick in the 2020 Draft.”

While he may not be as familiar with the latter just yet, Dooley admitted that he likes what Faber has to offer.

“He’s a defensive-minded defenseman but a very good skater and one of just two right-shot defensemen for Team USA,” the Reign Insider noted. “He’s a guy who maybe doesn’t have the hype or the flash that Kaliyev and Turcotte have but excited to see him play, too, because he’s a pretty solid prospect. To get him where the Kings did (45th overall) in this past Draft, I think, was a pretty good pick.”

While he didn’t offer any predictions, Dooley is certainly confident that the Americans can put up a good fight for a spot on the podium this year.

“I think all three players should have a good chance at shining for Team USA and the team should definitely be in contention to get a medal.”

Another Shot for Bjornfot

While he didn’t register any points at last year’s tournament, Kings prospect Tobias Bjornfot was nonetheless integral in Team Sweden winning a bronze medal. With a few defensemen having graduated from the World Junior stage, Bjornot’s chances of becoming an impact player for his native country are great.

“He’s a returning defenseman for Team Sweden and I got the chance to watch him quite a bit last season with the Kings and with the Reign,” Dooley pointed out. “For me, he was one of the most dominant 18-year-old players that I’ve been able to watch at the AHL level. You watch him out there at such a young age, you see a player who you think is in his mid-20’s or is a veteran in that league and he’s just 18. But, he was very good with the Reign last season and won a bronze medal with Team Sweden in last year’s tournament. But, with a couple of defensemen ahead of him on the depth chart who have graduated, he should be in a very prominent role on this year’s team. I’m really excited to watch him play against players in his age group because of how much he excelled playing against men last season in the AHL.”

The Long-Anticipated Return of Hockey

As is the case with many hockey fans, Zach Dooley is quite thrilled for the return of professional hockey.

“I can’t wait. It’s long overdue,” he stated. “Obviously, health and safety is the biggest thing, assuming that that’s all sorted out. Just very excited to have hockey back with the NHL first and hopefully we will follow not too long after in the AHL.”

Tobias Bjornfot (Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images)

In particular, Dooley is eager for the return of the Ontario Reign, who are ready to embark on a new chapter.

For the first time since 2014, Mike Stothers will not be the club’s head coach. Instead, USA Development guru John Wroblewski is the Reign bench boss, so it will be interesting to see how the new coach fares with his new group.

For the Reign Insider, he’s looking forward to seeing Ontario’s former rookies take on a collective veteran role.

“It’ll be really good with the Reign to see all these young players,” Dooley said. “We had a lot of young players on the team last year, a lot of first-year pros, and I’m looking forward to seeing how those players develop into second-year players — or second-year players into third-year players — and seeing how those guys have made strides.”

A new Reign season also signifies some new faces, including some new future NHL talent.

“We’ll be seeing new players working their way into the pro ranks with the Kings,” continued Dooley. “You’ll have Alex Turcotte, Samuel Fagemo, Aidan Dudas, Akil Thomas, among others, who will be making their pro debuts this season whether it’s in the AHL or the NHL. If some of those guys do end up playing in the AHL with the Reign, it’ll be really exciting to have so many highly-ranked prospects on the same team and I’m really looking forward to seeing how that group will come together.”

For many of us, this calendar year has certainly felt longer than it’s actually been. Thankfully, from a hockey fan’s perspective, at least, there is light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

The 2021 World Juniors are set to kick off in just over a week’s time, but those Kings fans who may be divided cheering on their respective countries will unite on January 13 when the Los Angeles Kings, at last, return to action followed by the Ontario Reign just a few weeks later.

It’s been said before — so much that it can be taken as an overused cliche — but the future is very bright for the Los Angeles Kings. That future will be put on display very soon.

So, for fans, players, coaches, for myself, for Zach Dooley and for countless others, the excitement for hockey’s return is simply too much to take — and frankly, that’s the way it should be.

 

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