The Buffalo Sabres have a solid presence in Plymouth, Michigan as four players will take their first steps at trying to make their 2018 World Junior teams. Casey Mittelstadt (USA,) Cliff Pu (CAN,) Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (FIN) and Marcus Davidsson (SWE) begin play today in the 2017 World Junior Summer Showcase held in Plymouth, Michigan. The event runs through August 5.
Yesterday all teams held practices with a split USA team scrimmaging each other and the tournament will begin today in earnest as USA White takes on Finland at 1 p.m. For a full schedule see below.
The first game has plenty of intrigue for Sabres fans as two 2017 draft picks go head to head to kick things off with Mittelstadt (USA White) taking on Luukkonen (FIN.) Mittelstadt was selected eight-overall after falling to the Sabres while Luukkonen was taken by Buffalo in the second round at No. 54. Both had an extremely good development camp in Buffalo earlier this month as Mittelstadt lead Team White to the French Connection 3-on-3 Championship while Luukkonen showed off an impressive skill-set even stopping a sneaky Mittelstadt from in tight very early in the tournament.
In the second game today Davidsson and Sweden will take on USA Team Blue at 4:10 p.m. Davidsson was also a second rounder (37th) in 2017. Davidsson didn't make the 2017 World Juniors but Kris Baker of Sabresprospects.com/Sabres.com said that after spending a year playing professional hockey against men, Davidsson will be "a shoe-in" to make Team Sweden in 2018.
Pu is the elder statesman of the bunch. The 2016 third round pick of Buffalo (69th) is 19 and will be entering his fourth year at London with the OHL's Knights. Baker points out that even though Pu had an outstanding year in London (35 goals and 51 assists in 63 games, the Canadian squad is loaded with talent up-front and he may not be a shoe-in for the Team Canada when the 2018 WJC hits Buffalo in late December. That said, a strong Summer Showcase will go a long way in convincing Hockey Canada that they need to find a place for him.
Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin heads a list of 2018 draft eligible players that includes, according to NHL.com's "forwards Brady Tkachuk and Oliver Wahlstrom, and defenseman Quinton Hughes for the U.S., Sweden center Isac Lundestrom and Finland forward Jesse Ylonen."
Both the US and Canada will combine their split squads for the final games.
Below is the full schedule of events from USAHockey.com:
| Saturday, July 29 | Finland Practice | 8:15-8:45 a.m. |
| USA Blue Practice (Olympic Rink) | 9:00-9:30 a.m. | |
| Sweden Practice | 9:00-9:30 a.m. | |
| USA White vs. Finland | 1:00 p.m. | |
| USA Blue vs. Sweden | 4:10 p.m | |
| Sunday, July 30 | Finland Practice | 8:15-8:45 a.m. |
| USA White Practice (Olympic Rink) | 9:00-9:30 a.m. | |
| Sweden Practice | 9:00-9:30 a.m. | |
| Canada Practice | 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m | |
| USA Blue vs. Finland | 1:00 p.m. | |
| USA White vs. Sweden | 4:10 p.m. | |
| Monday, July 31 | USA Blue Practice | 9:30-10:30 a.m. |
| USA White Practice | 10:45-11:45 a.m. | |
| Canada Practice (Olympic Rink) | 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. | |
| Finland Practice | 12:00-1:15 p.m. | |
| Sweden Practice | 1:30-2:45 p.m. | |
| Tuesday, August 1 | Canada Red Practice | 9:00-9:30 a.m. |
| Canada White Practice | 9:45-10:15 a.m. | |
| Finland Practice (Olympic Rink) | 12:00-1:30 pm. | |
| Sweden Practice (Olympic Rink) | 1:45-3:00 p.m. | |
| Canada Red vs. USA White | 4:08 p.m. | |
| Canada White vs. USA Blue | 7:18 p.m. | |
| Wednesday, August 2 | Finland Practice | 8:15-8:45 a.m. |
| USA Practice (Olympic Rink) | 9:00-9:30 a.m. | |
| Sweden Practice | 9:00-9:30 a.m. | |
| Canada Practice (Olympic Rink) | 10:00-11:15 a.m. | |
| Canada vs. Finland | 1:08 p.m. | |
| USA vs. Sweden | 4:18 p.m. | |
| Thursday, August 3 | Canada Practice (Olympic Rink) | 8:00-11:00 a.m. |
| Finland Practice | 10:00-11:15 a.m. | |
| Sweden Practice | 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. | |
| Canada Practice | 1:00-3:30 p.m. | |
| Friday, August 4 | USA Practice | 9:00-9:30 a.m. |
| Finland Practice (Olympic Rink) | 9:00-9:30 a.m. | |
| Canada Practice | 9:45-11:00 a.m. | |
| Sweden vs. Canada | 1:08 p.m. | |
| Finland vs. USA | 4:18 p.m. | |
| Saturday, August 5 | Sweden Practice | 9:00-9:30 a.m. |
| Finland Practice (Olympic Rink) | 9:00-9:30 a.m. | |
| USA Practice | 10:00-10:30 a.m. | |
| Canada Practice | 10:45-11:45 a.m. | |
| Sweden vs. Finland | 4:08 p.m. | |
| USA vs. Canada | 7:18 p.m. |
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