In a roster release on Wednesday, Hockey Canada named the No. 3 Michigan hockey team’s sophomore forward Kent Johnson and sophomore defenseman Owen Power to its 2022 Preliminary National Junior Team Roster.
Johnson and Power join a World Junior Ice Hockey Tournament lineup that’s already loaded with Wolverine skaters. Yesterday, USA Hockey named sophomore forwards Matty Beniers and Thomas Bordeleau, sophomore defenseman Jacob Truscott, freshman forward Mackie Samoskevich and freshman defenseman Luke Hughes to its 2022 preliminary roster.
Power and Johnson tie as Michigan’s point leaders with 23 each, and are tied for 10th in the nation in points-per-game at 1.44. They have been hyper-productive on the ice, as Power and Johnson sport plus/minuses of plus 12 and 13, respectively.
Power, the first selection in the 2021 NHL draft, leaves his implant on every aspect of the game. Towering over the opposition at 6-foot-5, Power not only facilitates offense from the blue line, but dominates opposing offenses — already totaling 19 blocks on the young season.
Johnson is a facilitator with the puck, assisting on 19 goals on the season, second only to Power with 20. The duo have great chemistry, and will be a tremendous asset to Canada as it faces a talented World Junior Field.
The tournament will run from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. In that span, Power and Johnson — along with their five teammates on the U.S. team — will miss the Wolverines’ Great Lakes Invitational versus Michigan Tech and No. 6 Western Michigan.
Canada will compete in Group A with Austria, Czech Republic, Finland and Germany. With a talented roster including Power and Johnson, Canada will pose challenges for opposing teams.