Tom Willander removed from World Junior Roster: We have the details
Even though the World Junior Championship won't take place for another four months, teams have begun their preparations as the summer showcase is about to take place.
In a surprising turn of events, the Sweden team made an announcement that left every Canucks fan concerned. The Swedes announced that Tom Willander had been removed from their World Junior Summer Showcase roster and that Arvid Bergstrom had taken his place. Willander was considered a sure thing for the international event, given his production and the fact that he was a team member who took part in the 2024 tournament:
Translates to;
Change in the squad: Tom Willander is out. Arvid Bergström replaces.
Rick Dhaliwal delivers reassuring update
Consternation took over social media, but Rick Dhaliwal came back from vacation to deliver a reassuring update on the Canucks' top defensive prospect. After talking to his advisor (agent), Dhaliwal revealed that a minor lower-body injury was keeping Willander off the ice, explaining his absence from the World Junior Summer Showcase taking place this week in Sweden:
Willander will be ready for the NCAA season with BU.
Off-season injuries aren't rare; at this point, everyone seems confident that he'll be back at 100% for his season debut with Boston University. After collecting 25 points in 38 games during his Freshman season, the young Swede will look to improve his numbers and show that he belongs to the next level. His head coach at BU expects him to have a more significant role, meaning Willander will have plenty of opportunities to show the full extent of his talent.
| POLL | ||
Do you see Tom Willander joining the Canucks at the end of his current season? | ||
| Yes | 158 | 34.3 % |
| No, he's headed to Abby | 226 | 49 % |
| No, he's going back for a 3rd year. | 66 | 14.3 % |
| See Results | 11 | 2.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
