Every year, the European leagues take a break several times to play national team tournaments, collectively called the Euro Hockey Tour.  Sweden, Finland, Russia and the Czech Republic send teams to compete, and it’s a chance for the various national team programs to try out young players and solidify their choices for the World Championships in the spring.

The first event is the Karjala Cup in Finland, and for this year’s tournament, the Toronto Maple Leafs 31st overall pick, 20-year-old Yegor Korshkov is on the roster for Team Russia.

He is joined by teammate and linemate Pavel Kraskovsky.  The pair played together last year in Helsinki at the World Junior Championships, and to come back one year later on the Russian National team is a rapid step up for the two young players.  The Russians are sending a very young team to this event, providing a look at many newly drafted players still playing in the KHL.

In contrast, Sweden is sending a much more mature lineup that includes two of Frölunda’s top forwards as opposed to Leafs draft pick Carl Grundström, who is at about Korshkov’s level.

Maple Leafs Prospects