Victor Mete is uncertain of what’s next for him after winning gold at the world junior hockey championship.
The 2016 fourth-round pick of the Canadiens started the season in Montreal and played 27 games with the Habs before he was loaned to Hockey Canada for the world juniors.
Mete is eligible to return to Montreal since he was on loan, or he can be sent to the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.
A return to the OHL makes Mete eligible to represent Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics in February. Canada’s Olympic management team, led by general manager Sean Burke, was in attendance scouting during the Under-20 tournament.
“It’d be pretty special, crazy year for sure, jumping from team to team,” Mete said of potentially representing Canada at Pyeongchang. “It’s special for sure, obviously. I don’t know what’s going on yet, but if I go there, that’s an honour too.”
The 19-year-old contributed an assist in Canada’s 3-1 win over Sweden in the gold-medal game on Friday.
In the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Drake Batherson, who led all Canadian scorers with seven goals, will be joining an entirely different team as he was traded from the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles to Blainville-Boisbriand Armada during the world juniors.
The trade will reunite the Ottawa Senators prospect with Canadian world junior general manager Joel Bouchard.
The 19-year-old had 17 goals and a team-leading 39 points prior to leaving the Screaming Eagles to join Hockey Canada.
“It’s definitely going to be a different change for sure,” Batherson said. “I’m just excited for the new opportunity.”
Defenceman Connor Timmins and forward Boris Katchouk will rejoin the hottest team in the OHL — the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Sault Ste. Marie extended its streak without a regulation loss to 25 games (24-0-1) with a 3-2 overtime win on Friday night.
Timmins and Katchouk are hoping to be joined on the Greyhounds by their world junior teammate Taylor Raddysh, who is currently with the Erie Otters.
Timmins said he’s had discussions with Raddysh about a trade rumours and has visions of where the forward fits in with the Greyhounds.
“I think he’s obviously a really efficient goal-scorer, he knows where to go and adding him to a line with Boris and (Morgan) Frost would be really special,” said Timmins. “If he does come, it’d be a really nice addition to our team.”
Dhiren Mahiban, The Canadian Press