Juniors in the NHL

The NHL season starts tonight, so a quick look at the junior-eligible players who are still on NHL rosters as the season begins.

Should these players remain in the NHL and not be released by their NHL clubs, these are who the respective World Junior teams could be missing come Christmastime:

Canada:

Michael del Zotto (D) - NY Rangers

Matt Duchene (F) - Colorado

Evander Kane (F) - Atlanta

Tyler Myers (D) - Buffalo

Ryan O'Reilly (F) - Colorado

Alex Pietrangelo (D) - St. Louis

Steven Stamkos (F) - Tampa Bay (played 08-09 in NHL)

John Tavares (F) - NY Islanders

James Wright (F) - Tampa Bay

Russia:

Nikita Filatov (F) - Columbus

Dmitri Kulikov (D) - Florida

Sweden:

Erik Karlsson (D) - Ottawa

Viktor Hedman (D) - Tampa Bay

Switzerland:

Luca Sbisa (D) - Anaheim (played half of 08-09 in NHL)

USA:

Zach Bogosian (D) - Atlanta (played 08-09 in NHL)

WHLers are bolded.

At least a few of these players will no doubt be reassigned by their NHL clubs by the gatepost 10 game mark of the NHL season, so some of them will definitely be returned to junior and/or available at the WJCs.

Personally, I think as many as half of them are better off playing in the junior ranks again this year instead of in the NHL. But I see Tampa Bay, the best-run franchise in hockey, has THREE junior-aged players on their 23 man roster, so what do I know, really.