Washington Capitals prospect Haakon Hanelt has traveled to Halifax as part of Team Germany’s 2023 World Junior Championship team. He is one of 26 players in the German team’s pre-tournament camp.

Hanelt was selected by the Capitals in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Draft.

Hanelt is ready for his second U-20 World Juniors tournament with Germany as he recorded two points in five games during the 2022 version. Technically, teams are still in the provisional “camp” stage with their rosters and Germany likely needs to cut one more player before the tournament is to begin. Hanelt is not in danger of being that player as he is one of only three NHL draftees in the group.

25 players will eventually be credentialed on the roster, but only a max of 23 can be registered at any time during the action. If a player is injured or ill, they can be replaced by one of the credentialed extras, but cannot return to the tournament once replaced. This “bring 25 players but play just 23 of them” is a new provision that the IIHF is implementing this year.

Hanelt has 17 points (3g, 14a) in 28 games for the Gatineau Olympiques in the QMJHL this season. He scored a game-winning goal against Switzerland to send Germany to the World Junior quarterfinals last year.

Speed AND finish from Haakon Hanelt! 🇩🇪#WorldJuniors | @OlympiquesGAT pic.twitter.com/feZDsVjQMs

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) August 14, 2022

The 2023 WJC begins on Monday, December 26, 2022, and ends on Thursday, January, 5, 2023. The tournament is being held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.

Headline photo: Cara Bahniuk/RMNB