Kevin Fiala's season is not over yet - The IIHF Worlds are calling

Kevin Fiala

- Nationality: SUI
- DOB: 1996/07/22
- 180 cm (5'11") / 88 kg (194 lbs)
- Position: RW

- NHL Team: TBD
- NHL Draft: 2014
- Contract: 2014/15

In an insider report a month ago I have already written an article on the Swiss phenom:
http://hockeynightinswitzerland.blogspot.ch/2014/03/kevin-fiala-der-rasante-aufstieg-des.html

Now it's time to have a look why Swiss national team head coach Sean Simpson is considering Fiala for the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Belarus. It would be Fiala's third big tournament with a Swiss team after playing the 2014 World Junior Championship in Sweden and the 2014 U18 World Championship in Finland. What a year for the kid!

Here a quick overview of Kevin Fiala's stats from this season:

2014 U18 World Championship in Finland

Since the last report on March 26th 2014 the Swiss teenager has played in the 2014 U18 World Championship in Finland and was a dominant force for the Swiss team scoring a total of 4 goals and 5 assists in 5 games. He was his team's best scorer and 6th overall in tournament scoring. 

Kevin Fiala: 9 points in 5 games.

Switzerland was a tough opponent for Team Canada in the Quarterfinals. Down by a goal Fiala scored the equalizer on the powerplay with under 5 minutes to go. A big upset was up in the air. But the Canadians took home the win with the game winning goal by Travis Konecny with only 30 seconds left in regulation. Canada hung on to the 3-2 lead and advanced to the semifinals. As most of the times in the U18 Worlds Canada's best players weren't avaible as the were still playing in the playoffs for their respective junior teams. Players such as Aaron Ekblad, Sam Bennett, Michael Dal Colle or Brendan Perlini - all of them projected to go in the top 1o at the upcoming NHL Entry Draft - weren't available. Neither was Connor McDavid who is projected to go number 1 overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

Kevin Fiala sure to go in the first round

Fiala's stock for the NHL Entry Draft has risen significantly since his performance at the World Junior Championship in Sweden. The Swiss forward didn't capture the rookie of the year award in Sweden (Maple Leaf's prospect Andreas Johnson received the award), but he is currently projected to go somewhere in between 20 and 30. If he were to make the Swiss national team for the 2014 World Championship in Belarus, who knows what still can happen. 

World Junior Championship, U18 World Championship
and World Championship in half a year?

A golden opportunity

Head coach Sean Simpson has experienced a lot of declinations from his players. Something common in a season with the Olympic tournament and the Worlds just 3 months later. It's always a great opportunity for younger players to take the spotlight and shine. If Fiala will get an opportunity to showcase himself at the Worlds is uncertain at this point. He will get a chance to make a case for himself this coming Friday in an exhibition game against Germany and maybe even next Tuesday in the final preparation game against Team Canada. So, a lot of things can still happen before the 2014 NHL Entry Draft in Philadelphia at the end of June. To be continued...


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