It’s easy to put a lot of focus on the World Junior Championship from a scouting perspective. But in reality, it’s just a hockey tournament. That’s it.
It’s been 18 years since the New York Rangers effectively ended Darius Kasparaitis’ NHL career by waiving the hard-hitting defenseman and sending him to Hartford of the American Hockey League in January of 2007.
The Pittsburgh Penguins aren't historically known as a team full of enforcers, but in 2001-02, they had one of the heaviest hitters in the NHL. This dip into The Hockey News archive lands Penguins' defenseman Darius Kasparaitis among the game's best hitters, but also top notch teammate.