Andrew Mangiapane with the MVP award.
photo: Andre Ringuette / HHOF-IIHF Images
Andrew Mangiapane was named as the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship MVP after his arrival sparked Canada’s golden run.
The 25-year-old Flames forward arrived in Riga for his first taste of IIHF play and joined a roster limping on 0-and-3 after a nightmare start. But Mangiapane galvanised the team, forming an instant partnership with Connor Brown and Adam Henrique to prompt a revival that took the Canadians all the way to the big prize. Mangiapane shared top spot in the goalscoring race with seven tallies in that run and had a further five helpers.
The other seven-goal forward in Latvia was Great Britain’s Liam Kirk. That's the first time a Brit has featured so highly since Gerry Davey in 1938. The 21-year-old, the first English born and developed player to be selected in an NHL draft, led the way for his country. His two goals against Belarus set up GB’s first regulation time victory at this level since 1962 and helped to earn him a place alongside Mangiapane in the media’s All-Star select. The third forward to make that team was Conor Garland, whose 13 (6+7) points for team USA placed him second in overall scoring and helped to secure a bronze for the Americans.
On defence, it was the Germans who caught the eye. Moritz Seider and Korbinian Holzer were the media’s pick after helping their nation to its best result since 2010. Holzer, who wore the ‘A’ as the Germans advanced to the medal round, had 4 (2+2) points and a +6 rating. Seider, still only 20, brought an assured, mature presence to the blue line that belied his youth and showed just why he was a first-round draft pick for the Red Wings back in 2019.
Finland’s run to the gold-medal game was built on solid goaltending, and Jussi Olkinuora got the nod as the media’s top netminder. Prior to the final, the 30-year-old Metallurg Magnitogorsk goalie had five wins with a GAA of 1.15 and a 95.3% save ratio.
The tournament directorate also selected its top three players, with Seider getting the thumbs-up as the leading defenceman. There was also recognition for American goalie Cal Petersen, who also cleared 95% saves as he backstopped the bronze-medal campaign. And Slovakia’s Peter Cehlarik, who led his team in scoring through a strong group stage campaign, was nominated as the best forward after contributing 11 (5+6) points from eight games as the Slovaks reached the QF for the first time since 2013.
Individual awards selected by the tournament directorate:
Best goalie: Cal Petersen (USA)
Best defenceman: Moritz Seider (GER)
Best forward: Peter Cehlarik (SVK)
Most valuable player selected by the media
Andrew Mangiapane (CAN)
All-Star Team selected by the media
GK: Jussi Olkinuora (FIN)
DE: Korbinian Holzer (GER)
DE: Moritz Seider (GER)
FW: Andrew Mangiapane (CAN)
FW: Conor Garland (USA)
FW: Liam Kirk (GBR)
The 25-year-old Flames forward arrived in Riga for his first taste of IIHF play and joined a roster limping on 0-and-3 after a nightmare start. But Mangiapane galvanised the team, forming an instant partnership with Connor Brown and Adam Henrique to prompt a revival that took the Canadians all the way to the big prize. Mangiapane shared top spot in the goalscoring race with seven tallies in that run and had a further five helpers.
The other seven-goal forward in Latvia was Great Britain’s Liam Kirk. That's the first time a Brit has featured so highly since Gerry Davey in 1938. The 21-year-old, the first English born and developed player to be selected in an NHL draft, led the way for his country. His two goals against Belarus set up GB’s first regulation time victory at this level since 1962 and helped to earn him a place alongside Mangiapane in the media’s All-Star select. The third forward to make that team was Conor Garland, whose 13 (6+7) points for team USA placed him second in overall scoring and helped to secure a bronze for the Americans.
On defence, it was the Germans who caught the eye. Moritz Seider and Korbinian Holzer were the media’s pick after helping their nation to its best result since 2010. Holzer, who wore the ‘A’ as the Germans advanced to the medal round, had 4 (2+2) points and a +6 rating. Seider, still only 20, brought an assured, mature presence to the blue line that belied his youth and showed just why he was a first-round draft pick for the Red Wings back in 2019.
Finland’s run to the gold-medal game was built on solid goaltending, and Jussi Olkinuora got the nod as the media’s top netminder. Prior to the final, the 30-year-old Metallurg Magnitogorsk goalie had five wins with a GAA of 1.15 and a 95.3% save ratio.
The tournament directorate also selected its top three players, with Seider getting the thumbs-up as the leading defenceman. There was also recognition for American goalie Cal Petersen, who also cleared 95% saves as he backstopped the bronze-medal campaign. And Slovakia’s Peter Cehlarik, who led his team in scoring through a strong group stage campaign, was nominated as the best forward after contributing 11 (5+6) points from eight games as the Slovaks reached the QF for the first time since 2013.
Individual awards selected by the tournament directorate:
Best goalie: Cal Petersen (USA)
Best defenceman: Moritz Seider (GER)
Best forward: Peter Cehlarik (SVK)
Most valuable player selected by the media
Andrew Mangiapane (CAN)
All-Star Team selected by the media
GK: Jussi Olkinuora (FIN)
DE: Korbinian Holzer (GER)
DE: Moritz Seider (GER)
FW: Andrew Mangiapane (CAN)
FW: Conor Garland (USA)
FW: Liam Kirk (GBR)