When you think Will Zellers' stock can't rise any further, he does something even more incredible. Zellers didn't seem like a significant part of the Boston Bruins' future when they acquired him in the Charlie Coyle trade, but he has done no wrong since joining the organization.
First, he capped his stellar USHL season by winning the league's MVP award. Then, he took the University of North Dakota by storm as a freshman and forced his way onto Team USA's preliminary roster for the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Zellers still had an outside chance of making that roster, but after a great camp, he was in the tournament-opening lineup for Team USA's first game against Team Germany. Zellers was on the team's fourth line for the opener, but he was one of the team's best players after 60 minutes.
The sniper scored two goals and added an assist to pace the USA to a 6-3 victory. On a roster with plenty of NHL prospects, it was Zellers who received the recognition for the victory, which should tell you everything you need to know about the prospect's rise. To go from a relative unknown to one of the stars of the tournament's first day is a meteoric rise.
WILL ZELLERS HAS HIS SECOND! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/deOfUI2pQO
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 27, 2025
The world is going to see what Bruins fans who have been following Zellers since the trade already know. The kid can absolutely rip a puck, and it's a skill that is going to be easily transferred to the pro game once he finally signs his entry-level deal with the Bruins.
Brendan McMorrow was the team's Player of the Game, but given the Zellers' stat line, it's believed the off-ice officials mixed up the #12 with the #22. While on paper it wasn't his honor, it's pretty clear that the USA's Player of the first Game was someone who wasn't even on their preliminary roster a month ago until they added him late.