Thousands of hockey fans are anticipated to fill a Langley arena to catch an exhibition game for the upcoming IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and they will be cheering for an unlikely lineup: Team USA.

It's for good reason. Team Canada isn't playing on Saturday night and two up-and-coming Vancouver Canucks are expected to steal the show.

Defenceman Quinn Hughes, who was drafted seventh overall in last summer's NHL entry draft, will hit the ice in front of local fans for the first time.

"It should be exciting. I hear the atmosphere is great here and the crowd, from what I heard, is going to be great tonight,” he said. "I think it's a great tournament, great event. Something every kid dreams of playing. For me, I think it's awesome and I'm really excited.”

The 19-year-old won a bronze medal in the 2018 World Junior Championships with the United States and was the sixth-ranked North American skater by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau.

While he said he's focused on the World Juniors, he's also been captivated by what he's seen so far from the current Canucks roster.

"It's been fun to watch, obviously, they're having a really good year so far, and some of their young players have been really fun to watch."

Hughes isn't the only potential Canuck to watch. Third-rounder Tyler Madden will also be making his debut in the Lower Mainland.

"It's going to be nice to play near Vancouver. So we'll get some fans tonight and they'll get to see me play, so I'm excited about it," he said. "I just want to show my skill, what I can do."

The tournament gets underway Dec. 26 and will be held in Vancouver and Victoria.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Emand Agahi and The Canadian Press