Connor Bedard sees the reminder every time heB次元官网网址檚 back home.
His gold medal from the last world junior hockey championship B次元官网网址� a tournament that was moved to the summer and almost didnB次元官网网址檛 happen because of COVID-19 B次元官网网址� hangs in the 17-year-old phenomB次元官网网址檚 bedroom.
And the presumptive No. 1 pick at the 2023 NHL draft is eager for more.
B次元官网网址淔eels like when you win it, it lasts 10 minutes,B次元官网网址� Bedard said. B次元官网网址淵ou want that again right away.B次元官网网址�
Another opportunity is right around the corner.
Bedard headlines a star-studded Canadian roster that will be looking to secure the countryB次元官网网址檚 20 podium-topping performance at the event set to open Boxing Day in Halifax and Moncton, N.B.
Apart from the North Vancouver, B.C., product, already being compared to the likes of Connor McDavid and other franchise-altering talents, Canada boasts a trio of NHL players loaned to the national team in Shane Wright, Dylan Guenther and Brandt Clarke.
B次元官网网址淲orld juniors are something that you grew up watching as a kid and dream playing in,B次元官网网址� said Wright, a centre selected No. 4 overall by the Seattle Kraken at the 2021 draft. B次元官网网址淎 huge honour.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 want to get too ahead of ourselves,B次元官网网址� added Guenther, a forward with the Arizona Coyotes. B次元官网网址淥ne last shot at winning a world junior championship is special.B次元官网网址�
Bedard said CanadaB次元官网网址檚 roster will feature B次元官网网址渁 bit of everything.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲henever youB次元官网网址檙e assembling a team across Canada, itB次元官网网址檚 going to be pretty good,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got a lot of size, weB次元官网网址檝e got speed, skill. ItB次元官网网址檚 huge getting those (NHL) guys back.
B次元官网网址淭hose are all impact players in the best league in the world.B次元官网网址�
Adam Fantilli B次元官网网址� also in the conversation at the top of the upcoming NHL draft B次元官网网址� has been impressed with the roster top-to-bottom.
B次元官网网址淭he best players in the country in one spot,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淕reat to see what everybody can do.B次元官网网址�
Canada opens the tournament Monday against Czechia, the country commonly known as the Czech Republic, as part of a group playing out of HalifaxB次元官网网址檚 Scotiabank Centre that includes Sweden, Germany and Austria.
The other side of the bracket is set for MonctonB次元官网网址檚 Avenir Centre and will feature the United States, Finland, Switzerland, Slovakia and Latvia.
Like at the reimagined August event in Edmonton, Russia is banned due to the countryB次元官网网址檚 invasion of Ukraine. The 2023 tournament was originally slated for the Russian cities of Novosibirsk and Omsk before being moved to North America.
Canada, which sits as the favourite, also enters with the pressure of a home-soil crowd and sky-high expectations.
B次元官网网址淎 privilege,B次元官网网址� said head coach Dennis Williams. B次元官网网址淵ou want to be put in these positions. We have to make sure we have our players able to be play uncomfortable B次元官网网址� being comfortable at being uncomfortable in those situations.B次元官网网址�
Canadian winger Brennan Othmann said the group will be able to attack in a number of different ways.
B次元官网网址淥ur back end is mean and solid and tough, and our forwards are skilled and big and strong,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e going to get an unbelievable Canada team coming at you.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 see a lot of talent,B次元官网网址� added Clarke, a Los Angeles Kings defenceman set for his first world juniors. B次元官网网址淎nd thereB次元官网网址檚 guys that can play lower in the lineup, can grind it out, can win puck battles that are really tough to play against.B次元官网网址�
Hockey Canada director of player personnel Alan Millar said thereB次元官网网址檚 no doubt skill was a focus in roster construction.
B次元官网网址淏ut at the same time, we want to have heaviness throughout our lineup,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e want to play fast, we want to play hard, and we want to compete and put teams on their heels.B次元官网网址�
The tournament also comes at a time where the sportB次元官网网址檚 national organization is undergoing significant change following a disastrous 2022 of ugly headlines related to its handling of sexual assault allegations and payouts to victims.
Hockey Canada has a new board of directors and should have a freshly minted CEO in the new year.
The players and coaching staff at the world juniors have no connection to the scandals, but theyB次元官网网址檙e still going to be wearing the logo B次元官网网址� and know there will be a lot of scrutiny.
B次元官网网址淲e want to make sure we keep that focus on how we do things both on and off the ice,B次元官网网址� Willliams said. B次元官网网址淲e want to minimize any distractions B次元官网网址� whether itB次元官网网址檚 through the pressure or anything on the outside.
B次元官网网址淥ur guys are coming in excited, our guys are coming in determined.B次元官网网址�
And gold B次元官网网址� just like every other international tournament Canada enters B次元官网网址� is on their mind.
B次元官网网址淎ll the guys that are coming back really want that,B次元官网网址� Bedard said of the countryB次元官网网址檚 eight returning players from the summer.
B次元官网网址淎nd for the guys that are new, itB次元官网网址檚 something that we want to give them.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址擩oshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
