The third day of the year will, without doubt, be an unofficial day of mourning across Canada. Why? Because their World Juniors team was beaten in thrilling and somewhat surprising fashion, 6-5 by Finland in Helsinki, sending home the perennial gold-medal winners before the semi-final stage.
In one of the most uneven performances in recent history for the Canadians, it’s over before the games get really serious. A first-up loss to archrivals America was followed by a 6-1 demolition of Denmark, a narrow shootout win against Switzerland that required a herculean comeback after going down two. Then, the Canadians lost 5-2 to Sweden before their quarterfinal demise at the hands of the Swiss.
Make no mistake, the World Juniors are a big deal in Canada. If you’ve spent any time there in the Christmas-New Year period you’ll know what I’m talking about. For weeks and months before the tournament, there’s speculation and debate about the roster, and always plenty of controversy surrounding who’s picked and who isn’t.
Then, the games themselves, which draw mammoth television numbers. Canada seems to momentarily forget their NHL allegiances in order to cheer on their national team, one made up of players under twenty years old, with the weight of a hockey-mad nation conditioned to expect World Juniors success.
Thus, the 2015-16 tournament will be remembered for all the wrong reasons across the Great White North, but elsewhere, Canada’s early exit from a tournament they’ve dominated since it’s inception, will be greeted with great cheer. Why? Because it means that the international game, at least at a junior level, is alive and well. Contrary to what Canadians might tell you, their domination of the tournament isn’t a good thing for world hockey.
We want to see parity, and the fact that the team who’re almost always favourites heading into a World Juniors tournament, lost thrice on the way to a quarter final exit means that the rest of the world is catching up. Some years, pucks bounce the wrong way and there are bad calls leading to a squad’s early demise, but this year it was simply that Canada were outplayed. The Americans jumped them early, the Swedes did the same, and it was mental discipline in the form of a double-minor on Jake Virtanen compounded by a delay of game minor on Joe Hicketts that allowed Finland to score the go-ahead marker, ensuring that Canada will miss the semi-finals for the first time since 1998.
There will be talk in Canada and elsewhere surrounding the goalie situation. Finland pulled their starter after he surrendered three goals on ten shots, and managed to right their ship. On the Canadian side, we didn’t see a goalie change, Mackenzie Blackwood going all the way. Mason McDonald didn’t get a chance to have an impact, and that will surely earn coach Dave Lowry some enmity.
What pleases me about Canada’s exit is the spotlight is shining elsewhere now. It’s easy to get blinded by the ridiculous talent out of Canada, but the narrative of the business end of the tournament will now be driven by others, and deservedly so. Change is good, and we’re seeing it in Helsinki this week.
Instead of focusing on a litany of Canadian stars, this tournament will be remembered for the emergence of Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Auston Matthews, the USA star whose hat trick propelled the Americans to a 7-0 quarter-final win over the Czech Republic. Finland’s double-shot of offensive power, Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljujarvi helped their country into the semis, with a timely assist from Kaapo Kahkonen, the backup goalie turned national hero.
Elsewhere, Swiss forward Nico Hischier is another to watch, currently doing his best to ensure his country remains in the top division by way of winning relegation round games. Sweden’s classy forward Alexander Nylander leads his country with four goals and five assists. And Russia’s close quarter final win over the spirited Danes was fuelled by a two-goal performance – one in overtime to win the game – from Nashville draft pick Vladislav Kamenev.
It’s not exactly a stretch to say that if Canada was still a part of the tournament, and dominating media coverage as it does (and that’s not a knock on Canada, whose travelling hordes of supporters had such a great element to this tournament) there wouldn’t be as much attention on talented players who are certainly deserving of it. What Canada’s early exit does do is allow us to notice other players, in what is arguably the most talent-laden tournament in years.
Best of all? It’s the business end of an intriguing tournament. Heading into the semi-finals, the whole thing is up for grabs, and it’s anyone’s guess as to which way it goes. On any given day, the Americans, Swedes, Fins and Russians are all capable of winning gold. Parity is alive and well. For hockey fans, that’s fantastic.
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