Owen Beck — a Montreal Canadiens prospect — is the one returning participant from 2023.
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Alan Letang isn’t targeted on the absences.
It doesn’t do Canada’s head coach any good.
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“We’re lacking what we miss,” Letang mentioned. “There’s nothing we will do about that.”
The under-20 males’s nationwide workforce will probably be with no handful of mouth-watering eligible NHLers when it opens the world junior hockey championship Tuesday in opposition to Finland.
Letang, nevertheless, is solely targeted on the gamers within the fold as Canada appears to be like to safe a 3rd consecutive gold medal — and the match’s first three-peat because the nation topped the rostrum 5 straight occasions between 2005 and 2009.
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“We’ve bought the group we’ve,” Letang continued. “If we win with 4 strains, there’s nothing flawed with that. If you happen to don’t have the famous person, everybody will get to contribute.
“Canada’s depth is the large benefit.”
Gamers within the execs skipping the annual vacation showcase embrace potential returnees Connor Bedard — who rewrote Canada’s document guide final yr in Halifax and was at all times extremely unlikely to play in 2024 — Adam Fantilli, Shane Wright and Kevin Korchinski, whereas Zach Benson might have additionally been within the combine.
Regardless of lacking these huge names, the group set to hit the ice in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Boxing Day nonetheless has lots to supply.
“A workforce that’s over the boards,” Letang mentioned. “A workforce by committee the place everybody’s chipping in.”
Macklin Celebrini, the presumptive No. 1 choose on the coming NHL draft, leads the ahead group together with Conor Geekie, Matthew Savoie and Owen Beck — a Montreal Canadiens prospect and the one returning participant from 2023 — whereas the defence corps is anchored by Denton Mateychuk and Maveric Lamoureux.
“You possibly can’t conceal away from the truth that there’s some guys that might be right here that aren’t, however we’ve a fantastic group,” mentioned Celebrini, a 17-year-old standout at Boston College this season. “A variety of particular gamers in that locker room.”
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The goaltending stays the same old query mark, with Scott Ratzlaff, Mathis Rousseau and Samuel St-Hilaire all trying to stake their crease declare, however the squad bought a lift when the Boston Bruins loaned centre Matthew Poitras, who has 13 factors in 27 video games this season, to Canada at some stage in the match.
Beck, Fraser Minten and Matthew Savoie, in the meantime, have performed six mixed NHL contests.
“The entire nation’s riveted on Boxing Day,” mentioned Letang, who was an assistant when Canada received gold in 2020 and 2023. “These children haven’t gone via that but. There’ll be nerves, there’ll be some studying curve.
“They’re excited to get their second.”
An skilled United States roster and hosts Sweden are seen as favourites on the surface, however that doesn’t trouble Canada.
“Completely a fantastic honour,” Mateychuk mentioned of pulling on the purple Maple Leaf. “Simply going to the camps previously, they at all times present you these world junior targets, these huge moments.”
One phrase is persistently getting thrown round by gamers and workers alike when requested what stands concerning the roster.
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“Relentless,” Geekie mentioned.
“Relentless and resilient,” Letang added. “That’s bought to be our group and that’s bought to be our mindset. All of us have one thing to show to one another, and to everyone.”
Hockey Canada govt Scott Salmond chipped in with a pair extra adjectives.
“Aggressive, tenacious, relentless,” he mentioned. “With out these star gamers, everyone’s bought to do extra.
“We’re going to return at groups in waves.”
Canada is in Group A with Finland, Sweden, Latvia and Germany. The medal spherical begins Jan. 2, with the ultimate set for Jan. 5 at Gothenburg’s Scandinavium enviornment.
A mid-tournament harm alternative final yr, Beck has handed on as a lot data as he can from the expertise in Halifax.
“I understand how vital each play is, each second of the sport is,” he mentioned. “Each little second actually issues. It could not look like it, however each blocked shot, each backcheck, each faceoff issues … each little second counts.”
Letang mentioned staying in these moments — and coping with the tough ones with a stage head — will probably be key.
“We all know what we’re going to return up in opposition to,” he mentioned. “We all know the groups we’re going to face, we all know it’s in Europe, we all know the depth, we all know how vital these little moments are.
“If we simply keep targeted and keep true to that identification, we’ll be wonderful.”
An identification, not less than in line with everybody inside Canada’s setup, that begins with being relentless.
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