World Junior Championship | Canada makes a successful return to school

Finland is probably the most unpredictable nation every time the World Junior Championship begins.

Take 2017. A lineup full of young stars. Two defenders drafted in the top 5Miro Heiskanen and Olli Juolevi. Sleep top 4 complemented by two guards drafted in the first round, Juuso Valimaki and Urho Vaakanainen.

Good attacking potential with Eeli Tolvanen, Kristian Vesalainen and Henri Borgström, all drafted in the first round, to compensate for the departures of Patrik Laine, Jesse Puljujarvi and Sebastian Aho. What we lost on offense, we gained on defense.

In a twist, Finland did not qualify for the quarter-finals! The coach was sacked even before the relegation matches against Latvia and we narrowly avoided disaster.

There were no stars in 2022, other than maybe Joakim Kemell. But around ten players returned from the previous tournament. And this time, the coach pressed the right buttons. Finland’s collective play was up to the task and reached the final, a second medal after the bronze in 2021.

After the golden years, between 2016 and 2018, where Finland saw one of its sons drafted each year among the top five by NHL teams, this nation of only 5.5 million inhabitants is experiencing a certain low point. of wave in terms of the hopes of the National League.

Center Konsta Helenius was drafted at 14^e ranked by the Buffalo Sabers last summer, Emil Hemming at 29^e ranked by Dallas, but there have been none in the first round in 2023.

This drought hurts the 2025 team, which does not have a large cohort of 19-year-old players, and only six players returning from the previous year. But this country, we said earlier, is capable of surprising when we least expect it.

Finland thus constituted an interesting challenge for Canada at the opening of the World Junior Championship, Thursday evening, a certain barometer match, much more than the clash against Latvia, scheduled for this Friday, should be.

Canada wanted to regain its power ranking after a disappointing fifth place in 2024, despite the presence of Macklin Celebrini and a slew of first-round picks.

We are counting on the return of only five players from last year, but this year, we did not hesitate to entrust positions to players aged 18 and under with a bright future, Gavin McKenna, Mathew Schaefer and Porter Martone, all likely choices in the top 3 these next few years.

In this sense, Canada’s 4-0 victory at the tournament opener is reassuring. Despite Finland’s unpredictability, this nation remains a power, along with Canada, the United States and Sweden.

Also, Canada’s first goal is significant. Hockey Canada generally does not trust younger players. But he broke that unwritten law this year by giving positions to 17-year-old Gavin McKenna, a likely top pick in 2026, 18-year-old Porter Martone, and 17-year-old defenseman Gavin Matthew Schaefer.

McKenna scored the first goal, on a pass from Schaefer. He added a goal in an empty net. Martone should be drafted in the top 3 in 2025, but don’t be surprised if Schaefer beats American James Hagens to the top spot next summer.

Carter George pitched the shutout for the Canadian team. His name may not mean much in Quebec, but there is a link with the Canadian.

The CH ceded its 57 to the Los Angeles Kings^e total choice in 2024 to move from 26^e au 21^e row and get their hands on center Michael Hage. Los Angeles drafted Liam Greentree at 26^e rank… and George at 57^e. Time will tell who had the advantage! But that’s just one match at the World Junior Championship…