Forward Dylan Guenther didn’t think he was saying that well after scoring the winning goal for Canada on January 5, 2023 in Halifax, during the World Junior Hockey Championships.
“You never know when you will get the opportunity to win again,” he reacted, while savoring the victory, in his post-match comments.
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Now wearing the colors of the Utah Hockey Club in the National Hockey League, Guenther had just played the heroes of the ultimate duel, in a 3-2 overtime victory against the Czech Republic, after completing an extraordinary play with Quebecer Joshua Roy. Since then, the Czechs have avenged this defeat twice rather than once, eliminating Canada in the quarter-finals, in quick succession, during the 2024 and 2025 editions of the tournament.
Players from the Canadian team also looked down on their faces on January 2, 2024 in Gothenburg, Sweden, after the defeat suffered in the quarter-final against the Czech Republic at the World Junior Hockey Championships.
Photo Adam Ihse / AFP / Archives
The World Junior Hockey Championships being what they are, a true holiday tradition for sports fans in Canada, the disappointment is strong. However, these results are not simple exceptions when we even analyze the recent performances of Canadian men’s teams on the international scene. Rather, we are talking about one failure among many others.
The ace square is no longer a formality
The U18 World Championships, which are held in the spring, are naturally less followed, but they should nevertheless raise awareness.
Thus, on April 29, 2023, in Switzerland, Canada was humiliated 7 to 2 against Sweden in the semi-final of this competition. The representatives of the maple leaf then won the bronze with difficulty, the next day, against Slovakia, thanks to a 4-3 victory in overtime, on a goal from Macklin Celebrini. If this was not the case of Celebrini, an excellent recruit from the San Jose Sharks, several players from this team were also in Ottawa for the current World Junior Hockey Championships.
Again in 2022, in Germany, the Canadian team stupidly lost 6 to 5 in overtime against Finland, during the quarter-finals, despite two goals from hopeful Connor Bedard.
This is the new reality of international hockey: Canada is no longer as dominant. There are still triumphs here and there, like in 2023 among the juniors, but even a presence in the final four is no longer a formality.
Defending U18 champion
It’s not all doom and gloom, as Canada must defend its title at the U18 World Championships scheduled for Frisco and Allen, Texas, from April 23 to May 3. In fact, the Canadian team won top honors in this competition last May in Finland. The team then had to make a comeback and score four goals in the third period to beat the United States by a score of 6 to 4 in the final. Gavin McKenna had a hat trick and added an assist during this match.
“It’s the best feeling in the world,” McKenna said during the celebrations. I will always remember it.”
McKenna, who recently celebrated her 17th birthday, experienced diametrically opposed emotions in Ottawa. He will undoubtedly have the opportunity to do it again next year, in Minnesota, during the 2026 World Junior Hockey Championships. The famous tournament will then be in its 50th year.e edition. Canada has still won it 20 times, including 10 times since 2005. The most pessimistic will however point out, with good reason, that there have been only five conquests in the last 16 editions (2015, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023). The Canadian team notably experienced a drought of five years without a triumph, from 2010 to 2014. The failures are not new.
World Junior Hockey Champions (since 2010)
2024: United States
2023: CANADA
2022: CANADA
2021: United States
2020: CANADA
2019: Finland
2018: CANADA
2017: United States
2016: Finland
2015: CANADA
2014: Finland
2013: United States
2012: Sweden
2011: Russia
2010: United States
