Make no mistake, Canada had all the talent needed in its roster to beat countries like Latvia and Czechia. Talent alone does not explain Canada’s discomfiture.
Nevertheless, the talent of the national team left a lot of it at home. Even though head coach Dave Cameron made a series of clumsy decisions, he could have been given better horses – although we suspect he was involved in the selection process.
Here are six players who could have helped Junior Team Canada and who either did not receive an invitation to selection camp or were cut from the final roster.
Carter Yakemchuk
The right-hander almost earned a spot with the Ottawa Senators in his first National Hockey League training camp. He has a cannon shot, he is robust, he can drive a numerical advantage. He had all the assets to help Canada. We didn’t even deign to invite him, preferring among others Andrew Gibson, an honest defender who doesn’t even have a third of Yakemchuk’s talent. Go figure.
Zayne Parekh
Canada had a hard time scoring goals during the tournament. And when star defender Matthew Schaefer was injured, the transition game suffered greatly.
Meanwhile, Canada’s top junior offensive defenseman was in the comfort of home. Olivier Bonk or Parekh on the power play?
Beckett Sennecke
This one was frankly difficult to understand, because Sennecke seemed tailor-made for Team Canada and he had distinguished himself during the summer camp.
Sennecke has the size and natural skills to make a difference and he is progressing visibly. It would have added some weight to the wings. His one-timer would also have been a threat on the massive attack.
Marc DesRosiers-QMI Agency
Michael Misa
Contending for the first overall pick this season, Misa boasts almost two points per game this season with the Saginaw Spirit. In the entire Canadian major junior, there are only two players who have scored more goals than him: Sam Olivier, 20-year-old player for the Drummondville Voltigeurs, and Nick Lardis, prospect for the Chicago Blackhawks.
Andrew Crystal
We can blame him for certain flaws, but all this forward does is produce: 111 points in 62 games last year and 57 in just 26 games so far this season. Cristall would have brought another dimension to Canada’s game in possession of the puck.
Michael Hage
In the NCAA, the Montreal Canadiens prospect drags a rather ordinary team, the University of Michigan, on his shoulders as a first-year player. He could have been used in the center or on the wing. His skills with the disc could have opened the game for an attacker like Gavin McKenna.
Honorable mentions: Matthew Wood, Terik Parascak, Liam Greentree, Henry Mews, Étienne Morin
