Evaluating Team Canada's Performances at the 2024 World Juniors

     

A disappointed squad (Getty Images)

    Team Canada has earned a lot of credit in the bank on the international scene, particularly at the U20 level. 20 gold medals, including victories at the last two tournaments, is likely to allow for some leeway in terms of reputation. That does not nullify the disappointment that was the 2024 edition of the World Junior Championship. 
    It is worth recalling the ambitions of the Canadian squad prior to the group stage. On pure talent level, Canada were not the betting favourites. The American team, which eventually prevailed, seemed to be a better team than the Canadians. There was an argument that the Swedes, particularly with the boost from the Gothenburg crowds, may have had a better medal chance than Canada as well.

    It was always going to be an impossible task to recruit Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli for the tourney. Shane Wright, Kevin Korchinski, and Zach Benson were likely always going to stay at their parent clubs for different reasons. Tristan Luneau and Tanner Molendyk would have been two mainstays on Canada's blue line if not for unfortunate injuries to the pair. Regardless, you can only make so many excuses for a team that obviously underperformed.

    Criticism must be prefaced by stating that it is a dangerous game to judge such young players on the basis of a brief sample. My scouting exercise isn't meant to kill anybody's confidence or attack humans in their development stage. I was disappointed by Canada's performance; it was hardly a national disgrace. Hockey is an unpredictable sport, which anybody can identify by watching the goal that knocked Canada out of the quarterfinals. 

    Before considering the individual performances, it is worth considering the true issue for the Red and White in 2024's premier junior showcase: coaching and a lack of chemistry.

    Head coach Alan Letang was uninspiring from the start. The group stage is meant to serve as a spur for the coaching staff to utilize their vast array of weapons. Letang forwent this experimentation period; he was far too stagnant with his line jumbles. By the time he truly delved into Canada's roster depth, the team was down 2-0 in the knockout rounds against a talented Czechia team. 

    A lack of team chemistry was an unavoidable obstacle. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the 2004-born players. With no international showcases at the U-17 or U-18 level, assembling a 23-man squad of unfamiliar kids is bound to convolute the entire process. The entire team suffered from a lack of energy and efficient playmaking. Much of those problems stem from injuries in training camps and limited practice time together. Regardless, at times, Team Canada has had enough individual excellence to lessen the intangibles impact. Unfortunately, 2024 was not the case. There was a massive lack of star power. Aside from 17-year old Macklin Celebrini, nobody on this roster was capable of taking over a game. The United States of America, by contrast, had a handful of players that fulfill that criterion. Thus, upon pinpointing the overall team issues, it is only natural to outline the respective members of the squad.

FORWARDS

C Fraser Minten (Toronto Maple Leafs)

    Fraser Minten was misprofiled for Team Canada. Shaun Clouston, Minten's ex-coach, was on Canada's staff. It is possible that Clouston persuaded Alan Letang to use Minten in a permanently elevated role in the lineup. While Minten is clearly a good player, his position on the first power play and on Canada's scoring line was the wrong place. He was always a stride behind his quicker linemates. Minten's forechecking was much less intense than usual, perhaps a result of the larger European ice. Less explosive skaters are exposed in Europe; this was certainly the case for Minten. At a best-on-best tourney, Minten's skill was utilized improperly. Regardless, that should not create skeptics in his ability to be an effective 3C at the NHL level.

C Connor Geekie (Arizona Coyotes)

Connor Geekie (Getty Images)

    Geekie seemed better suited to the top-6 than Minten, because of his puck skills and offensive IQ. However, Geekie has never been a rapid skater. These issues were compounded in Gothenburg. Like many other Canadian forwards, he did not display dynamic speed. This reduced his impact on the scoresheet. However, there were still some plays where Geekie muscled his opponents off the puck with ease. There aren't many players with his size and skill combination. Geekie will always be relevant because of those abilities. 

RW Jordan Dumais (Columbus Blue Jackets)

    Dumais is a classic example that productivity does not always equate to ability. The Halifax Mooseheads star has flirted with 2.5 points per game in the QMJHL over the past two seasons. However, his size and lack of explosive speed have caused hesitations to be drawn in regards to his ability to handle NHL pace. This became particularly evident in the game against Czechia, where Dumais could have been accused of passing too much. At his best, Dumais looked manipulative in traffic; at his worst, he was too slow to penetrate the area in front of the net. An alleged hip injury could explain that. Regardless, Dumais wasn't dynamic enough to carry any offensive load for the roster.

LW Easton Cowan (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Easton Cowan (Getty Images)

    The excitement in Leafs Nation was palpable when it was announced that two Toronto prospects would be members of Team Canada. That hype has faded. As with Minten, I would place most of the blame on Cowan's poor performance on the coaching staff. Cowan is certainly capable of producing points, but his real calling card is that he is a penalty-killing ace. Thus, it was odd to see him used primarily in even-strength situations. Cowan was one of the quicker Canadian forwards; he displayed that skill along the flanks on a few occasions. However, like Minten, the effort on the forecheck was unacceptable. Armed with minimal offensive abilities and a lack of opportunity to play effective defense, Cowan did not have the impact that many expected of him.

C Matthew Poitras (Boston Bruins)

    The expectations on NHL recalls are always unreasonably high. When a flawed Canada roster managed to recruit Poitras, operating at a 0.5 points per game rate in the NHL, optimism was rife. However, despite Poitras' strong start, he was never a game-breaker for Canada. His mediocre performances can be partially attributed to jet lag and a lack of practice. The biggest disappointment was his game IQ. Poitras has never been remarkably quick nor has he been a world-class shooter. However, Poitras made several poor decisions. He often made the wrong pass or skated directly into coverage. The Bruins forward was supposed to be prepared at this level. The blunt truth is that he wasn't ready for the occasion.

C Matthew Savoie (Buffalo Sabres)

    Savoie can't be blamed too much for Canada's offensive woes, as it was clear that he wasn't at 100% during the entire tournament. Similarly to Geekie, Savoie's performances cannot be solely identified by his production. He was a lot more active than his one assist in four games would suggest. Savoie is a relentless attacker. His injury may have nullified his separation speed and his shot in stride. "Snakebitten" would be a good word to describe Savoie's performance during the tournament. Sadly for him, a ninth overall pick cannot rely on the excuse of being snakebitten. Eventually, production has to supersede process. For Savoie, that was not the case.

C Owen Allard (undrafted)

    Allard had a clearly defined purpose on Team Canada. For better or worse, he fulfilled it to an effective degree. Hockey Canada values players of Allard's profile: speedy, energetic, and strong. In the first few games of the tournament, Canada's checking line was their best trio; Allard was a big part of that. He did the dirty work well, playing a physical game and accepting outlet passes in a safe manner. Allard tried harder than most on the forecheck and was in the right place at the right time often. However, in the inch-thin margins of knockout hockey, high-end skill is necessary. Allard has a lot of good qualities; he is not a particularly skillful forward. That restricted his role in the game against Czechia. 

C Owen Beck (Montreal Canadiens)

Owen Beck (NHL.com)

    Allard and Beck had similar tournaments. Beck was Canada's only returnee from the 2023 version and he was expected to have a major role in the bottom-six. Beck was one of the few that excelled on the forecheck for Team Canada. He was very strong in the neutral zone. I distinctly remember a certain penalty killing shift where Beck singlehandedly killed nearly 45 seconds of an opposing power play and generated a shorthanded scoring chance. However, the same fate that befell Allard was Beck's Achilles heel. Beck could not generate anything offensively in the games against Sweden and Czechia. The difference between Beck and Allard is that Beck has shown prior offensive ability. Beck's offensive execution was so poor that my outlook on his NHL future changed. I no longer believe he can be much more than a good 4C. 

C Nate Danielson (Detroit Red Wings)

    Danielson was my favourite of the checking line heading into the tournament. The World Juniors did not change my opinion on the matter. From a depth role, Danielson did about as much as one can expect. He was one of Canada's fastest forwards, but he also possesses an element of skill that was rare among the bottom-six. Like the two Owens, Danielson was strong on the forecheck and he was effective with cycle chances. Unlike the two Owens, in the most important games, Danielson was not a black hole on offence. He was trusted in many different scenarios by the coaching staff.

LW Matthew Wood (Nashville Predators)

    Matthew Wood does one thing really well: shoot the puck. The more he did that, the more he looked like somebody that deserved more opportunities. Wood's skating doesn't stand out in the NCAA, so it was no surprise that he looked outmatched on the Gothenburg ice. However, Wood has really good offensive instincts. He should've been given more leeway to rip the puck. On a team that was criticized for overpassing, a gamebreaking shot would have been a helpful addition, particularly with the man advantage. Unfortunately, Alan Letang identified his trump card far too late. I still believe that Wood needs to become a better skater to ever establish himself as a legitimate top-six star.

C Macklin Celebrini (2024)

Macklin Celebrini (Getty Images)

    The projected first overall pick in 2024 was as good as advertised in his introduction to the international stage. Celebrini was Canada's leading scorer, but his point-getting exploits don't even describe the impact that he had for the team. On a team of nervous and ineffective forwards, Celebrini attacked the O-zone with purpose and power. He was the most aggressive of Canada's players in the neutral zone. Unlike his teammates, Celebrini rarely took the safe option; he was always attempting to split the D. Celebrini was quieter in games against Sweden and Czechia, but he was still Canada's best player on the biggest of stages. There was arguably nobody at the tournament that had his blend of vision and intent. Celebrini did not deserve the fate that his team suffered.

C Brayden Yager (Pittsburgh Penguins)

    I was really impressed by Yager. I thought he was Canada's second best forward over the course of the entire tournament, behind only Celebrini. Yager was not exactly dynamic, but he was very consistent. He was aggressive with loose pucks, a quality that was severely lacking among the majority of Canada's more highly touted prospects. At even strength and on the penalty kill, Yager had an effort level that was greater than most of his teammates. It's a genuine shame that Letang did not use him as a top-six forward, because Yager compared very favourably to his teammates. His defensive instincts were intelligent, his vision was impressive, and his speed was consistently quick.

LW Carson Rehkopf (Seattle Kraken)

    Rehkopf was a victim of the "utility over skill" mindset that has infected Hockey Canada in recent years. The Kraken winger was unnecessarily forced into a defensively-minded role. He was rarely allowed to attack the offensive zone with any degree of regularity. Even so, he was one of Canada's most creative players. His speed off the rush was noticeable. Rehkopf had four points in five games, but he probably could have generated eight in an ideal world; his usually excellent finishing let him down on a few occasions. It's a shame that Alan Letang failed to identify his strengths. Against Czechia, he played the least amount of minutes of any Canadian forward. You'd have to be a fool to say he was Canada's least effective player over the course of the tourney.

DEFENSEMEN

LHD Denton Mateychuk (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Denton Mateychuk (IIHF)

    Canada's defensive corps was a flawed group, but nobody can accuse their top pair of poor play. Mateychuk was not perfect during the tournament by any means; he dawdled on the puck at times and his pinches were not always adequately timed. Regardless, Mateychuk was hugely influential offensively for Team Canada. On the power play, he showcased excellent vision and playmaking abilities to preserve momentum. He took risks in the offensive zone, unlike some of his peers. While Mateychuk relied on his D partner at times to cover for his forays, he was rarely careless. 

RHD Maveric Lamoureux (Arizona Coyotes)

    I cringe at the thought of Team Canada without Maveric Lamoureux at the World Juniors. While Celebrini deservedly gets the plaudits, I thought Lamoureux was equally excellent. He was an effective minute muncher and dominated his shifts. Size, speed, and right-handedness are all incredible qualities; Lamoureux ticks all three boxes. He handled incoming pressure on a global stage; there aren't many U20 defensemen that can do that. Previous scouting reports have accused Lamoureux of being undisciplined; the Coyotes prospect certainly paid attention to that, as it was much less of an issue this week.

LHD Jake Furlong (San Jose Sharks)

    I was unconvinced by Jake Furlong before the tournament began. My opinion has changed. Though he did not dominate, he was consistent throughout the tournament. He was able to break up many plays, especially in transition. This was impressive, as Furlong is not a rapid skater. My brief watches of Furlong showed somebody who struggled to make extraordinary outlet passes, but the World Juniors shifted my perspective on that as well. Furlong was a steadying presence on a team that needed one. If Tanner Molendyk and Tristan Luneau had been healthy, Furlong would have been a perfect third-pair blueliner. 

RHD Noah Warren (Anaheim Ducks)

    Noah Warren did not have a good tournament. It's easy to be tempted by a 6'5, 219 pound defenseman with a right shot. Sadly, Warren lacked the hockey IQ and coverage abilities to be anything other than a liability. The Anaheim prospect missed assignments, got beat in the channels, and was inefficient with the puck. At times, he got away with these mistakes, but you can't afford to be so error-prone in playoff hockey. Warren's poor transition defense led to two of the three Czechia goals during the quarters. Moving on from this is the next step for Warren, who will have to show emotional maturity to iron out his issues. 

LHD Jorian Donovan (Ottawa Senators)

Jorian Donovan (Elite Prospects)

    Being a late addition a WJC squad is always a heavy burden to handle. Regardless, Donovan seemed to struggle with his poise and the pace of play during the course of the tournament. Similar to Warren, bad things seemed to happen more regularly when Donovan was on the ice. He's always seemed to be a mobile D-man; theoretically, this would yield rewards on the larger European ice. However, Donovan played with too much anxiety in his game. He often missed his assignments and looked slow in coverage. Though Warren was more explicitly at fault for goals, Donovan was a net negative for Canada.

RHD Oliver Bonk (Philadelphia Flyers)

    Bonk was another example of misprofiling by Alan Letang. Bonk is a quick, physical defender capable of making crisp passes. Beside his childhood friend Jorian Donovan, Bonk looked really mature. He used his size to suppress pressure. He wasn't as defensively instinctive with his stick as Lamoureux, but he was one of Canada's better shutdown options. Weirdly enough, Letang gave him reps on the second power play unit. Bonk is not particularly dynamic, so this exposed his limitations as an anchor. However, since he was never likely to be a power play specialist at the NHL level, his even strength play was impressive enough to increase his stocks.

RHD Ty Nelson (Seattle Kraken)

    As I've previously mentioned, late additions often struggle because of a variety of factors. This makes Nelson's tournament more impressive. He played just four minutes in the quarterfinal, fourteen minutes less than Warren. From my eyes, this seems harsh on Nelson. Despite his short frame, he did not hesitate from participating physically. The stocky Nelson often outmuscled larger forwards in his own zone. He was an effective safety blanket, helping to block the lanes towards the net with his stick and the threat of a massive hit. Nelson probably should have had a greater role on this team.

GOALIES

G Mathis Rousseau (undrafted)

Mathis Rousseau (IIHF)

    Outside of the first period against Czechia, Rousseau was quite good, mirroring his form in the QMJHL this season. He made a number of highlight-reel saves, including a particularly remarkable 2-on-0 stop against Finland. For a short goalie, he moved well laterally. In fact, I'd argue he moved a bit too much in his net. He committed to getting all the way across his crease every single time he pushed off. At the NHL level, this flaw will probably be more obvious. Nevertheless, Rousseau was not the reason that Canada disappointed at this tournament. 

ALL STATS COURTESY OF IIHF

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