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Owen Beck — a Montreal Canadiens prospect — is the one returning participant from 2023.
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Alan Letang isn’t centered 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 are able to do about that.”
The under-20 males’s nationwide staff will likely be with no handful of mouth-watering eligible NHLers when it opens the world junior hockey championship Tuesday towards Finland.
Letang, nevertheless, is solely centered on the gamers within the fold as Canada appears to safe a 3rd consecutive gold medal — and the match’s first three-peat for the reason that nation topped the rostrum 5 straight occasions between 2005 and 2009.
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“We’ve bought the group now we have,” Letang continued. “If we win with 4 strains, there’s nothing improper with that. Should you 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 e book final 12 months in Halifax and was all the time 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 large names, the group set to hit the ice in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Boxing Day nonetheless has a lot to supply.
“A staff that’s over the boards,” Letang mentioned. “A staff 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 disguise away from the truth that there’s some guys that might be right here that aren’t, however now we have an awesome 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 standard query mark, with Scott Ratzlaff, Mathis Rousseau and Samuel St-Hilaire all seeking 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 throughout 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 gained gold in 2020 and 2023. “These youngsters haven’t gone by 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 considered as favourites on the skin, however that doesn’t trouble Canada.
“Completely an awesome honour,” Mateychuk mentioned of pulling on the crimson Maple Leaf. “Simply going to the camps previously, they all the time present you these world junior targets, these large moments.”
One phrase is persistently getting thrown round by gamers and employees alike when requested what stands in regards to 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 government 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 12 months, Beck has handed on as a lot info 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 might not seem to be it, however each blocked shot, each backcheck, each faceoff issues … each little second counts.”
Letang mentioned staying in these moments — and coping with the troublesome ones with a degree head — will likely be key.
“We all know what we’re going to return up towards,” 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 centered and keep true to that id, we’ll be fantastic.”
An id, at the least in response to everybody inside Canada’s setup, that begins with being relentless.
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