Canada faces big early test at World Juniors

Strome and teammates ready for Russians

TORONTO • Dylan Strome isn’t going to fess up.

It is Christmas Day and Team Canada has just completed its final practice prior to the opening of the 2017 World Junior Hockey Championship. Now, about 20 minutes after the Canadian captain has stepped off the ice, we are prodding him to find out what gifts Hockey Canada has handed out to the players, a tradition the organization has carried out for years.

“We got a really nice suitcoat ... and in addition, well, I think everyone’s going to see our gifts (Monday),” Strome said. “I think we’re going to keep it a secret for now.”

A secret? Real cloak-anddagger stuff ?

Hey. if they really want to shock the world, how about having Connor McDavid stepping onto the Air Canada Centre ice Monday for Team Canada’s highly-anticipated opener against the rival Russians? Seeing No. 97 in Team Canada red-andwhite certainly would be the best Christmas gift Canadian hockey fans could receive.

Alas, that’s certainly not going to happen. NHL teams simply do not release the leading scorer in the league — McDavid entered the Christmas break holding that distinction with 13 goals and 29 assists for 42 points — in order to allow them to play at the world junior championship.

Still, word trickling through the Air Canada Centre corridors on Sunday was that McDavid might be in the building Monday to at least watch the Canada-Russia tilt and maybe even chat with some of the players.

Whether McDavid is in the house or not, Strome said he’s received plenty words of wisdom either via phone or by text from his former Erie Otters teammate, who represented Canada at this tournament in the 2014 and 2015 events.

“We’ve talked a little bit,” Strome said of McDavid. “He gave me a bit more last year when I was in this tournament for the first time, but I think he understands what the second time means and being a leader on the team.

“I think more than anything he wants us to win. He’s a very passionate Canadian. I think for us, it’s just about maintaining the positive crowd and keeping everyone into the game. And hopefully, if he’s here, they’ll be cheering and staying loud.

“It’s nice to have support from him.”

To be fair, Strome doesn’t need any outside influences for motivation. His competitive juices begin to flow from within each and every time he recalls the gnawing feeling in his gut a year ago when he and his Team Canada teammates were eliminated from the 2016 tourney in Finland without even having the chance to play for a medal.

Now, after coming to grips with the decision by the Arizona Coyotes last month to send him back to junior, he’s champing at the bit to get this tournament underway.

We do know this much: Whether McDavid is in the arena or not, the highlyskilled Russians certainly will be. And it’ll be their goal to give the hosts a cold Boxing Day welcome to start the tournament.