TEAM CANADA TEENS THRIVE ON PRESSURE
Junior stars know fans expect them to win — and they can't wait to step onto big stage
If anyone is still wondering why the world junior hockey championship has become such a treasured part of Canadian culture, it's because they haven't watched it.
Everyone else knows. Seriously, it's a cross between Christmas and hockey, with a bunch of teenagers sacrificing themselves to defend our honour in the national game — it's been capturing Canadian hearts and minds for decades.
“You start watching it with your friends and family as soon as you get into hockey,” said Team Canada defenceman Kaiden Guhle. “It's something the whole country gets together for. That's what makes it so special, you've been watching it since you were a kid growing up.”
The anticipation for this year's world junior championship in Edmonton is even greater this year when you factor in TV networks that haven't shown hockey in three months, fans who haven't seen a Canadian team shoot a puck in anger since the Vancouver Canucks were eliminated on Sept. 4, and a pandemic-ravaged country that desperately needs something to cheer for.
This is a harmonic convergence for the ages.
It's also a massive undertaking involving the IIHF, Hockey Canada and an Edmonton bubble that held up perfectly during the NHL playoffs.
But none of it happens if not for a bunch of kids who are willing to give up their Christmas, be locked up in individual hotel room quarantines for 19 days, and pour everything they have, mentally and physically, into making Canada proud.
For them, it was worth it even before the tournament started.
“First and foremost, it's a chance to represent your country, that's the most important thing,” said defenceman Jamie Drysdale, who won a gold medal in last year's tournament. “The support you get when you're representing your country is unbelievable — you know that everybody is rooting for you and has your back.
“It brings out the excitement and the love of the game even more when you're on this big stage and playing for your country.”
Being picked for this tournament also lets them know they're on the right trajectory. There is no guarantee they'll be NHL regulars one day, but being one of the best in the world in your age group is a nice affirmation.
“When you're a little kid you dream of one day being in this position, so finally making that happen feels like you're on the right path to your final goal,” said Quinton Byfield, who'd like to make it back-to-back gold medals before trying to land a job with the L.A. Kings. “It's a stepping stone to the next level.
“Being able to see what the best in the world in your age are like, playing against them, I think is huge for player's development.”
There's no question that playing on this stage at 18 or 19 can provide a lifetime of benefits. Once they've come face to face with the pressure of 37 million people counting on them to win a gold medal, and anything less being considered a failure, there isn't much that can be thrown at them, not even in the pros, that's going to top it.
“Just speaking for myself last year, it was crazy,” said Drysdale.
“I remember the first game against the U.S. I was in it, but at the same time, it felt like I was in a front-row seat. It's unbelievable being in that atmosphere, the intensity of the game, the level of pace and calibre of players, and the competitiveness. Just being a part of it is unbelievable.”
It can feel overwhelming at times, but they never seem overwhelmed.
“The pressure is a good thing,” said Byfield. “You know that people are watching you and pulling for you. I think it helps your development. It helps you to be in those big moments and shows you what it takes to win.”
Winning isn't easy, though. Russia has a great hockey program and a love for the game that runs as deeply as Canada's. So do the Finns. The Americans have emerged as a global power. Telling the Canadians that anything short of gold is a disappointment is almost unfair at this point, but they knew the deal when they signed up.
“It's a high standard when you play for Team Canada,” said Drysdale. “You're held to a standard and there's no getting away from that. There's a lot of support, but there is also a lot of pressure. There's no hiding from it.
“The one important thing to realize is that you're all in it together with your team. Everyone knows that and everyone has your back. When you know you're in it together, you can use that pressure to fuel you.”
They remind us that nobody is asking anything of them that they aren't asking of themselves.
“Everybody knows we have a huge amount of pressure on our shoulders because we have to live up to it,” said Guhle. “But we also put the same pressure on our own shoulders — we're expecting to do well and win a gold medal.”
Besides, if you're going to be on a team, you want to be on a traditional powerhouse fuelled by one of the biggest and most passionate fan bases in the world
“You want to be expected to win,” said Byfield. “When you're expected to win, it means you're probably the best team here and you want to deliver. It gives you more motivation. Hockey is the Canadian game. You want to pull through for your country.”
The support you get when you're representing your country is unbelievable — you know that everybody is rooting for you.