Thwarted team from 2012 aiming for redemption
Time may have healed all of their wounds, but members of the 2012 Canadian world junior team remember the disappointment of last year’s tournament.
For Dougie Hamilton, it all came back the moment he arrived in the Calgary International Airport on Monday — and, like the six returning players, he’s eager for redemption.
“It’s cool to be back,” said the towering Niagara Ice Dogs defenceman, fresh off his westbound flight along with a handful of his Ontario Hockey League pals. “I’m happy to be here and I’m pretty excited about this. I think there’s maybe some expectations, I don’t know if there’s that much pressure. It’s obviously different (playing in Russia) than playing in Canada, so there’s not going to be the home fans and pressure that way.
“It should be a little bit different of an experience, for sure.”
Hamilton, who was selected ninth overall by the Boston Bruins in 2011, shared in last year’s experience with his older brother Freddie.
The 2012 group shuttled between Calgary and Edmonton and eventually lost 6-5 in a heartbreaking semifinal t o Russ i a . They settled for bronze over Finland while Sweden beat Russia for gold.
Of course, wounds of the collapse were reopened immediately upon their arrival.
“No, it’s OK,” assured a smiling London Knights captain Scott Harrington, who, like Hamilton, was monitoring the blueline in 2012.
“It’s always nice to win your last game like we did, but it would have been nice to be in that gold medal game.
“I know all Canadians — especially the six of us that were on the team last year — want us to get to Russia and, hopefully, give them the same fate.” That’s the idea anyway. And it couldn’t be scripted any better with the 2013 world junior championship staged in Ufa, Russia, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5.
“It wasn’t what we wanted,” agreed Barrie Colts forward Mark Scheifele, who went seventh overall in 2011 to the Winnipeg Jets. “It was very disappointing. Having that happen to you, I definitely think it makes you stronger. You don’t want to go through that feeling again.
“You want to get the gold that much more.”
There’s also an added element with the current National Hockey League work-stoppage.
While it’s been a travesty for some, it’s made players like Edmonton Oilers centreman Ryan Nugent-Hopkins available to use at Hockey Canada’s leisure.
Should the labour impasse continue, the world juniors will benefit significantly.
“It’s a great winter for the world juniors this year because of the lockout,” said forward Jonathan Huberdeau, who went third overall in 2011 to the Florida Panthers. “Nugent-Hopkins, Scheifele, (New York Islanders prospect Ryan) Strome. Power forwards. Superstars on their teams.
“Team Canada is going to choose their best players and what they need and it’ll be a great experience.”
There will be tough decisions made across the board as Canadian head coach Steve Spott, who runs the bench of the Ontario Hockey League’s Kitchener Rangers, and Hockey Canada brass select 13 forwards, seven defencemen and three goalies.
Seventeen-year-old Halifax Moosehead superstars Jonathan Drouin and Nathan Mackinnon both know they’ll be in tough to crack the roster. “There’s countless, talented guys coming into camp fighting for the same spot,” said Mackinnon
“It’s obvious that because there are more NHL guys here, it’s harder to make the team.
“Not just for me, but for everybody.”
Hamilton, having gone through the intense camp experience last year, knows this week in Calgary is challenging and goes by fast.
But if you’re part of the chosen few, it’s completely worth it.
“I think you have to just go in there and play your best,” Hamilton said. “Can’t do anything else, really.
“It’s obviously exciting. Just to see our roster and the team we have and knowing all the we have and knowing all the guys. “I’m looking forward to it." Camp officially begins Tuesday at WinSport with a pair of morning practices (10:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.) and an intra-squad game at 7 p.m., followed by games against the CIS all-stars on Wednesday (1:30 p.m.) and Thursday (noon).
The first round of cuts are set for Wednesday with the team (tentatively) being named on Thursday and one final practice Saturday (10:30 a.m.).