Five juniors get the phone call they all learn to dread
National team loses 4-1, then trims its roster
CALGARY — Five long-faced Canadian teenagers trudged into the lobby of Calgary’s Four Points Sheraton across the highway from Hockey Canada headquarters and were delivered the bad news on Wednesday evening.
Following an offence-depleted 4-1 loss to the University of Alberta, team brass sent home defencemen Adam Pelech from the Erie Otters and Derrick Pouliot of the Portland Winterhawks. Forwards Sean Monahan and Tyler Graovac are both going home to the Ottawa 67’s, while Francis Beauvillier of the Rimouski Oceanic was also cut.
“I’ve never been so nervous in my life,” said 18-year-old Pouliot, voice quivering, eye still bruised from a Sunday scrap at Tri-City. “You’re just sitting there waiting, hoping you don’t get that phone call. Nerveracking.
“They only have this amount of time to select the team and you have to accept that. Hopefully, there’s next year.”
Instead of Hockey Canada’s typical unpleasant morning wake-up call, followed by an equally unpleasant media scrum, they made the first round of team cuts post-game around suppertime.
However, morning or night, the process is just as difficult.
“Every one of these young men that attend these camps at this level are world-class players and character people,” said head coach Steve Spott. “To have to look them eye-toeye and tell them that the opportunity this year isn’t going to be there for them is difficult.”
Heading into Thursday’s final selection camp clash, 31 players remain — 17 forwards, 10 defencemen, and four goalies.
Twelve players including Ryan Nugent-Hopkins took the afternoon off. Returning veteran forwards Mark Scheifele, Boone Jenner, Jonathan Huberdeau and Ryan Strome and defencemen Dougie Hamilton and Scott Harrington also were watching Tuesday’s game from Hockey Canada’s boxes. Forwards Phillip Danault, Brett Ritchie and Charles Hudon, and blueliners Morgan Rielly and Xavier Ouellet (high ankle sprain) also were scratched.
In total, Canada is taking 13 forwards, seven defencemen and three goalies to Russia.
So, in theory — if you read into Tuesday’s scratches as players who are likely on the team — there should be nine forwards vying for five spots and five defencemen fighting for three spots. Frankie Corrado is one of them. “It’s really fast,” said the Sudbury Wolves defenceman. “You don’t have much time and have to do a lot with the shifts you’re given.
“You are going quick and have to make the most of it.”
After scoring Team Canada’s lone goal Wednesday and another in Tuesday night’s intra-squad game, he has contributed significantly so far.
But that didn’t relieve his nerves heading into the evening — he wasn’t planning on doing any research into his chances either.
“It’s going to be brutal,” said the native of Vaughan, Ont., who was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the fifth round in 2011. “The suspense is killing me already.
“I have Twitter but I won’t really search my name or anything like that. I’ll just look at my news feed and see what my friends are saying back home.
“I have a lot of good support and I’m sure they’ll be happy whether I make the team or not.”