LOOKING FORWARD

It was about 30 minutes after Canada had been stunned in a come-from-behind overtime loss to Finland when Barrett Hayton came out and faced the media.

“It’s an extremely tough way to finish a tournament,” said the Team Canada forward. “We have a great group of guys in there, but it’s a heartbreaking way to lose.”

If there’s some good news coming out of this, it is that Hayton and several other players will have a chance to get revenge next year. Unlike this year’s edition, which featured only one returning player from the team that won gold in Buffalo, next year’s Team Canada could feature more experience.

Hayton, along with forward Joe Veleno and defencemen Jared McIsaac, Noah Dobson, and Ty Smith, are all eligible to return, while the team could get two more years out of 17-year-old Alexis Lafreniere.

That is, if some of them are not playing in the NHL. Here’s how these players, all drafted in 2018 bar Lafreniere, fared this year:

Barrett Hayton, forward

5th overall, Arizona Coyotes Sault Ste. Marie: 20GP 15G 18A 33PTS World juniors: 5GP 0G 4A 4PTS

Joe Veleno, forward

30th overall, Detroit Red Wings Drummondville: 28GP 22G 32A 54PTS World juniors: 5GP 0G 2A 2PTS

Alexis Lafreniere, forward

Draft-eligible in 2020 Rimouski: 31GP 17G 37A 54PTS World juniors: 5GP 1G 0A 1PTS

Noah Dobson, defence

12th overall, New York Islanders Acadie-Bathurst: 28GP 9G 7A 16PTS World juniors: 5GP 1G 0A 1PTS

Ty Smith, defence

17th overall, New Jersey Devils Spokane: 28GP 3G 36A 39PTS World juniors: 5P0G3A 3PTS

Jared McIsaac, defence

36th overall, Detroit Red Wings Halifax: 23GP 7G 15A 22PTS World juniors: 4GP 0G 1A 1PTS JOE VELENO