conor mcdavid 17 feature

More than just a number

A look at notable Canadians who have worn No. 17 at the IIHF World Junior Championship

David Brien
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December 21, 2016
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It could be a numerologist’s nightmare – to look at Canada’s connection with the number 17 at the IIHF World Junior Championship. After all, few numbers are more significant, especially this year.

Should Canada’s National Junior Team win gold at this year’s World Juniors – the 2017 edition, of course – it would mark Canada’s 17th gold medal – most all-time for any country.

And the player who will sport the No. 17 jersey this year, Tyson Jost, opened the RBC Road to the World Juniors with a pair of goals in a 5-0 win over Finland on Monday night in Montreal.

Jost is the 26th Canadian to wear the number at the holiday tournament since 1975, joining:

Dale McMullin (1975)
Steve Hazlett (1977)
Willie Huber (1978)
John Paul Kelly (1979)
Mark Reeds (1980)
Mark Morrison (1982-83)
Dave Gagner (1984)
Warren Babe (1988)
Andy Schneider (1992)
Jeff O’Neill (1995)
Hnat Domenichelli (1996)
Trevor Letowski (1997)
Adam Mair (1999)
Jamie Lundmark (2001)
Brad Boyes (2002)
Ian White (2003)
Clarke MacArthur (2005)
Kyle Chipchura (2006)
Brad Marchand (2007-08)
Cody Goloubef (2009)
Brandon Kozun (2010)
Marcus Foligno (2011)
JC Lipon (2013)
Connor McDavid (2014-15)
Travis Konecny (2016)

But who wore it best? Here’s a look at the top five performances, in chronological order.

Steve Hazlett (1977)
7GP 6G 0A 6P – silver medal

The first player to wear the number at an official IIHF World Junior Championship (the tournament was by invitation only from 1974-76), Hazlett – a member of the Memorial Cup-champion St. Catharines Fincups –finished tied for third in Canadian goal scoring with six in seven games, and his six points were sixth-best.

Jamie Lundmark (2001)
7GP 4G 3A 7P – bronze medal

No player had worn the No. 17 and led Canada in scoring at the IIHF World Junior Championship until Lundmark –appearing in his second-consecutive World Juniors – turned the trick in Moscow, Russia, finishing seventh in tournament scoring with seven points and helping the Canadians to a bronze medal.

Kyle Chipchura (2006)
6GP 4G 1A 5P – gold medal

The only player to captain Canada’s National Junior Team to a gold medal in the No. 17, Chipchura got his hands on the championship trophy on home ice Vancouver. Never known for his offensive prowess, Chipchura co-led Canada with four goals in six games during the tournament, including the final marker in a 5-0 gold medal game win over Russia that capped a second-straight gold for the Canadians.

Brad Marchand (2007-2008)
13GP 6G 2A 8P – 2x gold medal

Golden in 2007, his breakout performance came at the 2008 tournament in the Czech Republic. Marchand finished with six points, good for second in Canadian scoring. The lasting impression is the Hammonds Plains, N.S., native leaping onto the glass after giving Canada a 4-0 lead over the U.S. in the semifinals, and he chipped in a goal and an assist to give his team a two-goal lead over Sweden in the gold medal game.

Connor McDavid (2014-2015)
14GP 4G 11A 15P – gold medal/All-Star Team

No countdown of No. 17s would be complete without the generational talent. His four points in 2014 leave him tied with Eric Lindros for the third-best performance ever by a Canadian 16-year-old, but it was only a tease for what was to come in 2015. His 11 points co-led Team Canada and the tournament, and he added a goal in a gold medal game classic against Russia to help Canada back to the top of the podium.

For more information:

Esther Madziya
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 284-6484 

[email protected] 

Spencer Sharkey
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 777-4567

[email protected]

Jeremy Knight
Manager, Corporate Communications
Hockey Canada

(647) 251-9738

[email protected]

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