CORNWALL, Ont. – Sixty-three players from across the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) have earned invites to selection camp ahead of the 2022 World Junior A Challenge.

From Dec. 5-7, 63 CJHL players - 32 Team Canada East hopefuls and 31 Team Canada West invitees - will gather at the Cornwall Civic Complex for three days of practices and games.

There will be two intrasquad games between East and West before the final rosters are named on Dec. 7. The 2022 World Junior A Challenge is set for Dec. 11-18 at the Cornwall Civic Complex.

The invites for Team Canada East were selected from the CJHL’s five eastern leagues - the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL), Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), Ligue de hockey junior AAA du Québec (LHJAAAQ) and Maritime Hockey League (MHL). The invites for Team Canada West were chosen from the four western leagues - the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) and Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL).

Coaching staffs announced for Canada East and Canada West

Eight CJHL coaches have been selected to lead Team Canada East and Team Canada West in Cornwall.

Billy McGuigan (Summerside, P.E.I./Summerside, MHL) returns to Team Canada East as head coach after previously serving as an assistant coach at the 2013 World Junior A Challenge. Mark Jooris (Burlington, Ont./Burlington, OJHL), Kyle Markaric (LaSalle, Ont./Ottawa, CCHL) and Derek Smith (Belleville, Ont./Wellington, OJHL) join McGuigan as assistant coaches, marking their international coaching debuts.

For Team Canada West, Justin Falk (Snowflake, Man./Winkler, MJHL) will make his international coaching debut as head coach. He will be joined by assistant coaches Clayton Jardine (Lacombe, Alta./Camrose, AJHL), who served as video coach for Team Canada West in 2019, as well as Brayden Klimosko (Humboldt, Sask./Battlefords, SJHL) and Evan McFeeters (Canmore, Alta./Sherwood Park, AJHL), who will also make their international debuts in Cornwall.

“The coaches selected to lead Team Canada East and Team Canada West represent the level of talent in the coaching ranks in junior hockey in Canada. All eight coaches bring a wealth of coaching and playing experience from Junior A and international hockey to their respective teams,” said Andy Harkness, president of the CJHL. “It is exciting to see our coaches continuing to earn the honour of these positions and to welcome some who are new to international competition, and we look forward to them guiding both Canadian teams when the event makes its highly-anticipated return.”

The CJHL has also announced that Chris Vanstone (Mississauga, Ont./Ontario Junior Hockey League) will return as director of operations for Team Canada East after previously serving in the same role in 2018, while Rob Sklaruk (Canora, Sask./Spruce Grove, AJHL) has been named director of operations for Team Canada West.

“We are excited about the quality of coaches and players who will be a part of selection camp and the 2022 World Junior A Challenge in Cornwall,” said Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of hockey operations with Hockey Canada. “We look forward to showcasing the talent from across the CJHL, and we know fans in Cornwall will be treated to a great week of hockey.”

Of the 14 gold medal games at the World Junior A Challenge, 11 have featured at least one Canadian team. Team Canada East will look to earn its first gold medal, having won silver six times (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019) and bronze once (2008), while Team Canada West has won gold five times (2006, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2017), silver three times (2008, 2009, 2012) and bronze twice (2013, 2018).

Fans looking to secure their seats can purchase a full-event ticket package for $189 at HockeyCanada.ca/WJAC. The package includes one ticket to all 14 tournament games, including both medal games, and three pre-tournament games.

The 2022 World Junior A Challenge represents a partnership between Hockey Canada, the CJHL, NHL Central Scouting and the local host committee. The international showcase features two Canadian teams – Team Canada East and Team Canada West – along with Latvia, Sweden and the United States.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2022 World Junior A Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or following along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The last time the World Junior A Challenge (WJAC) was played, in December of 2019, a young goaltender stole the show, earning Most Valuable Player honours and backstopping Canada East to within an overtime goal of its first gold medal.

A year later, Devon Levi was starring on the biggest stage in junior hockey, turning in one of the best netminding performances in IIHF World Junior Championship history inside the Edmonton bubble.

Levi is just one of the many success stories that have come out of the WJAC, which returns after a two-year COVID-19 hiatus when Cornwall, Ont., welcomes Canada East, Canada West, Latvia, Sweden and the United States beginning Dec. 11.

Founded in 2006 to give more exposure to players from across the Canadian Junior Hockey League, there have been no shortage of memorable moments and historic performances over the years.

• Check out the full list of notable World Junior A Challenge alumni

At the first WJAC in Yorkton and Humboldt, Sask., in the first-ever game, Kyle Turris recorded what it still the only four-goal effort in tournament history, leading Canada West to a win over Russia en route to gold and MVP honours.

In Langley, B.C., in 2011, Canada West became the first team to lose both of its preliminary-round games (under the old format) and still win gold, capped by a thrilling 4-2 win over Canada East in the most recent all-Canadian final.

That game included nine players who have appeared in an NHL game – four with West (Alex Kerfoot, Jujhar Khaira, Colton Parayko, Troy Stecher) and five with East (Drake Caggiula, Justin Danforth, Ben Hutton, Devin Shore, MacKenzie Weegar).

Four years later, a Canada West roster that included four first-round NHL draft picks Tyson Jost (10th to Colorado in 2016), Dante Fabbro (17th, Nashville, 2016), Dennis Cholowski (20th, Detroit, 2016) and Cale Makar (4th, Colorado, 2017) – won gold in Cobourg and Whitby, Ont.

That tournament is perhaps best remembered for the wild East vs. West semifinal; tied 2-2 entering the third period, Jost tied a tournament-record with four points (1-3—3) and the teams combined for a record nine goals, with West pulling away for an 8-5 win.

Makar, of course, is now perhaps the best-known WJAC alumni – an all-star in 2015, he returned to captain West in 2016, again making the all-star team, before embarking on a pro career that has already included a Calder Trophy, Conn Smythe Trophy and Stanley Cup championship in Colorado.

But it’s not just Canadians who have left their mark. The list of international alumni is just as impressive, including Boston Bruins superstar David Pastrnak (Czech Republic, 2012), Calgary Flames standout Elias Lindholm (Sweden, 2011) and a trio of Americans – New York Islanders defenceman Scott Mayfield (2010), Buffalo Sabres forward Vince Hinostroza (2012) and Arizona Coyotes point-getter Nick Schmaltz (2013) – who were tournament MVPs.

As was Winnipeg Jets sniper Nikolaj Ehlers, who took home the award in 2014 after posting nine points (6-3—9) in four games and helping Denmark reach the gold medal game in Kindersley, Sask.

That year, the Danes entered the WJAC as preparation for the IIHF World Junior Championship in Toronto and Montreal. This year, it’ll be Latvia doing the same as it gets ready for the World Juniors in Halifax and Moncton.

So … will you be part of the festivities in Cornwall? Tickets are now on sale, and there’s something for everyone.

Only available to check out the night games? There’s a package for that (six games for $87).
Only want to see the action on opening day, featuring East and West in action? There’s a package for that (two games for $32).
Only want to watch the medal round on the final weekend? There’s a package for that (four games for $76).

Tickets are on sale now at HockeyCanada.ca/WJAC.

As Hockey Canada’s fall events return for the first time since 2019, the officials are ready to hit the ice.

Thirty-six officials – 17 referees and 19 linespersons – from across the country have been selected for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, World Junior A Challenge and Para Hockey Cup.

“Our fall events are a great opportunity for individuals participating in our Officiating Program of Excellence,” said Dan Hanoomansingh, manager of officiating with Hockey Canada. “These officials have worked hard to sharpen their skills since their last opportunity at one of our camps. We have been tracking their progression and they have earned their opportunity to officiate these exciting events.”

The Officiating Program of Excellence (OPOE) is the pathway through which Canadian officials are selected for top national and international tournaments. The objectives of the OPOE are to provide a clear developmental pathway for aspiring elite officials, provide developmentally appropriate coaching for elite officials, prepare officials for national and international competitions, and assist Hockey Canada in making evidence-based decisions for assignments.

For more information about the Hockey Canada Officiating Program, visit HockeyCanada.ca/Officials.

World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (Langley & Delta, B.C.)

The officiating coaches for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge are Dan Hanoomansingh (Vancouver, B.C.) and Kirk Wood (Stratford, Ont.).

World Junior A Challenge (Cornwall, Ont.)

The officiating coaches for the World Junior A Challenge are Hanoomansingh and Todd Robinson (Sackville, N.S.).

Para Hockey Cup (Bridgewater, N.S.)

CORNWALL, Ont. – The World Junior A Challenge is set to make its return for the first time since 2019, and Cornwall will host two Canadian teams and three international entries at the 4,800-seat Cornwall Civic Complex, Dec. 11-18.

The 2022 World Junior A Challenge represents a partnership between Hockey Canada, the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), Hockey Eastern Ontario, NHL Central Scouting and the local organizing committee. The five-team format includes Team Canada East, Team Canada West, Latvia, Sweden and the United States. The Latvian entry will be its national junior team, as part of its preparations for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship in Halifax, N.S., and Moncton, N.B.

“The unveiling of the schedule for the 2022 World Junior A Challenge is an important step as we prepare to host eight days of exciting, high-caliber hockey, allowing fans to secure their seats to watch five great teams in our city,” said Lorne Taillon, chair of the local organizing committee. “Having experienced this event first-hand in 2019, fans in Cornwall and across Canada can expect to be treated to highly-skilled, fast-paced hockey that includes future stars of the game competing for a gold medal on the international stage.”

The official tournament schedule features four preliminary-round games for each team between Dec. 11-16, kicking off with Team Canada East taking on Latvia at 1 p.m. ET and Team Canada West facing off against the United States on opening night. The top four teams will advance to the medal round, with the bronze medal and gold medal games taking place at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET, respectively, on Dec. 18. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the bronze and gold medal game; please check local listings for details.

“The City of Cornwall has been preparing to host the World Junior A Challenge since 2019, and we are grateful to the city and organizing committee for their dedication and support of the event,” said Dean McIntosh, vice-president of events and properties with Hockey Canada. “Fans in Ontario having been patiently waiting for this world-class event, and those fans can expect high-quality hockey.”  

Fans looking to secure their seats can purchase a full-event ticket package for $189 online at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets. The package includes one ticket to all 14 tournament games, including both medal games, and three pre-tournament games.

More details about the 2022 World Junior A Challenge, including pre-tournament games and official tournament rosters, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Cornwall was originally scheduled to host the World Junior A Challenge in 2020 and 2021, but both were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The city most recently hosted a pre-tournament game between Sweden and Slovakia ahead of the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship, and played host to the 2008 RBC Cup, Canada’s National Junior A Championship, and 1980 Air Canada Cup, Canada’s National Men’s U18 Club Championship.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2022 World Junior A Challenge, please visit  HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada has announced the dates and host communities for six events taking place during the 2022-23 season, including the return of the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup and World Junior A Challenge for the first time since 2019.

The communities of Langley and Delta, B.C., will host the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge from Nov. 5-12, bringing some of the top young players in the world to Metro Vancouver.

The 2022 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup will run from Nov. 27-Dec. 3 in Bridgewater, N.S., marking the first time that the event has been held in the Maritimes since 2016.

A showcase of Canadian and international Junior A talent, the 2022 World Junior A Challenge will take place in Cornwall, Ont., from Dec. 11-18.

Two of Hockey Canada’s national championships will return to their typical April schedule in 2023, with the puck dropping at the Esso Cup in Prince Albert, Sask., on April 23 and the TELUS Cup beginning April 24 in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.

The Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, will be hosted in Portage la Prairie, Man., in May 2023, bringing Canada’s National Junior A Championship to Manitoba for a fourth time.

“We are excited to announce the host communities for six events taking place in 2022-23, and we cannot wait to bring some of the top hockey events in the world to fans across Canada,” said Dean McIntosh, vice-president of events and properties for Hockey Canada. “Hosting events of this magnitude would not be possible without our incredible local partners, and we are very grateful for their support as we count down to puck drop.”

Tickets are available now for the 2022 World Junior A Challenge in Cornwall, Ont., at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets, while on-sale dates for the remaining events will be announced at a later date.

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, become a Hockey Canada Insider, or follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

CALGARY, Alta. – Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the difficult decision has been made to cancel the 2021 National Women’s Under-18 Championship, 2021 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup and 2021 World Junior A Challenge. The following is a statement on behalf of Hockey Canada from Tom Renney, chief executive officer, and Scott Smith, president and chief operating officer:

“Despite a strong desire to work with three great communities to host the top players at various levels across the country this season, the health and safety of all participants and the communities at large continues to be of the utmost importance to Hockey Canada. The ongoing pandemic, in addition to the vaccination status of some international teams, has left us with no other option. We believe the decision to cancel these fall events is the safest decision given the ongoing uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic at a local level, as well as the uncertainty around countries and regions being able to safely compete.

Hockey Canada is grateful for the continued support of local host committees and event partners, including B.C. Hockey, Hockey Eastern Ontario, Hockey Nova Scotia and the Canadian Junior Hockey League, as well as the communities of Bridgewater, N.S., Cornwall, Ont., and Dawson Creek, B.C., and all local and provincial funding partners. Our organization is appreciative of the commitment and support of all stakeholders to host these events and we look forward to showcasing our national events and all participants to fans next year.”

Hockey Canada will continue to work with event stakeholders to host the spring 2022 national championships and to continue to investigate opportunities to prepare Canadian athletes to represent Canada at the Olympic Winter Games, Paralympic Winter Games, IIHF world championships and other international events.

CALGARY, Alta. – Following the cancellation of the 2019-20 hockey season and all national championships in March, Hockey Canada has worked tirelessly with its host organizing committees for 2020 and beyond.

While a tremendous amount of work has gone into planning the fall 2020 events, the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created a position where there is no further option other than to cancel three events, instead planning for their return in 2021 to the following communities:

• 2020 National Women’s Under-18 Championship, Nov. 2-8 in Dawson Creek, B.C.
• 2020 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup, Dec. 6-12 in Bridgewater, N.S.
• 2020 World Junior A Challenge, Dec. 13-20 in Cornwall, Ont.

The following statement is on behalf of Hockey Canada from Tom Renney, chief executive officer, and Scott Smith, president and chief operating officer:

“At various rates, provinces from coast-to-coast-to-coast have started moving ahead with their phased re-opening, but as it has been since the season was cancelled, Hockey Canada’s priority remains the health and safety of all participants and the general public. We believe the decision to cancel these three events is the safest decision given the ongoing uncertainty of the pandemic at the local level, as well as the international implications associated with these events.

Hockey Canada is grateful for the continued support of our local host committees and event partners, including BC Hockey, Hockey Nova Scotia, Hockey Eastern Ontario, NHL Central Scouting, the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) and the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL). We appreciate the commitment and support of everyone involved and we look forward to showcasing some incredible hockey to fans next year.”

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. – Team Canada East has finished with the silver medal at the 2019 World Junior A Challenge after falling to Russia 2-1 in double overtime in the gold medal game. The medal is the sixth silver and seventh overall for the team.

After Pavel Tyutnev scored to give the Russians a 1-0 lead with less than five minutes to play, Team Canada East went on a five-on-three power play in the final two minutes, which became a six-on-three with goaltender Devon Levi (Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que./Carleton Place, CCHL) on the bench. Ryan O’Hara (Oakville, Ont./Oakville, OJHL) found Ryan Alexander (Toronto/St. Michael’s, OJHL) with a cross-crease pass, and he beat a sprawling Yegor Guskov with 1:02 remaining to force overtime.

Early in the second extra frame, Russian defenceman Shakir Mukhamadullin found the back of the net on a point shot that redirected off a Canadian, giving Russia its first-ever gold.

“It’s hard to comprehend right now, but I think if we look back at this tournament in a week or two, our guys are going to realize that we did something special here,” said Team Canada East head coach Martin Dagenais (Embrun, Ont./Ottawa, CCHL). “I hope this is a memory our players can have for the rest of their lives, because to come here and win silver is a great accomplishment for Team Canada East.”

Levi, who was named World Junior A Challenge MVP, was exceptional for the Canadians, turning aside 39 shots in the loss.

“It was a tough loss and we are pretty upset right now, but we still managed to defy the odds. We knew we could accomplish this, and we used the underdog mentality to our advantage,” said Levi. “It is every kid’s childhood dream to play for Team Canada, forget about winning a medal. Being a part of Team Canada and being able to represent my country was a great experience and I will never forget it.”

Following the gold medal game, the 2019 World Junior A Challenge all-star team was announced:

• Goaltender: Yegor Guskov (Russia)
• Defence: Philippe Chapleau (Canada East)
• Defence: Daniil Chayka (Russia)
• Forward: Brendan Brisson (United States)
• Forward: Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (United States)
• Forward: Ryland Mosley (Canada East)

United States defeats Czech Republic to win bronze

In the bronze medal game earlier Sunday, Trevor Kuntar scored on a partial breakaway just over two minutes into overtime to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 and secure a bronze medal for the United States.

The Americans opened the scoring at 5:18 of the third period when Sean Farrell jammed in a rebound in front of the Czech net. But a Daniel Poizl shot from the point redirected off an American glove and found the back of the net with 4.2 seconds remaining, forcing overtime.

American goaltender Ethan Haider was stellar in a 37-save performance, while Jakub Dobes recorded 29 stops for the Czech Republic.

For more information on the 2019 World Junior A Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Twitter.

Kevin Henderson describes the role of team host as someone who solves the problems of others.

Pretty straightforward, but definitely not easy.

Henderson is back at it again this week for the 2019 World Junior A Challenge in Dawson Creek, B.C., a community that has become a go-to for Hockey Canada events, from the 2009 National Women’s Team -pre-Olympic boot camp to the National Women’s Under-18 Championship and World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Henderson has been front and centre at all of the events as a volunteer, primarily as a team host. He is placed with one of the competing teams and is the first person contacted when a problem arises – like when a player forgets to pack some of his gear.

“One kid forgot his skates this year so I was asked, ‘Can we figure something out?’ ” says Henderson, who by day is the general manager of development services at the City of Dawson Creek. “I play hockey with a guy who owns a sports store. He gave us a brand-new pair of skates for this kid to wear in practices and an exhibition game while his skates were being shipped.

“That’s the beauty of a small town. It speaks to the community and willingness to help.”

That sense of coming together and doing whatever is necessary has put Dawson Creek on the map. Hockey Canada regularly identifies communities that have the ability to host national events. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn’t work as well. With Dawson Creek it has become a success, each and every time.

Henderson points to the history of his community working with Canada’s national hockey body. In 2009, Canada’s National Women’s Team needed a small community, away from the media glare, for its summer boot camp, a month-long event that sees players and staff move into a community for on- and off-ice training and team building.

Dawson Creek welcomed the team with open arms, with residents opening up their homes for players and staff to live in. The Henderson family – Kevin, his wife Tyra and their children, Hudson and Rachel – moved out of their home and in with Tyra’s parents, who were on an acreage about 15 minutes outside of town.

The Henderson house turned into the home for Team Canada athletes Meaghan Mikkelson, Brianne Jenner, Charline Labonté and Delaney Collins, two of whom – Mikkelson and Labonté – would be on the ice in Vancouver months later celebrating Olympic gold.

“It was great to see how that process started in Dawson Creek and went right through to the Olympics in 2010 in Vancouver,” says Henderson. “Knowing you had a little part to play in that process was pretty cool. I know some of the women’s players still talk about that experience in Dawson Creek. It was great that we had the ability to do that.”

The boot camp acted as a sort of springboard for events in Dawson Creek.

In November 2012, the city welcomed the National Women’s Under-18 Championship. Henderson was team host for Ontario Blue, with Rachel acting as a junior host and getting the chance to hang around the players and soak it all in, including an opportunity to skate with the team in warm-up.

Ontario Blue ended up making history, upsetting Ontario Red – the seven-time defending champion – in the semifinal en route to a gold medal.

Fast forward three years and Dawson Creek is hosting the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Henderson is host for Canada White, Hudson is junior host and, once again, the team Henderson is hosting makes it to the gold medal game. Hudson’s role at that event was really to shadow the team trainers. He filled water bottles, grabbed sticks for players and was the classic rink rat that got to experience so much.

Henderson says that experience was unlike any other for his small community.

“Our facility (the Encana Events Centre) had never seen anything like that,” says Henderson. “There were about 4,000 people in there for the final, it was jammed to the rafters. Canada versus Russia … it doesn’t get any better than that. These are the kinds of things that are great for small communities like Dawson Creek.”

The under-17 event returned to Dawson Creek in 2017, with Henderson acting once again host for Canada White, which this time finished with bronze.

Henderson’s involvement with Hockey Canada is just one part of his love of hockey. He didn’t play the game as a child and started around the age of 30, when Hudson’s interest in hockey began. Both of his children – Hudson is now 21 and Rachel is 19 – grew up at the rink, both played hockey and Henderson and his wife lent countless hours to minor hockey as volunteers – he a coach and she a team manager.

It has been just over 10 years since Dawson Creek hosted Team Canada at that boot camp and the community continues to rally around Hockey Canada events.

“Our city is very fortunate to have a core group of volunteers who got involved in 2009-10,” he says. “We have been able to keep that core group together. That makes it a lot easier from a host community perspective to pull off these events. Everybody takes pride in this and we all strive to do a good job.”

It was almost pre-ordained that Michael Benning was going to be a defenceman, and a good one.

After all, it seems pretty much every branch of the Benning family tree includes a talented rearguard.

Michael has a brother, Matt, who is into his fourth season with the Edmonton Oilers, and a sister, Abby, who is a fifth-year senior with the University of Alberta, with whom she won a U SPORTS national title in 2017.

Both are defencemen.

His father, Brian, played 568 NHL games with St. Louis, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Edmonton and Florida from 1985-95, uncle Jim – currently the general manager of the Vancouver Canucks – spent 610 games across nine NHL seasons with Toronto and Vancouver, and uncle Mark was a standout at Harvard University who played a couple seasons of pro hockey in Germany.

All three were defencemen.

So would he really want to be anything different?

“When I was younger, I wanted to be a forward,” Michael says. “I kept telling my dad that, but he wouldn’t give up.”

Sticking with the family business has worked out pretty well for Michael, a 2020 NHL draft prospect and University of Denver commit who is wearing the Maple Leaf this week with Canada West at the 2019 World Junior A Challenge.

He comes into the tournament with a little bit of hype. After posting 40 points in 27 games with the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, Michael was highlighted by NHL Central Scouting as a player to watch and featured by The Hockey News in a pre-tournament article.

Just don’t expect a few more sets of eyes and a few more words on a page to change the way he plays.

“There are scouts everywhere these days and I’m not a big social media guy,” Michael says of the attention. “I just try to be the best I can be. I’m playing with good players, so I want to use that to my advantage.”

Advice like that has been – and still is – a staple of his upbringing. With Michael in Sherwood Park, Matt and Abby playing in Edmonton and Brian at home in St. Albert, family dinners happen as often as schedules allow, giving Michael plenty of opportunities for brain-picking.

“They’ve been through every situation,” he says of his family. “They guide me, they tell me what’s going to come up, they help me prepare for it. They’re good teachers on the ice and off the ice, so it’s nice to have.”

Michael also gives a lot of credit to his late grandfather Elmer, a legendary scout who spent 47 years with the Montreal Canadiens and convinced the Habs to select Carey Price in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

“He was my one of my greatest influences,” Michael says of Elmer, who passed away in December 2018. “He was always there with positive feedback. Things I don’t see on the ice he saw from the stands, so he was always a great help with the little things. He was so positive and such a people person.”

But for all the advice they give and all the experience they have, one accomplishment has eluded the Bennings – an international gold medal. Brian finished fourth in his lone trip to the IIHF World Championship in 1993, the closest a family member has come to the podium.

Michael wants to change that, and give himself a few bragging rights at the same time.

“I’m the youngest and I’m a little bugger, so when I get something they don’t have I like to rub it in their face and say ‘Look at this,’” Michael says with a laugh. “It’ll be nice [if we can get it done].”