Miles from Mistissini
Israel Mianscum left home to chase his hockey dreams at a very young age, leaning on his family and his heritage to see him through
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November 2, 2019
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Imagine you’re 11 years old. It’s autumn in a northern First Nations community in Quebec, the weather is turning crisp and your hockey talent has already outgrown the surrounding area.
When most kids were trying to figure out a costume for Halloween, Israel Mianscum was trying to navigate through a new way of life, 147 kilometres from home without family or friends and playing hockey in a league with kids a year older.
Understandably, it wasn’t easy. Avoiding homesickness was impossible, but his mother made a deal – one she honoured faithfully; the family would drive nearly two hours every weekend from its home in Mistissini, a Cree community of around 4,000 people, to culturally identical Ouje-Bougoumou to visit him weekly in the pursuit of his hockey dreams.
If the move wasn’t difficult enough to start, it was further complicated by the loss of two family members – a grandfather and an uncle that same October. At that point just barely into the transition, it could have been easy to acquiesce and return home.
But the touchstone of daily phone calls and frequent visits from family eased the change and five years later there are few shoulder checks.
“He struggled to stay put at first,” says Tiffany Neeposh, Mianscum’s mom. “We knew he really wanted to play hockey and I knew he would be more broken if he came home.
“We did everything we could for him to stay there. He got used to it after a while. It was quite a year for him. He’s so much stronger today living without us.”
Of course, the longing for home didn’t just dissipate after one season. In fact, it took a few years to truly adjust.
What always eased the original move away from Mistissini was the comfort of being around other players that spoke Cree.
And in Quebec, where French is the dominant language and English a distant second, being able to speak your own tongue created cultural stability and a soothing environment for a wistful teenager.
However, at 14 and a few more moves down the hockey road, Mianscum suddenly found himself isolated and miles away from his upbringing as a member of the Citadelles de Rouyn-Noranda, a Midget Espoir team in western Quebec.
“That was a hard year for me,” he says. “I was alone. There was nobody to talk to me in my language. It was tougher for me than at 11.”
To cope, there was nothing else to do but pour his mind and body deeper into hockey and continue to develop. The results were impressive. He posted 29 goals and 56 points in 29 games to lead the league in scoring and earn MVP honours, despite being one of the youngest players.
“Looking back on what I did to leave to play hockey kind of amazes me now,” says the six-foot-one, 192-pound centre. “I’m proud of myself. I’m not homesick now.”
He graduated to the Forestiers de Amos of the Ligue de hockey midget AAA du Québec last season and had another stellar offensive campaign with 21 goals and 35 points in 36 games.
Those numbers and other assets eventually attracted the attention of the Sherbrooke Phoenix, who selected Mianscum with the 10th pick of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft last summer.
“The draft was exciting,” he says. “It was really fun. It was the best day of my life so far. That’s probably one of the best moments for my family. It makes all the sacrifices worth it.”
Mianscum started skating at the age of two. He was a natural, but the early beginning was aided by the annual construction of a backyard rink at home under the guidance and assembly of his mother and father, Louie.
His ability to propel himself around the ice so early in life certainly made it easy for his parents to realize he was special. And his mother knew it was inevitable that he was going to have to leave home in order to pursue his hockey dreams.
“From the very beginning he was very competitive,” says Neeposh, a hockey player herself. “We knew from there he was going to be different. He was so determined. He was always on the rink doing extra stuff like shooting pucks. He was always competing. Hockey is his passion.”
Now 16, Mianscum has found his way from small-town Quebec to the international stage as a member of Canada White at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
“Israel is a real interesting prospect,” says Brad McEwen, head scout with Hockey Canada. “He has a good skill-set plus size, which makes him a double threat. He can play a bigger game or can play a skill game to create offence.”
“It’s a dream come true for me to play for Team Canada,” says Mianscum. “To represent [my country] is an honour. I’m proud of myself and I know my community is too.”
As a fan of the Montreal Canadiens, Mianscum looks to their Aboriginal goaltender Carey Price for inspiration. He admits to also following Edmonton Oilers defenceman Ethan Bear, too.
He hopes one day he’ll get even closer to realizing his goal of playing with or against either one of those players in the National Hockey League, thus becoming the first Quebec Cree player in the NHL.
“That’s everyone’s goal,” he says of the NHL. “It’s my goal too. That’s what I want to do. But there is so many things I need to improve on. I’ll take it day-by-day. I just need to make sure I play my game all the time.”
And it appears he’s right at home doing that.
Schedule announced for 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge
Prince Edward Island to host international tournament for first time
NR.059.23
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September 6, 2023
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CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada has announced the format and schedule for the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, Nov. 2-11 in Charlottetown and Summerside, PE.
Six teams will compete in this year’s tournament: Team Canada Red, Team Canada White, Czechia, Finland, Sweden and the United States. Each team will play five preliminary-round games from Nov. 2-7, with the quarterfinal matchups set for Nov. 9 and the semifinals on Nov. 10.
The bronze and gold medal games will take place Nov. 11 at 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. AT, respectively.
“Since this event began in 1986, more than 2,000 National Hockey League draft picks have played in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge,” said Breanne Ferris, manager of events and properties for Hockey Canada. “We cannot wait to celebrate the tournament’s first stop on Prince Edward Island with the great hockey fans of Atlantic Canada.”
Each team will play at least one game in Charlottetown and Summerside, ensuring fans in both communities can watch some of hockey’s brightest young stars.
The Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown will play host to 12 games, including both medal games and a Canadian double-header on Nov. 4.
Ten games will be played at Credit Union Place in Summerside, beginning with Team Canada White facing Czechia on Nov. 2, as well as an all-Canadian matchup on Nov. 3. “Our volunteers, organizers and fans are ecstatic to welcome the world to Prince Edward Island,” said tournament co-chair Tanner Doiron. “This tournament is another steppingstone for the world’s best young players on their journey to the NHL. To play host to an event of this caliber is exciting for not only our two host cities, but the entire province. Our group has been working tirelessly to make sure this event is a great success, and with the support of our fans and volunteers, we know it will be.”
Tickets are on sale now, with packages starting at $120. Click here to secure your seat.
TSN and RDS, the official broadcasters of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the medal games. Preliminary-round games, quarterfinals and semifinals will be available by livestream at HockeyCanada.ca .
For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca , or follow along on Facebook , X and Instagram .
Hockey Canada confirms hosts for seven events
National and international tournaments will be hosted across five provinces in the 2023-24 season
NR.050.23
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July 27, 2023
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CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada has confirmed the dates and host communities for seven events taking place during the 2023-24 season, including the return of the National Women’s Under-18 Championship.
“Today is an exciting day for Hockey Canada as we announce seven events that play a critical role in the development of men’s, women’s and para hockey athletes, coaches and staff,” said Pat McLaughlin, chief operating officer of Hockey Canada. “We hope that hosting these tournaments will help introduce new fans to the game, create lifelong memories for Canadians and have a positive impact in each community long after the medals have been handed out.”
The 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge will be played Nov. 2-11 in Charlottetown and Summerside, PE, marking the first time in the tournament’s 37-year history that it will be hosted in the province.
Featuring some of the best young women’s hockey players in Canada, the 2023 National Women’s Under-18 Championship will run Nov. 5-11 in Dawson Creek, BC, bringing the event back to the Peace Region for the first time since 2012.
Canada’s National Para Hockey Team will compete for gold with three other countries at the 2023 Para Hockey Cup, which will be held Dec. 3-9 in Quispamsis, NB, marking the fourth Hockey Canada event that Quispamsis has hosted.
Top Canadian and international players will be showcased at the 2023 World Junior A Hockey Challenge from Dec. 10-17 in Truro, NS, as the tournament returns to Atlantic Canada for the fourth time and to Truro for the second time.
In the spring, Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship will be decided at the Esso Cup in Vernon, BC from April 21-27, while the Men’s U18 National Club Championship will be played April 22-28 in Sydney, NS.
The best Junior A teams in Canada will take to the ice at the 2024 Centennial Cup in Oakville, ON, with the Oakville Blades hosting the national championship from May 9-19.
“We are thrilled to share the list of communities that will host Hockey Canada events during the 2023-24 season,” said Dean McIntosh, vice-president of strategic partnerships and community impact. “The support we have received from host committees has been outstanding and we are confident that participants, volunteers, partners and fans will have fantastic experiences at each tournament.”
Ticket information for all seven events can be found here. Tournament schedules will be announced at a later date.
For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
111 players participate in Program of Excellence summer meetings
National men’s under-17 program and National Junior Team began preparations for 2023-24 season during three days of virtual meetings
NR.049.23
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July 26, 2023
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CALGARY, AB - Hockey Canada is proud to recognize the 111 players that took part in the Program of Excellence summer meetings in preparation for the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship. Sixty-six under-17 players were selected by Alan Millar (Tottenham, ON), director of player personnel, Byron Bonora (Brooks, AB), U17 head scout, and Dave Brown (Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON/Erie, OHL), the U17 lead for the Program of Excellence management group, with input from Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of hockey operations. Regional scouts Rob Simpson (Ontario), Pierre Cholette (Quebec), Darren Sutherland (Atlantic) and Darrell Woodley (Ontario), as well as Member representatives, also provided input.
All 66 under-17 players have been drafted by Canadian Hockey League (CHL) teams, including 37 from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), 15 from the Western Hockey League (WHL) and 14 from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
“This impressive group of athletes is an excellent representation of the talent pool in our country, and these meetings were a great opportunity to kick off a new season and begin our preparations for two major international events,” Millar said. “This was a great opportunity to introduce prospective national team players to the Program of Excellence and help prepare them for international competition.”
Forty-five under-20 players were selected by Millar and Peter Anholt (Naicam, SK/Lethbridge, WHL), the U20 lead for the POE management group, with input from Salmond and Benoit Roy (Sudbury, ON), senior manager of hockey operations. The list includes three players who won a gold medal on home ice at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship in Halifax and Moncton (Beck, Fantilli, Korchinski), and seven who won gold on home ice at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (Barlow, Benson, Gauthier, Ratzlaff, Ritchie, Wood, Yager). It also includes 12 players who were selected in the 2023 NHL Draft last month, including seven first-round picks (Barlow, Benson, Danielson, Fantilli, Ritchie, Wood, Yager).
Players took part in virtual meetings that covered a variety of topics, including education on the Program of Excellence, sport safety presentations, short-term international competition preparation and meetings with the Hockey Canada management group. The discussions will allow participants to continue to evolve as high-performance athletes and utilize the strengths and experience of the Program of Excellence’s leadership.
Players will continue to be evaluated through the early portion of the 2023-24 season before Canadian rosters are named for the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden.
For more information on Hockey Canada and the Program of Excellence, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
U17: Family matters for Enright
Strong family values and small-town farm roots have formed the foundation of the character Isaac Enright continues to forge play
The future is now at 2023 NHL Draft
A closer look at Canadian content from Nashville – from Connor Bedard to Tyler Peddle
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June 29, 2023
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After another successful NHL Draft, one thing remains clear – no country develops hockey players quite like Canada.
In total, more than one-third of the players who had their names called in Nashville – 87 of 224 – hail from north of the 49th parallel. (That includes players who were born outside the country but are products of the Canadian hockey system, like No. 37 pick Ethan Gauthier.)
The list features representation from 10 Members, and 33 who have worn the Maple Leaf in international competition.
The red-and-white run started from the top, with two-time IIHF World Championship gold medallist Connor Bedard going No. 1 to the Chicago Blackhawks. The North Vancouver, B.C., native is just the second player from Canada’s westernmost province to be taken with the first pick, joining Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2012).
CONNOR BEDARD IS A CHICAGO BLACKHAWK pic.twitter.com/7mZD3btVSM
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) June 28, 2023
Bedard rewrote the World Juniors record book, setting all-time records for goals (17) and points (36) by a Canadian.
Adam Fantilli followed quickly behind, going to the Columbus Blue Jackets with the third pick. He had a historic 2022-23 season on the international stage, becoming just the second Canadian – after Jonathan Toews (2007) – to win gold at the IIHF World Championship and IIHF World Junior Championship in the same season.
Canadians accounted for 12 of the 32 first-round picks; that list included seven players who helped Canada win gold at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Red Deer (Barlow, Benson, Bonk, Molendyk, Ritchie, Wood, Yager) and three who earned bronze at the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship (Barlow, Ritchie, Wood).
The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) was well represented among the Canadian contingent; 68 of the 87 players selected were products of CHL programs, from 39 different teams – led by six members of the WHL champion Seattle Thunderbirds. The Western Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League led the way with 29 picks each, followed by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with 10.
The Seattle Thunderbirds (Hanzel, Milic, Myatovic, Mynio, Ratzlaff, Sawchyn) paced all club teams with six players selected, while the Brantford Bulldogs (Brown, Lardis, Thomas, Xhekaj), Flint Firebirds (Bertucci, Day, Hay, Pitre), London Knights (Barkey, Bonk, Cowan, Julien) and Ottawa 67's (Foster, Gardiner, Mayich, Pinelli) had four apiece.
CANADIAN PLAYERS DRAFTED – BY MEMBER
Ontario Hockey Federation (34) – Beau Akey, Cam Allen, Matthew Andonovski, Denver Barkey, Colby Barlow, Tristan Bertucci, Sebastian Bradshaw, Cole Brown, Jonathan Castagna, Warren Clark, Easton Cowan, Nathaniel Day, Adam Fantilli, Cooper Foster, Brad Gardiner, Andrew Gibson, Ethan Hay, Jacob Julien, Larry Keenan, Nick Lardis, Angus MacDonell, Ryan MacPherson, Matthew Mayich, Ethan Miedema, Alex Pharand, Luca Pinelli, Coulson Pitre, Carson Rehkopf, Calum Ritchie, Ryan Roobroeck, Konnor Smith, Patrick Thomas, Zaccharya Wisdom, Florian Xhekaj
BC Hockey (19) – Owen Beckner, Connor Bedard, Zach Benson, Luca Cagnoni, Aiden Celebrini, Andrew Cristall, Lukas Dragicevic, Terrell Goldsmith, Kaden Hammell, Jeremy Hanzel, Justin Kipkie, Connor Levis, Thomas Milic, Tanner Molendyk, Nico Myatovic, Sawyer Mynio, Austin Roest, Hoyt Stanley, Matthew Wood
Hockey Alberta (8) – Nate Danielson, Aiden Fink, Emmitt Finnie, Brett Hyland, Ty Mueller, Scott Ratzlaff, Gracyn Sawchyn, Koehn Ziemmer
Hockey Saskatchewan (8) – Noah Chadwick, Riley Heidt, Kalan Lind, Hudson Malinoski, Kalem Parker, Matthew Perkins, Caden Price, Brayden Yager
Hockey Quebec (7) – Mathieu Cataford, Ethan Gauthier, Justin Gill, Rudy Guimond, Charles-Olivier Legault, Quinton Miller, Étienne Morin,
Hockey Manitoba (3) – Carson Bjarnason, Jayden Perron, Carter Sotheran
Hockey New Brunswick (3) – Dylan MacKinnon, Matteo Mann, Bradly Nadeau
Hockey Eastern Ontario (2) – Oliver Bonk, Quinton Burns
Hockey P.E.I. (2) – Luke Coughlin, Cam Squires
Hockey Nova Scotia (1) – Tyler Peddle
CANADIAN PLAYERS DRAFTED – BY INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
2023 National Men’s Team Adam Fantilli
2023 National Junior Team Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, Thomas Milic
2022 National Junior Team Connor Bedard
2023 National Men’s Under-18 Team Cam Allen, Colby Barlow, Tristan Bertucci, Carson Bjarnason, Quinton Burns, Andrew Cristall, Lukas Dragicevic, Andrew Gibson, Riley Heidt, Nick Lardis, Angus MacDonell, Étienne Morin, Alex Pharand, Caden Price, Calum Ritchie, Matthew Wood
2022 National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team Cam Allen, Denver Barkey, Colby Barlow, Zach Benson, Carson Bjarnason, Oliver Bonk, Mathieu Cataford, Andrew Cristall, Ethan Gauthier, Riley Heidt, Kalan Lind, Dylan MacKinnon, Tanner Molendyk, Caden Price, Scott Ratzlaff, Carson Rehkopf, Calum Ritchie, Matthew Wood, Brayden Yager
2022 National Men’s Under-18 Team Connor Bedard, Lukas Dragicevic, Adam Fantilli, Kalem Parker, Matthew Wood
2021 National Men’s Under-18 Team Connor Bedard, Thomas Milic
2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge Charles-Olivier Legault (White), Thomas Milic (Red)
2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games Nate Danielson, Adam Fantilli
2022 World Junior A Challenge Aiden Celebrini (West), Aiden Fink (West), Hudson Malinoski (West)
Hockey Canada names Program of Excellence management group for 2023-24 season
Brown, Russell, Anholt to oversee men’s U17, U18, U20 programs
NR.021.23
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March 22, 2023
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CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada has announced the three Canadian Hockey League (CHL) general managers that will make up the Program of Excellence management group for the 2023-24 season.
Dave Brown (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont./Erie, OHL) and Cam Russell (Cole Harbour, N.S./Halifax, QMJHL) will make their debuts as members of the POE management group, with Brown guiding the men’s under-17 program through the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and Russell leading the under-18 program through the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Peter Anholt (Naicam, Sask./Lethbridge, WHL) will return to the program to advise the under-20 program and Canada’s National Junior Team through the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Anholt will take over for James Boyd (Midland, Ont./Ottawa, OHL), whose two-year tenure with the under-20 program included back-to-back gold medals at the 2022 and 2023 IIHF World Junior Championships.
“We are excited to welcome Dave and Cam to the POE to lead our under-17 and under-18 programs, and to welcome back Peter as the under-20 lead after an outstanding job guiding our under-18 program,” said Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of hockey operations. “All three individuals bring a wealth of CHL experience to our program, and we look forward to having them work alongside our athletes and staff while leading our men’s national teams next season.
“We also wish to thank James Boyd for two years of commitment and dedication to Canada’s National Junior Team. James was instrumental in helping Canada win two-straight gold medals at the World Juniors, and we are grateful for his effort and leadership over the past two years.”
Brown is in his eighth season (2015-23) as general manager of the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) after serving four seasons (2011-15) as director of hockey operations with the team. He helped lead Erie to an OHL championship in 2017, and contributed to a CHL record of four-consecutive 50-win seasons (2011-15). Prior to joining the Otters, Brown spent seven seasons with the Mississauga/Niagara IceDogs, serving as assistant general manager (2003-05) and general manager (2005-10).
Russell has spent 22 seasons with the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He has served as general manager for the past 15 years (2008-23), helping the Mooseheads win the Memorial Cup in 2013. Russell started his coaching career as an assistant with Halifax for three seasons (2000-03) before serving as a player development consultant for two years (2004-06). He also served as head coach for parts of five seasons (2006-11), adding the GM title to his coaching duties in 2008. As a player, he played 396 NHL games over 10 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks (1989-99) and Colorado Avalanche (1998-99), and won two Presidents Cup championships with the QMJHL’s Hull Olympiques.
Anholt has led the under-18 program for the past two seasons, helping Canada’s National Summer Under-18 Team win a gold medal at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He is currently in his eighth full season (2015-23) as general manager of the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League (WHL) after being promoted from assistant general manager in 2014. Anholt also spent time as head coach of the Hurricanes for part of the 2014-15 season, and has won the WHL Executive of the Year award twice (2015-16, 2019-20). Anholt brings a wealth of WHL experience as a head coach, assistant coach and scout, including stints with the Prince Albert Raiders (1986-89, 2002-07), Seattle Thunderbirds (1989-92, 2012-14), Red Deer Rebels (1992-95, 1998-2000, 2007-08, 2011-12) and Kelowna Rockets (1996-98).
The management group will work alongside Salmond and Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.), director of player personnel, as well as the organization’s hockey operations staff. Day-to-day operations for the POE management group include assisting in coach and player selections, supporting the coaching staffs and providing input during camps and tournaments throughout the season.
The Program of Excellence will be overseen by Pat McLaughlin (Saint John, N.B.), Hockey Canada’s chief operating officer; Salmond; Millar; Dan MacKenzie (Guelph, Ont.), CHL president; David Branch (Bathurst, N.B.), OHL commissioner; Mario Cecchini (Saint-Lambert, Que.), incoming QMJHL commissioner; and Ron Robison (Indian Head, Sask.), WHL commissioner.
For more information on Hockey Canada and the Program of Excellence, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
U17: Wright still just one of the boys
What makes Shane Wright exceptional is just as much about who he is off the ice as what he does on it.
Canada Red gets silver at 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge
United States wins gold, Finland takes bronze
NR.068.22
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November 12, 2022
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LANGLEY, B.C. – Canada Red has finished with the silver medal at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, falling 11-3 to the United States in the gold medal game on Saturday night at the Langley Events Centre. Porter Martone (Peterborough, Ont./Sarnia, OHL) scored twice and Nathan Villeneuve (Ottawa, Ont./Sudbury, OHL) added a power play marker for Canada Red, which briefly got to within two midway through the second period before the Americans pulled away for their sixth U17 gold medal. Cole Eiserman led the way for the United States with three goals – finishing with a tournament-high 12 – and three assists. James Hagens had two goals and three assists, finishing atop the tournament scoring race with 21 points. “We liked the way we started the game; we were playing well. Their goalie made some big saves when we had a power play early on,” said Canada Red head coach Greg Walters (Toronto, Ont./Owen Sound, OHL). “We thought we were playing a really good hockey game. We made one bad turnover and then the game kind of spiraled away from us.” “This has been an amazing experience. There is nothing like playing against the best players in the world,” said Canada Red captain Berkly Catton (Saskatoon, Sask./Spokane, WHL). “I learned a lot from my teammates and coaches, and talking to the people around the event has been an unreal experience.” Canada Black finishes fourth In the bronze medal game earlier on Saturday, Canada Black dropped a 7-1 decision to Finland. Finland led 3-0 after one period and took a four-goal lead nine seconds into the second before Lukas Karmiris (Brantford, Ont./Mississauga, OHL) scored the lone goal for Canada Black. It’s the second bronze for the Finns at the tournament, and first since 1998. “We put ourselves in a tough spot. Hockey is a game of emotion and with teenage kids there are ups and downs. Unfortunately for us the game started with a quick down, and it was difficult to recover from there,” said Canada Black head coach Mark O’Leary (Owen Sound, Ont./Moose Jaw, WHL). “We did not quit, we kept playing, but it was a tough game from start to finish.” Following the gold medal game, the tournament all-star team was announced. Catton, Eiserman and Hagens comprise the forwards, Sam Dickinson (Toronto, Ont./London, OHL) from Canada Black and Henry Mews (Nepean, Ont./Ottawa, OHL) from Canada White are the defencemen and Canada Red’s Gabriel D’Aigle (Sorel-Tracy, Que./Victoriaville, QMJHL) is the goaltender. For more information on the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
World U17 Hockey Challenge Recap – November 11
Canada Red and Canada Black secured spots in the medal round on Friday, while Canada White downed Finland.
November 11, 2022
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Canada Black 7, Czechia 5 • Justin Poirier (Valleyfield, Que./Baie-Comeau, QMJHL) led the way for Canada Black with a goal and two assists. • Cole Beaudoin (Kanata, Ont./Barrie, OHL) scored twice. • Thomas Desruisseaux (Lévis, Que./Cape Breton, QMJHL) and Lucas Karmiris (Brantford, Ont./Mississauga, OHL) each had a goal and an assist. • Adam Titlbach scored a goal and provided three assists for Czechia. • Adam Benak scored twice, including a lacrosse-style goal, and added an assist. • The win earns Canada Black a spot in the bronze medal game. Canada Red 6, Sweden 3 • Porter Martone (Peterborough, Ont./Sarnia, OHL) scored twice for Canada Red. • Tij Iginla (Lake Country, B.C./Seattle, WHL) had a goal and two assists. • Gabriel D’Aigle (Sorel-Tracy, Que./Victoriaville, QMJHL) made 35 saves for the win. • Anton Olson, Mans Toresson and Viggo Nordlund scored for Sweden. • The win earns Canada Red a spot in the gold medal game. Canada White 8, Finland 2 • Roger McQueen (Saskatoon, Sask./Brandon, WHL) scored twice and added an assist for Canada White. • Gavin Hodnett (Winnipeg, Man./Edmonton, WHL) and Éliot L’Italien (L’Ancienne-Lorette, Que./Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL) had a goal and an assist apiece. • David Egorov (Manoctick, Ont./Hamilton, GOJHL) made 33 saves for the win. • Joona Saarelainen had a goal and an assist for Finland. Next games – Saturday, November 12: • Bronze medal game: Finland vs. Canada Black – 12 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre) • Gold medal game: Canada Red vs. United States – 5 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre) Quotes: “It was an emotional rollercoaster today, that is for sure. There were lots of learning experiences for our guys again. We have been getting better every day here and certainly deserve to play for a medal. We have an outgoing group that have gotten to know one another really well. They are enjoying themselves and I am happy for them that they get a chance to play for a medal.” - Canada Black head coach Mark O’Leary (Owen Sound, Ont./Moose Jaw, WHL) on making it past the preliminary round. “It was a big win for us. We have played really well [without Macklin Celebrini and Malcolm Spence], they are two really good players that would have helped us a lot. We have got a good team and everyone stepped up into new roles, taken pride in those roles and played them very well. We are lucky to have the players and coaches that we have.” - Canada Black captain Sam Dickinson (Toronto, Ont./London, OHL) on his team’s effort. "We played fast and were team-first as you could see in their play. The kids have done a great job at bonding together, we have a special group of 21 players in [the dressing room]. They have all bought into the logo and not the name on the back [of the jersey]. We were a little nervous to start, but D’Aigle is one of the top goalies in the country and he proved it tonight, giving our guys a chance. I am really proud of our guys.” - Canada Red head coach Greg Walters (Toronto, Ont./Owen Sound, OHL) on earning a spot in the gold medal game. “[D’Aigle] was our MVP tonight, even in moments when we were getting outplayed, he kept us in there; he was someone we could lean on today. [The U.S.] is a good team, but at the end of the day it is hockey, and we are going to get out there and give them a good game.” - Iginla on the opportunity to play for a gold medal. “We did not have a bad tournament, but we were not consistent. The first game really hurt us. I thought that we hung in there every game. Knowing that we did not have a chance at the medal round, it would have been easy to throw in the towel, but our guys came out strong today. We finished on a positive note, the guys played the Canadian way.” - Canada White head coach Bruce Richardson (Ville St-Pierre, Que./Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL) on finishing strong. “It was good to end the tournament with a win. We played way better, cleaner on our exits and had better passing tonight. This has been a special experience. Wearing the [Maple] Leaf is something that you dream of ever since you are a kid. We had a great group of guys; this has been an unreal experience.” - Ritchie on the experience of playing with Canada White. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Langley Events Centre; please check local listings for details. For more information on the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
U17: The anatomy of a warm-up
Vicky Fyfe put her players through their paces ahead of Black’s opening game at U17 camp.
World U17 Hockey Challenge Recap – November 10
The United States downed Canada White to cap a perfect prelims in the lone game Thursday in Langley.
November 10, 2022
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United States 8, Canada White 2 • Kamil Bednarik, James Hagens and Lucas Van Vliet scored 1:35 apart in the first period for the U.S. • Shane Vansaghi had two goals and two assists for the United States. • Christian Humphreys added two goals and an assist for the Americans. • Marek Howell (Calgary, Alta./Moose Jaw, WHL) scored shorthanded for Canada White. • Ryder Ritchie (Kelowna, B.C./Prince Albert, WHL) scored Canada White’s other goal. Next games – Friday, November 11: • Czechia vs. Canada Black – 2 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre) • Canada Red vs. Sweden – 7 p.m. PT (Sungod Arena) • Finland vs. Canada White – 7 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre) Quotes: “We had good intentions; we were ready to play. They took a quick lead, and we were not able to bounce back. [The U.S.] are a good hockey team, they do not have a lot of holes in their game and they have a lot of good depth. We had a hard time reacting to them and struggled to play up to their pace. Our guys have got to stay disciplined and stay within our game plan. Today they were the better hockey team.” - Canada White head coach Bruce Richardson (Ville St-Pierre, Que./Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL) on coming up short. “From the moment I woke up this morning, I knew it was going to be a special game. Once we got out there it just felt like another game, knowing we just had to play our game to give us a chance. We have got to give credit to the U.S., they came out ready to play today. I have watched the massive rivalry [between Canada and the United States] since I was a kid. This has been the coolest experience I have had in my life.” - Howell on the opportunity to play against the United States. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Langley Events Centre; please check local listings for details. All preliminary-round games are livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca. For more information on the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
World U17 Hockey Challenge Recap – November 9
Canada beat Finland and Sweden defeat Czechia as both teams stayed in gold medal contention on Wednesday.
November 9, 2022
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Canada Red 8, Finland 5 • Canada Red got goals from eight different players. • Tij Iginla (Lake Country, B.C./Seattle, WHL) and Porter Martone (Peterborough, Ont./Sarnia, OHL) recorded a goal and two assists each. • Carson Wetsch (North Vancouver, B.C./Calgary, WHL) and Berkly Catton (Saskatoon, Sask./Spokane, WHL) had a goal and an assist apiece. • Konsta Helenius and Matvey Butkowskiy scored and had a helper for Finland. Sweden 5, Czechia 4 • Wille Magnettoft scored with 18 seconds left in the third to secure the win for Sweden. • Twelve Swedes recorded points in the win. • Adam Titlbach scored two goals for Czechia. • Adam Jecho contributed two assists for the Czechs. Next game – Thursday, November 10: • United States vs. Canada White – 7 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre) Quotes: “Our defence played their best game of the tournament so far; we played a simple, smart game. We played an extremely fast game on offence, kept getting pucks in behind their defence. They had their push in the third, but for the most part we played a great hockey game. We just played two really good games back-to-back. We will get some rest tomorrow, and if we play like this again we like our chances [on Friday].” - Canada Red head coach Greg Walters (Toronto, Ont./Owen Sound, OHL) on his team’s recent play. “It felt great [to score], but the biggest thing for us was the team success and getting the win; we needed that to stay alive. We want to keep it up moving forward. We fought good battles and got pucks out and deep when we had nothing, which certainly demoralizes teams. We will control what we can control moving forward and hope things shake out the way we need them to.” - Iginla on doing the right things as a team. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Langley Events Centre; please check local listings for details. All preliminary-round games are livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca. For more information on the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
U17: Campers pushed to the limit in testing
The 112 players at U17 camp spent time in the WinSport Canada gym, going through a variety of tests that pushed them to their li
World U17 Hockey Challenge Recap – November 8
Finland topped Sweden, the U.S. moved to 5-0 and Canada White needed OT for its first win in Tuesday action
November 8, 2022
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Finland 6, Sweden 3 • Roope Vesterinen had two goals and an assist for Finland. • Aksei Pulkkanen contributed a goal and two assists for the Finns. • Karl Sterner scored a goal and had an assist for Sweden.
United States 6, Canada Black 1 • James Hagens had two goals for the U.S., bringing his point total to 14 through five games. • Cole Eiserman provided two assists for the United States. • Thomas Desruisseaux (Lévis, Que./Cape Breton, QMJHL) scored for Canada Black. Canada White 6, Czechia 5 (OT) • Henry Mews (Nepean, Ont./Ottawa, OHL) scored 1:09 into overtime. • Six different players scored goals and 13 recorded points for Canada White. • Ondrej Kos had a goal and two assists for Czechia.
Next games – Wednesday, November 9: • Finland vs. Canada Red – 7 p.m. PT (Sungod Arena) • Czechia vs. Sweden – 7 p.m. PT (Langley Events Centre) Quotes: “I was proud of the guys with how they came out. We had energy, we had life and were playing the right way. Sometimes when you do the right thing you don’t get rewarded for it. I was proud of the process, but we did not capitalize. Our mindset since the beginning is that circumstances do not change our standards. We have not had a full lineup yet, but that is okay. The guys in the lineup have done a great job at meeting the standards that we set. That will continue Friday.” - Canada Black head coach Mark O’Leary (Owen Sound, Ont./Moose Jaw, WHL) on lacking the finishing touch. “It was a great penalty kill [in overtime], they made a few shot blocks, I have got to give credit to my team. I saw [the Czechia] player was a bit soft on the puck and decided to go all-out with my pressure and I got rewarded for it. Without the penalty kill, nothing would have happened. We could have been better; the whole team knows that. We got up a couple of goals and then we got to be individual halfway through the game. We stopped playing our game. We have got to play a full 60 minutes if you want to win games in regulation.” - Mews on Canada White finding a way to win. “I was a little disappointed in the effort from some of our guys. We had a chance to survive and fight to be in the medal round. I do not think that everybody showed up. We have got to give credit to Czechia, they did not want to go home without a fight. They really played hard tonight. We want to win, but this tournament is also for our players to learn to become more professional and make it to the next step. Those who learn to will be able to stay within the program.” - Canada White head coach Bruce Richardson (Ville St-Pierre, Que./Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL) on his team’s effort. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Langley Events Centre; please check local listings for details. All preliminary-round games are livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca. For more information on the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
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