World juniors: Hockey Canada picks up the pieces after early exit

Canada’s World Junior Hockey Team Eliminated in Quarterfinals for Second Consecutive Year

The disappointment was palpable in Ottawa as Hockey Canada executive Scott Salmond took responsibility for the country’s men’s under-20 team’s early exit from the world junior hockey championship. Salmond, the program’s senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, acknowledged that “the buck stops” with him following Canada’s 4-3 loss to Czechia in the quarterfinals.

This latest defeat marked the second consecutive year that Canada was eliminated at the same stage by the same opponent, a bitter pill to swallow for a team with high expectations. Salmond expressed his deep disappointment and offered his apologies for the team’s performance in the tournament.

The issues that plagued Canada on the ice were evident throughout the competition, with a lack of scoring and discipline standing out as major concerns. Despite being a hockey powerhouse, Canada struggled to find the back of the net, managing only 13 goals in five games with a dismal 6.34 shooting percentage, the worst in the tournament. Additionally, Canada’s undisciplined play resulted in them being the most penalized team at the event, serving 27 times on the penalty kill.

The disappointing outcome serves as a wake-up call for Canadian hockey, highlighting the need for improvements in player development and performance at the international level. As the dust settles on another disappointing campaign, Hockey Canada will undoubtedly be looking to make changes and address the shortcomings that led to their early exit.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on January 3, 2024.