It wasn’t the hue they wanted but at least there was a bronze lining for the five Victoria Grizzlies players who represented Team Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge in Bonnyville, Alta.
Team Canada West, with Grizzlies forward and 2019 projected NHL first-round draft pick Alex Newhook as assistant captain, defeated the Czech Republic 3-1 in the bronze-medal game Sunday. That came after the spirit-deflating 3-2 overtime loss to the U.S. in the semifinals the night before despite a goal by 2019 NHL draft-projected Alex Campbell of the Grizzlies.
The Americans defeated Russia 2-0 in the gold-medal final.
“That was a tough loss to the U.S., but we did a good job of regrouping for the bronze medal,” said Canada West and Grizzlies defenceman Carter Berger.
The Grizzlies on Canada West were Newhook, Berger, Campbell, 2018 New York Rangers draft pick Riley Hughes and blue-liner Jeremie Bucheler.
Having had time now to reflect, the totality of the experience comes into better focus.
“It was the first time I had put on the Maple Leaf jersey and it was so special and cool to represent my country,” said Berger, who is headed next season to UConn of the NCAA.
“And it was an awesome experience to do it with five Grizzlies teammates.”
B.C. Hockey League scoring leader Newhook picked up an assist in the bronze-medal game. The Grizzlies captain might get plenty of opportunities in his hockey career to put on the Maple Leaf jersey, including in the 2020 IIHF world junior championship in the Czech Republic.
“To play for your country is a special feeling,” said Newhook, heading into the World Junior A Challenge.
The Victoria five joined a Canada West roster of 14 players from the BCHL, five from the Alberta Junior Hockey League and three from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
The only clubs with multiple players named were the five from the Grizzlies, the Penticton Vees of the BCHL with three and Vernon Vipers of the BCHL and Spruce Grove and Okotoks of the AJHL with two each.
“Our guys knew that today was all about Canadian pride,” said Canada West head coach Rick Swan in a statement, following the bronze-medal ceremony Sunday.
“We had the privilege of wearing [the Maple Leaf] on the front. It’s the last time these guys are going to be together and we’ve grown such a tremendous amount. Ultimately, we finished strong and made sure we left the right impression. I’m proud of them.”
Not that the semifinal overtime loss to the U.S. was easy to get over.
“We just let them know that we’re not done here, we still haven’t fulfilled what we came here to do and why we’re here for Canada West,” said Swan, of the rallying cry after the semifinal setback.
“Ultimately, we made sure we were proud of the effort, let’s regroup together as a staff and as 22 players so we finish this right.”
Berger said the biggest lesson he learned is that national-team or representative play is a totally different beast than club play, against opponents who are at another level than you are used to in club play.
World Junior A Challenge alumni include Brock Boeser, Dennis Cholowski, Joe Colborne, Nikolaj Ehlers, Dante Fabbro, Mikhail Grigorenko, Tyson Jost, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Elias Lindholm, Cale Makar, Jaden Schwartz, Vladimir Tarasenko, Kyle Turris, Andrei Vasilevski, Jakub Vrana and Nail Yakupov.
“From Day 1 it was stressed that you can’t play the same style as you do on your club team,” said Berger, who is second among BCHL defencemen in points.
“You are given a role on a national team and you have to accept that different role. I was a shutdown defenceman on Team Canada West and not the offensive blue-liner I am with the Grizzlies.”
The five Victoria players will rejoin the Island Division-leading Grizzlies (22-11-2) on Dec. 29 against the Nanaimo Clippers at The Q Centre.
