logo
FlamesNation has no direct affiliation to the Calgary Flames, Calgary Sports and Entertainment, NHL, or NHLPA
World Juniors Day 7 Recap: Canada finishes fifth (again) after loss to Czechs in quarters
alt
Photo credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Mike Gould
Jan 3, 2025, 11:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 3, 2025, 10:40 EST
Comments
Team Canada concluded its worst showing of the 21st century at the IIHF World Junior Championship on Thursday with a 4-3 loss to Team Czechia in the quarterfinals, bowing out early and finishing fifth overall for the second consecutive year.
Plagued by many of the same issues that hampered them throughout the preliminary round, the Canadians fell behind 3-1 in the first period and had to battle back late to tie the game, only to surrender a late goal after defenceman Andrew Gibson (DET) took an undisciplined kneeing penalty.
Canada’s Cole Beaudoin (UTA) was ejected from the game in the first period after colliding leg-on-leg with Czech forward Petr Sikora (WSH). It was a penalty call that could’ve gone either way, and it certainly drew the ire of many Canadian fans, but it undoubtedly set a precedent — one that every Team Canada skater should’ve been acutely aware of in the dying minutes of a 3-3 game.
Instead, with another one of their players in the box after committing a near-identical infraction, Adam Jecho (STL) scored the go-ahead goal with 39.4 seconds left, silencing the crowd at the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata.
The loss concluded an all-time turkey of a World Junior tournament for Team Canada, which has now been eliminated prior to the medal round in back-to-back years for the first time in more than three decades. Once a perennial favourite to win gold, the Canadians have hampered their own progress in recent years while watching their biggest competitors take huge steps forward.
Make no mistake: Team Canada’s players did everything they could under the circumstances in which they were placed, but the powers above did them no favours. They didn’t practice. They didn’t play their best players together. They largely opted against bringing offence-first guys like Zayne Parekh (CGY), Beckett Sennecke (ANA), Carter Yakemchuk (OTT), Michael Hage (MTL), Michael Misa (2025), and Andrew Cristall (WSH) — and then, they couldn’t score. In five games, Canada scored 13 goals; Team Czechia has already racked up 29.
After another early exit, Hockey Canada has a lot of work to do. Their first step should be to re-evaluate the entire process that led to them picking this roster. Peter Anholt, the main architect behind the last two iterations of Canada’s junior team, probably shouldn’t build the next one. Dave Cameron, the man behind the bench, definitely shouldn’t coach the next one. The accountability should start there and work its way down.
Remember: Parekh, Sennecke, Misa, and Hage are all eligible for next year’s tournament. So, too, are the injured Tij Iginla (UTA) and Cayden Lindstrom (CBJ), as well as potential returnees Berkly Catton (SEA), Sam Dickinson (SJ), Jett Luchanko (PHI), Porter Martone (2025), and Gavin McKenna (2026). All of these guys are (or will be) first-round picks. Barring injuries, significant drop-offs, or NHL assignments, they should all be on next year’s team.
This is the worst it’s been for Canada’s national junior team in a long, long time. But … at least it can only go up from here? Maybe?

Best of the rest

  • With four quarterfinals and one relegation game on the schedule, all 10 teams hit the ice on Thursday. And every game was close … with one exception. As expected, Team USA dominated Team Switzerland in their quarterfinal matchup, prevailing by a 7-2 score to punch their ticket to the medal round. American captain Ryan Leonard (WSH) led the way with a pair of goals, including the winner, while Gabe Perreault (NYR), James Hagens (2025), Oliver Moore (CHI), Zeev Buium (MIN), and Brodie Ziemer (BUF) also recorded multiple points in the victory. See what happens when you bring your stars?
  • Thursday’s slate of games began with Team Kazakhstan and Team Germany battling to avoid relegation. Despite the very best efforts of the upstart Kazakhs, who controlled the shots 31-22, Team Germany managed to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win 4-3 and remain in the top division. Julius Sumpf (und.) played an instrumental role in the Germans rallying to take the lead, setting up back-to-back goals in the second period to complete the comeback before scoring one of his own to seal the deal. (Denmark will take Kazakhstan’s place in 2026).
  • The Slovaks gave Team Finland quite the scare in the quarterfinals, nearly battling back from a 4-1 deficit in the third period while controlling the shots by a 2:1 margin. In the end, it was Jesse Nurmi (NYI) who led the way for the Finns with a pair of goals and an assist, but it’s difficult to imagine this iteration of Team Finland doing that much in the medal rounds, even factoring in their win over Team USA in the round robin. Their next test? Team Sweden, which outscored its opponents 24-10 in the preliminaries.
  • Team Latvia’s tournament for the ages may have come to an end on Thursday, but they gave the Swedes all they could handle on their way out. Sure, the shots ended up 50-13, but Latvian goaltender Linards Feldbergs (und.) was up to all his old tricks and kept it just close enough for his team to mount a comeback attempt. After falling behind 3-0 midway through regulation, Latvia managed to get back within one thanks to back-to-back goals by Eriks Mateiko (WSH), who had a remarkable tournament. Yes, the Swedes may be moving on, but they’ll be talking about this Latvian team for years to come.

News

Breaking News