If they had known it would be their last match as a team, maybe they would have stayed on the ice a bit longer.
Atop a historic four-goal performance by 16-year-old Connor Bedard in an 11-2 rout of Austria, team Canada players had no idea what discussions were going on behind the scenes as more cases COVID-19 positives among athletes and staff was detected.
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World Juniors Canceled in Edmonton, Red Deer Due to COVID-19 Cases
More than ten days later, the Canadian team is scattered across the country, still shaken by the abrupt cancellation of the tournament.
“Obviously it’s still frustrating,” said Canadian Assistant Captain Jake Neighbors.
“All the guys still contact each other and wonder what could have been.”
Focusing on the December 29 game against Germany, the group finished their morning skating and returned to their hotel for a pre-game nap before the phones began to ring, asking the players to gather for an emergency meeting. .
The news of the tournament’s cancellation was met with stunned silence.
“There were a few tears … All the guys were devastated,” said Sherwood Park captain and product Kaiden Guhle. “That was the last time we were going to be a team together.”
Ten players from seven countries and one official on the ice had contracted COVID-19 at the time.
As if shortening his search for the gold medal wasn’t enough, Guhle was informed that he was a close contact with a positive COVID-19 case at the tournament and would have to isolate himself.
Coronavirus cases at the WHL have now shut down multiple teams, including Neighbors’ Guhle and Edmonton Oil Kings, for now.
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Neighbors haven’t been on the ice since that fateful pregame skating, which might not be a bad thing.
“These two days we postponed were a little pause for me to reboot,” Neighbors admitted.
“I know, some of the other guys too, as upset we were about the cancellation of the tournament, it’s been nice to have a little free time here and just reset the body and brain.”
The IIHF is trying to find a way to resurrect World Juniors later in 2022, possibly during the summer months, with all the athletes returning to attempt to win a medal.
While players say they would be eager to return, understandably, they don’t want any illusions either.
“I’m sure that as the season goes on there will be more rumors about whether it will happen and if not,” Guhle shrugged. “I will only focus on the Oil Kings at the moment, but I mean, I will still be preparing for the World Juniors until it is certain that I do not go.”
If anything, waves of disappointment have added a new layer of toughness to the 6’2 Montreal Canadiens prospect.
“Everyone in this generation in the last two years has had to deal with some kind of difficult news at some point. I think everyone has to deal with it in their own way, ”Guhle explained.
“Something that I’ve definitely gotten better at is dealing with that kind of thing and having some things taken away from you and staying positive as much as possible and hoping things work out in the end.”
The couple say they also want the canceled women’s U-18 world championship rescheduled, along with five other IIHF events.
“It’s important that they play,” Guhle added.
“Women’s hockey is very important and people are giving it less importance. I think it’s unfortunate that their (tournament) got canceled and hopefully we can go out or start over with them in the summer and they get a tournament and so do we. “
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