Dawson Mercer and Jamie Drysdale hug after winning the gold medal game at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ostrava.
photo: Matt Zambonin / HHOF-IIHF Images
Dawson Mercer could have an exciting few weeks ahead of him.
Recently drafted 18th overall by the New Jersey Devils, he had a strong start into the QMJHL season with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Soon there’s also the tall order of defending Team Canada’s gold medal at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Mercer took part in Hockey Canada’s under-20 summer development camp in late July, with this year’s version being held virtually, and the selection camp in November where Canada’s top junior-aged players compete for a spot on the roster that will look to defend its World Junior Championship in Edmonton.
“I want to bring a lot to this team. I want to bring leadership and experience into the group and bring my top game, be ready for the big moments,” says Mercer. “Having that feeling last year was unbelievable. Winning the gold, being with that group of guys, the chemistry was really good, and being part of it over in Europe, you felt like you were on Canadian soil there with the fans. Hopefully, we’ll be back home playing in Canada and there will be a lot of hype also. Just having that experience before, getting that opportunity again would be such an unbelievable feeling. To try to win gold two times is a crazy thought but it’s the reality and I want to make that come true.”
Compared to his last experience in full buildings in Ostrava, the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship will be played without fans in a “competition bubble” due to the COVID-19 situation that hit not only Alberta but all participating countries. One year ago Canada won the 2020 World Juniors with a thrilling 4-3 win over Russia in the Czech Republic, a moment that Mercer won’t soon forget.
Team Canada’s head coach this year is Andre Tourigny, who served as assistant coach for the 2020 championship team. Tourigny brings a lot of Team Canada credibility with the U20 team, having led Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team to the gold medal at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and was an assistant coach at the 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka Tournament, when Canada won silver. He also won back-to-back silver medals as assistant coach with the 2010 and 2011 U20 teams at the World Junior Championship.
Tourigny says he and his coaching staff had four objectives heading into the season with the virtual summer camp and the selection camp on the ice and he was impressed at the participation of all staff and players.
“Every year when you build a team, there’s a challenge in terms of language and understanding what the coach means. So getting on the same page, making sure it’s clear for the player in terms of language,” says Tourigny. “Two, is our values. We identify our values with our players that will be really important for us if we want to be competitive in the tournament. Making sure the player understands the values and they own them. The third objective is making clear the style of play we want, what will be the habits, what the coaches are looking for. We don’t have a chance to be on the ice but we have a chance to have clarity in exactly the habits we’re looking for.
“And the last thing is building relationships. We cannot win if our team is not built with a lot of relationships and camaraderie. So we’re doing a lot of team builders, a lot of fun out there to make sure the players learn to know each other and the coaches and the staff.”
The camp rosters included several players who helped Canada win gold at the 2020 event which means this team could be well loaded in its attempt at a repeat. The team may also benefit from some hungry players who just missed out on last year’s team, one of whom is forward Alex Newhook. The Newfoundland native was amongst the last cuts for the 2020 team and is driven to play at the 2021 event.
“It was definitely a disappointing feeling to be cut from the team last year and being so close to being part of what was pretty special for the whole country,” he says. “But I think it just adds more fuel to the fire. In the long run, having these setbacks or opportunities for motivation will help out and I’m excited to have the chance to rep Canada this year and go for gold.
“I’m a very energetic guy on and off the ice. I try to bring that, whether it’s in practice, whether it’s off-ice activities, and especially during games. I’m a guy who likes to play fast and push the pace when needed and that can be a big attribute to the team this year. If I can provide that and provide my skills and smarts along with that, it’ll help my chance to make the team.”
Tourigny and his staff monitored the NHL playoffs and the league games that have been played in 2020/2021, currently limited to the QMJHL in Canada. He also says his message to the players is to focus on what you can control.
Recently drafted 18th overall by the New Jersey Devils, he had a strong start into the QMJHL season with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Soon there’s also the tall order of defending Team Canada’s gold medal at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Mercer took part in Hockey Canada’s under-20 summer development camp in late July, with this year’s version being held virtually, and the selection camp in November where Canada’s top junior-aged players compete for a spot on the roster that will look to defend its World Junior Championship in Edmonton.
“I want to bring a lot to this team. I want to bring leadership and experience into the group and bring my top game, be ready for the big moments,” says Mercer. “Having that feeling last year was unbelievable. Winning the gold, being with that group of guys, the chemistry was really good, and being part of it over in Europe, you felt like you were on Canadian soil there with the fans. Hopefully, we’ll be back home playing in Canada and there will be a lot of hype also. Just having that experience before, getting that opportunity again would be such an unbelievable feeling. To try to win gold two times is a crazy thought but it’s the reality and I want to make that come true.”
Compared to his last experience in full buildings in Ostrava, the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship will be played without fans in a “competition bubble” due to the COVID-19 situation that hit not only Alberta but all participating countries. One year ago Canada won the 2020 World Juniors with a thrilling 4-3 win over Russia in the Czech Republic, a moment that Mercer won’t soon forget.
Team Canada’s head coach this year is Andre Tourigny, who served as assistant coach for the 2020 championship team. Tourigny brings a lot of Team Canada credibility with the U20 team, having led Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team to the gold medal at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and was an assistant coach at the 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka Tournament, when Canada won silver. He also won back-to-back silver medals as assistant coach with the 2010 and 2011 U20 teams at the World Junior Championship.
Tourigny says he and his coaching staff had four objectives heading into the season with the virtual summer camp and the selection camp on the ice and he was impressed at the participation of all staff and players.
“Every year when you build a team, there’s a challenge in terms of language and understanding what the coach means. So getting on the same page, making sure it’s clear for the player in terms of language,” says Tourigny. “Two, is our values. We identify our values with our players that will be really important for us if we want to be competitive in the tournament. Making sure the player understands the values and they own them. The third objective is making clear the style of play we want, what will be the habits, what the coaches are looking for. We don’t have a chance to be on the ice but we have a chance to have clarity in exactly the habits we’re looking for.
“And the last thing is building relationships. We cannot win if our team is not built with a lot of relationships and camaraderie. So we’re doing a lot of team builders, a lot of fun out there to make sure the players learn to know each other and the coaches and the staff.”
The camp rosters included several players who helped Canada win gold at the 2020 event which means this team could be well loaded in its attempt at a repeat. The team may also benefit from some hungry players who just missed out on last year’s team, one of whom is forward Alex Newhook. The Newfoundland native was amongst the last cuts for the 2020 team and is driven to play at the 2021 event.
“It was definitely a disappointing feeling to be cut from the team last year and being so close to being part of what was pretty special for the whole country,” he says. “But I think it just adds more fuel to the fire. In the long run, having these setbacks or opportunities for motivation will help out and I’m excited to have the chance to rep Canada this year and go for gold.
“I’m a very energetic guy on and off the ice. I try to bring that, whether it’s in practice, whether it’s off-ice activities, and especially during games. I’m a guy who likes to play fast and push the pace when needed and that can be a big attribute to the team this year. If I can provide that and provide my skills and smarts along with that, it’ll help my chance to make the team.”
Tourigny and his staff monitored the NHL playoffs and the league games that have been played in 2020/2021, currently limited to the QMJHL in Canada. He also says his message to the players is to focus on what you can control.