Sennecke determined to make most of second chance at Canada's camp

Oshawa Generals winger Beckett Sennecke wasn't initially invited to Hockey Canada's selection camp for the World Junior team. 

"It's tough," said Sennecke, who was selected third overall by the Anaheim Ducks in June's NHL draft. "I want to play at these tournaments. I want to play against the top competition, so it was tough to not see [myself] listed on there. And then getting the call a couple days later was extremely exciting."

London Knights forward Easton Cowan absorbed a big hit during a game against the Generals on Friday night. As a result, Hockey Canada decided to keep the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect out of practices at the selection camp as a precaution, which opened up a spot. Sennecke got the call.

In the same game that Cowan was forced to the sidelines, Sennecke produced three points, including a goal-of-the-year candidate. The 6-foot-3, 178 pounder danced around Knights defenceman Sam Dickinson on the play.

"I was just at a loss for words," admitted Dickinson, who was picked 11th overall by the San Jose Sharks in June. "Didn't know what just happened."

The pair played together in minor hockey with the Toronto Marlboros.

"I wanted to do something a little flashy against him," Sennecke said with a grin. "I tried to go through the legs, and he read it pretty well. I saw that he was going to kind of step up on me and then ... I don't even know what I did there."

Sennecke, who grew up idolizing Patrick Kane, laughs. 

"I just kicked it forward and somehow it ended up on my stick," the 18-year-old from Toronto said. "It was a pretty lucky goal."

Sennecke is making his own luck these days. That performance on Friday wrapped up a run of 14 points in three games. Did the selection camp snub motivate him? 

"I didn't dive too deep into that," he said. "The hockey Gods kind of rewarding me. I finally got a couple good games where everything kind of went in. You get those games every once in a while."

"Knowing him, he's going to be fired up about that," said Dickinson. "He's the kind of guy who likes to prove himself."

Sennecke, who is up to 44 points in 26 games this season, has work to do on that front. Cowan is expected back soon, so it's not like that spot on the final roster is available. Sennecke needs to prove he can contribute to this stacked team even if he's not in a top-six role. 

"We know he's got lots of skill," said Hockey Canada management group lead Peter Anholt, who is the general manager of the Lethbridge Hurricanes. "It's up to him to find a niche on this team, and every player is like that, not just him. Ultimately, you still have to defend because we're going to play against great teams."

Sennecke, who is the highest NHL draft pick at the camp, doesn't have much time to make an impression. There are two games against U Sports players, Thursday and Friday, before the roster cuts. Head coach Dave Cameron was blunt when asked how Sennecke can earn his spot.

"He has to be one of the best players," Cameron stated. "We're picking the best team."

And the tie tends to go to the older player at a camp like this. 

"We don't care about the ages too much, but ultimately it can be a 19-year-old tournament, right?" Anholt said. "And those are some things you look at too."   

Sennecke isn't overthinking this second chance at a first World Juniors. 

"I have certain qualities that they like and I'm just trying to display those over the next couple days here," Sennecke said. "Size. Speed. A direct game. A heavy game. Sort of everything I do on a daily basis in Oshawa, I just want to bring here. There's nothing I'm going to come here and change. I'm just going to continue to do what I do and hopefully they like it."

---

Cowan is already back on the ice. The reigning OHL most outstanding player and playoff MVP skated on his own in a non-contact sweater after the selection camp practices on Wednesday. He was back on the ice Thursday morning.

"He's going to be a good player for us through the tournament, and there's no real rush on him," Anholt said. "We'll take that as it comes. We certainly want him to be a part of the exhibition games. That's really important so he can be integrated into the team, but we'll take that as it comes."

Canada will play pre-tournament games on Dec. 19, Dec. 21, and Dec. 23. 

It certainly sounds like Cowan will be back with the main group sooner than later. 

"He's doing pretty well, you know, in good spirits," said Knights teammate Denver Barkey. "He's a tough kid. I'm sure he's going to be fine here soon."

"The last couple days I've seen him he's been just his normal self, happy, bouncing around," Dickinson said. "I don't think it will be long until he's back participating and stuff. It will be fun to have him back."

Before getting hurt in Friday's game, Cowan scored a goal to extend his regular-season point streak in the OHL to 56 games. The streak dates back to last season and is now the longest in league history, one better than the 55-game run by Doug Gilmour with the Cornwall Royals in 1982-83. 

"It's something that our team's even rallied around a little bit to push us to play hard," Dickinson said. 

Cowan's streak is an unofficial record, because it stretches over two seasons. 

---

Cowan is one of five players at the camp who saw game action at last year's World Juniors in Sweden. The others are Lethbridge centre Brayden Yager, University of Minnesota winger Matthew Wood, Brampton Steelheads centre Carson Rehkopf and Knights defenceman Oliver Bonk. 

Seattle Thunderbird goalie Scott Ratzlaff made Team Canada last year, but did not dress in any games. 

Traditionally, returning players are locks to make the team again, but that does not seem to be the case this year. 

"We have talent," Cameron said. "Guys that were on the team last year maybe should have a leg up, but you gotta make the team this year."

"Ultimately they're going to have to make this team too," Anholt said. "There's no freebies." 

Canada lost to Czechia in the quarter-finals last year and finished a disappointing fifth. 

"Still sour from last year and only one goal in mind," said Rehkopf. 

"We gotta be more prepared, more competitive," Bonk said. "Kind of thought last year that we were maybe thinking it was going to be given to us and a bit easier than it actually would be. This year we gotta be more prepared and ready to go."

The word competitive is coming up a lot early in camp.

"I thought at times last year we could've been more competitive," said Hockey Canada senior vice-president, high performance and hockey operations Scott Salmond. "So that will be a real clear message to our players up and down the lineup." 

---

The camp was supposed to start with a pair of practices on Tuesday night, but heavy fog in the nation's capital led to cancelled flights and lengthy delays. 

"It was pretty crazy," said Dickinson. "My flight took off, got all the way here, maybe 100 feet from the tarmac, pulled back up, looped around to Toronto,  and was there for another six, seven hours waiting for the next flight."

"I woke up at 6 a.m.," Barkey said. "I was probably at the airport by 8 and we landed at 11 p.m., 11:30, so pretty long day."

"A little bit of a mess at the airport there," said Sennecke.

Only 14 players made it town for the Tuesday night session, so the practice turned into a skills session. An already condensed camp just got even shorter. The coach remained calm.

"As you get more experience, I think things slow down," said Cameron, who made his World Juniors debut as an assistant coach at the 2009 event in Ottawa. "If you went back to the first couple times I did this tournament, if the events of [Tuesday] happened, players weren't in, we couldn't get our schedule going, we're behind, there'd be like, 'Oh, what the hell's going on here?' There'd be, I wouldn't say panic, but there'd be some uncomfortable feelings. Now, if there's one thing this game has taught me, it is expect the unexpected."

Cameron, who is the head coach of the Ottawa 67s, guided Canada to a gold medal at the summer Edmonton event in 2022. 

---

Competitiveness has never been an issue for Barkey, who is the shortest (5-foot-9) and lightest player (154 points) at Canada's camp. 

"I feel like it's always been a part of me, because I've been a smaller guy, underdog," the Philadelphia Flyers prospect said. "So, I'm always bringing my compete, raising my compete levels, because that's what's going to help me make it to the next level. I think just adding a bit more grit maybe and a bit more compete this camp will help me."

Barkey came painfully close to cracking the roster last year, but was among the final cuts. 

"Just used it to motivate me," the 19-year-old from Newmarket, Ont. said. "Yeah, it sucked to get cut, but just used it as motivation, you know, remember that in the summer when you're in the gym. Just kind of have it in the back of your mind to motivate you and come into this year with a bit of a chip-on-my shoulder mentality."

Barkey showed off his hustle by scoring a shorthanded goal during the controlled scrimmage on Wednesday night. He also potted one in 5-on-5 play.

After missing training camp this fall while recovering from mono, Barkey picked up just two assists in his first six games of the season in London. The new Knights captain has been rounding into form since then. Barkey has piled up 29 points in his last 17 games. He burned Cameron's 67s for a season high five points in a game in Ottawa on Dec. 1.

"He can kind of do everything," said Dickinson. "Such a utility player. You think of it, 100 points last year, and probably one of the best defensive forwards in the OHL. Just a guy who takes care of his own zone, does all the little things right, and that's what makes him stand out."

"Just playing a more reliable game," Barkey said of his growth this season . "I've focused on my D-zone and playing more of a 200-foot game. I've really focused more this year on consistency and bringing my best every game." 

---

Saginaw Spirit defenceman Zayne Parekh also got passed over when Hockey Canada sent out its initial invites for the selection camp. But after Harrison Brunicke of the Kamloops Blazers was ruled out due to injury, the Calgary Flames first round pick received his own late call-up.

"Weird few days," said Parekh, who is the reigning Canadian Hockey League defenceman of the year. "A lot of motivation came from finding out I wasn't on the team. I was a bit devastated, because every kid wants to represent their country on the highest stage, and I thought I put myself in a good spot. I'm just glad I got a second opportunity and I'm going to try and take advantage of it."

Unlike Sennecke, Parekh is looking to show something a little different at this camp. 

"I gotta show I'm a capable defender," he said. "I know I am, and if I can show that I think I'll have a good shot at making the team."

Parekh, who piled up an eye-popping 96 points in 66 games last season, is best known for creativity in the offensive end. 

"They know I'm capable of play with the puck," the 18-year-old from Markham, Ont. said. "I don't have to show them too much. It's kind of the things off puck and having tight gaps, and I know I'm capable of that."

Parekh helped the Spirit win the Memorial Cup just a few months ago.

"I'm confident in the player I am," he stressed. "I've won on the highest stage in the CHL."

The short summer coming off the Memorial Cup contributed to what Parekh admits was a slow start this year.

"It took me a little bit to find my game," he said. "Last 10 games or so I feel like I'm on the right track."

---

Barrie Colts centre Cole Beaudoin left Wednesday's practice with an apparent right hand injury. He did not take part in the evening scrimmage, but was back on the ice on Thursday morning and is expected to take part in the U Sports games. 

Rimouski Oceanic centre Mathieu Cataford skated alongside Cowan as he deals with an undisclosed issue. He is expected to play in Friday's game against U Sports. 

---

Chicago Wolves forward Bradly Nadeau, who made his NHL debut with the Carolina Hurricanes late last season, will not attend the selection camp, because he's playing in the American Hockey League. However, his spot on Team Canada has been confirmed. 

"Real good player," Cameron said. "We expect him to be a big contributor to this team."

Nadeau will join the group over the weekend ahead of training camp in Petawawa, Ont.  

---

Nadeau is one of three players at the camp with NHL experience. Guelph Storm forward Jett Luchanko played four games with the Flyers this season while Generals centre Calum Ritchie got into seven games with the Colorado Avalanche. 

While Nadeau and Luchanko failed to hit the scoresheet, Ritchie picked up his first NHL goal. His most notable moment, however, came in a pre-season game when he scored after pretending to fan on a shot. 

Rehkopf scored the same way during Wednesday's scrimmage. Was he channeling his inner Ritchie? 

"No, no," he said with a laugh. "I don't think I have that in my bag, but it's pretty funny that it worked." 

"It's kind of how I thought of doing the move," Ritchie said. "I saw someone do it by accident. The goalie bites really hard when you fan on it so started trying to figure out a move where it looks like I'm fanning on it."

Rehkopf has tried out the move in practice. 

"I don't think many people can do it," he said. "It's just the co-ordination of it and getting the goalie to freeze. It's a pretty tough move. I haven't seen anyone do it but him."

Even he can't do it every time. After Rehkopf scored on Wednesday, Ritchie tried the move during a shootout held at the end of the scrimmage. 

"Ratzlaff knew I was doing it," said Ritchie. "He came up to me after and was like, 'I knew you were doing that.' Maybe I need to switch it up and shoot it next time."

Ritchie scored once on the move in the OHL this season. 

"I've had a couple shootout attempts," the Oakville, Ont. native said. "I did it the one time and it worked and the other time and didn't want to try it because I figured the goalie would know. It's all kind of mind games."

The problem is Ritchie doesn't feel overly confident in any other move. 

"I'm actually not too great in the shootout," he said. "So, trying to add some more moves. I gotta try to start shooting some." 

---

Lines in Wednesday's scrimmage: 

Team Red 

Howe - Yager - Ritchie

Pinelli - Luchanko - Gauthier 

Barkey 

Molendyk - Gibson 

Dickinson - Allen 

Parekh

Bjarnason

George 

Team White

McKenna - Catton - Martone

Cristall - Heidt - Sennecke 

Rehkopf - Wood 

Mynio - Akey

Schaefer - Bonk

Price

Ivankovic

Ratzlaff