Boosted by NHL experience, captain Hayton brings underrated toughness to Team Canada

Mark Masters

SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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During his three seasons with Sault Ste. Marie in the OHL, Barrett Hayton never lost to London winning all nine games he played against Dale Hunter and the Knights. That perfect record was a point of discussion during Team Canada's summer camp at the World Junior Showcase.

"He was on me a bit about that," Hayton said with a smile. "He actually brought it up. I don't have that in me to throw that out there. He just brought it up and it was a funny, little joke."

Hayton scored four goals and added three assists in two games against London last season.

"I said, 'Take it easy on us,'" Hunter recalled with a laugh. "It's a good thing he didn't come back."

Instead, Hayton made the Arizona Coyotes. Canada has five returning players at the World Juniors, but only Hayton has NHL experience on his resume.

"It makes a big difference," said Hunter. "He's one of those kids who absorbs so he's watching everything and he's here and he's working his tail off and he's ready to go. On and off the ice he's a character kid and everybody looks up to him."

In a team meeting before Wednesday's practice, Hunter officially named Hayton captain of Team Canada with Flint centre Ty Dellandrea, Grand Rapids centre Joe Veleno and Spokane defenceman Ty Smith serving as alternates.

"Just incredibly honoured," said Hayton, who wore the 'C' with the Greyhounds last season. "This is the tournament you grew up watching and you idolized the guys who played here so to be able to lead this team and lead the group we have is a special feeling. Having that responsibility is something I love and have a lot of pride in."

The 19-year-old from Peterborough, Ont. possesses the blend of skill and grittiness that Hunter hopes will become the identity of this year's Team Canada.

"He's hard to play against," noted Dellandrea. "He has that skill and poise with the puck, but what is underrated is how hard he works and how aggressive he is too. So, a lot of people think of him as a skill guy, always playing with the puck, but he's tough and aggressive and I think that’s underrated about him."

The NHL experience also carries a lot of weight inside the dressing room.

"His presence," said Dellandrea when asked what stands out, "the way he carries himself, everybody listens to him."

Hayton scored a goal and recorded three assists in 14 games with the Coyotes before being loaned to Hockey Canada for the World Juniors. Those months spent in the NHL accelerated his development.

"It's the best league in the world," Hayton said as his eyes lit up. "It's an incredible league. The biggest thing for me was just the guys I was surrounded with. There's so many tremendous leaders, it's a great group there, there's a lot of older guy and some young guys and they've all been incredible for me in learning how to carry yourself, learning how to take care of yourself, learning how to play on the ice, it’s really everything. It's a whole package of learning."

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Hunter didn't name a starting goalie on Wednesday, but whoever gets the call – Guelph's Nico Daws or Portland's Joel Hofer – will be playing for Canada at an international tournament for the first time.

Does the lack of experience matter?

"It's a big setting, very intimidating, I guess you could say, but I'm just here to stop pucks," Daws said. "I don't think it really matters too much aside from the bigger ice. No matter what jersey you're wearing you're still doing the same thing."

Daws has done that thing very well this season posting a .939 save percentage in the OHL and carrying that into Canada's camp where he has a .942 save percentage in his four appearances.

As for intimidating settings, Daws has some experience with that thanks to the Barrie Colts, who visited Guelph on Dec. 6 and seemed determined to get under his skin.  

"I wasn't expecting it," Daws said. "They just came into the game and they were hitting me. I got hammered behind the net when I was playing the puck, they were yelling at me and trying to get in my head. I was told before the game even started that the first shot was going to go in. It didn’t really work out too well for them."

Daws stopped all 39 shots he faced and was the first star in a 4-0 Storm win.

"It didn't really faze me," he said. "You know, obviously, a little bit more motivation so it probably helped me."

Emotions will likely run hot on Boxing Day as Canada and the United States renew their rivalry and that's fine by Daws.

"It's something I've watched my whole life," the Burlington, Ont. native said. "It's one of those things, you always have it out for the States and it would be cool to be a part of one of those games."

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Unlike last year when Canada throttled Denmark 14-0 in a breezy opener, this year's first tournament encou​nter is full of intrigue. The United States has won a medal in four straight World Juniors and, like Canada, has five returning players.

"Playing each other I think grabs both teams' attention right away," said Team USA coach Scott Sandelin.

"There's no putting your foot in the water," said USA centre Shane Pinto. "You got to go full in and it's going to be a tough one."

The battle will happen on the ice and between the ears. Discipline is key and trash talk is expected.

"The boys are really hyped up," said Veleno. "Going to be a lot of chirping and some physicality going on. It's going to be a real good game to watch and real fun game to be a part of. We like playing in those types of games, it’s kind of the Canadian way a little bit so we're excited."

How does Veleno rate his chirping skills?

"Not very good," he said with a laugh. "I just like being a part of it, hearing the other guys chirp cracks me up a little bit, but I'm not really that type of person. I don't really talk too much on the ice."

So, who will lead Canada's verbal barrage?

"I got to say (Aidan) Dudas is the best one," Veleno said. "You can speak to him and he'll probably tell you the same thing. He's just a tenacious little guy, who likes to stir the pot."

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When the United States finalized their roster on Monday night, Canadian defenceman​ Jacob Bernard-Docker sent a congratulatory text to Pinto, a fellow Ottawa Senators prospect and his teammate at the University of North Dakota. But there will be no more communication between the pair until after Thursday's game.

"We aren't really going to talk right now," Pinto said.

Bernard-Docker and Pinto did speak about the World Juniors back at school, but they didn't get too deep into it, because neither guy felt they had a spot secure. Fast forward to Christmas and Bernard-Docker is skating on Canada's shutdown pair with Kevin Bahl while Pinto is skating with Nick Robertson and Oliver Wahlstrom, a top-six unit on Team USA.

"He's just so poised with the puck," Pinto said of Bernard-Docker. "He's very mature in his game. He's very good defensively."

"He's a two-way guy," noted Bernard-Docker of Pinto, "big, has a great shot and has great vision as well."

The mutual admiration will be put on hold as of 1 pm ET on Boxing Day.

"I know his tactics up at the point," said Pinto, "but I don't know if he knows mine so hopefully he kind of gets surprised by that. We'll see."

"I know everything he's going to do," Bernard-Docker said with a chuckle. "He thinks he has stuff up his sleeves, but I'm pretty sure I know his moves."

Pinto isn't about the slow up on the forecheck just because he's playing against a teammate.

"I'm going to hit him," Pinto vowed. "USA versus Canada, it's going to be intense so, yeah, I'm going to hit him."

Lines at Wednesday's practice:

Lafrenière-Veleno-Foote
Byfield-Hayton-Cozens
Foudy-Dellandrea-Dudas
McMichael-Thomas-Lavoie-Merc​er

McIssac-Smith
Bahl-Bernard-Docker
Byram-Addison
Drysdale

Daws
Hofer
Rodrigue

Power play units at Wednesday's practice:

Addison
Lafrenière - Veleno - Hayton
Cozens

Smith
Byram - Lavoie - Foote
Byfield