Rehkopf ready to take on leadership role for Team Canada

Team Canada's quarter-final loss at last year's World Juniors remains a source of motivation for Carson Rehkopf. 

"It's still sour in your mouth to this day, and it will be until we're there and hopefully get our goal," the Kitchener Rangers winger said.

Team Canada will be looking to Rehkopf to score a lot of goals at the 2025 World Juniors in Ottawa. 

Rehkopf wasn't invited to Hockey Canada's summer meetings last year, but earned a spot on the team in December after going on a goal-scoring binge in the Ontario Hockey League. He finished the season with 52 goals in 60 games. 

Based on his performance at this week's summer camp for Hockey Canada's World Junior hopefuls, the 19-year-old appears poised for another monster season. Rehkopf scored the winning goal for Team Red in Tuesday's intra-squad scrimmage. He scored Canada's only two goals in a 3-2 shootout loss to Sweden on Wednesday in Windsor, Ont. 

Swedish goalie Melker Thelin was in a zone on Wednesday stopping 44 shots, but he couldn't get a read on Rehkopf. 

"You don't know where it's going off his stick," said Saskatoon Blades defenceman Tanner Molendyk. "That goalie was sliding to the left to go to his glove, and it was going  blocker side. It's hard and it's accurate and no one knows where it's going."

"Great vision, great hands," said Team Canada head coach Dave Cameron. "He knows when it's time to rip it and when it's time to just lay it in."

With Canada trailing late and the goalie pulled on Wednesday, Rehkopf got the puck near the blueline and sifted a shot through a screen and past Thelin. 

"He's just elusive and he can pick his spots at any time," observed Seattle Thunderbirds goalie Scott Ratzlaff, who served as Canada's third netminder at last year's World Juniors. 

In the final minute of regulation on Tuesday, Rehkopf got loose in the slot before hammering in the puck. 

"He finds ways to get to the middle of the ice," said Moose Jaw Warriors centre Brayden Yager, who is another returnee at Canada's camp. "He's not afraid to take the puck to the crease."

Last year, Rehkopf started as the 13th forward and played a depth role for Team Canada in Gothenburg, Sweden, finishing the tournament with four points in five games. This year, he's on track to be a star.  

"Put on some weight and feel a lot faster, a lot quicker out of my turns," he said. "I'm creating a lot more down low."

Rehkopf, who stands 6-foot-2, says he's now hovering around 200 pounds, which is up around seven from last season. 

"I feel great," he said with a smile. "I feel more physical, faster off pucks, just getting more space for myself. I'll keep working in the gym and just keep pushing."

He plans to help push Canada back to the top of the podium in Ottawa. 

"Throughout the whole summer that's something I'm thinking about," he said.

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Team Canada didn't like how Sweden celebrated during Wednesday's shootout. 

"They did some things that are not going to sit well with us," Molendyk said. "It's the middle of the summer, but we're still going to take that into Christmas. So, yeah, we're pretty fired up about it."

Otto Stenberg appeared to stare down the Canadian bench after his goal. Then Felix Nilsson made a kissing motion toward Canada's bench after his goal. 

Molendyk, who like Nilsson is a Nashville Predators prospect, confirmed the Canadian players considered it a showboating move. Sweden cancelled Thursday's practice, so Nilsson was not available to the media.

"It's a team we're going to see in Ottawa," Rehkopf said. "It was a battle. It was a good game for both sides. We're obviously pretty sour about that [loss]. We're looking forward to it in December for sure."

A rematch, though, isn't guaranteed. Canada and Sweden will be in different groups in Ottawa. They could meet in a pre-tournament game or in the knockout stage.  

Sweden beat Canada during the preliminary round at last year's World Juniors. 

"Sweden is a big rival," said Ratzlaff. "Even last year, losing in the round robin, leaves a vengeful taste in our mouths."

"We don't like to lose," said Yager. "It leaves a little bitter taste in your mouth regardless that it's July 31. It motivates us for December. We know they're a good hockey team and we know what we're capable of. With the group that we have we can build a special hockey team here, and come December be ready to give it back to them."

Cameron likes that his players are motivated by the loss, but he also hopes they learn from it. 

"One of the big things we can take from this game is this just mirrors the tournament," the coach said. "Like, it's going to come down to a lot of real, real close games and you got to be comfortable in those close games."

Cameron feels the team didn't do enough to get to the front of the net and create second and third opportunities.  

"I thought when we were down 1-0 we had lots of zone time, but we were pressing just a little bit," he said. "But we stuck with it and found a way to get it into overtime."

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Molendyk made the World Junior team last year, but missed the tournament after breaking his wrist in a pre-tournament game. 

"It was pretty tough last year, but I'm going to come back even stronger, more ready than I was last year," the 19-year-old from McBride, B.C. said. "I'm bigger, stronger, faster so I'm feeling better."

Even though he didn't get a chance to play at the event, Hockey Canada is labelling Molendyk a returnee at summer camp.

"You still want to come here and show what you're about," he said. "A lot of these guys are new and haven't seen you play before so you want to show what you can do. It's nice to have that in the back of your mind that you were here last year, and you got that chance, and they trust you, but it's new coaches, it's a new staff, and you have to impress them."

Cameron coaches the Ottawa 67’s in the OHL and isn't as familiar with Molendyk. 

"I'm just starting to find out about him," Cameron noted. "We want our D to be able to defend first and foremost and then make the simple play. Get the puck up to the hands of the forwards and then join in, get into that fourth-man ice, and I think our D did an exceptional job with that [Wednesday]."

Molendyk was paired with Ottawa Senators first rounder Carter Yakemchuk, who scored 30 goals for the Calgary Hitmen last year. 

"He's unbelievable in the O-zone," Molendyk said. "He's got unbelievable hands, and his feet move great up there on the blue line. That shot's a cannon too." 

Like Rehkopf, Molendyk is feeling stronger on the ice these days.

"I'm not getting beat off pucks as much," he said. "In the corners I felt like I was getting pushed around a little bit last year. I feel like coming into this year I can just hold them off."

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Regina Pats winger Tanner Howe left Wednesday's game after taking a puck to the face. The Pittsburgh Penguins prospect was sent home on Thursday. 

Returnees Rehkopf, Yager, Ratzlaff, University of Minnesota winger Matthew Wood, London Knights winger Easton Cowan, Knights defenceman Oliver Bonk, and Molendyk have also returned home so that Hockey Canada can focus on the other players during the final camp games on Friday and Saturday in Plymouth, Michigan.

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Hockey Canada has hired Scott Walker, who was an assistant coach at last year's World Juniors, as a player development coach. 

"A new position for us at Hockey Canada," said Scott Salmond, the organization's senior vice-president, high performance and hockey operations. "We've never had it before. We have really tried to divide the responsibilities between who we consider prospects and players we're evaluating for invites and those players that are locks or returning players."

Walker, 51, played 829 NHL games before retiring following the 2009-10 season.  

"Scott will spend time with players we consider locks and returning players," Salmond said. "He'll reinforce the message from our coaches. He will be around and visiting players and talking to them and reinforcing what we're looking for in our culture and what we're looking for in their play, so we have a step up when they come back to camp in December. We think it's a critical role for us and a role that's really going to really pay some dividends."

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Thursday was an off day for Team Canada. The players and staff attended the Detroit Tigers game at Comerica Park. 

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Team Canada's lines in Wednesday's game:  

Rehkopf - Ritchie - Wood 
Nadeau - Catton - Cowan
Spence - Yager - Gauthier 
Howe - Cataford - Martone

Molendyk - Yakemchuk
Chadwick - Bonk
Mynio - Parekh

George 
Ratzlaff

Team Canada lines in Wednesday's practice: 

Cristall - Heidt - Barlow
Iginla - Barkey - Sennecke 
Romani - Beaudoin - Wetsch 
Pinelli - Luchanko - Collard 

Price - Gibson 
Burns - Sotheran
Dickinson - MacKinnon
Morin 

Ravensbergen
Bjarnason