Arrival of 'highly competitive' Nadeau has Team Canada buzzing
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Team Canada practiced at Silver Dart Arena in Petawawa, Ont. on Monday.
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Chicago Wolves forward Bradly Nadeau made an immediate impact in his first practice with Team Canada.
"He's pretty much good at everything, honestly," said Spokane Chiefs centre Berkly Catton. "His shot is very elite. His skating's very elite. He's been playing pro hockey and you can tell from how good he is at the little things. Just every pass seems to be on the tape. Even in that one back-checking drill he was the first one back every time and always in the right position. He does all the little things right."
Nadeau has six goals and nine assists in 22 games in the American Hockey League this season. He also played one game for the Carolina Hurricanes last season after leaving the University of Maine.
"Just playing against pro hockey players, I've grown a lot as a player," Nadeau said. "Based my routine around pro hockey."
Nadeau is the only Team Canada player going directly from the professional ranks to the World Juniors this year.
"Highly, highly competitive kid," said Team Canada assistant coach Chris Lazary, who guided the Saginaw Spirit to a Memorial Cup title last season. "Elite skill. Obviously he's coming from pro hockey so his details are really good."
The Hurricanes agreed to loan their 2023 first round pick (30th overall) to Hockey Canada, but wanted the 19-year-old to remain with the Wolves as long as possible. So, Nadeau did not attend last week's selection camp. He played a game in Texas on Saturday and then made the trip – two flights and a two-hour car ride – to Petawawa, Ont. on Sunday.
"Finally getting here, seeing all the other guys, building the chemistry, it's amazing," the New Brunswick native said. "There's a lot of talent on the ice and finally being here and playing on the ice with these guys, I think we have a special group."
This will be the first time Nadeau, a two time BCHL champion with the Penticton Vees, plays for Canada at an international tournament.
"You work your entire life to represent your country," the New Brunswick native said. "Now that I get the chance to do that I'm really excited and I'll give everything I got."
Nadeau received a playful push to the middle of the stretch circle from head coach Dave Cameron at the end of practice.
"We'll lean on him for leadership," said Lazary. "We'll lean on him for big moments in the game. You saw his pace out there. Really excited to get him into camp. I know our players were really excited when he came in yesterday. He'll factor in here as a big part of our team."
Nadeau practiced on the left side of Canada's top line beside Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan and Cal Ritchie, who started the season with the Colorado Avalanche. That trio also played together during Hockey Canada's summer camp.
"Guys that think on a different level when they have the puck," Lazary said. "You have those three guys low against five defenders, they can create inside of that structure or they can win a battle and get a puck to the point. They're really good when they're getting to the net, so when we do deliver a puck we will get those second and third [chances]. It looks like we're going to have a high-energy line there."
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For the first time since camp opened, Cowan skated in a regular sweater.
"He's cleared to play," confirmed Cameron. "I thought his last two practices were really, really good."
Cowan last played on Dec. 6 when he was forced to leave an Ontario Hockey League game after taking a big hit from Oshawa Generals defenceman Zack Sandhu.
Cowan was held out of the selection camp games last week as a precaution. He practiced in a non-contact sweater on Sunday.
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Gavin McKenna skated on a line with Ritchie and Cowan at Sunday's practice. The arrival of Nadeau bumped the Medicine Hat Tigers phenom down to the 13th-forward spot.
"We're trying to figure out who's going to factor where in the lineup," Lazary said. "He's obviously learning the value of checking and playing away from the puck. We know what he can do offensively and what he brings, but we got to make sure when he's out there he's winning pucks, he's on the right side of it ... He's learning a lot. He's fitting great with this group and he's going to do big things in this tournament."
McKenna leads the Western Hockey League with 60 points in 30 games. But he's also the youngest player on Team Canada with his 17th birthday coming up on Friday.
"He can play centre, he can play both wings," Lazary said. "You look at the power play and he can play either flank. He's played the top at Medicine Hat at times, down in the bumper, at the net front. He's really, really smart. He knows how to create. He knows how to make plays under pressure and then he works really hard when he doesn't have it. There were a couple plays in the U Sports games where he tracks guys down from behind, strips the puck, wins pucks that are 50-50. All those little things for a young guy is impressive."
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The players and staff are staying in the barracks at the Canadian Forces Base in Petawawa during this team-bonding trip.
"I don't know if there's anybody that embodies teamwork like the military," said Cameron. "They said yesterday that losing isn't an option for them so we're delving into that mentality."
Military staff have planned a series of exercises for the players this week.
"Last night we spent some time in a simulated chamber where guys were being attacked," Cameron said. "They actually had weapons of their own. Mind you it wasn't live ammunition, so everybody can relax, but it was a simulation."
"It wasn't real guns, but it was simulated to replicate that," said Kelowna Rockets defenceman Caden Price. "It was kind of like a Call of Duty game, but more realistic. We were shooting at targets, shooting at people. They actually had a guy in the corner who was shooting at us. It was fun, but a little intense."
Ah, yeah.
"It was high pressure like they would experience," Catton said. It shows how amazing they are and the stuff they go through. We were not very good. They said they're glad we're good at hockey because it wouldn't have worked out very well."
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Ontario leads the way with 14 players on Team Canada this year. The province that has the second most representation? Saskatchewan. Four players from the Prairie province made the cut, including Catton, Price, Lethbridge Hurricanes centre Brayden Yager and Calgary Hitmen winger Tanner Howe.
Catton, Price and Yager are from Saskatoon. Howe is from Prince Albert.
"We've all played with each other and against each other our whole lives," Catton said. "It's weird to see some of your best buddies just on the World Junior team together. If you were to tell us that six years ago we probably would have told you you were crazy, but now we're here. It's really surreal and special."
"It's unbelievable," Price said. "We've pretty much grown up together. We've been playing against each other, all the Sasky boys, whether it's spring hockey, winter hockey, and tournaments. So, yeah, we've seen a lot of each and now that we're all on one team playing for our country, it's pretty cool. I see these guys every day in the summer pretty much, working out, skating, hanging out, so it's pretty special."
The friendships were formed through fierce competition.
"It was so competitive," Catton recalled. "We were always kind of matched up against each other. Tanner was a PA guy so making the trip out to PA on a Friday night was always fun. And then me and Caden played together in PeeWee. That was probably my favourite thing was just being with him. That's where I met him and we became friends ever since."
There are two players on Team Canada from British Columbia and Quebec and one each from Yukon, Manitoba and New Brunswick.
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Nadeau is one of the three Team Canada players with NHL experience. The others are Ritchie and Jett Luchanko, who played four games with the Philadelphia Flyers to start the season.
What did Luchanko learn?
"There's a lot of veteran guys there that were able to talk to me," the Guelph Storm centre said. "The biggest thing is it takes a lot and you have to put the work in every day. It's a job to them. It's cool to see that and bring that to my game."
His welcome-to-the-NHL moment came courtesy a 2015 World Junior gold medallist.
"Lining up to take the opening draw against Connor McDavid in my second game," the 18-year-old said with a smile. "That was pretty cool to just see him in the flesh. I tried not to look at him as much as I could. It was cool to play against him."
How did that faceoff go?
"He snapped it right back," the 2024 first round draft pick (13th overall) says with a laugh. "I had no chance."
Luchanko and McDavid shared the ice for five minutes and 31 seconds in 5-on-5 play, per NaturalStatTrick.com. McDavid was the Oilers forward Luchanko faced the most. Shots favoured Edmonton 4-0 in those minutes.
What stood out?
"His speed," Luchanko said. "I mean, everybody talks about it, but once you see it in person and kind of go up against it, it's a little bit different. It's tough to go against. It's different when you're watching him. You really got to be alert."
Luchanko logged a career high 17 minutes in the game. He was down closer to 12 minutes in his next two games before being sent back to juniors. The message from coach John Tortorella?
"Just work on my game as much as I can and get more opportunities back in the OHL," Luchanko said. "Work on my offensive game a lot."
Luchanko has racked up 20 points in 16 games since returning to the OHL.
"I liked him a lot," Luchanko said of Tortorella. "He obviously cares about his team a lot and that's something you need from a coach. He's done a good job there."
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Lines at Monday's practice:
Nadeau - Ritchie - Cowan
Rehkopf - Catton - Martone
Beaudoin - Yager - Gauthier
Howe - Luchanko - Cataford
McKenna, Pinelli
Molendyk - Gibson
Schaefer - Bonk
Mynio - Price
Dickinson - Akey
Bjarnason
George
Ivankovic