Bonk seeks hometown redemption after 's---ty bounce' at World Juniors

Team Canada practised at Silver Dart Arena in Petawawa, Ont. on Tuesday. 

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Canada and Czechia were tied in the final seconds of the third period in their World Junior quarterfinal last year when a Jakub Stancl shot bounced off the stick of Oliver Bonk and in. Instead of going to overtime with a chance to advance to the medal round, Canada's tournament was over. 

"It was tough the 24 hours after, but my dad was there for me and my whole family was there for me," said Bonk, who is one of four returnees on Team Canada this year. 

The London Knights defenceman faced criticism for what happened on the back-breaking goal, which didn't sit well with his father Radek Bonk, who is a former NHL star and Czech native. 

"The (bleeping) abuse he took from the (bleeping) keyboard warriors on the internet was ridiculous," Radek told Postmedia in an interview last week. "Especially playing against the Czechs when he's half-Czech, he's got dual citizenship. The (bleeping) things you read, you just want to (bleeping) punch people out."

Radek helped his Ottawa-born son get over the devastating defeat. 

"I was obviously feeling pretty bad," Oliver said. "He told me, 'Bounces like that happen all the time.'"

The 19-year-old Philadelphia Flyers prospect cracks a small smile. 

"I've scored this year on a bounce off two guys to tie the game with 30 seconds left," he said. "So there's really nothing you can do about it. Just work past it. At the end of the day, when you get back, you realize it was a s---ty bounce or, sorry, a crappy bounce, and you can't really do anything about it." 

Oliver isn't dwelling on the bad bounce, but he is drawing lessons from how Canada ended up being in such a precarious position in the first place. They started the game flat and fell behind 2-0. Canada also lost to Sweden in the preliminary round, which led to a tougher draw in the knockout stage. 

"You just can't take things for granted," Oliver said. "We had a pretty good team, but we didn't go as hard as we could've. It's easy saying it now, looking back, but this year we're going to be more prepared."

Oliver's motivation is evident to teammates. 

"Oh, trust me, he has a great mindset," said Erie Otters defenceman Matthew Schaefer. "He's ready to just win. He can't wait for this year."

The chance at redemption is all the more significant because of the setting. Radek played 10 years in Ottawa after being picked third overall by the Senators in the 1994 draft. 

"He's pumped," Oliver said with a grin. "It's like 10 minutes away from our house so he'll be at every game, obviously, and cheering us on."

Oliver has plenty of positive memories of growing up in the nation's capital and going to games at what is now called the Canadian Tire Centre.  

"I used to go watch the games all the time when they had Erik Karlsson and kind of the 'Dream Team' of the Sens there," he recalled. "It was always great coming there. Fans are so passionate, so we're definitely excited to go to the CTC."

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Bonk and Schaefer have been paired together so far at this week's training camp. 

"He's special," Bonk said. "He's got the touch. He's got the IQ. Like, 17-years-old, he doesn't look out of place one bit except for his cage [on his helmet]. He's an amazing player. I'm lucky to play with him. We make each other better ... One guy's going to be going up, one guy's going to be covering, and it's going to gel really well." 

"We're pretty similar," Schaefer said. "Like, we're both two-way defencemen. We can both head man the puck quick. We have a lot of hockey IQ and we can skate well. So, we just gotta talk and we'll be good."

Schaefer is projected to be the top defenceman picked in the 2025 NHL draft. He started the season at No. 2 on TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie's ranking of all prospects. 

"He's a pretty dynamic defenceman," said Team Canada assistant coach Mike Johnston. "He jumps up into the rush, but the thing that probably impresses me the most is his competitiveness. In his 1-on-1 battles in the exhibition game [against U Sports last week], he really competed hard. He closes on guys quick, but his strength in the 1-on-1 puck battles is the thing that really impressed me." 

"I want to be relied upon in all areas of the ice," said Schaefer, who is Team Canada's youngest defenceman. "If they need a goal, if they need to keep a lead, I want to be out on the ice."

Does the 6-foot-2, 188-pounder ever feel like the young guy out there? 

"No, not really," the Hamilton, Ont. native said. "You just got to play with confidence and play your game. You're playing against the same age of guys in the OHL so it's normal now."

"He's elite," said Brampton Steelheads forward Carson Rehkopf, who plays against Schaefer in the OHL. "The skating is second to none. I was talking to [Saskatoon Blades defenceman Tanner] Molendyk today and they remind me a lot of each. Obviously different skating styles, but both float up the ice and it looks effortless. It's a treat to play with those guys." 

Schaefer is quickly cultivating a reputation as a clutch performer in international play. He's been a part of a gold medal win with Team Canada at the recent under-18 World Championship and the summer Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he served as captain. 

Hockey Canada head scout Al Murray doesn't make a habit of comparing prospects to top NHL players, but he indulged TSN when asked about Schaefer. 

"When you think of the elite defencemen who could skate and could make plays and are winners, I guess a guy like Scott Niedermayer pops to mind right off the bat," Murray said. "He's got skill. He's got speed. He's got hockey sense, and he's got poise both with and without the puck." 

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Schaefer has been so impressive so far, and built up so much trust with the coaching staff already, that he's getting the first look as the quarterback on Canada's top power play unit. 

"It's pretty cool," he said of the opportunity. "We have such a talented group of guys so anyone could do it. I'm happy to be out there today and will just keep progressing."

When Schaefer received the puck during the power-play reps on Tuesday, he saw Easton Cowan and Bradly Nadeau on the flanks, Cal Ritchie in the slot, and Tanner Howe in front of the net. 

"Just move the puck quick," Schaefer said of his focus. "Every guy on that power play has so much skill so you get it to them and they're going to make a good play. You just gotta get open and move around and move the puck quick." 

Schaefer has eight power-play points in 17 games this season in Erie.

"He's agile on the blue line," Rehkopf observed. "He goes back and forth with his skating and makes a good first pass. He's a quick passer so it works."

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Rehkopf and Porter Martone play on the same line in Brampton where they immediately hit it off this season. 

"Ever since he got traded to us we kind of became like best friends," Martone said. "He's taught me a lot of good things and keeps on teaching me."

"One of the better players I've played with for sure," said Rehkopf. "I'm super close with him off the ice. He's kind of like a little brother to me."

Martone, who is a contender to go first overall in the next NHL draft, is second in OHL scoring with 54 points in 26 games. Rehkopf, a second-round pick of the Seattle Kraken in 2023, is sixth in goals with 21 in 26 games. 

"We just read off each other well," said Rehkopf, who is one of three returning players for Canada up front. "Our games blend well. Both big guys who like to play in the corners and have skill so when we're going, it's really working."

It's been working most of the season. 

"We complement each other really well," said Martone, who stands 6-foot-3, 208 pounds. "We're both big forwards [Rehkopf is 6-foot-2, 202 pounds] who are very skilled. I've been playing with him the whole year and it's been great. He can bury the puck. He can finish. He scores goals at will, but he can also set up plays, and he can defend well too."

Team Canada is looking to capitalize on the chemistry by keeping Rehkopf and Martone together on the same line at the World Juniors. Spokane Chiefs centre Berkly Catton has been skating between the pair of Steelheads at training camp. 

"It's awesome," said Catton, who went eighth overall to the Kraken in June. "They have some chemistry between the two of them and then me hopping in there is going to be great. I've played with Porter before [at the under-18 level] and Carson's a Seattle guy so I've played with him a bit there too. There's lots of chemistry all over and we're starting to mesh out here."

Rehkopf and Catton played a game on the same line during the World Junior Summer Showcase in August. During Kraken camp, they tended to find each other too. 

"Every 2-on-1 drill we seemed to be with each other, the two young guys out there," Catton noted. "It's great to be back with him. He's a guy who can really rip the pill so to have a guy like that on your line is fun."

Rehkopf scored 52 goals in 60 games last season. He scored twice in five games at the World Juniors. 

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Of all the players on Team Canada, Martone leads the way in penalty minutes this season with 41. He's spent time in the box in nine of 26 games. 

"He just plays hard," said Rehkopf. "I don't think he's a guy who goes and talks too much, but he plays hard and obviously guys get mad about that, but he wants to win." 

Martone has taken five roughing penalties and also has a pair of fights on his card this season. 

"I'm a competitor and I do like to drop the gloves," he said. "My coach back home [James Richmond] doesn't really like me to say that. My dad [former Peterborough Petes captain Mike Martone] was a fighter when he played so maybe it led to that."

Martone, who models his game on Matthew Tkachuk, Brady Tkachuk and Corey Perry, already has nine fights under his belt in the OHL.

"Just a part of my game," he says proudly. "I like to give my team a spark. When I feel like my team needs it, I'm willing to drop the gloves."

Martone tied for the most penalty minutes with 27 in seven games at the 2023 under-18 World Championship when Canada won a bronze medal. He was down to just six penalty minutes in seven games at the 2024 under-18 World Championship when Canada won gold.   

Martone is confident he can stay on the right side of the law at the World Juniors. 

"I want to play my game," he said. "I want to bring what I bring to the table, but I do got to be smart. I can't be putting our team at a disadvantage. I want to be a hard player against, but it's between the whistles. I'm going to go finish my checks. I'm going to play a hard game. I'm going to be a hard player to play against, but I'm not going to do anything to lower the [chance] of our team winning."

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Martone's heart-on-his-sleeve style is one reason he was named captain of the Steelheads despite being in his draft year. 

"He plays with energy," said Johnston. "He's an energy guy in the dressing room."

"He's definitely outgoing," Bonk observed. "His voice carries throughout wherever we are. At the hotel or on the bus, you always hear him. He's a really talkative guy and fun to be around."

Martone also wore the 'C' for Team CHL at CHL USA Prospects Challenge and for Hockey Canada at the recent under-18 World Championship. 

"I like to be a high-energy person and kind of bring that to the room," he said. "That's part of my character."

"A bold person," Rehkopf said. "But I love it about him."

Martone's boldness on the ice isn't limited to rough stuff. It extends to his goal scoring. He has converted the between-the-legs move six times in the last two seasons. 

"I've always kind of done it growing up," he said. "I pulled it off the first time and I've continued to do it. It's just repetition in practice, and then in the games it just kind of works. Sometimes I fan on it and it may go five hole but, yeah, I enjoy doing it."

"He loves it," Rehkopf confirmed. "I don't think I've seen him miss it yet. It's pretty impressive." 

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Johnston is overseeing the penalty kill for Team Canada. 

"We're trying to identify probably eight guys up front who can kill," he said. "We will probably use most of our defence on the kill at least for the few exhibition games."

Canada will play three pre-tournament games with the first one on Thursday against Switzerland. 

Forwards Ethan Gauthier and Brayden Yager took the first forward reps on the penalty kill at Tuesday's practice.  

"What we're trying to look at is reads and structure," Johnston said. "That's what we're trying to do right now. We've put the framework in, we put the reads in, and then we'll get our pre-scouts against teams. We'll identify what they're doing and what we have to do against those power play units and that's a big part of it."

But there are some principles that will remain consistent regardless of the opponent. 

"It's key that you read any pucks that are juggled, any loose pucks, and then we get three guys to the puck and pressure that puck and eliminate options off that, and then we have one safety valve guy," Johnston said. "Really our system is about patience when they come up the ice and pressure in the zone." 

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Lines at Tuesday'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

Power play units at Tuesday's practice: 

QB: Schaefer 
Flanks: Cowan, Nadeau 
Middle: Ritchie 
Net front: Howe 

QB: Molendyk
Flanks: Catton, McKenna 
Middle: Rehkopf
Net front: Luchanko