'Pretty much impossible' for Canada to fill the Greig gap
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TSN SportsCentre Reporter Mark Masters reports on the 2022 World Juniors. Team Canada practised in Edmonton on Thursday afternoon ahead of Friday afternoon’s semifinal game versus Czechia.
Ridly Greig missed practice after sustaining an injury during Team Canada's 6-3 quarterfinal win over Switzerland on Wednesday night. There was no definitive update on the centre's status, but most teammates seemed resigned to playing without Greig in the medal round.
"He brought so much and left it all on the table for our team," said defenceman Donovan Sebrango. "It's definitely a sad moment when we lose him."
Greig faced off against the top line on other teams. The Ottawa Senators prospect also logged important minutes on the power play and penalty kill.
"He's been probably our most consistent player right from the start of the tournament," said head coach Dave Cameron. "Played in all situations."
How do you replace him?
"It's pretty much impossible," captain Mason McTavish said. "It will be really hard."
On Thursday, McTavish skated in Greig's usual spot between Joshua Roy and William Dufour. Nathan Gaucher, who started the quarterfinal as the 13th forward, moved up to take McTavish's spot between Will Cuylle and Connor Bedard.
"We all know Bedard's a great player," said Gaucher. "I'll try to complement him and create space and pass him the puck so he can shoot."
Riley Kidney projects to draw in as the 13th forward. The Montreal Canadiens prospect played four minutes and 26 seconds in the opening game, but has been a healthy scratch since then.
Cameron has faith in the team's depth.
"They didn't win a trip here," Cameron said. "They're not here because they won a trip to Edmonton. They're not here because we drew their names out of hats. They're here because they're real good players."
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Despite being a plus player in every game so far, McTavish isn't happy with how he's been playing in his own end.
"It's been OK," he said. "I kind of expect more from myself, honestly, in the defensive zone. I don't think I've been that great. I'll definitely look to improve that."
The McTavish line has gotten hemmed in its own zone a few times in recent games, which led Cameron to move Cuylle up to that unit against the Swiss. He felt the big left winger would provide a presence on the wall and stop the cycle quicker.
What does McTavish want to improve moving forward?
"Just details and staying focused and not kind of drifting away," he said. "Just really dialing it in, because it happens so fast. Players make mistakes, it happens, but it's trying to limit those mistakes."
Roy and Dufour have excelled alongside Greig in the matchup role.
"They've played the right way," said Cameron. "They went head to head with Finland's top line and had a real good game. Their background is goal scoring and generally if your background is goal scoring there is a tendency to cheat. We asked everybody in this tournament to turn their skill over to the team and there's two prime examples."
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Gaucher didn't expect to be invited to join this Team Canada squad.
"I got chills when I got the call," he said.
The Quebec Remparts centre had been focused on the 2023 World Juniors, but now projects to play an important role in Edmonton. He's only averaged nine minutes and 31 seconds of ice time per game, but will see more playing time with Greig out.
"The high pace here is incredible," the 18-year-old from Chambly, Que., said. "I've been able to learn from great players here, a great coaching staff and getting more ice time you get better. So, I think I'll be better in the semifinals."
What stands out to Bedard?
"His size [6-foot-3, 207 pounds] and his tenacity," the Regina Pats phenom said. "He's always going to go get the puck. He's a first-round pick for a reason. I'm excited to build chemistry with him and Cuylle."
Gaucher is the only player selected in the 2022 National Hockey League draft to make Team Canada. He went 22nd overall to the Anaheim Ducks and it was actually McTavish who called his name in Montreal.
"It was pretty cool announcing the pick," said McTavish. "I wasn't sure I was going to do that. I was a little caught off guard and nervous for sure."
Gaucher and McTavish, the third overall pick in 2021, didn't really get a chance to talk, though.
"It was brief," McTavish recalled. "They take the picks right into media for a while which I didn't even know because mine was virtual. So, it was cool to see that. He's a great player and plays hard and has a lot of skill too."
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Canada's final practice of the World Juniors featured work on defensive-zone coverage and break outs.
"I don't think we executed quick enough," Cameron said of the performance against Switzerland. "We were bringing pucks back rather than going north, which is what led to our success against the other teams ... We have to play north. We can't be bringing pucks back. We can't be fancy. We have to stay connected where we have five guys all in the same zone at the same time. When we don't do that it becomes a little bit more unpredictable and more of a challenge."
With the United States getting knocked out on Wednesday, Canada is the last undefeated team in Edmonton. And, if you factor in a pre-tournament win over Sweden, Cameron's crew has beaten all the remaining teams in the tournament.
"It's about us," the coach said. "We have to make sure we play our system and we don't beat ourselves and we'll see what happens if we do that."
How does Cameron define Canada's game?
"Fast," he said. "Be a real good forecheck team. Be connected. Stay out of the penalty box."
When is Canada at its best?
"When we're getting pucks behind their D and possessing the puck in the O-zone," Bedard said. "We got a big team and skilled team so if we can keep it in the O-zone and cycle low to high and stuff like that, that's when we're at our best."
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Bedard was held off the scoresheet for the first time at this World Juniors during Wednesday's win over Switzerland. He was credited with just one shot on net.
"Pretty good," Bedard said of his game. "Obviously, a couple chances there should go in, but hopefully they do later in the tournament. I thought our line had some good and bad shifts like every game."
He felt like he was able to generate some chemistry with Cuylle.
"He's super big and he can go get pucks," Bedard noted. "He's tough to get out of the front of the net and super skilled, too. He brings a lot."
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After posting one goal and three assists in four preliminary-round games, Logan Stankoven led the way for Canada in the quarterfinals. The Kamloops Blazers centre scored twice and added an assist en route to being named Canada's top player.
"It's harder than I thought, that's for sure," Stankoven admitted when asked about scoring at this level. "It's kind of my first real taste and the goals haven't come easy. I've had the chances, but not as many as I would've liked. I was able to create a few more chances and the puck was going in the net. It was a good feeling."
What was different?
"I thought I had more jump and more confidence in my game," Stankoven said. "I feel like when I'm hanging onto pucks more and not getting rid of the puck right away – that's when I'm at my best."
"A classic Stanks game," said goalie Dylan Garand, who plays with Stankoven in Kamloops. "I've seen lots of those games."
"He was just a little fireball," observed Everett defenceman Ronan Seeley. "It's what you see in the [Western Hockey League] and it came out of him and it couldn't come out at a better time."
Stankoven is the reigning Canadian Hockey League player of the year. He produced 104 points in 59 games last season.
Stankoven excels despite standing just 5-foot-8.
"His heart's definitely bigger than his height," said Cuylle. "He plays really hard and with lots of passion."
Stankoven's size may actually be an advantage on faceoffs. He's winning 68.8 per cent of his draws to lead the tournament.
"I'm lower to the ice so a lower centre of gravity," he said. "I try to get low on the faceoffs. Credit to my wingers, too."
"He's really strong for his size," noted McTavish. "He's low to the ground, which helps. I'm sure he does a lot of research before the games about the other guys."
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Garand stopped 23 of 26 shots in the win over Switzerland.
"I felt OK," he said. "It was a bit of a struggle at times. A tough third goal. It was a miscommunication there. After that I did a good job of sticking with it and playing my game and working hard. I felt really good about my third period."
Garand admits the Swiss caught him, and many of his teammates, off guard.
"They played really well," he said. "We definitely didn't want to take these guys lightly, but they played really strong and caught us by surprise a little bit ... They played really quick, especially in the offensive zone. They would move the puck around and hemmed us in there a couple times."
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Czechia goalie Tomas Suchanek (.921) will enter the semifinal showdown with a better save percentage than Garand (.918).
"What I like the most is he didn't play the first two games and then he stepped in and was ready to go," said Czechia goalie coach Ondrej Pavelec. "It wasn't easy against Canada. They were coming hard and had a lot of shots. We expect that tomorrow as well. It's a challenge for him and I think he's ready for it."
Suchanek's rise up the depth chart started against Canada in the preliminary round when he stopped 52 of 57 shots.
"A lot of shots and it was really fun," he recalled. "A lot of people came and I hope that will be [the case] again."
Suchanek plays for the Tri-City Americans in the WHL and models his game after Montreal's Carey Price.
My game is really close to his game with how I'm moving in the net," he said. "And he played in Tri-City, too. I have him on my mask."
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Lines at Thursday's practice:
Roy - McTavish - Dufour
Johnson - Stankoven - Foerster
Cuylle - Gaucher - Bedard
Othmann - Ostapchuk - Desnoyers
Kidney
Sebrango -Zellweger
Del Mastro - Cormier
Seely - Thompson
O'Rourke - Lambos
Garand
Cossa
Brochu
Injured: Greig
Power-play units at Thursday's practice:
QB: Zellweger
Flanks: Johnson, Stankoven
Middle: Bedard
Net front: McTavish
QB: Cormier
Flanks: Roy, Seeley/Thompson
Middle: Foerster
Net front: Othmann/Cuylle