Loss of Matthew Schaefer proved costly to Canada at World Juniors

Article content

In an unexpected way, it’s quite possible Matthew Schaefer’s stock rose with his absence from all but the first 62 minutes of Canada’s five games at the world junior championship.

Article content

Article content

A strong case could be made that the 17-year-old defenceman — considered a top candidate for next June’s NHL entry draft — was both the team’s best player as well as its MVP.

Consider this: Schafer was at the very least the second star — after Carter George’s 31-save shutout that included 20 stops in the third period — of Canada’s 4-0 victory over Finland that was both its first and best game of the tournament.

Article content

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play Video

Along with a plus-2 rating, he led the team with two points by helping set up Gavin McKenna’s game-winner and icing the victory with an empty-net goal.

Schaefer played 27 shifts, second on the team to Oliver Bonk’s 29, and his 20:26 of ice time was third to Andrew Gibson’s 21:32 and Bonk’s 20:36.

Unfortunately, he suffered a suspected broken collarbone while driving to the net on his first shift of the Latvia game, a loss that affected the mental state of the Canadian players as they went on to fall 3-2 in a shootout final that ranks as one of the biggest upsets in world junior history.

Without Schaefer, Canada would go on to win only one more game — against Germany, which finished 1-3-1 and out of the playoff round.

Entering the tournament, Schaefer, Porter Martone and American centre James Hagens were widely regarded as the top three players available for the draft.

Martone responded positively to being scratched for two games after playing just under 12 minutes against Finland and a little more than seven against Germany by scoring a goal against Czechia on Thursday, and Hagens is having a strong and productive tournament for the Americans.

Article content

Article content

But if the 6-foot-2 Schaefer wasn’t viewed as the frontrunner in the minds of most NHL GMs before the calendar turned to December, he must have answered any questions with his play through the selection camp, exhibitions and pre-tournament schedule, right up to and including his abbreviated run in in the preliminary round.

What’s more, it’s not a big stretch to think that, had Schaefer not been injured, Canada’s hopes of gold might still be alive.

“I think it disrupted things a lot,” Scott Salmond said when asked how Schaefer’s absence altered Canada’s course. “First of all, in my own opinion, I think he was possibly our best defenceman. I also think that Matthew Schaefer is a character individual and I think that it impacted our room.

“Matthew has an ability, as a young player, to lead and to bring character and excitement in our room. I thought when he was gone, some of that was gone. We’ll never know, but I think that his ability, offensively and defensively, and his ability to skate, could have been a game-changer for us.”

Salmond was asked if the fact a 17-year-old was the team’s best defenceman means the rest of the blue liners — all 19-year olld except for Sam Dickinson, who’s 18 — was inadequate.

Article content

“No,” he said, “it means he’s an elite player.”

Salmond wouldn’t confirm Schaefer suffered a broken collarbone — “I don’t think that’s my place,” he said — but did say there’s no way could have returned to play in the medal round.

No doubt adding to the heartache of the early exit for the players is that they quietly spoke of how they wanted to win the tournament for Schaefer, who had to endure the deaths of three loved ones over the past 12 months.

What has to be encouraging, meanwhile, is that the team representing Canada at the world junior tournament in Minnesota next year should have two budding superstars as its foundation: Schaefer, unless the NHL team drafting him decides it will live with the growth of an 18-year-old on its blue line fulltime and doesn’t loan him to Hockey Canada, and Gavin McKenna, who was the team’s most consistently dangerous offensive threat in Ottawa.

While Canada had only four returning players from last year’s team, there are nine players eligible to be back next year.

Those who are on the 2026 team should bring with them some valuable lessons learned, starting with McKenna, who could very well be wearing the captain’s ‘C.’

Article content

“He’s a special guy,” Hockey Canada’s head scout, Al Murray, said of McKenna, already being touted as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft. “There are a few special kids coming up in Canada. We’ve had a couple lately with (Connor) Bedard and (Mack) Celebrini, and we’ve got more with Schaefer and McKenna.

“There are other young players that are going to be elite, superstar players, all in the next couple of years, and you’re going to get to know them and see them.

“I don’t think there’s many players as skilled, as smart, as competitive as Gavin McKenna,” Murray added. “I think he’s a fantastic player and that is one guy we will get back next year because of his late birthday. It’s exciting to start a team with a player like that.”

Article content