Hockey Canada’s management after 2025 World Junior elimination: ‘We can’t accept it’

OTTAWA – Less than 12 hours after Canada’s quarterfinal elimination at the 2025 World Junior Championship, Hockey Canada’s lead management staff was left to answer about what happened.

Canada finished fifth in the tournament for the second consecutive year – but this year’s exit came on home ice in the nation’s capital.

“Like other Canadians, I’m incredibly disappointed,” said Hockey Canada senior VP of hockey operations Scott Salmond during a media availability Friday afternoon. “It’s not unacceptable, but we can’t accept it. So it’s something that will work very diligently on improving, finding ways to win.”

The primary culprits for Canada’s 2-3 record? Undisciplined penalties and odd roster construction.

“If you want to boil it right down, maybe too many penalties, not enough goals, that’s how we got here,” Salmond added. “In the end, you saw us play games where, at times, we dominated and we couldn’t score. And that’s hockey. I don’t want to diminish the result, but that’s hockey.

“I thought at times we dominated last night (against Czechia). I thought there were times in the U.S (game), we dominated the play at 5-on-5. At one point, the shots were 24-6. Those sound like excuses, but they are in fact reality.”

Thursday’s loss marks the first time since 2013 and 2014 that they failed to medal in consecutive years and just the third time ever dating back to when they finished fifth, fifth, and seventh in 1979-81.

“Do we need to blow everything up and start over? I don’t think so. I think we need to probably fine-tune some things… we did win two in a row prior to coming in and losing two. It’s not completely a disaster, but it was the last two years. But I think we have to look at some of the program’s long-term success as well.”

There was so much talk dating back to selection camp earlier in December about who didn’t make the team. Notable prospects Zayne Parekh, Andrew Cristall and Beckett Sennecke were among the final cuts, while Michael Misa, Michael Hage and Carter Yakemchuk were not even invited to camp.

Canadian GM Pete Anholt said the group had an idea of what they wanted the team to play like heading into camp, but didn’t necessarily know the exact 25-man team they wanted when camp opened up with 32 players.

“What we were looking for was players that had talent but would compete hard,” Anholt said. “And I think we had that. I don’t think we were short on talent. We didn’t score at times but that seemed to be a collective thing. I don’t know how to explain that. You look at the eight shootout shots (against Latvia), and we didn’t get a goal from the caliber of players we had. It’s just one of those things that happens, but we were looking for talent.”

As for what the management team thought went wrong?

“We had a great goaltending group,” Anholt said. “All three goaltenders were could have been starters for us. Carter George was excellent. We wanted to have a back end that could really skate and defend with their legs and I think we we proved that that was correct. I think when it’s all said and done… hey we we didn’t score enough goals, really? I think, ultimately, we took too many penalties. So that combination of the two was lethal to us.

“When you put a team together and you come to the World Juniors, there’s four or five teams that could win this tournament,” Anholt added. “We’re not the only team that tries. I think, for the most part, I wouldn’t make any changes to the lineups that we had and and the personnel that we had. I think we had a really good group; we had a high-character group. When it was all said and done, we just didn’t get it done.”

“Who do you blame? You can blame me,” Salmond added. “In our country, you gotta win way more often than you lose, and that’s what we sign up for.”