The Next Generation: Rielly and Reinhart lead TELUS Cup alumni as the future stars of the game
For most elite Midget hockey players in this country, the first point of contact on the national stage is the TELUS Cup.
It is also a valuable point of reference as their careers move along in the game, especially if the tournament ends in team triumph or personal success.
Seven days in length every April, Canada’s National Midget Championship celebrates its 40th anniversary this year in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., with teams representing five regionals and a host side all vying for national supremacy.
Over its history, the tournament has provided a forum for great players like Steve Yzerman, Joe Sakic, Ron Francis, Patrick Roy and Sidney Crosby to elevate their game against the best competition in the country.
And by the time another decade passes and the TELUS Cup turns 50, it’s likely other names will be added to the list and eventually be as household as those that have come before them.
For instance, notable TELUS Cup alumni like 2012 tournament MVP Laurent Dauphin and NHL first-round draft picks Slater Koekkoek and Malcolm Subban, both of whom played in 2010, have not only absorbed a great hockey experience, but used the tournament as a springboard to the next level of the game.
From Major Junior opportunities to national team duty with Hockey Canada to the professional ranks, the TELUS Cup is a solid stepping stone along that pathway.
For Morgan Rielly, the TELUS Cup became a memorable waypoint in his career when he helped the Notre Dame Hounds to the second of back-to-back national championships in Lévis, Que., in 2010.
Now a member of the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies, the highly-skilled defenceman considers his experience at the tournament to be a game changer in what’s transpired in the last three seasons of his career.
“We were all treated like pro hockey players and the level of hockey was tremendous,” said the West Vancouver, B.C., product. “All around it was a great hockey experience and is certainly a highlight in my career for sure.”
A 15-year-old during the 2009-10 season, Rielly turned 16 just a month prior to his Hounds qualifying for the tournament. They advanced to the gold medal game after finishing the round-robin undefeated (2-0-3) and beat the St. John’s Fog Devils in the semifinals. In the end, they outlasted the Subban and the Mississauga Reps 3-2 in the final to become only the third team in the history of the tournament to repeat as champions.
It was the importance of each tournament game that resonated with Rielly as the week progressed. He admits the culture and emphasis on winning nightly to better your team’s chances of advancing to Sunday’s final aided in his development and growth as a player.
“I think we all benefitted from the experience,” said the Toronto Maple Leafs’ first-round draft pick last summer. “We knew as a team we had to play well every game, like it was the championship game. Plus, you’re always playing against the best players in the country. It was a huge step and it helped me make the jump to junior hockey.”
The following season Rielly, now 19, graduated to the Western Hockey League’s Moose Jaw Warriors, spending three seasons there before moving on this spring to the Baby Leafs.
Another West Vancouver product, Sam Reinhart, tells a simliar story about his TELUS Cup journey.
As the youngest of three brothers in a hockey-playing family that includes his father, Paul, a former NHL defenceman, Reinhart felt privileged to participate in the 2011 event in St. John’s, N.L., as a member of the Vancouver North West Giants.
Older brothers Max and Griffin were never fortunate enough with their midget teams to qualify for the national championship. But that didn’t mean their youngest sibling didn’t appreciate the exclusive experience, even though he spent a lot of time using their hockey exposure as a guideline for his own career.
“They were never fortunate enough to play in the tournament, although they did get close to getting there,” said Reinhart, a forward with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice. “Most things that I’ve been able to do in my career so far I’ve been able to watch them go through it before. So this was a little different to do it myself.”
Even though Reinhart’s experience at the TELUS Cup didn’t produce a national title for his team, he and linemate Alex Kerfoot nearly cleaned up on the individual awards that spring. Reinhart won the Top Scorer award and was also selected as the tournament’s Top Forward, while Kerfoot took the event’s MVP hardware.
Obviously having that type of success in late April at a national tournament and being resilient enough to play nearly 80 games brings with it more opportunities to ascend in the game going forward.
That is clearly the case for Reinhart, who is highly touted as a top-five prospect for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
However, back in 2011 after his club lost in the TELUS Cup bronze medal game to Lions du Lac St. Louis, he finished the season as a 15-year-old with Kootenay and contributed to their run to a WHL championship and a Memorial Cup appearance.
“It was right around that time that I was going to make the jump to the WHL,” said Reinhart, 17. “So it was a great experience for me in terms of preparing for that. It was a big step for sure in me progressing to that level of competition.”
Furthermore, the past two years Reinhart has closed out his hockey season playing with Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence and Canada’s National Men’s U18 Team. This includes a current posting with the team as its captain, as it vies for gold at the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship in Sochi, Russia.
U18 Men’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. United States
Sunday, May 5 | 11 a.m. ET | Espoo, Finland | Gold Medal Game
The gold medal is on the line as Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team takes on its rivals from the United States on Sunday in the finale of the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship.
Last Game
Canada started strong and hung on late, defeating Sweden 5-4 its Saturday semifinal. Liam Greentree, Gavin McKenna, Tij Iginla and Ryder Ritchie scored in the first period and Henry Mews added the game-winner in the second before Canada held off a late push by Sweden. Carter George made 31 saves in another terrific performance between the pipes.
The United States downed Slovakia 7-2 to advance to the gold medal game. Teddy Stiga scored just over three minutes in to get the scoring started, and a three-goal second period for the U.S. blew open a one-goal game. Cole Eiserman and Max Plante scored twice each, with Cole Hutson and Will Skahan rounding out the scoring and Jack Parsons making 22 saves.
Last Meeting
You have to all the way back to the prelimimary-round opener at the 2022 U18 Men’s Worlds for the last time the North American rivals clashed, with the Canadians dropping that game 8-3 to the Americans. Matthew Wood and Mathew Ward briefly tied the game in the second period, while Connor Bedard scored his first of what would be six goals in the tournament. Reid Dyck made 43 saves for the Canadians.
What to Watch
There were a few record-setting (or record-tying) performances by Canadians in the semifinals. With his first-period goal, McKenna set the record for the most points by a Canadians in one U18 Men’s Worlds with 16. Porter Martone’s assist on Mews’ goal set a new career scoring record by a Canadian with 22 points, surpassing Bedard, and also brought him even with McKenna at 16 points in the tournament. George has been fantastic in the Canadian goal as well. In five games, he has a .923 save percentage and 2.00 goals-against average (both second among qualified goaltenders, behind American netminder Nicholas Kempf), with two shutouts. All three were named the best players of the tournament for Canada.
James Hagens has been all over the scoresheet for the United States. With three assists in the semifinals, the 17-year-old set the all-time scoring record at a single U18 Men’s Worlds—a record that had been held for 13 years by Nikita Kucherov. In six games in Finland, Hagens has nine goals and 13 helpers.
A Look Back
This is the 18th meeting between the North American rivals at U18 Men’s Worlds, with the record skewing in favour of the U.S.—Canada has just four wins in the first 17 games (two in regulation, one in overtime and one in a shootout).
That said, those two regulation wins have happened in the last six meetings; Laurent Dauphin had a goal and an assist in the 2013 gold medal game as Canada downed the U.S. 3-2 to win its third world title, and Raphaël Lavoie scored twice to help Canada to a 6-4 victory in the tournament opener in 2018.
All-time record: United States leads 13-4-0 (2-2 in OT/SO) Canada goals: 41 United States goals: 79
U18 Men’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Sweden
Saturday, May 4 | 11 a.m. ET | Espoo, Finland | Semifinal
A spot in the gold medal game is on the line as Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team travels to Espoo for the first time to face Sweden in the semifinals at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship at Metro Areena.
Last Game
Canada earned its semifinal spot by blanking Latvia 4-0 in its quarterfinal Thursday. Maxim Massé opened the scoring on a power play just over five minutes into the first period, with Ryder Ritchie, Porter Martone and Jett Luchanko rounding out the scoring. Harrison Brunicke and Tij Iginla had two assists each, while Carter George made 23 saves for the shutout.
Sweden defeated host Finland 2-1 to book its spot in the semifinal. Alfons Freij scored 2:40 minutes into the game to put the Swedes up 1-0 early, and Jack Berglund got the game-winner late in the middle frame. Love Härenstam made 21 saves for Sweden.
Last Meeting
Let’s throw it all the way back… 10 days to the beginning of this tournament when Canada kicked off the prelims with a 6-3 victory over Sweden. Luchanko and Malcolm Spence gave the Canadians an early 2-0 lead, Gavin McKenna scored twice in 1:49 apart in the first period, and Matthew Schaefer and Carson Wetsch rounded out the scoring. George stopped 26 shots for the win.
What to Watch
George has been fantastic in the Canadian goal. In four games, he has .936 save percentage and 1.50 goals-against average (both second among qualified goaltenders, behind American netminder Nicholas Kempf), with two shutouts. His showing in Finland continues a strong season: the 17-year-old had a .907 save percentage and 3.30 goals-against average with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack,, and while representing Canada last summer at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, the Thunder Bay, Ontario, native boasted a .889 save percentage and a 2.26 goals-against average.
Melvin Fernström and Lucas Pettersson have been leading the offence for Sweden, each recording two goals and six points in five games. Fernström had a plus-25 rating with 31 goals and 63 points during the regular season for the Örebro HK U20 team, while Pettersoon was plus-27 with 27 goals and 57 points with MoDo Hockey U20.
A Look Back
Meeting the Swedes at the IIHF U18 World Championship has always meant a tough matchup for Canada. In head-to-head, Canada holds a narrow 12-10 advantage.
It’s the third time in four years the teams will clash in the semifinals. The Swedes had the advantage last year in Switzerland, while Canada rode a Connor Bedard hat trick and four points from Shane Wright to an 8-1 win in 2021 in Texas.
All-time record: Canada leads 12-10 (1-1 in OT/SO) Canada goals: 89 Sweden goals: 70
U18 Men’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Latvia
Thursday, May 2 | 12:45 p.m. ET | Vantaa, Finland | Quarterfinal
It’s on to the playoffs for Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team, which faces off against Latvia in the last of four quarterfinals on Thursday at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship.
Last Game
Canada closed the preliminary round in style, beating Kazakhstan 11-3 on Tuesday. Gavin McKenna continued his torrid scoring pace, scoring twice and adding four assists, while captain Porter Martone added a goal and four helpers of his own. In all, 10 different Canadians scored goals and 17 of the 19 skaters recorded at least a point.
Latvia wrapped up its prelim schedule Monday with a 5-3 loss to Norway. Daniels Serkins, Martins Klaucans and Darels Uljanskis provided the offence for the Latvians, who trailed 3-0 after the first period and 5-1 after 40 minutes.
Last Meeting
The teams met in preliminary-round action at the 2021 U18 Men’s Worlds, a 4-2 victory for the Canadians. Mason McTavish paced the offence for Canada with two goals and an assist, while Dylan Guenther added a goal and a helper. The Canadians peppered Latvian netminder Karlis Mezsargs with 52 shots and twice had the eastern Europeans pull within a goal, but saw out its second win en route to gold in Texas.
What to Watch
McKenna (6-8—14) and Martone (4-9—13) are in the process of rewriting the Team Canada record book. The duo have basically every major offensive record in sight between them – both all-time and in a single tournament. Martone, who won bronze a year ago as an underager, sits just two points back of Connor Bedard for the all-time scoring lead (21), and his four assists Tuesday moved him past Cody Hodgson and Mathew Barzal for most assists by a Canadian at the tournament (he has 12), and within one of Hodgson’s single-tournament record (10). McKenna is just three goals back of Shane Wright for the single-tournament record (9), and both players are within striking distance of the single-tournament points record of 15, currently held by Tyson Jost (2015) and Macklin Celebrini (2023).
Olivers Murnieks is the second-youngest player on the ice in Finland (Kazakhstan defenceman Svyatoslav Evplov is four weeks younger), but the 15-year-old has been a key cog for the Latvia machine. Only eight forwards are averaging more ice time than Murnieks (who’s at 19:30 per game), and he contributed a goal and two assists in the prelims, scoring in the win over Slovakia that secured the playoff spot for the Latvians. He played 18 games for HK Mogo in the Optibet Hockey League, the top men’s league in Latvia, finishing with 15 points (5-10—15).
A Look Back
Canada has owned the head-to-head history, winning all six meetings by a combined score of 36-12.
The most memorable of those six came in the tournament opener in 2015 in Switzerland, when the teams combined for 17 goals in an 11-6 Canadian win. Jérémy Roy scored a hat trick, Mitchell Stephens had two goals and an assist and Barzal had three helpers for Canada, which erased an early deficit and took control with six unanswered goals in a span of 6:49 in the second period.
All-time record: Canada leads 6-0 Canada goals: 36 Latvia goals: 12
Host locations selected for 2025 Esso and TELUS Cups
Alberta and British Columbia to host Canada’s U18 national club championships
CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the host locations for Canada’s 2025 U18 national club championships, with the Esso Cup set for Lloydminster, Alberta, and the TELUS Cup returning west to the Fraser Valley in British Columbia.
From April 20-26, the Lloydminster Steelers of the Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) will welcome five regional champions to compete for Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship at the Centennial Civic Centre, marking the fifth time the Esso Cup has been hosted in Alberta and the first in the Border City.
The Fraser Valley Thunderbirds of the B.C. Elite Hockey League (BCEHL) will make their national championship debut at the TELUS Cup from April 21-27 at the Chilliwack Coliseum, with Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship returning to British Columbia for the first time since 2017.
“Hosting a national championship is a tremendous undertaking, and we are grateful for the local organizing committees, Hockey Alberta and BC Hockey, for collaborating with our staff to host first-class events in Lloydminster and Chilliwack next spring,” said Pat McLaughlin, Hockey Canada’s chief operating officer and executive vice-president of strategy. “Canada’s U18 national club championships have seen some of the top athletes in our country compete before they’ve gone on to wear the Maple Leaf internationally, and we know hockey fans in Alberta and British Columbia will enjoy watching teams play for gold next spring.”
Fans can sign up now to receive ticket information about the 2025 Esso Cup and 2025 TELUS Cup as it becomes available, or become a Hockey Canada Insider and receive advanced access to tickets and other promotions.
“These tournaments are often once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for the participants, families and fans, and thanks to the generous support of Esso and TELUS, we are excited to build on the legacy of both events in two outstanding hockey markets,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact for Hockey Canada. “We thank all communities that expressed interest in hosting one of these national championships next season and look forward to welcoming the best under-18 clubs in the country in the spring.”
At the 2024 Esso Cup, the Regina Rebels won their first national title in Vernon, B.C., while the Cantonniers de Magog became national champions for the second time at the 2024 TELUS Cup in Membertou, Nova Scotia. Both gold medal games were broadcast on TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada.
To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.
U18 Men’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Kazakhstan
Tuesday, April 30 | 12 p.m. ET | Vantaa, Finland | Preliminary Round
With first place in Group B secured, Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team has its sights set on finishing a perfect preliminary round when it takes on Kazakhstan on Tuesday at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship.
Last Game
Canada used a record-setting second period to down Switzerland 8-1 on Sunday. After a scoreless opening 20 minutes, the Canadians erupted for seven goals in the middle frame, becoming the seventh team in U18 Men’s Worlds history to hit that number in a single period. Porter Martone had two of the seven before finishing his hat trick in the third period, and Gavin McKenna added a goal and two assists.
Kazakhstan made history of its own Monday, getting an overtime goal from Mstislav Shiplin to earn a 4-3 win over Czechia for its first-ever Top Division win at the U18 level. Roman Bolshedvorsky added a goal and an assist for the Kazakhs, who erased 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to secure the victory.
Last Meeting
You have to go all the way back to 2003, the only other year Kazakhstan was part of the Top Division. In that one, Canada got two goals each from Geoff Platt and Steve Bernier, and three assists from Marc-Antoine Pouliot in an 8-1 win. That tournament, played in Yaroslavl, Russia, ended with Canada winning its first U18 world title.
What to Watch
The name on the back of the jersey is enough to draw attention from even the most casual of Canadian hockey fans, but Tij Iginla has the game to back up the name. The son of Hockey Hall of Famer and two-time Olympic gold medallist Jarome Iginla, Tij has inherited his dad’s goal-scoring touch, potting three goals in as many games in Finland after posting 47 in 64 games with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets. The 17-year-old – ranked as the No. 9 North American skater in the final NHL Central Scouting rankings for the 2024 NHL Draft – can become the third Iginla to win a world title, following his dad and older sister Jade, who helped Canada to gold at the 2022 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.
As is the case most years with a team coming up from Division 1A, the Kazakhstan roster looks nothing like the one that won gold a year in France. The lone returnee is Bolshedvorsky, who went without a point in five games in 2023. The 17-year-old spent this season with Snezhnye Barsy Astana in the MHL, the top Russian junior league, and the goal he scored against the Czechs on Monday was his first of the season – he had four assists in 41 MHL games and two helpers in nine playoff contests.
A Look Back
Not much more to say that hasn’t already been said. Just one, mentioned above, in 2003.
All-time record: Canada leads 1-0 Canada goals: 8 Kazakhstan goals: 1
Cantonniers de Magog win 2024 TELUS Cup
Brandon Wheat Kings take home silver medal; Calgary Buffaloes win bronze
MEMBERTOU, Nova Scotia – The Cantonniers de Magog have won their second TELUS Cup after defeating the Brandon Wheat Kings 4-1 to complete a perfect 7-0 week at Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship.
It’s the fifth medal for the Cantonniers at the TELUS Cup, joining the gold medal won in 2000, and the silver medals from 2018, 2019 and 2022.
Gabriel Courchesne (Drummondville, QC) netted the game-winning goal on the power play in the final minutes of the opening period. Courchesne, who had five multi-point games and at least one point in six of seven, finished as the tournament leader in goals (10) and points (15).
“This is an amazing feeling. We worked hard all year long for this moment, and we are all so happy to win this tournament. We have 20 players on our team that can do their job perfectly within our system, and that is what makes our group special,” Courchesne said. “We knew about the last three losses [in the gold medal game] this team had at the TELUS Cup, so we wanted to get a win for the coaches that lost those games, our program and ourselves.”
Simon-Xavier Cyr (Sherbrooke, QC) beat Brandon netminder Burke Hood (Brandon, MB) to open the scoring for the Cantonniers 11:58 into the game before Easton Odut (Brandon, MB) evened the score just over three minutes later. The Cantonniers added goals from Marc-Olivier Proteau (Lac-Mégantic, QC) and Antoine Boudreau (Drummondville, QC), who also contributed two assists apiece, in the second period to secure the win.
“I had such a sense of pride watching my players win every game this week, and it was an unbelievable feeling when I was able to rejoin my second family [for the semifinal] on Saturday,” said Magog head coach Samuel Collard (Sherbrooke, QC). “We wanted to bring this trophy back to Magog, and we never took anything for granted this week right up until the last minute. All year, we wanted to be a team that works hard and sticks together, and that is exactly what we did.”
Kyan Labbé (Sherbrooke, QC) made 19 saves for Magog to cap off an impressive tournament, leading all goaltenders in goals-against average (1.71) and save percentage (.942). Hood turned in a stellar performance in net for the Wheat Kings, making 42 saves.
“We worked all season to be national champions, and to be able to say that we accomplished that with people that we have been playing with since we were 10 years old is amazing. When we got the lead, we knew we needed to stay calm and we ended up getting two big goals in the second period,” said Labbé. “This is an incredible tournament, and we only had one thing on our minds here, and that was to win. This is a team that loves each other and we are really going to enjoy this win.”
A full game summary game be found HERE.
In between the medal games, Hockey Canada announced the 2024 TELUS Cup tournament awards:
- Most Valuable Player – Gabriel Courchesne (Drummondville, QC), Magog Cantonniers
- Top Forward – Antoine Boudreau (Drummondville, QC), Magog Cantonniers
- Top Defence – Liam O’Neill (Calgary, AB), Calgary Buffaloes
- Top Goaltender – Kyan Labbé (Sherbrooke, QC), Magog Cantonniers
- Most Sportsmanlike Player – Brady Turko (Brandon, MB), Brandon Wheat Kings
- TELUS Cup Scholarship ($1,000) – Ryan Piggot (Richmond Hill, ON), Markham Waxers
Calgary Buffaloes defeat Markham Waxers 4-3 in shootout to win bronze
Earlier in the day, Calgary rebounded from a 4-1 loss to Brandon in the semifinals to win the bronze medal, defeating the Markham Waxers 4-3 in a shootout to secure its seventh medal at the TELUS Cup.
Brayden Gourley (Calgary, AB) and Rhys Jamieson (Calgary, AB) scored in the shootout to give Calgary its third bronze all-time. Kael Svensson (Calgary, AB) turned aside all four attempts he faced in the shootout after making 36 saves in regulation and overtime, while Eamon Callaghan (Oshawa, ON) stopped 23 shots.
“I just wanted to stay calm and collected, and I trusted our guys to get the job done. The boys battled really hard, and we had to go through a little bit of adversity, but we were able get through it and come away with the win,” said Svenson. “It feels great [to win the bronze medal]. We really wanted to finish the tournament with a win, and although we did not come away with gold, we wanted to leave with something. I could not be more proud of this team.”
The teams traded goals in the opening two periods before Piggott scored on a partial breakaway to give Markham a 3-2 lead midway through the third. Calgary tied it just over four minutes later when Christian Stephanson (Calgary, AB) beat Callaghan for a shorthanded goal. Calgary and Markham traded chances in the 3-on-3 extra frame, but neither team could find the back of the net.
A full game summary game be found HERE. To download game highlights from the bronze medal game, please CLICK HERE.
For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2024 TELUS Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram, and by using #TELUSCup.
U18 Men’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Sweden
Thursday, April 25 | 12 p.m. ET | Vantaa, Finland | Preliminary Round
The 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship gets underway Thursday in Finland, with Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team facing off against Sweden in its preliminary round opener at Vantaa Trio Arena.
Last Game
The Canadians closed out pre-tournament play Tuesday with a 4-3 overtime win over Norway in Vantaa. Matthew Schaefer scored the winner 2:18 into the extra period for Canada, which saw the Norwegians score twice in five second midway through the third period to erase its two-goal lead. Schaefer finished with a goal and an assist, as did Ryder Ritchie.
The Swedes finished their exhibition schedule Monday, getting two goals from Leo Sahlin Wallenius and 26 saves from Love Härenstam to blank Latvia 4-0 in Vierumäki. Jack Berglund and Melvin Fernström rounded out the scoring for Sweden, while Alexander Zetterberg added two assists.
Last Meeting
The international rivals last clashed in the semifinals at U18 Men’s Worlds a year ago, with the Swedes posting a 7-2 victory en route to a silver medal. Macklin Celebrini and Angus MacDonell scored first-period goals for the Canadians, but a four-goal second for the Swedes was the difference.
What to Watch
Porter Martone is no stranger to the Maple Leaf; the Canadian captain has played at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, IIHF U18 World Championship (as an underager) and Hlinka Gretzky Cup over the past 17 months, winning silver, bronze and gold, respectively, while putting up 12 goals and 23 points across 19 games. The Mississauga Steelheads forward registered 71 points (33-38—71) in his second OHL season, and is a name to watch for the 2025 NHL Draft (he’s not eligible this year thanks to his Oct. 25 birthday).
Sahlin Wallenius was the second-ranked Swede on the final NHL Central Scouting rankings for the 2024 NHL Draft, coming seventh among international skaters. He averaged almost a point a game from the blue line with the Växjö Lakers U20 team this season (11-31—42 in 43 GP). Lunis Eriksson also cracked the top 10 from Central Scouting, coming in at No. 10. He spent the majority of the season playing pro with Djurgardens IF, posting 11 points (3-8—11) in 29 HockeyAllsvenskan games.
A Look Back
The head-to-head history between the Canadians and Swedes at the IIHF U18 World Championship is almost right down the middle, with Canada holding a narrow 11-10 advantage.
The most recent wins came at the 2021 worlds in Texas; Shane Wright had a hat trick and Brandt Clarke added two goals and two assists in a 12-1 preliminary-round win, while Connor Bedard scored three and Wright added a goal and three helpers in an 8-1 semifinal triumph.
All-time record: Canada leads 11-10 (1-1 in OT/SO) Canada goals: 83 Sweden goals: 67
Five players added to Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team for 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship
Canada adds five players to U18 worlds roster
CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the addition of five players to Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team for the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship, April 25-May 5, in Espoo and Vantaa, Finland.
Goaltender Jack Ivankovic (Mississauga, ON/Mississauga, OHL), forwards Ollie Josephson (Victoria, BC/Red Deer, WHL) and Maxim Massé (Rimouski, QC/Chicoutimi, QMJHL), and defencemen Frank Marrelli (Markham, ON/Ottawa, OHL) and Henry Mews (Ottawa, ON/Ottawa, OHL) have joined the team.
Josephson, Marrelli, Massé and Mews were members of Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team that won a gold medal at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Ivankovic won gold with Team Canada White at the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
Canada will play its final pre-tournament game against Norway on Tuesday. Canada’s quest for a gold medal begins April 25 at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT against Sweden. Canada will also face Czechia on April 26, Switzerland on April 28 and Kazakhstan on April 30 to close out preliminary-round action. The semifinals are set for May 4 before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 5.
TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners, will air select games, including all Team Canada games and all playoff-round games. Check your local listings for details.
Since 2002, Canada has won four gold medals at the IIHF U18 World Championship (2003, 2008, 2013, 2021), in addition to one silver (2005) and four bronze (2012, 2014, 2015, 2023). For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Road to the 2024 TELUS Cup: Markham Waxers
The Central champions have endured the longest road to Membertou and their first-ever appearance on the national stage
No team spent more time on the Road to the TELUS Cup than the Markham Waxers.
After playing 35 regular-season games across 130 days from October to February, the Waxers grinded through 22 playoff contests in just 57 days, and it was quite a schedule.
Markham played 10 games in 22 days to qualify for the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) championship, which was four games in three days. After a three-week break, it survived a seven-games-in-seven-days marathon at the Central Regional.
And now the Waxers get to do it all over again in Membertou.
Markham finished the regular season strong, winning 11 of its last 12 games to slide into second place in the East Division of the OMHA, and after a loss to the first-place Ajax-Pickering Raiders to open the postseason, it dropped only two of the next 21, with a wild 6-5 win over the Waterloo Wolves the final step towards Cape Breton.
The Waxers got contributions from up and down the lineup, with four players averaging at least a point a game in the regular season and 10 recording at least 20 points, while three hit the point-per-game mark in the playoffs.
Tate Collins and Matthew Johnson were the catalysts up front; they co-led Markham in regular-season scoring with 46 points each before combining for 66 points across 22 postseason games.
It’s the first time the Waxers have qualified for Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship, and the first time the Central representative has come from the OMHA since the Hamilton Reps in 2009.
HOW THEY GOT TO MEMBERTOU
Ontario Minor Hockey Association Round robin: 2nd in East Group A – lost to Ajax-Pickering Raiders 4-0, tied North Central Predators 2-2, defeated Kingston Jr. Gaels 1-0, defeated Oshawa Generals 7-3, defeated North Central Predators 5-2, defeated Clarington Toros 8-3, defeated Clarington Toros 6-0, defeated Kingston Jr. Gaels 5-1, tied Ajax-Pickering Raiders 5-5, defeated Oshawa Generals 3-2
OMHA Championship Preliminary round: 2nd in Group 2 – defeated Central Ontario Wolves 9-2, defeated Oakville Rangers 5-1, lost to Burlington Eagles 7-3 Semifinal: defeated Guelph Gryphons 5-3 Final: defeated Burlington Eagles 4-2
Central Regional Preliminary round: 2nd place – defeated Ottawa Jr. 67’s 5-3, defeated Vaughan Kings 6-2, defeated Timmins Majors 10-1, lost to Waterloo Wolves 4-3 OT, defeated Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 7-2 Semifinal: defeated Vaughan Kings 4-3 Final: defeated Waterloo Wolves 6-5
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-T-OTL): 24-8-1-2 (5th in OMHA) Goals for: 157 (7th in OMHA) Goals against: 87 (5th in OMHA) Longest winning streak: 6 (Jan. 6-28) Top 3 scorers: - Matthew Johnson – 25G 21A 46P (15th in OMHA) - Tate Collins – 19G 27A 46P (18th in OMHA) - Philip Govedaris – 14G 24A 38P (35th in OMHA)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 17-3-2 Goals for: 109 Goals against: 57 Top 3 scorers: - Tate Collins – 15G 24A 39P - Matthew Johnson – 17G 10A 27P - Philip Govedaris – 11G 16A 27P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
First appearance
OHL DRAFTED PLAYERS
Lucas Manikis – Flint Firebirds 2023 (10th round, 195th overall) Kyle Butt – Windsor Spitfires 2023 (12th round, 240th overall) Tate Collins – Owen Sound Attack 2023 (14th round, 272nd overall) Eric Sencaj – Barrie Colts 2023 (14th round, 279th overall)
Road to the 2024 TELUS Cup: Cantonniers de Magog
The Quebec champions continued their dynastic run, qualifying for the national championship for the fourth time in five tries
They’re back.
After a one-year hiatus, the Cantonniers de Magog will once again represent Quebec at the TELUS Cup, making it four appearances in the last five tournaments – 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024 (there was no tournament in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
While the regular season was solid but not spectacular – the Cantonniers’ 27 wins in the Ligue de développement du hockey M18 AAA du Québec (LHM18AAAQ) ranked fifth over the last six full seasons, dating back to the start of their title run in 2017-18 – it was the playoffs where Magog was once again at its best.
It swept Châteauguay and downed Lac St-Louis in four before eliminating the Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François – the defending TELUS Cup champions – in a semifinal sweep.
The Estacades de Trois-Rivières were the final obstacle between Magog and Membertou, and after a back-and-forth series that went the distance, Mavrik Duhaime scored the Game 5 overtime winner to send the Cantonniers to Cape Breton.
It was scoring by committee during the regular season, with Gabriel Courchesne (24-35—59 – second in the LHM18AAAQ) pacing an offence that featured five players with 30+ points and six who hit double-digits in goals.
Kyan Labbé was terrific in goal, finishing second in goals-against average (1.98) and save percentage (.934) before playing all but 23 minutes of the playoff run.
All that’s left now is to get that elusive final win – the Cantonniers became just the third team to lose back-to-back national finals in 2018 and 2019 (joining the 1994-95 Red Deer Chiefs and 2014-15 Grenadiers de Châteauguay), and made it three in a row with an overtime loss to the Moncton Flyers in 2022.
HOW THEY GOT TO MEMBERTOU
Ligue de développement du hockey M18 AAA du Québec Tacks semifinal: defeated Grenadiers de Châteauguay 2-0 (7-2, 10-4) Tacks final: defeated Lions du Lac St-Louis 3-1 (2-6, 4-1, 4-1, 2-1) Semifinal: defeated Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François 3-0 (4-2, 2-1 OT, 2-1) Final: defeated Estacades de Trois-Rivières 3-2 (1-5, 4-3 OT, 1-0, 3-4, 2-1 OT)
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-OTL): 27-9-6 (2nd in LHM18AAAQ) Goals for: 163 (T-1st in LHM18AAAQ) Goals against: 111 (3rd in LHM18AAAQ) Longest winning streak: 3 (Oct. 25-Nov. 1; Dec. 14-Jan. 5; Jan. 12-17) Top 3 scorers: - Gabriel Courchesne – 24G 35A 59P (2nd in LHM18AAAQ) - Antoine Boudreau – 25G 29A 54P (5th in LHM18AAAQ) - Alexis Toussaint – 14G 27A 41P (15th in LHM18AAAQ)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 11-3 Goals for: 48 Goals against: 32 Top 3 scorers: - Marc-Olivier Proteau – 7G 9A 16P - Antoine Boudreau – 5G 9A 14P - Alexis Toussaint – 6G 6A 12P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
2022 – Cantonniers de Magog | silver medal | 5-2-0 | 42GF 22GA 2019 – Cantonniers de Magog | silver medal | 6-1-0 | 24GF 8GA 2018 – Cantonniers de Magog | silver medal | 3-3-1 | 24GF 25GA 2000 – Cantonniers de Magog | gold medal | 6-1-0 | 46GF 17GA 1995 – Cantonniers de Magog | 5th place | 2-3-0 | 7GF 12GA
QMJHL DRAFTED PLAYERS
Zachary Plamondon – Charlottetown Islanders 2023 (3rd round, 45th overall) Antoine St-Laurent – Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 2023 (4th round, 68th overall) Kyan Labbé – Saint John Sea Dogs 2023 (4th round, 72nd overall) Vincent Desmarais – Drummondville Voltigeurs 2023 (5th round, 82nd overall) Alexis Toussaint – Cape Breton Eagles 2023 (6th round, 99th overall) Antoine Boudreau – Drummondville Voltigeurs 2022 (10th round, 171st overall) Alexandre Raymond – Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 2023 (10th round, 171st overall) Marc-Olivier Proteau – Shawinigan Cataractes 2023 (11th round, 191st overall) Anthony Morin – Baie-Comeau Drakkar 2023 (11th round, 193rd overall) Charles-Antoine Adam – Sherbrooke Phoenix 2022 (11th round, 195th overall) Colin Brodeur – Halifax Mooseheads 2023 (13th round, 237th overall) Zack Hansford – Shawinigan Cataractes 2023 (14th round, 245th overall) Mavrik Duhaime – Cape Breton Eagles 2023 (14th round, 246th overall)
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