Hamilton Bulldogs star captaining Canada at world juniors
Published August 3, 2022 at 12:02 pm
Mason McTavish, who was catalytic in bringing a title to Hamilton, is sliding into the role of Captain Canada.
The Hamilton Bulldogs forward, who is also a first-round choice of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, has been named captain for Canada’s team in the world under-20 men’s hockey championship (commonly called the world juniors). The tournament opens next week in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta.
One of the squad’s goalies is Hamilton native Sebastian Cossa, a Detroit Red Wings first-round choice who plays for the Edmonton Oil Kings in the Western Hockey League.
McTavish is the first player with a direct Hamilton-area tie to wear the ‘C’ for Canada in the tournament since Freelton native Ryan Ellis in 2011. That iteration of Team Canada won the silver medal in Buffalo. Coincidentally, the head coach that year, Dave Cameron, is also coaching Canada this time around.
The International Ice Hockey Federation and Hockey Canada attempted to hold the tournament in its traditional Dec. 26-Jan. 5 timeframe last winter. A spate of COVID-related game cancellations led to the event being cancelled and moved to the summer. McTavish had three goals and five points in two games before the shutdown.
Last February, McTavish also played for Canada at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. He was also part of the Canadian squad that won the gold medal at the 2021 world under-18 tournament, which is typically dominated by the United States.
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The Olympics, along with NHL and minor pro stints, limited McTavish to 29 Ontario Hockey League games last season with the Peterborough Petes and Hamilton. He had 20 goals and 47 points in the regular season, then added 16 goals and 29 points across Hamilton’s 19-game march to winning the OHL title.
McTavish is one of the more seasoned players on a Team Canada that is missing some high-ceiling talent. The world juniors’ proximity to the start of NHL training camps has led to several high draft picks not being available to Canada. Both Mississauga native Owen Power, the No. 1 overall choice in 2021 by the Buffalo Sabres, and Burlington native Shane Wright, whom the Seattle Kraken chose No. 4 overall last month, are not on Canada’s squad.
The tournament is also taking place while Hockey Canada is facing public outcry and sponsorship cancellations over its investigations of sexual assault complaints against players from its 2018 under-20 men’s team. The scandal has also led to a police investigation in Halifax of sexual assault allegations against players on the 2003 team.
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