Canada’s 2018 Olympic men’s hockey team looks back on experience: ‘Great memories’

Maxim Lapierre remembers the cellphone name popping out of the blue.

A veteran of greater than 700 NHL video games taking part in his third season for Switzerland’s HC Lugano, there was an attractive supply to think about.

Canada wished him on the Spengler Cup — the annual December event that might function a closing audition for European-based execs hoping to make the nation’s 2018 males’s Olympic workforce.

However having not acquired invitations to different warm-up occasions as Hockey Canada sifted by means of choices with the NHL skipping the Video games in South Korea, the centre remained skeptical of his probabilities.

“I used to be undoubtedly simply changing any individual,” Lapierre recalled in a current cellphone interview. “I used to be fairly shut by.”

Nonetheless honoured regardless of the tardy invite, he drove a pair hours north from Lugano to Davos — a picturesque Swiss city that hosts the annual Spengler showcase — and impressed the Canadian mind belief.

“I wasn’t anticipating something,” he added. “I knew how good the event is … a pleasant second round Christmas with the household.”

Subsequent factor Lapierre knew, nevertheless, he was on the roster and prepping for Pyeongchang.

“A particular, particular second,” the native of Brossard, Que., mentioned of studying he was headed to the Video games. “You're employed to make NHL, nevertheless it wasn’t practical for me to go to the Olympics.

“Nice reminiscences.”

Canada’s 2018 males’s hockey workforce left South Korea with a bronze medal after being upset by Germany within the semifinals earlier than rebounding with a victory within the third-place sport towards the Czech Republic.

And just like the 2022 version heading off to Beijing, that group is aware of all about followers again house providing lukewarm help, but in addition grousing about one other missed alternative to see Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and the remainder of Canada’s stars chase gold after the NHL opted out due to COVID-19 issues.

“You see the tweets: ‘It’s the ‘B’ workforce or the ‘C’ workforce,’” mentioned Andrew Ebbett, a ahead on the 2018 squad. “I wasn’t too involved with what folks have been saying.

“We had the possibility and we obtained to go.”

Derek Roy, one other former NHLer on the workforce, understood the response — he wished to see best-on-best, too.

“Nevertheless it was simply background noise,” he mentioned. “It’s not your fault the NHL didn’t go. At any time when you possibly can put a Maple Leaf on to your nation it’s an excellent feeling.

“I’m positive these guys are going to put on it proud and do us proud.”

They may even have a a lot shorter runway.

Canada despatched a squad to the Russia’s Channel One Cup in early December, however pulled out of the Spengler earlier than its coronavirus cancellation.

The NHL remained on track to ship its gamers to Beijing as just lately because the second week of December solely to see the panorama drastically shift with a sequence of COVID-19 outbreaks, forcing the postponement of near 100 video games.

Hockey Canada needed to shortly pivot, with normal supervisor Shane Doan and head coach Claude Julien — dedicated to the December tournaments and on Olympic standby if the NHL withdrew — now in cost with so much much less time to organize.

The lead-up to choosing the 2018 workforce included a number of occasions the place ahead mixtures, defence pairings and methods may very well be examined.

This iteration, which incorporates a mixture of youth, expertise, and three returning gamers in defencemen Maxim Noreau and Mat Robinson, together with ahead Eric O’Dell, gained’t have that luxurious.

“Another nations most likely have a little bit of a bonus as a result of they performed world championships,” mentioned Willie Desjardins, who coached Canada in South Korea. “Hockey Canada seemed forward and knew (the NHL not going) may occur.”

However having not seen nearly all of his gamers collectively till coaching camp opened in Davos this week nonetheless little doubt presents challenges for Julien, who gained a Stanley Cup and the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the 12 months with the Boston Bruins.

It’s the period of on-line conferences and video work. Getting on the ice, nevertheless, is the one method to make sure in the case of chemistry and intangibles.

“You possibly can envision sure guys being collectively, nevertheless it’s arduous till they play,” added Desjardins, who’s additionally coached the Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings. “There’s most likely going to be extra changes as soon as they get going.”

There gained’t, nevertheless, be any confusion in the case of expectations.

“Just one technique to play for Canada, and it’s for the emblem,” mentioned Lapierre, who now works on Montreal Canadiens’ broadcasts with TVA Sports activities. “Each single man pays the worth, each single man performs the proper method.

“All people’s on the identical web page.”

The Canadians obtained increasingly on that very same web page because the event wore on in Pyeongchang. They beat Finland 1-0 within the quarterfinals regardless of shedding beginning goalie Ben Scrivens to harm earlier than falling behind the Germans 4-1 within the semis.

Canada roared again with two targets within the third, however was unable to search out an elusive equalizer.

“I nonetheless have goose bumps proper now on my arms,” mentioned Ebbett, who performed in Europe after near 250 NHL video games earlier than turning into GM of SC Bern in Switzerland this season. “I inform folks to at the present time if we had 30 seconds extra on the clock, we by some means tie it up.

“That’s a sport that I haven’t gotten over but … I strive.”

Getting over related losses has traditionally been a difficulty for Canadian groups at worldwide tournaments. Canada simply doesn’t are inclined to do properly in bronze-medal contests when confronted with the crushing realization gold is not doable.

However the 2018 group wished to verify they didn’t go away South Korea empty-handed.

Among the leaders stood up and spoke within the fast aftermath of the German defeat earlier than Canadian GM Sean Burke tried to rally the troops with a speech forward of the bronze-medal sport simply 24 hours later — one his gamers would win 6-4.

“The one factor I mentioned was, ‘Let’s not remorse the very fact we might have gained a bronze medal and didn’t give it our all,’” mentioned Roy, who performed near 800 NHL video games and 6 seasons in Europe and Russia earlier than retiring final spring.

“Ninety-nine per cent of the roster by no means dreamed of taking part in within the Olympics,” Ebbett added. “Now you’re within the Olympics within the bronze-medal sport, an opportunity to stroll away with a medal.

“We got here out and performed most likely our greatest sport of the event.”

Away from the ice, Lapierre mentioned he’ll always remember the environment within the athletes’ village.

“Us hockey gamers have been a bit goofy strolling round consuming our espresso,” he mentioned. “It was simply enterprise as normal. However for athletes making ready 4 years — and typically they’re simply performing for a minute or two — you can really feel the depth.”

There have been additionally fleeting moments distinctive to the Olympic expertise.

“You’re consuming a pre-game meal and also you’re taking part in Finland,” mentioned Ebbett, earlier than including with a chuckle: “And Finland is 2 tables down doing the identical factor.”

Canada’s gamers from 4 years in the past additionally level to how shortly the expertise handed them by.

Their recommendation in 2022? Don’t blink.

“You snap your fingers and it’s over,” Ebbett mentioned. “It was a blur.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Jan. 28, 2022.

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