The Stanley Cup Final includes 12 players who wore the Maple Leaf at the IIHF World Junior Championship
There are only two teams remaining in the hunt for the Stanley Cup – the
Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning.
In total, 26 of the 44 players who have dressed for the Canadiens (13) and
Lightning (13) during this playoff run have worn their country’s colours at
the IIHF World Junior Championship, including 12 who represented Canada.
The list includes seven gold medals, three sets of Canadian teammates
(Weber and Perry, Stamkos and Schenn, Cirelli and Joseph), one Most
Valuable Player (Price) and one Top Goaltender (Price).
MONTREAL CANADIENS
Carey Price
2007 – 6GP 6-0-0 1.14GAA .961SV% 2SO (gold medal)
In the middle of Canada’s second five-peat, a young Carey Price was named
tournament MVP and top goaltender thanks in part to one of the most
exciting shootouts in Team Canada history. With the semifinal still locked
at ones with the United States after overtime and the first round of the
shootout, Canada sent Jonathan Toews to centre ice twice. He scored on
every attempt and Price made 34 saves to send the red and white through to
the final, where they would pick up their third straight gold medal with a
4-2 win over the Russians.
Corey Perry
2005 – 6GP 2G 5A 7P (gold)
The 2005 version of Team Canada is among the best to hit the ice and with a
top line of Sidney Crosby, Corey Perry and Patrice Bergeron, it’s hard to
argue. This group was the first to bring home a gold medal since the 1997
squad and they did it in impressive fashion, a 6-1 win over Russia marking
the first time Canada would defeat their rivals in a gold medal game.
Shea Weber
2005 – 6GP 0G 0A 0P (gold)
The back end of that same 2005 team was lead by Shea Weber, who would
finish the tournament pointless but tied for third in plus-minus leaders at
+10.
Brendan Gallagher
2012 – 6GP 3G 3A 6P (bronze)
The 2012 Team Canada faced off against the Russians in the semifinal
leading to another classic clash. Down 6-1 in the third, Brendan Gallagher
scored and added two assists to lead an attempted comeback which would fall
short. Canada would go on to defeat Finland 4-0 to pick up the bronze.
Phillip Danault
2013 – 6GP 0G 1A 1P (4th)
A tough loss in the semifinal (5-1 to the U.S.) and heartbreaker in the
bronze medal (6-5 in overtime to Russia) left the Canadians without a medal
for the first time since 1998. The Canadians were stymied in the bronze
medal game by Russian netminder Andrei Makarov who made 50 saves, including
13 in overtime.
Josh Anderson
2014 – 7GP 1G 0A 1P (4th)
In its third straight bronze medal game appearance, Canada would again
struggle to defeat the Russians. After giving up a pair in the first
period, the red and white were able to get one back in the third, before
dropping a 2-1 decision.
Nick Suzuki
2019 – 5GP 0G 3A 3P (6th)
The youngest Team Canada alumni in the Stanley Cup final, Nick Suzuki and
team played to a sixth-place finish in Vancouver. He finished with three
assists and a plus-3 rating.
Other WJC Alumni
Alexander Romanov (RUS 2019/2020) – 14GP 2G 12A 14P (bronze/silver)
Jon Merril (USA 2011/2012) – 12GP 1G 8A 9P (bronze/7th)
Tomas Tatar (SLO 2009/2010) – 13GP 10G 6A 16P (4th/8th)
Artturi Lehkonen (FIN 2013/2014/2015) 17GP 6G 3A 9P (7th, gold,
7th)
Joel Armia (FIN 2011/2012/2013) 19GP 11G 9A 20P (6th, 4 th, 7th)
Cole Caufield (USA 2020/2021) 12 GP 3G 4A 7P (6th, gold)
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Brayden Point
2015 – 7GP 2G 2A 4P (gold)
2016 – 5GP 1G 4A 5P (6th)
The only Canadian player from both teams to play in multiple tournaments
was Brayden Point, though his experiences were very different. The 2015
World Junior Championship was the first of two Hockey Canada-hosted
tournaments to be played in Montreal and Toronto. The 2015 gold medal game
was in Toronto and marked Canada’s first title since the run of five ended
in 2009.
Steven Stamkos
2008 – 7GP 1G 5A 6P (gold)
As part of that run in the early 2000’s, Steven Stamkos helped to capture
the fourth straight gold for Canada in 2008. His lone goal came in the
third period of the semifinal, in which Canada would take down Finland 4-2,
en route to another overtime thriller in the gold medal game. That one
ended 3-2 in overtime.
Luke Schenn
2008 – 5GP 0G 0A 0P (gold)
Luke Schenn was a leader in the defensive end for Canada during that 2008
gold-medal push. Pointless throughout the tournament, he led the team in
plus-minus at +5 and played alongside Thomas Hickey as the Canadian’s top
pairing.
Anthony Cirelli
2017 – 7 GP 3G 4A 7P (silver)
The second half of the Montreal-Toronto hosting duties came in 2017. With
the gold medal game now in Montreal, Canada and the United States played in
front of a packed Bell Centre. Tied 4-4 after regulation and overtime,
Canada would fall in the shootout when Troy Terry was the only shooter to
find the back of the net.
Mathieu Joseph
2017 – 7GP 1G 4A 5P (silver)
Earlier in that same 2017 gold medal game, Mathieu Joseph scored his lone
goal of the tournament in the third period to put Canada ahead 4-2. Though
the Americans would work their way back into the game and eventually claim
the gold medal.
