Eleven WHL Players Win Gold with Canada at 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship
January 5, 2023 – Western Hockey League (WHL) – Edmonton Oil Kings press release
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League is proud to recognize 11 current and former WHL players and four WHL staffers who earned gold from the IIHF World Junior after a 3-2 overtime win against the Czech Republic on Thursday in Halifax, NS Championship 2023 as members of Team Canada
Former Edmonton Oil Kings star and WHL Champion Dylan Guenther was the star of the gold medal game and registered the overtime winner to lead Canada to victory. Edmonton’s product also opened the scoring for Canada with 12:41 in the first period. The Arizona Coyotes youngster added an assist in the second half and assisted in a goal from captain Shane Wright.
Regina Pat’s captain Connor Bedard made history of the tournament as he set a new Canadian record for career goals with the World Juniors with 17 goals. Bedard also set a new Canadian career points mark at the World Junior Championships with 36 points. The North Vancouver product also recorded the most points by a Canadian player at a single World Junior Championship with 23 points (9G-14A).
Ahead of Thursday’s gold medal game, two WHL players from Canada were named among the country’s top three players of the tournament, including Bedard and Logan Stankoven of the Kamloops Blazers.
After the competition, Bedard was named the tournament’s most valuable player.
Bedard and Czech goaltender Tomas Suchanek, who runs with the Tri-City Americans, were named to the All-Tournament Team.
WHL Players – Men’s Junior National Team
Last Name First Name Team Hometown Height Weight Position
Milic Thomas Seattle Thunderbirds Coquitlam, BC 6’1″ 175 G
Allan Nolan Seattle Thunderbirds Davidson, Sask. 6’3″ 193D
Korchinski Kevin Seattle Thunderbirds Saskatoon, Sask. 6’3″ 185D
Zellweger^ Olen Everett Silvertips Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. 5’10” 182D
Banker Caedan Kamloops Blazer Surrey, BC 6’2″ 190 F
Bedard^ Connor Regina Pats North Vancouver, BC 5’10” 185 F
Roof Colton Kelowna Rockets Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. 6’4″ 205F
Gunther* Dylan Edmonton Oil Kings Edmonton, Alta. 6’2″ 175F
Ostapchuk^ Zack Vancouver Giants St. Albert, Alta. 6’3″ 198F
Schaefer Reid Seattle Thunderbirds Spruce Grove, Alta. 6’4″ 219F
Stankoven^ Logan Kamloops Blazers Kamloops, BC 5’8″ 170 F
* – Last skated with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2021-22.
^ – Returnees from the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships gold medal team.
WHL staffers returning with Gold include head coach Dennis Williams (Everett Silvertips), assistant coach Brent Kisio (Lethbridge Hurricanes), goaltender Kelly Guard (Prince Albert Raiders), and equipment manager Gord Cochran (Regina Pats).
Canada finished second in Group A in the preliminary round, winning 3-0-0-1 before beating Slovakia and the United States in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively.
Six WHL players are returning with silver medals as members of the Czech Republic, including goaltender Tomas Suchanek (Tri-City Americans), defenseman Stanislav Svozil (Regina Pats) and forward Adam Mechura (Tri-City Americans), Robin Sapousek (Victoria Royals), Martin Rysavy (Moose Jaw Warriors) and Gabriel Szturc (Kelowna Rockets).
For more information about Hockey Canada and the Canada Junior National Team, visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow us on social media on Facebook and Twitter.
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