Twenty-two teenagers from all parts of the country, from all different circumstances, brought together for a few weeks, never to be together again: That's the beauty of the WJC. For that time there are no stars, nobody playing out a contract or looking for trades. Every player is just another one of the boys. Everyone blends in. In theory.
This Canadian team is a little different from past Canadian units. At least a couple of players will be watched more closely than others.
Start with Angelo Esposito. He avoided the Dan Cleary hat trick, making the cut after getting the dreaded morning phone call in two previous trips to the tryouts. For casual hockey fans he'll be one of the more recognizable names in the Canadian line-up though he probably wishes he wasn't ... or at least wishes he was recognizable for different reasons. He was the top-ranked skater in North America according to Central Scouting's mid-terms for the 2007 NHL draft but fell to eighth by season's end. Then his rights were traded from the Penguins who drafted him 20th to Atlanta which is the nearest thing to hockey purgatory. Last summer he was traded from Quebec to les Juniors de Montreal. And he wasn't even invited to the Canadian junior's evaluation camp last August. If Esposito makes a good impression in this tournament it will be one of the great comebacks or turn-arounds in the history of the program--yeah, you can talk about comebacks with 19-year-olds. In the pair of exhibitions over the weekend, it looks like Esposito will be in a supporting rather than lead role. He'll kill a few penalties but won't be the first option either up a goal or down one.
The other who'll face more scrutiny is Evander Kane. Over the years everyone has played a guessing game: Who was the last player to make the cut? Usually the 13th forward, but it might have been the last blueliner, maybe the back-up goalie. This trip it's different. Because of an injury to Dana Tyrell of Prince George in the Canadian team's first exhibition, Kane got a call he never expected. He had returned to Vancouver and was rejoining the Giants when he was summoned back to play for his country and pick up a lot of airmiles. So it's clear that Kane is the last kid to make the squad--and the first to be second-guessed if he doesn't make a positive impact. And if he's second-guessed, some will be bound to point out that Kane plays for a team that coach Pat Quinn owns a slice of. Canadian fans are probably hoping that the only second-guessing will be something to the effect of ... "How didn't he make the team in the first place?"
Neither Esposito or Kane will likely to be players to carry Canada to victory in Ottawa in early January. And even if they play reasonably well, even if they perform as expected, their places on the team will be the first second-guessed if Canada doesn't skate to the gold.
