Patrick King

Despite having his QMJHL team's coach on the Canadian junior staff, Philippe Cornet was one of the last cuts.

The last WJHC cuts ended the dream for a few last chance players; others earned valuable experience.

One thing is clear from Canada's world junior selection camp: when a gold medal is on the line, blood is not thicker than water.

Philippe Cornet learned on Wednesday morning that he would not be representing Canada at the world juniors despite having an inside track. Cornet's head coach and general manager in Rouyn-Noranda, André Tourigny, is also an assistant coach on the world junior team.

Cornet was one of nine players whose dreams of world junior hockey glory were quashed on Wednesday. As a 19-year-old forward, this was Cornet's last opportunity to represent his country on junior hockey's grandest stage.

“I think it’s not about him, it’s more about the other players,” Tourigny explained. “Philippe didn’t make it because we have a lot of good players in Canada. We needed a player in every role and we need something else than what Philippe can bring so we go the other direction, but at the same time I thought he had a pretty good game (Tuesday night).”

The Canadian team also cut ties with goaltender Matt Hackett and defencemen Shawn Lalonde and Tyler Cuma. All three will be ineligible for another tournament.

Although Hackett did not make the team, his inclusion at the selection camp is a true testament to how far he has come. The nephew of former National Hockey League goaltender Jeff Hackett, Matt's story is truly one of hard work and perseverance.

Overlooked in his first draft year by all 30 NHL teams, Hackett spent the summer working out with his uncle in his hometown of London, ON, and quickly became one of the Ontario Hockey League's top goaltenders. He was ranked first among North American goaltenders for last summer's draft by the NHL's Central Scouting and was the first goalie chosen from North America in the third round by Minnesota.

Ironically, Lalonde and Cuma may have been more suitable for Team Canada had this tournament been held in Europe. The fleet of foot defencemen both have a penchant for leading and joining the rush, but neither play with much of a physical dimension to their games.

In the smaller rinks in Saskatchewan, Team Canada brass seemingly opted for a more physical brand of defencemen.

One can't help but feel for Cuma. An injury sidelined him at last year's training camp and had it not been for an injury to Patrick Wiercioch, Cuma wouldn't have had another opportunity at this year's selection camp.

The most notable player left off the team is Hackett's teammate in Plymouth, Tyler Seguin. The 17-year-old and potential first overall pick failed to impress at camp and was among the first round of cuts on Tuesday.

Seguin can take comfort in the fact that at 17, he will be old enough to participate in two more tournaments. However, as I wrote in a previous column, given his immediate NHL potential next season, he could soon follow in the footsteps of players like Matt Duchene and Eric Staal as those who never played in the tournament.

Seguin was one of three 17-year-olds invited to camp, along with forward John McFarland and defenceman Brandon Gormley. All three were released from camp on Tuesday in Canada's first round of cuts, which means this year's squad will be the first in the last six not to have at least one 17-year-old on its roster.

The 2004 tournament was the last Canadian team not to carry at least one 17-year-old. It's worth noting, however, that while they didn't have a 17-year-old, a highly-skilled 16-year-old named Sidney Crosby was on the team.

Ryan Ellis and Evander Kane suited up as 17-year-olds in last year's tournament. Ellis is back for another tournament while the Atlanta Thrashers declined sending their prized pick from the 2008 NHL Draft, Kane, back for another tournament.

Also cut on Tuesday was defenceman Nicholas Deslauriers. Like Cornet, Deslauriers plays for Tourigny's Huskies in Rouyn-Noranda but unlike his teammate, Deslauriers has another year of eligibility remaining.

The remaining cuts on Wednesday are all players with the opportunity to come back next year. Among those are: forwards Cody Eakin, Louis Leblanc, Scott Glennie, defenceman Dylan Olsen and goaltender Olivier Roy.

Glennie likely would have been named to the team had it not been for a concussion suffered in the second intrasquad game. The Brandon Wheat King star embodies the type of player Canada generally covets: big, speedy, talented and an undying work ethic in all three zones.

The remaining four will be better off next year having already participated in one camp. The intensity of the intrasquad games and overflow of talent makes these two games some of the most compelling and interesting all season.

Another interesting subplot of this year's team, which was also mentioned in a previous column, is the volume of players from the Québec Major Junior Hockey League. Six of the 22 players named to Team Canada hone their skills in the Canadian Hockey League's eastern-most league.

Goaltender Jake Allen, defenceman Marco Scandella and forwards Gabriel Bourque, Luke Adam, Patrice Cormier and Jordan Caron will represent the QMJHL. It's the first time the Canadian world junior team will be represented by six players from the QMJHL since the 2000 tournament.

The versatility of players from the QMJHL is one of the main reasons why the league is so well represented on this year’s team. Bourque is one of the main pieces to the puzzle and as Touringy says, he could bring more than just a defensive dimension.

"Bourque, I think, is the perfect guy in every situation," Tourigny said. "In my opinion, (he’s) one of the best penalty killers and also can play with a lot of energy and very good offensively.

"He moves the puck at the right time. I think (he) can play power-play. Looking at the versatility, we have a lot of good guys."

As difficult as it was cutting Cornet, Tourigny believes it will drive his veteran down the stretch and into the playoffs.

"I’m sure he will take it in the right way; Philippe has a lot of character," he said. "He will respond well… He will be good for the hockey club."