World Junior 2015 Preview: Canada aims to end 5-year gold medal drought

GROUP A: CANADA
2014 finish: Fourth
2014 round-robin record: 3-0-1-0, 19 GF/12 GA

With 2015 draft sensation Connor McDavid poised to take off to the NHL next year, the time is now for Team Canada to end its gold medal drought.

Unlike 2014 in Sweden and the year before in Russia, Canada will benefit from playing in its own backyard in Toronto and Montreal. It gives them a major advantage in having the crowd behind them and playing on North American ice surfaces.

“The ice surface and the support from our fans are big for us,” says Hockey Canada head scout Ryan Jankowski. “The players are more comfortable on our ice and it being in Canada makes it a little bit more special. It’s definitely a benefit that Canada didn’t have the past two years.”

Hockey Canada stuck to its own development league this year. All 22 of their players were groomed in the CHL with the WHL leading the way at 11. This ultimately didn’t raise any eyebrows since all of the Canadian prospects eligible for the tourney in the NCAA and USHL were major underdogs to suit up in it.

Canada appears to have more leadership and experience than previous years. They have seven returning players and two forwards that were loaned from NHL clubs (Ottawa Senators first-rounder Curtis Lazar and New York Rangers third-rounder Anthony Duclair). In addition, they have eight players that won gold at the 2013 IIHF World U18 Championship in Russia.

“I don’t compare teams year by year, but I do feel this team has a lot of experience and some good leaders,” says Jankowski. “We have a good core of players that have a lot of experience like the U18 championship. That’s a tough tournament to win and it speaks volumes to those players.”

McDavid, Lazar, Duclair, Buffalo Sabres top pick Sam Reinhart and Arizona Coyotes first-rounder Max Domi are expected to lead Canada’s offense. Beyond the five snipers, they have a mixture of smaller skilled players such as St. Louis Blues first-rounder Robby Fabbri, Winnipeg Jets prospect Nicolas Petan and Tampa Bay Lightning pick Brayden Point and size from the likes of Anaheim Ducks first-rounder Nick Ritchie, Toronto Maple Leafs first-rounder Frederik Gauthier and Senators prospect Nick Paul.

Josh Morrissey, 19, is the only returning rearguard. The Jets first-rounder, who scored 28 goals and 73 points in 59 games in the WHL last year, will lead Canada’s offensive-minded blueliners. A trio of Philadelphia Flyers pick Samuel Morin, Edmonton Oilers prospect Darnell Nurse and Columbus Blue Jackets pick Dillon Heatherington will be counted on to use their big frames and physicality to do the dirty work in Canada’s own end.

“We have a mixture of forwards and defencemen that bring skill, enthusiasm, size and energy to the team,” says Jankowski. “And many of them bring a lot to the team. If you look at some of our bigger players, they also have skill and can play in key offensive situations.”

A pair of second-round draft choices – Montreal Canadiens’ Zachary Fucale and Jets’ Eric Comrie – will battle it out for Canada’s No. 1 backstopping job. It seems likely that Fucale will be given the opportunity to run with the job because of his 2014 world junior experience.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Connor McDavid (F, Erie Otters – OHL)

McDavid, of course, has been the most-talked about draft prospect since Sidney Crosby in 2005. For good reason, the Newmarket, Ont., native’s 16 goals and 51 points in 18 games (2.81) puts him at a better points-per-game pace than Crosby’s draft season with the QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic (2.71). He will be without question one of the most-watched and most-scrutinized players in the entire tournament.

Joe Hicketts (D, Victoria Royals – WHL)

Hicketts, 18, is one of the feel-good stories in the tourney. The 5-foot-8,187-pounder earned a blueline spot even though he was passed over in last year’s draft, albeit he did sign an entry-level contract with the Detroit Red Wings in September. Canada will lean on him for his dynamic offensive abilities as he shows great poise on the point and possesses elite play-making abilities.

Brayden Point (F, Moose Jaw Warriors – WHL)

With an undersized 5-foot-10, 163-pound frame, Point was an underdog to earn a camp invite from Team Canada let alone to make the team. The Calgary, Alta., native is ultimately Canada’s wildcard forward. He could play the role as the 13th forward, but if given the opportunity, he could end up being a valuable offensive spark. He possesses a strong motor, elite vision and an elusiveness that makes him hard to contain.

Lawson Crouse (F, Kingston Frontenacs – OHL)

Crouse was the only other 17-year-old to make the team besides McDavid because of his enticing blend of size at 6-foot-4, 212-pounds, physicality and offensive talent. The London, Ont., native, who is currently projected to be a top 10 pick in June, is one of Canada’s most versatile forwards because his skill and two-way play enables him to play in the top six as a scorer or in the bottom six as an energy player.

“He’s a big guy who skates well and has really good hands,” says Jankowski on Crouse. “His offensive skill might get lost because of his size, but he has a lot of talent.”

Robby Fabbri (F, Guelph Storm – OHL)

Despite falling to the Blues at the 21^st pick in last year’s draft, Fabbri is one of the most talented forwards in the entire tournament. The 5-foot-10, 170-pounder, who has 18 goals and 38 points in 22 matches, is a shifty and elusive player who possesses soft hands and a quick release.

Curtis Lazar (F, Ottawa Senators – NHL)

Heavy expectations sit on the shoulders of Lazar, along with Duclair, because of how he earned an NHL roster spot at just 19-years-old. In addition to being expected to produce offensively, the former Edmonton Oil King will lead the young men in the room as the team’s captain.

MUST WIN GAME: Gold medal game

Silver, bronze or last – they are all the same to Canada. Anything less than gold will be considered a failure for the Great White North. The five-year gold medal drought shows that Canada clearly isn’t the only powerhouse in the tourney, but gold still wouldn’t be guaranteed even if they had by far the best roster. One bad bounce or a miscue can be the difference between bronze and gold because unlike a best of seven NHL playoff series, there is little time to regroup and no second chances outside of the round-robin action.

Kelly Friesen is a Buzzing the Net columnist for Yahoo! Sports. Follow him on Twitter @KellyFriesen