Celebrini on Canada’s World Juniors’ Elimination: ‘I can only imagine the pressure’

Macklin Celebrini knows what it’s like to lose for Team Canada at the World Juniors

Last January, before he was drafted first-overall by the San Jose Sharks, Celebrini and Canada were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Czechia, 3-2.

And in this year’s tournament, Canada again fell to Czechia in the quarterfinals, failing to medal in back-to-back years for the first time in a decade.

It’s also the first time since the 1980’s that Canada has not reached the semifinals in back-to-back years.

“It’s tough, it’s tough. Especially in Canada, I can only imagine the pressure, the media attention that they were getting,” the Calder Trophy frontrunner, who would’ve been a shoo-in for this Canadian squad had the San Jose Sharks released him, said. “We kind of lost the exact same way last year, so I know what they’re going through and it sucks. People don’t realize they did everything they could to win, sometimes that’s just the way it goes.”

With the tournament located in Ottawa this year, extra eyes were on the Canadians, but they lost to both the United States and Latvia in the round-robin, before their exit against Czechia.

The loss to Latvia marked that nation’s third-ever win at World Juniors, through 38 games played.

Following Canadian loss after loss, and finally, their elimination, there have been questions over the roster’s build, as well as the coaching staff.

But Celebrini couldn’t answer those questions, he just had empathy for his fellow teenagers and countrymen, and the pressure that they’re subject to.

“That’s not what I worry about. There are people that get hired that have done that in the NHL and do that for various organizations that get hired for those jobs, to build those rosters,” the San Jose Sharks star said. “In a short tournament, you’ve got to pick the guys you think will help you get there. That’s just kind of the way it’s always been, it’s the exact same way every other country approaches it.”

Sharks prospect Sam Dickinson was eliminated from the tournament with Canada, but for San Jose Sharks fans still watching, prospects Kasper Halttunen (Finland) and Brandon Svoboda (USA) are in the sem-finals.