"This is going to be an amazing game and all hockey fans should be tuning into this," TSN and NBC analyst Pierre McGuire told NESN.com.
Unfortunately, most fans in the United States don’t even know that this game, much less the tournament as a whole, is taking place. Many don’t realize it’s being televised here due to the lack of media coverage. Meanwhile, in Canada and around the world, hockey fans are annually tuned in to the World Junior Championships for the two weeks after every Christmas.
As McGuire pointed out, if the media covered the event and promoted the fact that most of these youngsters go on to NHL careers, perhaps the ratings and awareness in the United States would be greater.
"Well it would be nice if someone other than you or the NHL Network cared or covered the event," said McGuire. "This is my eighth year covering this event and the numbers have gone up every year. If people in the United States could only have the chance to experience the quality of hockey, the passion level of the games, the amazing talent, they would understand why Canada and other countries are glued to their TVs for this.
"The NHL is a beneficiary of this tournament because going forward, the development of so many of these great players' development is accelerated because of their participation in this tournament."
Injured Bruins defenseman Mark Stuart had the honor of being the captain of the last USA team to win the World Junior Championships in 2004 in Helsinki, Finland. Stuart and his team went into that game against a heavily favored Canadian squad with nobody giving them a chance to bring home gold. Trailing 3-1 in the third period, the Americans fought back to tie the game and eventually got the game-winner from Patrick O’Sullivan (currently playing with the Edmonton Oilers) with just under five minutes left. For Stuart, it was a moment he will never forget.
"To this day it is the biggest championship I ever won and the biggest stage I’ve ever played on," Stuart said. "I took a lot from that. Being a captain in such a pressure situation taught me a lot about being a leader, and that you need to be on your game the whole time. It made me a better player."
Unfortunately, with the game taking place in Finland, the time difference in the United States made it even more impossible for Americans to witness that monumental moment in USA Hockey history. Add in the fact that Canada has gone on to win the last five World Junior Championships since, and you can almost understand why the tournament has been largely invisible here in the States.
"It doesn’t get enough play, that’s for sure," Stuart said. "I mean, obviously I tune in every year because of my experience and what we did then. This is a special time of year for me because I think back to that moment every year at this time. So watching it brings me back.
"But I think it should get more play here for sure," he added. "It’s an amazing tournament and so many kids that play in this tournament go on to have really good pro careers in the NHL."
In that 2004 gold-medal game alone, fans got to see the likes of Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins), Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim Ducks), Dion Phaneuf (Calgary Flames) and Marc-Andre Fleury (Pittsburgh Penguins) on Team Canada and Zach Parise (New Jersey Devils), Ryan Kesler (Vancouver Canucks), Matt Hunwick (Boston Bruins) and Stuart on Team USA.
"To play against the competition like that and against players you’d battle later in the NHL on such a grand stage, [that] was great for me," Stuart said. "It just makes you a better player and you’re more prepared for the NHL."
Last season, the tournament was in Ottawa and this current tournament is in Saskatoon, so at least the time difference isn’t so bad. But according to McGuire, there aren’t any print outlets or major news outlets from south of the border covering the event.
"I haven’t run into one reporter from the United States except for the guys from NHL.com and the NHL Network, and that’s just a shame," McGuire said. "Next year is in Buffalo, so I know they will do a good job hosting, but hopefully it gets more coverage in the States."
Tuesday night, unbeknownst to many in the United States, Team USA will try to prevent Canada from winning an unprecedented sixth consecutive gold medal. Players like Ryan Bourque (son of Hall of Famer Ray Bourque and a New York Rangers prospect), captain Derek Stepan (University of Wisconsin, New York Rangers), Chris Kreider (Boston College, New York Rangers), Jerry D’Amigo (RPI, Toronto Maple Leafs) and goaltender Mike Lee (St. Cloud State, Phoenix Coyotes) will try to cement their names in USA Hockey history and also propel themselves to the next level on the greatest stage possible in their age group.
Do yourself a favor and check out this game.
