Canada's all-time best world junior players: 10-6
In the lead-up to the 2022 World Junior Championship, we're looking back at the 25 best players to wear the Canadian jersey at the tournament. Rather than evaluating entire careers, these rankings are based solely on performances during the world juniors. We'll reveal five players each day, culminating with the best of the best Dec. 25.
25-21 | 20-16 | 15-11 | 10-6 | 5-1
10. Patrice Bergeron (2005)| GP | G | A |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 5 | 8 |
It's one thing to be the most valuable player, but to be the MVP on a team that contained astronomical talent with stars like Sidney Crosby and Ryan Getzlaf is another achievement altogether.
Bergeron outshone his peers during the 2005 world juniors and led the entire tournament in scoring with 13 points. The Canadians didn't face much adversity en route to slaughtering Russia 6-1 in the gold-medal game, and Bergeron was the face of his team's unwavering dominance.
9. Dylan Cozens (2020, 2021)| GP | G | A |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | 10 | 15 |
Cozens' contributions to Canada's world junior program were commendable. "The Workhorse from Whitehorse" served as co-captain in 2020 following Kirby Dach's injury and played well, notching a pair of goals and seven assists over seven games while helping his country win gold.
Canada settled for silver in the following year, but Cozens broke out from an individual standpoint. The center led the 2021 tournament with eight goals and ranked second behind American star Trevor Zegras with 16 points. Cozens earned a media all-star nod as one of that year's best forwards, and his totals place him among the most productive Canadian junior players of all time.
8. Jason Allison (1994, 1995)
S Levy / Bruce Bennett / Getty| GP | G | A |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | 6 | 18 |
Allison's one of the most well-rounded players Canada has ever seen at the world juniors. His 24 points are good for sixth on the team's all-time scoring list, and he helped lead the country to gold twice.
After posting a modest nine points in seven contests during his first tournament in '94, Allison exploded for 15 points in seven games in '95 - including a whopping 12 assists. Allison barely knows what it felt like to drop a game at the world juniors, going 13-0-1 across his two stints.
7. Brayden Schenn (2010, 2011)| GP | G | A |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | 10 | 16 |
Schenn was a force to be reckoned with as a junior. He dominated his opponents physically and lit up the scoresheet with 26 points across two tourneys - the second-highest total ever by a Canadian.
The energetic winger's individual success is unquestionably worthy of a top-10 spot on our list, but his brilliance didn't yield any gold medals for Canada. In fact, the lasting image of Schenn's world junior career for many is a heartbreaking loss to Russia in the 2011 gold medal game, with Canada surrendering a 3-0 lead in the third period.
6. Carey Price (2007)| Record | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|
| 6-0-0 | 1.14 | .961 |
Price is best remembered for one specific moment in his world junior career: The seven-round shootout in the semis against the United States.
While Jonathan Toews was the hero of that game, scoring three times for the Canadians in the shootout, Price was excellent as well. He turned Patrick Kane away twice and made the shootout-winning stop on Peter Mueller, which is easily one of the most memorable moments for Canada in the event's history.
But Price was sensational the rest of the tournament, too, recording two shutouts, allowing just seven total goals, and earning tournament MVP for his efforts.
While Price is now better remembered for his Hart Trophy-winning season with the Montreal Canadiens and his performance at the 2014 Olympics, the 2007 World Junior Championship was his first big moment on the national stage.
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