World Youth: Undeniable chemistry on the first line of Team Canada Junior

Canada’s Junior Team continued its preparations Thursday for the World Junior Hockey Championships.

Shane Wright stars in the first line with Conor Bedard and Brennan Osman.

Wright and Osman have known each other for years and together won the top honor in the OHL in 2019. The chemistry between them is undeniable.

“We share constructive criticism with each other when necessary. I think this is one of the reasons why things are going so well between us, we understand each other so well and we understand each other’s style of play, our strengths and our weaknesses,” explains Osman, who scored two goals and four assists during the summer edition. “We communicate well and he also works with the family (Bedard). He is still young but he loves to learn.”

Defender Brandt Clark also testifies to the strong bond between these two players.

“They trust each other. They can score and set up plays… It’s nice to know you can trust someone on the ice. They click between them and they create good scoring opportunities,” Clarke assures.

Usman also shared what he remembers from his time with the Rangers, who recruited him from 16^e Rank during prep camp this season. He especially remembers the good advice given by Artemi Panarin.

“I learned some big lessons in New York, including that confidence is key to success. Such is the case with Conor. He’s so confident on the puck, he’s at his best. That state of mind runs through the entire group.”

For the second day in a row, Adam Fantilli formed a trio with Logan Stankoven and Dylan Guenther. Fantilli was also part of the second wave of power play along with Quebecer Nathan Gaucher.

While Fantilli is happy to play in an offensive role, head coach Dennis Williams is happy with the forward’s response.

“Adam is a dynamic player who makes good decisions. He asks the right questions. We feel he is committed to wanting to do well for our team,” said the coach.

“I play with good players. I am honored to be given an attacking role and I have to make sure I give my best,” adds Fantelli.

Colton Dutch, brother of Montreal Canadiens color bearer Kirby Dash, for his part, returned to the difficult times he had to overcome due to injuries.

“You showed resilience. I’ve had some injuries and I’ve never been through this kind of adversity before. I’m very proud of myself for staying mentally strong.”

The Kelowna Rockets captain got support from his brother to get him through.

“I often called my dad and my brother. He’s been there before. He’s so proud of me and can’t wait to follow through with the heroism. He always tells me to be true to myself, he believes in me and he believes in me too.”

Canada will play three pre-season games, including the first on Monday against Switzerland on RDS. On Wednesday, the Maple Leafs’ opponent will be Slovakia, and then it’s Finland’s turn on December 23.