ST. GENDER | Caleb Desnoyer has been winning his entire life. Gold at the World Under-17 Challenge in 2023, gold at the World Under-18 Championship, gold for Hlinka-Gretzky. Every time he represented Canada, he had gold around his neck.
For the first time in her young international career, that didn't happen on Sunday night, when Canada was eliminated in the semifinals of the World Junior Hockey Championship, losing 6-4 to the Czech Republic.
At the time of the meeting with the French-language media, Denoyer did not really know how to tame these new emotions that were inside him. He was in uncharted territory.
“Honestly, it will take a little time. This is the first time I'm going through this bronze medal match. I don't have many words to say,” said the Canadian No. 25, the only Quebecer on the team at this world junior championship, candidly.
He insisted on this: he certainly does not play hockey for bronze medals. So he wasn't quite ready to talk about the game against the Finns on Monday.
“I never played for bronze,” he recalled. I was not born to play for bronze.
It should be noted that Cole Reshni seemed to be more enthusiastic about this consolation finish than his teammate.
“A bronze medal? Better than nothing,” the Flames prospect replied dryly.
Credit to the Czechs
Denoyer preaches a principle he calls the “rule of midnight.” “At midnight you will experience the emotions you are meant to feel.”
What was much clearer in his mind in the moments after the defeat was how Canada had been defeated. Denoyer agreed that the Czechs are more competitive.
“100%,” he said bluntly.
