Last night, Canada lost to the Czechs at the World Junior Championships.
Since the club lost in the semi-finals, this means the Canadiens will have to compete for bronze this afternoon rather than gold tonight.
At 16:30 the Finns will compete with Canada. And today at 20:30 the Czechs and Swedes will fight for gold.
For the first time since 2016, neither Canada nor the United States will be included in the ranking. #MondialJunior final
Hockey goes global
Four different countries in the final in the last two years
The drought will end tomorrow
no gold medal since 2001 –
since 2012
– Stephan Leroux (@StephRDSJunior) January 5, 2026
Obviously, from a tournament point of view, it's good to see different countries making it to the finals. But for the likes of Finland, Canada and the USA, the three countries that have won the last 13 tournaments, it is a big disappointment.
After all, these clubs have to go far.
It's getting harder and harder for Canada to remain among hockey's elite. We are seeing more and more how Pitts mousses have been developed over the past few years.
Because let's face it: Canada's third straight loss to the Czechs in the junior medal round must have made a lot of people angry at the head of Canada's hockey team.
There is something I don't know is wrong with Canadian minor hockey over the last few years.
Attitude? Culture? Feeling superior? Lack of willpower? The excess of the individual over the collective? General lack of discipline?
But we need to find a solution to this problem…
– Maxime Truman (@MaximeTruman) January 5, 2026
From a Quebec perspective, it was already difficult to identify with this Tragically fashionable team due to the absence of Quebec. Only Caleb Denoyer was there because there was no guy like Justin Carbonneau, among others.
But on top of that, Habs fans were in for another strange piece of news.
Michael Hage, who has clearly been the spark plug for Team Canada over the past two weeks, wasn't even named one of Hockey Canada's top three players at the tournament.
Sam O'Reilly, Tij Iginla and Zane Parekh were the Canadiens' top prospects.
Hockey Canada announced Sam O'Reilly (TB), Teej Iginla (UTA) and Zane Parekh (CA) were named the best players of the tournament.
Michael Hage finished the tournament with 11 points in 6 games, tops among Canadian forwards.
Thoughts?
– Marco D'Amico (@mndamico) January 5, 2026
Was Hage, who led his country's forwards in points in the tournament and often stood up when his coach called for it, punished for playing in the NCAA?
After all, the other three guys are from the KHL…
Hage, who missed two penalties in a row and hit three posts in yesterday's defeat, is not the first to be called a failure.
He wasn't the most undisciplined of them all.
It's a shame, but the victory went to the team that most deserved the victory!
McKenna, Misa and Reshni took poor penalties late in the game.
tomorrow we will compete for bronze against Finland#WorldJuniors2026
– Marc-Olivier Beaudoin (@MOBeaudoin1) January 5, 2026
For all the talent of the Canadian, the cake never rose to the end under the leadership of the captain (Porter Marton), who showed himself arrogant towards the Czechs at the start of the tournament.
Look at the Czechs who have the last laugh and make it to the finals though…
after a while
– Good question.
The man-to-man strategy was ultimately unsuccessful…
– Michel Bouchard (@bouchardmichel) January 5, 2026
– Certainly.
“Honestly, I think we were a little hungrier” – Czech Republic head coach Patrik Augusta
– Nicolas Cloutier (@NCloutierTVA) January 5, 2026
– Hey, boy.
Continuation of my last tweet.
When the guy responsible for the throw wakes up from his nap.pic.twitter.com/PYLoAkzdwp
– Jonathan Bernier (@JBernierJDM) January 5, 2026
– Remarkable.
Canadiens prospects with at least 11 points at World Juniors
S. Corson
J. Roy
M. Hage– Guillaume Villemaire (@GVillemaire13) January 5, 2026
– That's right.
There is no one in the arena, imagine tomorrow without Canada.
Shouldn't this be a hockey state? #Wjc
– Max Lalonde (@MaxLalonde_) January 5, 2026
I feel very sorry for the people of Quebec.
Caleb Desnoyers was heartbroken last night in a Canadian uniform for the first time in his life.
https://t.co/sWC8TzHsR4
– TVA Sports (@TVASports) January 5, 2026
