Drive for Five - Successful

Like many Canadians, I was eagerly watching the gold medal game of the World Junior Hockey Championships (WJHC) last night on TSN as Canada defeated Sweden 5-1 to capture their fifth consecutive gold medal. Although this is a great accomplishment for the team, there are so many great individual stories that present significant life and leadership lessons. Here's just a few I'm aware of...

1) Pat Quinn, head coach. Some people wondered if he could coach young players... with a U-18 championship last year and a WJHC this year, I guess the answer for the Olympic Gold medal winning coach is, YES! Quinn made some risky coaching decisions with this group of youngsters - such as carrying eight defenceman and twelve forwards instead of 7 & 13, thus making room for Ryan Ellis who was phenomenal as the quarterback for Team Canada's powerplay that was sensational in the tournament or going with goaltender Dustin Tokarski in the final three games, yet he was right on with all his choices. He also let his assistant coaches have their areas of responsibility and they did exceptional - Guy Boucher with the powerplay and Willie Desjardins with the penalty killing.

2) Dustin Tokarski, goaltender. Won a Telus Cup with the Prince Albert Mintos in Midget AAA and never got invited to a WHL camp. Got to tryouts for two WHL teams and got cut. Finally got a chance with the WHL's Spokane Chiefs... and was the Memorial Cup MVP in 2008 as they won the Memorial Cup. Not one of the top goalies chosen in the 2008 NHL draft yet invited to Team Canada Camp and made the team as the 1A goaltender, though some figured Chet Pickard would eventually get the "pressure games." By his own admission, was shaky in the game against Russia and yet was brilliant last night in making 39 saves for the gold medal and the player-of-the-game for Canada.

3) Angelo Esposito, center. Cut from Team Canada in his first three attempts, he finally made the team this year and had a solid tournament. Last night was arguably his best game of the tournament and included the game winning goal! (Does Pittsburgh really need another great offensive star! Yikes!)

4) Evander Kane, left winger. Cut from this year's Team Canada and sent back to Vancouver, he flew back across the country a few days later when Dana Tyrell was injured in an exhibition game. Probably a fourth line guy when the tournament started, he was one of the key penalty killing forwards last night... and he's only 17 years old!