The 2023 Canada Winter Games is officially underway in Prince Edward Island, making its return to the Maritimes for the first time since 2011. Just like the Winter Olympics, this event happens every four years and is an opportunity for youth Canadian athletes to compete against their peers from across the country in a selection of sports including Speed Skating, Table Tennis and of course, Hockey. The U16 hockey men’s tournament is always a must-watch and was a fantastic opportunity for many current NHLers like Nazem Kadri, Mason McTavish, Shea Theodore and Josh Morrissey to show before becoming stars at the junior level. The tournament has also been a great launching point on the women’s side with alumni such as Hayley Wickenheiser, Marie Phillip-Poulin and Erin Ambrose. Here is a look at the top 10 performances from active NHLers.
10) Ryan McLeod- Team Ontario
Ryan McLeod had a tournament to remember in 2015 as he posted 11 points in six games. He also led his team with six goals and finished tied for fourth in goal-scoring for the tournament. After helping Team Ontario make the Finals, he scored the game’s first goal en route to a gold medal win.
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A highly touted prospect, McLeod had a lot of success with the Mississauga Steelheads in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He finished his junior career with 194 points in 261 games which led him to be drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the 2018 Entry Draft. Now a full-time member of the Oilers, he has developed into a solid bottom-six forward who is on pace to set a new career high in points this season.
9) Sam Reinhart- Team British Columbia
2011 was a special year for Sam Reinhart that started off with a Canada Winter Games gold medal with Team British Columbia. In six games, he recorded four goals and 11 points en route to a championship. During the Final, he stepped up big for his province recording a goal and two assists in the victory.
A Kootenay ICE legend, Reinhart joined the Western Hockey League (WHL) for seven playoff games that same year and even had the opportunity to participate in the Memorial Cup. He finished his WHL career with 120 goals and 319 points in 250 games before being drafted by the Buffalo Sabres second overall in 2014. After seven years with the Sabres organization, he can now be found playing with the Florida Panthers where he put up a career-high in points during the 2021-22 season.
8) Jordan Eberle- Team Alberta
Despite being born in Saskatchewan, Jordan Eberle took the ice with Team Alberta during the 2007 tournament. He posted six goals and 11 points in five games to lead Alberta to a bronze medal. In that game, he recorded two goals and an assist to beat Team British Columbia 4-3 who were led by now-teammate Martin Jones.
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Eberle went on to have a successful WHL career with the Regina Pats recording 155 goals and 310 points in 254 games. He was named WHL MVP during the 2009-10 season and also represented Canada twice at the World Juniors during his junior career. Now with the Seattle Kraken, he continues to show up in big moments and is closing in on 100 career points with the NHL’s newest franchise.
7) Gabriel Vilardi- Team Ontario
Gabriel Vilardi had a fantastic tournament for Team Ontario during the 2015 Games leading his team with 12 points en route to a gold medal. While his point total was impressive, the fact he played such a key role and ended up with zero penalty minutes illustrates just how strong he was throughout the tournament. In the Final, he finished with one assist helping Ontario claim their fifth all-time medal in the event.
After the tournament, Vilardi continued his winning ways during his OHL career. Splitting time between the Windsor Spitfires and Kingston Frontenacs, he scored 68 goals and recorded 157 points in 143 games. He was also a vital member of the Spitfires’ 2017 Memorial Cup Championship where he recorded seven assists and was named to the tournament All-Star Team. A current member of the Los Angeles Kings, he continues to improve his game and has earned a permanent spot at the NHL level.
6) Alex Pietrangelo- Team Ontario
A leader even at the U16 level, Alex Pietrangelo wore the “C” for Team Ontario back in 2007. With 12 points in five games, he not only led all defencemen in points but finished third across the entire tournament. In the gold medal game, he recorded two assists as he led Team Ontario to a 6-4 victory over Team Manitoba.
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During Pietrangelo’s 180-game OHL career, he was constantly considered one of the best defencemen across the league being voted to the third team All-Star Team every year he played. After his junior career ended, he went on to win a gold medal with Canada at the 2014 Olympics and captain the St. Louis Blues to a Stanley Cup in 2019. He can now be found applying his trade with the Vegas Golden Knights where he recently passed the 550-point mark for his NHL career.
5) Eric Comrie- Team Alberta
The only goaltender to make this list, Eric Comrie put on a show for Team Alberta in 2011. He finished the tournament with a 4-1 record along with a .927 save percentage and a 2.40 goals-against average. Strong throughout the Games, he saved his best for last as during the bronze medal game, he recorded 41 saves helping Team Alberta beat Team Ontario 5-3 and walk away from the tournament with a medal.
After the tournament, Comrie would go on to play for the Tri-City Americans in the WHL. During his 168-game career, he recorded a record of 85-64-15 and was named to the WHL second-team All-Star Team twice. After stops in Winnipeg, Detroit and New Jersey, he can now be found in the Buffalo Sabres organization where he is closing in on the 20th win of his NHL career.
4) Steven Stamkos- Team Ontario
Steven Stamkos has always been an elite goal scorer with his performance at the 2007 tournament being no different. Playing for Team Ontario, he finished second in the tournament with 11 goals and second in points with 15. He helped lead his team to the gold medal game where he scored a goal and added two assists en route to a victory over Team Manitoba.
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Playing for the Sarnia Sting in the OHL, Stamkos continued to show off his dominance finishing his career with 100 goals and 197 points in 124 games. Since being selected first overall in 2008, he has captained the Tampa Bay Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021 and three straight Eastern Conference championships overall. Now a member of the 500-goal and 1,000-point club, he is set to play his 1,00th NHL regular season game later on this season.
3) Nathan MacKinnon- Team Nova Scotia
At the 2011 Canada Winter Games, Nathan MacKinnon put Team Nova Scotia on his back with an eight-goal, 11-point performance in seven games. He was electric all tournament long and helped Nova Scotia claim seventh place overall. His best performance of the tournament came when his team needed it the most as he scored a hat trick and added two assists in a 7-2 victory over Newfoundland & Labrador during the qualification round of the Games.
In junior, MacKinnon dominated the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with his hometown Halifax Mooseheads. He finished his QMJHL career with 153 points in 102 games and played a starring role in the Mooseheads’ 2013 Memorial Cup Championship. Now a Stanley Cup champion with the Colorado Avalanche, he has become one of the most dangerous players in the league and is on pace for his first career 100-point season.
2) Sidney Crosby- Team Nova Scotia
Before he was known as “Sid The Kid”, Sidney Crosby was putting on a show as captain of Team Nova Scotia at the 2003 Canada Winter Games. He led the tournament in goals with nine and points with 16, which to this day is still the best performance by a Team Nova Scotia player. Despite his memorable performance, Nova Scotia finished sixth that year which at the time was their best performance since their second-place finish in 1979.
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Since the tournament, Crosby has become one of the greatest players in hockey history. A guaranteed first-ballot Hall of Famer, his list of achievements and awards is one of the longest of any player to play in the NHL. Regardless of what team he has played for during his hockey career, he has found a way to deliver at the biggest moments with his success being tracked all the way back to his childhood.
1) Curtis Lazar- Team British Columbia
Curtis Lazar’s performance at the 2011 Canada Winter Games still stands as one of the greatest in the tournament’s history. Not only did he tie the men’s goal-scoring record with 12 goals, but he also helped Team British Columbia capture gold against Team Quebec, scoring a hat trick in the Final. His 17-point performance in six games is tied for the third most in history and was just a precursor to what he had in store during his WHL career.
After leading Team B.C. to a championship, Lazar kept up his winning ways helping the Edmonton Oil Kings make the 2012 Memorial Cup before winning the prized trophy in 2014. He finished his WHL career with 169 points in 199 games and was part of an Oil Kings dynasty that made the WHL Final in three straight seasons. Now with the Vancouver Canucks, he is closing in on 100 career points at the NHL level.
Canada Winter Games Has Produced A Ton Of Talent
The Canada Winter Games is a great opportunity for those who get to participate to showcase their talent. This year is no different with plenty of future junior stars headlining the rosters. While these prospects are still multiple years away from being drafted into the NHL, this tournament is a great opportunity to see the next crop of young superstars before they become household names.