Gavin McKenna’s first world junior hockey championships didn’t go as he or his fans had hoped.

After opening the tournament scoring for Canada in a matchup with Finland, the 17-year-old player from Whitehorse was snake bitten the rest of the way. The entire team was.

That first goal by McKenna would be the only point he would produce.

Only New Brunswick’s Bradley Nadeau registered more than a goal. He finished with two.

“I wish we could have done more for the fans and the people of Canada,” said McKenna. “It sucks we had to go out this way.”

McKenna said he’ll take away a lot from his first world juniors.

“It’s a short tournament, you gotta make sure every shift counts, there’s no bad teams here,” he said. “I thought we played well in the last game and deserved to win but sometimes the hockey gods aren’t in your favour.”

Canada has now bowed out of the tournament without making it to the semifinals twice in a row, after being ousted by Czech Republic in the quarterfinals.

The early exit stings even more because it happened in the nation’s capital.

“It’s heartbreaking, don’t get me wrong,” said Krystal McKenna, Gavin’s mom. “But the world does keep going and regardless, win or lose, we are still very proud of him.”

Krystal and Willy McKenna, Gavin McKenna’s parents. ‘It’s heartbreaking, don’t get me wrong,’ said his mom. ‘We are still very proud of him.” (George Maratos/CBC)

McKenna was seen wearing a hide vest into the arena before some games. It was a gift from his grandmother, and it featured the Hockey Canada logo beaded on each breast.

A long way to come 

For Dan Johnson, Canada’s poor performance was especially hard to take because he travelled from Whitehorse with his family to watch McKenna play.

He surprised his three kids on Christmas morning with tickets to the semifinal and gold medal game. But by the time they arrived in Ottawa, Canada was already out.

“Bucket list for me has been the world juniors,” said Johnson. “Continues to be on the bucket list I guess at this point.”

“It’s sad, this was my first world juniors,” said Jack Johnson who, at 7 years old, is a super fan of McKenna’s.

And while Canada’s result is a disappointment, there is plenty of reason for optimism about what may come.

Gavin McKenna says he thought Team Canada played well in the last game, but ‘sometimes the hockey gods aren’t in your favour.’ (George Maratos/CBC)

McKenna is one of nine players eligible to return next year. He’s also only just turned 17. Next year he’ll be older, stronger and have the experience of this tournament under his belt.

It will also be his draft year, and he’s already being touted as the player who may be selected first.

If that happens McKenna, a Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in citizen, will become part of a small number of Indigenous hockey players to have that honour. Dale McCourt, who is also Indigenous, was drafted first overall by the Detroit Red Wings in 1977.

As for the Johnsons, they’re already planning their trip to Minnesota next Christmas. That’s where the next world juniors are being held.

“Only this time we’ll go a little earlier,” said Dan Johnson.