How the mighty fell: Canada at the 1998 World Juniors

The break up of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s saw a major shift in the international hockey balance. Prior to 1990, the Soviet Union won eight world junior titles, with Canada the only other multiple tournament winning country with three. The 1990s became Canada's decade, claiming seven gold medals, including five in a row from 1993 to 1997. The other three finishes include a silver in 1999, sixth in 1992 and most infamously, eighth in the 1998 tournament, to break up a streak of five straight gold medals. The infamous 1998 tournament is the focus of this post.

The 1998 world juniors was hosted in Helsinski and Hameenlinna, Finland. Canada got off to a rough start in the tournament, losing the opener 3-2 to host Finland, and their second game 4-0 to Sweden. In a must win game against the Czech Republic, Canada responded with a 5-0 victory. Missing the playoffs still loomed going into the last game of round robin play against Germany, a team that had scored only one goal in its previous three games. Canada barely won by a score of 2-0, with Vincent Lecavalier scoring an insurance marker with just over 5 minutes left.

As a result of its poor round robin play, Canada qualified fourth for the playoff tournament and would face the top team from Pool B, Russia. Russia was undefeated, with only a tie against Switzerland to blemish their record. Down 1-0 going into the third, Daniel Tkaczuk tied the game just over two minutes into the period. In overtime, Maxim Afinogenov scored for Russia, ending Canada's drive for six straight gold medals.

Perhaps let down by the loss, Canada would lose its first placement game (until 2002 teams that lost in the playoffs still played placement games), 3-0 to the United States, being outshot 40-15 in the process. In the seventh place game the next day, Canada lost 6-3 to Kazakhstan before a crowd of 169 fans. Despite outshooting the Kazakhs 43-17, Canada trailed 4-0 after two periods, with Andrei Troschinsky scored a hat trick for Kazakhstan. Josh Holden scored two quick goals in the third period to make the score 4-2, but Kazakhstan would added two more goals for a 6-2 lead, with Daniel Tkaczuk scoring with three seconds left for Canada.

A serious lack of offense ended Canada’s streak of success at the worlds, as the team scored only 13 goals in seven games. The team’s leading scorer was Josh Holden with four goals and zero assists. Only eight individual players scored goals, with only three scoring multiple goals (Holden, Alex Tanguay and Tkaczuk). Canada would not win the World Junior tournament again until 2005. The low of 1998 was not repeated, as during the six years between 1999 and 2005, Canada would claim four silver and two bronze medals.

684 - Trevor Kidd

A goaltender, Kidd was a part of Team Canada for three straight world junior tournaments from 1990 to 1992. While on the roster he did not play in the 1990 tournament, then played in six games during the 1991 event, winning gold medals each year. At the 1992 tournament Kidd posted a 2-3-2 record and 4.29 goals against as Canada finished a disappointing sixth place.

Kidd represented Canada at the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, France. He won a silver medal as Sean Burke’s backup, winning his only game, a 10-0 thrashing of Norway. Drafted 11th overall by Calgary in 1990, he played 12 seasons for four NHL team. With Calgary, Carolina, Florida and Toronto Kidd earned a 140-162-52 record, .901 save percentage and 2.84 goals against average.

685 - Martin Lapointe

A right winger, Lapointe also represented on three straight world junior teams for Canada, from 1991 to 1993. During this time he played 21 games, scoring nine goals and 17 points. An assistant captain in 1992, Lapointe was captain of the 1993 squad that won gold. Lapointe’s only senior level appearance for Team Canada came at the 2000 World Championships, where he played in three games.

Drafted 10th overall by Detroit in 1991, Lapointe played 16 NHL seasons for four teams (Detroit, Boston, Chicago and Ottawa). Across 991 career games he scored 181 goals and 381 points. Lapointe was a member of the Detroit Red Wings teams that won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1997 and 1998.

686 - Tyler Wright

A centre, Wright played for Canada at the 1992 and 1993 world juniors, scoring four goals and seven points in 14 games. As an assistant captain in 1993 he helped lead Canada to a gold medal victory. Wright’s first and only senior level appearance for Canada came at the 2002 World Championships where he recorded two assists in seven games.

Drafted 12th overall by Edmonton in 1991 (two spots behind Martin Lapointe), Wright played 13 seasons in the NHL. Over 613 games with Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Columbus and Anaheim he scored 79 goals and 149 points.

687 - Kimbi Daniels

A centre, Daniels was second in team scoring on Canada’s 1992 world junior team, with three goals and seven points. Drafted 44th overall by Philadelphia in 1990, Daniels played only 27 games in the NHL across two seasons, scoring one goal and three points with the Flyers.

Over 17 pro seasons he played in five different leagues in North America, as well as part of one season in Slovenia. Daniels’ longest career stop came with the Alaska Aces in the ECHL where he ranks top four in franchise history in goals, assists, points, penalty minutes and games played.

688 - Karl Dykhuis

A defenceman, Dykhuis played at the 1991 and 1992 world juniors, earning three assists across 14 games played. He was part of the gold medal winning 1991 team as well.

Drafted 16th overall by Chicago, Dykhuis played 12 NHL seasons across four teams (Chicago, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Montreal). He scored 42 goals and 133 points in 644 games. Most notably, he won the Dutch Cup with the Amsterdam Bulldogs during the 2004-05 lockout.

689 - Jeff Nelson

A centre, Nelson was part of the 1992 World Juniors team, scoring one goal and two points in seven games. Drafted 36th overall by Washington in 1991, Nelson played three seasons in the NHL split between Washington and Nashville, scoring 11 points in 52 career games.

He played in the North American minor pros until 2011, winning a Calder Cup in 1994 with Portland. Towards the end of his career he won a UHL Colonial Cup in 2005 with Muskegon, leading the league in scoring the following year and winning league MVP. Nelson capped off his career with an Italian league title in 2007.

690 - Jassen Cullimore

A defenceman, Cullimore’s only international experience with Canada came in the 1992 World Junior Championship, scoring one goal in seven games. He was drafted 29th overall by Vancouver in 1991. In 15 NHL seasons with five franchises (Vancouver, Montreal, Tampa Bay, Chicago and Florida) he played in 812 games, scoring 26 goals and 111 points.

691 - Turner Stevenson

A right winger, Stevenson contributed two assists and 14 penalty minutes for Canada at the 1992 World Juniors. Drafted 12th overall by Montreal in 1990, he played 13 NHL seasons split across Montreal, New Jersey and Philadelphia. In 644 career games he scored 75 goals and 190 points while earning 969 penalty minutes. In his third last pro season (2003) he won a Stanley Cup with New Jersey, recording two points in 14 playoff games.