TORONTO, ON – It’s become an annual tradition for U SPORTS men’s hockey players and Team Canada World Junior hopefuls at this point — a two-game matchup to test the best of Canadian university hockey and Canada’s best U20 players.
While the skill level of top NHL prospects and U SPORTS players often leaves a massive gap, the size and age discrepancy between the two groups allows for competitive matchups, with the All-Star team often taking one of the two matchups.
Although some years have seen conference-based teams, such as the 2022 AUS All-Stars, others, including 2019 and the upcoming 2023 group, will feature teams nationwide.
However, it has not been long since a U SPORTS All-Star team came together, as a group of select players represented Team Canada at January’s Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games, winning gold.
While many from that gold medal-winning group have moved on, several could find themselves back in the All-Star picture for the two games against Team Canada on Dec. 12-13 in Oakville, Ont.
On the bench, FISU Team Canada General Manager and Calgary Dinos head coach Mark Howell is on staff as an assistant alongside RMC Paladins’ bench boss, Richard Lim. Brett Gibson of the Queen’s Gaels — a FISU assistant, is the head coach of the team.
The trio will select the roster, which will likely see a mixture of the outright best players and those who give the group the best chance at beating Canada’s World Junior Championship hopeful.
The last time a U SPORTS All-Star Team faced Team Canada was in 2019 also in Oakville, with Team Canada winning the opening game 4-3 before U SPORTS took the final matchup 2-1.
While the roster is set to be announced in the coming days, here’s the team I would project.
FORWARDS:
Forward Line 1: Nolan Hutcheson – Dalton Duhart – Jonathan Yantsis
A trio of Queen’s Gaels could lead the U SPORTS All-Stars under Gibson, their regular head coach, and the three have played some of the best offensive hockey in the OUA through the fall season.
Yantsis played a middle-six role with Team Canada at FISU but has bounced back nicely after a slightly down year in his OUA Production. With nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points in 16 games, the 24-year-old has benefitted from settling back into the OUA East while having teammates delivering offensively.
Meanwhile, Hutcheson and Duhart have raised their level from past seasons, scoring 26 and 35 points, respectively, becoming two of the top scorers in U SPORTS, leading the Gaels to the top offence in the OUA with 76 goals — an average of 4.75 goals per game.
The trio have been some of the best players and deserve a nod to the select roster, likely doing enough to stick together on the top line under Gibson.
Forward Line 2: Connor Bouchard – Simon LaFrance – Chris Paquette
A full mixup of conferences with my projected second line, headlined by the OUA’s top scorer, Queen’s Cup, U CUP and FISU Champion Simon LaFrance, who is back on a tear in the OUA for yet another season.
LaFrance, one of the elder statesmen on the UQTR Patriotes, has an OUA-leading 18 goals, along with nine assists, with a Pats team that featured 15 rookies. While he’s had a massive shift in teammates, it’s taken him no time to get back up to speed.
At the same time, he has experience in All-Star situations and some recent experience with top-tier young talents, having attended the Colorado Avalanche NHL Development Camp in the summer.
MRU forward Connor Bouchard joins him on the projected line. Bouchard has jumped to another level in 2023-24, scoring 11 goals and 29 points for the Cougars while also playing significant defensive minutes. At the same time, he played for Team Canada White at the U17 World Hockey Challenge, so he knows what these camps look like.
Finishing off the line on the right wing is RMC forward and former Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Chris Paquette, who earns the call having been a consistent offensive presence on a Paladins team often fighting an uphill battle. This season, he has 12 goals and 21 points in 17 games — it also helps that Lim is part of the coaching staff.
Forward Line 3 Liam Hawel – Austen Keating – Brady Gilmour
A trio from the AUS, StFX’s Liam Hawel and UNB’s Austen Keating and Brady Gilmour have been some of the most consistent players in U SPORTS, and all featured on Team Canada’s golden team in Lake Placid.
Keating and Gilmour have been two of the top veteran players with the UNB Reds this season, often playing tough minutes while maintaining their elite level of offensive production. Both have had opportunities to turn pro in recent years but have continued to opt for the Reds program.
Through a perfect 16-0-0 run to start the season with UNB, Keating leads AUS scoring, with nine goals and 25 points, while Gilmour has seven goals and 22 points, good for third in the conference.
Hawel, so far, has taken on more defensive responsibility for the X-Men this season while scoring five goals and 15 points, spending time on both the top power-play unit and the penalty kill.
While not a required factor, the trio spent some time together at FISU and have represented U SPORTS All-Stars in the past at the Team Canada event. Similarly, all have spent time at NHL Development Camps throughout their career, acclimatizing themselves to the level of Canada’s best young players.
Line 4: Jake Gricius – Matthew Struthers – Vince Loschiavo
With two Canada West players and an AUS center, the fourth line on this U SPORTS All-Star projection offers a little bit of everything — a group that can score but also one likely strong at keeping the puck away from their own goal.
Calgary Dino Jake Gricuius has been a vital member of Howell’s group through their record-setting 2022-23 season and into this year, where he has nine goals and 15 points. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan’s Loschiavo is a two-way forward who can shut down opposition while providing an offensive upside with his 14 points in 13 games.
Down the middle, StX’s Matthew Struthers brings FISU and All-Star team experience to the group, as well as vigour and bite seen by few forwards in U SPORTS — he’s also produced in front of goal, with 23 points in 16 AUS contests.
Despite a bit of a mix, the fourth line offers potential that could seal a game against far younger opponents in Team Canada’s junior camp.
U SPORTS ALL-STARS DEFENCE
First Defensive Pairing: Noah King – Dakota Krebs
In selecting a U SPORTS All-Star team, finding right-handed defensemen among the best blueliners in the country is challenging. Still, 24-year-old Dakota Krebs might be one of the few, earning his way onto this team — and a partnership with Calgary captain Noah King.
Krebs might not offer a ton of offensive upside, but he is one of the best at controlling play on the right side, and paired with King, who is seldom caught out of position, they make a great pair.
King, meanwhile, comes into the situation with ample experience in all-star teams, having been a critical facet of Team Canada in Lake Placid while playing some of the most essential minutes with the Dinos.
Both should be near locks for the roster and keeping them together could prove to be some quick chemistry on an All-Star roster that often lacks it.
Second Defensive Pairing: Adam McCormick – Connor Blake
UNB blueliner Adam McCormick and MRU Cougar Connor Blake are among the elite defensemen in U SPORTS and would also offer a second properly-handed defensive pairing for an All-Star squad.
McCormick has experience at this event from the 2022 AUS All-Star Team while also having played with Team Canada in Lake Placid, where he, like King, played significant minutes. He’s also been a pillar in UNB’s AUS-best defence this season, sitting at a +11 for a team that has only conceded 26 goals in 16 games.
If there’s a UNB defenceman for this All-Star team, it’s McCormick, and there’s not much question about it.
For Blake, it comes with a debut experience with the All-Star team, but one that he’s earned, given his composure on the blue line for MRU through the last X seasons. Through that time, the right-handed defenseman has helped MRU play a consistent system under head coach Bert Gilling, making them one of Canada’s best regular-season teams.
Both are near-locks for the All-Star Team and deserve nominations.
Third Defensive Pairing: Jonathan Smart – Jacob Paquette
UBC’s Jonathan Smart and Queen’s Jacob Paquette have proven to be two of the most experienced players on their respective teams, playing on the top pairing and often logging over 20 minutes a night for programs with demanding standards.
A nod to an All-Star team would be well-deserving for Smart, considering the level he has played through five seasons with the Thunderbirds. In 2023-24, he has 16 points, helped UBC to a program-best start, and continued strong play.
While not entirely a consideration, Smart was also an alternate defenceman for Team Canada’s Lake Placid roster but did not end up on the final cut. However, he has had Team Canada experience playing with the U17 team in his youth.
Meanwhile, Paquette did crack the Team Canada roster for Lake Placid, and has proven to be vital in the Gaels’ success this season, playing 14 games, often taking on tougher opposition. A 2017 seventh round pick of the Nashville Predators, the 24-year-old likely would bring the compsure and physicality that is needed when taking on a talented team of teenagers.
U SPORTS ALL-STARS GOALIES
Carl Stankowski, Connor Ungar, Kai Edmonds
Picking goaltenders for a projected roster was a challenge. Yet, Calgary’s Carl Stankowski and Brock’s Connor Ungar might be the guys to go with at No. 1 and No. 2. At the same time, TMU’s Kai Edmonds takes the spot as a third goaltender, mainly due to proximity to Oakville.
Calgary’s Stankowski has been extremely consistent for the Dinos this season; splitting starts with Carl Tetachuk. Through eight games, he’s played at a clip of .924 save percentage, the top save percentage among goaltenders with at least 300 minutes in Canada West. At the same time, it helps that Howell is familiar with the netminder.
Meanwhile, Brock Badger starter Connor Ungar has been the best goalie in the OUA and is a big reason why the Badgers find themselves atop the OUA West division with a 14-2-0 season so far.
A composed goaltender who doesn’t effort too much side to side, Ungar has shown high potential for a potential pro career while also easily taking over the regions in the Badgers net, which had been a bit of a carousel in recent seasons.
With a save percentage of .933, the rookie goaltender could be the youngest player to make his way into the All-Star team despite possibly having the most significant upside.
NON-STARTING PLAYER PREDICTIONS
- Forward, Eric Florchuk (Alberta)
- Defenceman, Scott Walford (McGill)
- Goalie, Kai Edmonds (TMU)
ALTERNATES/ON THE BUBBLE
Alternate Forwards:
Jason Wilms (UNB), Colson Gegenbach (Calgary), Liam Kindree (UBC), Jacob Roach (Brock)
Alternate Defenceman:
Kurtis Henry (UPEI), Kade Landry (UNB), Dylan Plouffe (Alberta), Aaron Hyman (TMU)
Alternate Goaltenders:
Griffen Outhouse (UNB), Alexis Gravel (UQTR)