Devante Smith-Pelly celebrates with Warrior and linemate Quinton Howden following a pre-tournament win over Switzerland.


Team Canada picked up a big win to open the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championship in Edmonton, Alberta, beating Finland 8-1 in a rout on Monday, but the win didn’t come without a price.  

The team found out on Wednesday that Devante Smith-Pelly, the 19-year-old foward on lone from the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, would be out for the remainder of the tounrnament.  Smith-Pelly left the win over Finland in the second period after blocking a shot, it was revealed on Tuesday morning that he had a broken bone in his left foot.

“I knew right away that something was wrong and I tried to go again and I couldn’t even stand on it,” the hard checking winger out of Toronto told the media on Tuesday.  “I was pretty upset right away because I knew.”

So Canada will be down to 21 players for the rest of the tournament after just one game.  It’s a road they’ve been down before though in recent years, after losing this year’s captain Jaden Schwartz went down with a broken ankle in the second game of the tournament last year.

“You know it happens and hopefully that we have the depth to recover from it and it gives other players an opportunity, and we’ll move on,” said head coach Don Hay.

Smith-Pelly played on the third line with Moose Jaw Warrior Quinton Howden and Freddie Hamilton at centre.  Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brett Connolly was on that line when they hit the ice for practice on Tuesday.

Connolly says he’s ready to play whatever role the coaches want from him, “Obviously for me to duplicate the physicality of a Devante Smith-Pelly I’m not sure, but I’m going to finish my checks and work hard and be good reliable defensively and play the way I know I can play.”

Hay has no concerns about Connolly adjusting to his role, “Brett moves up, we had a couple different choices, but we don’t want to mix up the whole group of guys.

“I think Brett with his experience in the NHL, playing against top elite players, this isn’t you average Junior tournament, this is an elite tournament.”

Another area where Connolly will be leaned on in Smith-Pelly’s absence is for leadership as Smith-Pelly was one of the four alternate captains with Connolly, Howden and defenceman Brandon Gormley.

"It's bad timing. It really is, but I'm glad to hear he's sticking around the team," Schwartz said. "I know he knows this, but there's worse things in life than an injury. I know he's going to get through it.

"We're going to miss him, but we have character guys and guys who can step up and play different roles and we're going to have to.”

Canada returns to game action on Wednesday night against Czech Republic.  Canada returns to the Country 100 air on Thursday when they take on Denmark from Rexall Place.