3 Takeaways: Windsor Hosts Team Canada in Summer Showcase – Hockey Writers – World Junior Hockey Championship

With the Windsor Spitfires missing out on the 2023-24 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) playoffs, it's been a long season, and fans in the region have been itching for hockey. Fortunately, Hockey Canada has come calling, giving fans a chance to see Canada's national junior team this week at the 2024 Summer Showcase.

Every year, small national teams from Canada, Sweden, Finland, and the United States gather for a week in late July in Plymouth, MI, for a summer fair. This season, it's the brass' chance to test players' training and skills before the season and prepare for the 2025 World Juniors in Ottawa in December.

While usually in Plymouth, Hockey Canada asked the City of Windsor and the Spitfires if they could host Team Canada for practice, a red and white game on Tuesday., July 30, and a game against Team Sweden on Wednesday., July 31. All teams reached an agreement, and fans got a chance to see NHL prospects such as Carson Rehkopf (Seattle Kraken), Easton Cowan (Toronto Maple Leafs), and Carter George (Los Angeles Kings). Here are three things you can take away from this three-day event.

3. Carson Rehkopf Continues to dominate

There is something about Rehkopf and the WFCU Center. The 19-year Kitchener Rangers veteran seems to thrive under the bright lights. In his OHL career, he has four goals and three assists in six games with Windsor and appears to be in every scoring opportunity. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Vaughan native had a similar story this week during the summer showcase.

In the Red-White game, Rehkoph stopped Team White with three goals, scoring the winning goal with 27 seconds remaining as Team Red won 4-3. No one was overly surprised, and they kept that momentum going in Wednesday's game against the Swedes.

Canada had a tough time getting past Swedish goalkeeper Melker Thelin, who stopped 44 of 46 shots. However, Rehkopf did his part, adding another goal in the second period and then the game-tying goal with 1:47 left in the third. He got an unusual roar from the crowd, who used to gasp when he turned on the light. Unfortunately, the crowd groaned a bit at the end as the Swedes won 3-2 on penalties. The Canadians outshot the Swedes, 46-21, but Thelin held on until Rehkopf's tying field goal.

Related: Seattle Kraken Draft Carson Rehkopf 50th Overall

Whether you're a Spitfires fan, a Rangers fan, or just a hockey fan, you have to respect what Rehkopf brings to the table. The Kraken prospect has size, smarts, and a clear nose for the net. With three goals in two games, he shows that he can be a force in Canada when the real games start on December 26.

2. Sweden Finds a Way… Again.

When you talk about consistently successful World Juniors teams, you have to include the Swedes. From 2006 until 2020, they won 54 straight World Juniors round-robin games. Although they have lost a game in every competition since then, there is a buzz about them, and you know they will give any team a real challenge.

On Wednesday, although this was a test match, it was very much the same. While the Canadians outshot the Swedes 19-5 in the first half and 46-21 overall, this was a game of “whatever you can do, I can do better.” The Swedish team opened the scoring in the second half, responded with the first goal to tie the game at the beginning of the third period, and ended up winning by two goals in the penalty shootout.

At the 2024 World Juniors, Thelin had a 1.91 goals-against average (GAA) and a .909 save percentage (SV%) in two games, backing up starter Hugo Havelid, who was their rock. However, with a 44 save performance, Thelin made a case for being next in line. His defense allowed Canada to come close on several occasions, but he always looked poised and confident.

Although this is a test tournament and not the real deal, the Swedes should be happy with certain aspects of their game. Yes, they were outplayed, but they settled down, stuck to their game plan, got a big game from Thelin, and took advantage of opportunities. Win or lose, that's what you want from a team, and Sweden fans can be happy for Christmas…again.

1. Windsor Represents Hockey

The last two Springs have not gone the Spitfires way. After being eliminated in the first round in 2022-23, they missed the playoffs last season. The result was an itch for fans of hope and warm-weather hockey. They heard it when the team made the OHL championship in 2021-22, but they wanted more, and this was a great opportunity.

The town was in a frenzy when Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens announced that the Summer Fair would be coming to the WFCU Center. While there were approximately 1,500 fans who attended the Red-White match, it was seen that there were close to 5,000 fans against Sweden. The WFCU facility holds about 6,500 and, save for a dozen rows of seats at the top end of the stands, most sections were full.

Fans arrived dressed head to toe in Team Canada gear. Spending a hot, sweltering Wednesday night on the field can be difficult, but the region is thirsty for hockey. They were loud from the start, passionate, and singing “Let's Go Canada” throughout. There were also Swedish fans in the house, including a child who received attention from the Swedes after the game. They all came to high-five him through the glass. It is a moment he will never forget.

The city of Windsor has supported hockey for generations. However, with the Spitfires' struggles last season, fans were desperate for something positive to look forward to. While they should be an improved squad in 2024-25, thanks to general manager Bill Bowler, you can't blame fans for wanting more. The editors put this together, and fans responded. It gives everyone something to talk about leading up to training camp in late August.

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