PLANO, Texas — It’s not often Canada enters a tournament field with some uncertainty, but between COVID-19 restrictions and altered junior seasons, the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship is a learning experience for one of the top teams in the field.

Many players from the OHL came to Texas without having played any games this season. WHL players were able to get a handful of games in before coming to the event, but the process of integrating players and systems has still been, well, a process.