Toronto Nationals under-18s take aim at third straight regional hockey title — three years after the last

It’s never easy to build a hockey dynasty and maintaining one is even more difficult, particularly when the COVID-19 pandemic is your most formidable opponent. But the Toronto Nationals under-18s are giving it their best shot.

For the first time in three years, the Nationals will have a chance to defend their title when they host the Hockey Canada Central Region under-18 AAA championship, which gets underway Monday at Scotiabank Pond with the final slated for next Sunday.

The winner of the six-team event will advance to the Telus Cup national championship in Calgary in May. The Nationals are the most recent team to win that title, too, in 2019.

They are no stranger to playing in this tournament, or winning it.

Crowned champions in 2014, ’15, ’18 and ’19, the Nationals have their sights set on becoming the first team to win three straight titles. And even though they were assured of a spot when they were chosen as the hosts, they earned their way in by defeating the Reps Hockey Club 3-2 in overtime in the Greater Toronto Hockey League championship game this past week.

“It’s an almost impossible task,” said Nationals co-coach Aaron Darmanin. “Every year we say, ‘I don’t even know how we did this. Like, how did we pull this off?’ And then we do it again. We have to rebuild a new team every year.”

And that, at least, is one place where the Nationals were not alone.

With no games to evaluate players last season because of the pandemic, every minor hockey team at every level in the province went into the 2021-22 campaign somewhat blindly. So getting a season to the finish line with a championship is just one of the things that makes this one special.

It also gives 2005-born players a final opportunity to showcase themselves for major junior and Junior-A scouts, a crucial opportunity that was taken from them when the 2020-21 was cancelled.

“This year’s (Ontario Hockey League under-18) draft will be one of the strongest ones and one of the most important ones,” said Reps coach Shawn Snider, whose team will also be in the event. “The OHL drafted the 2005 birth year (in 2021) with no hockey. Zero. There are definitely kids who have fallen through the cracks.”

The Nationals and Reps will be joined by the Huron Perth Lakers, Guelph Gryphons, Nepean Raiders and Soo Jr. Greyhounds.

Not all the players have gone undrafted. Some were late-round picks who are hoping to make the jump to the OHL next season. Others will be selected in the OHL’s U18 draft, and some will go on to the Junior-A ranks to preserve their college eligibility. There are also players in this cohort born in 2004 who were on the bubble to play Junior A in the Ontario Junior Hockey League this season, but had their ability to prepare for that level of competition compromised because last season was cancelled.

“They couldn’t afford to go to Junior A to play third- or fourth-line minutes because they missed last year,” Snider said. “I told our kids at the start of this year, ‘If you go play junior, you’re going to be on the third or fourth line and you’re going to go two calendar years without a power-play sequence in a game. You just can’t do that. You have to play.’”

In that sense, it has elevated the quality of play in the under-18 division this season.

In the GTHL, the Nationals spent much of the season short-staffed because of injuries and a spate of positive COVID tests. They finished the regular season in fourth place at 13-6-9, but rounded into form in the playoffs, running the table in five games. The final four were all one-goal margins, and it took overtime to win both the semifinal and championship game.

“This is a great opportunity for them,” Darmanin said. “From the last time they played a full season, some of these kids have grown a foot and completely changed and they could have gone under the radar. It will give a lot of these kids who were overlooked the chance to get in front of some scouts and turn some heads.”

Players to watch

Cole Beaudoin

C, Nepean

His father, Eric, had a lengthy pro career in North America and Europe, including 53 games with the Florida Panthers. Despite being an underage player who turns 16 in April, Beaudoin recorded 24 goals and 77 points in just 32 games this season. He’s sure to be a first-round pick in this year’s OHL draft.

Cole Cooksey

LW, Reps

One OHL scout described Cooksey as the best player in the U18 age group “and it’s not close.” Blessed with high-end offensive skill, Cooksey was called up to the OJHL’s Markham Royals for four games this season and had a goal and three points. He could go No. 1 in the OHL’s U18 draft.

Dylan Edwards

LW, Nationals

An eighth-round pick of the Erie Otters last year, Edwards played seven games in the OHL this season and should be able to make the jump to the Otters next season. At five-foot-eight and 155 pounds he’s definitely on the small side, but has great speed and a knack for creating offence.

David Elmy

C, Nationals

An 11th-round pick of the Guelph Storm from the Vaughan Kings under-16 team last year, Elmy is another Nationals player who should be ready to handle the major junior level next season. Elmy is a 200-foot player with a soft touch around the net.

Dillon Stiles

D, Reps

The fifth overall pick by the Flint Firebirds in last year’s OHL U18 draft is very difficult to miss. At six-foot-six and 215 pounds, he’ll easily be the biggest and most physically imposing player in the tournament. At 18, he’ll also be one of the oldest. Stiles is a classic stay-at-home defenceman who excels in a shutdown role.