REGINA -- Four Saskatchewan junior hockey players continue to vie for a spot on Team Canada’s World Junior Roster, following the team's mandatory COVID-19 isolation.
The four Saskatchewan hopefuls, defensemen Kaedan Korczak and Braden Schneider, and forwards Adam Beckman and Connor Zary remain part of the now 41 person selection camp in Red Deer.
Canada’s World Junior selection camp resumed Tuesday following a 14-day quarantine after two players and a staff member tested positive for COVID-19.
“I’ve never not skated for two weeks in my life,” Korczak, who hails from Yorkton, said.
During the pandemic, the Kelowna Rockets’ player said he found ways to get on the ice. However, the lockdown in their hotel after the positive tests was a new type of challenge.
“Just being isolated away from 40 guys for two weeks is probably the hardest thing,” Korczak admitted.
The team had stationary bikes brought in for fitness training. For the first week, they had basic Wi-Fi, then had Wi-Fi boxes brought in so they could play video games against and with each other despite being isolated in the hotel.
“[Hockey Canada] did a great job of keeping us busy with workouts and meetings and social activities,” Korczak said.
During the two weeks in self-isolation, the Vegas Golden Knight’s prospect only saw one person in the flesh, Saskatoon’s Connor Zary who was rooming beside him in Red Deer.
“The only time is when they drop us off our meals and we both go out at the same time and kind of say hi,” Korczak laughed.
On Tuesday, Korczak and the team traded in self-isolation for ice time. There are now 11 defensemen left on the roster and management is expected to keep seven.
“I was pretty confident going into the third game and the first set of cuts,” said Korczak, who never got to play the third game before the lockdown occurred. “I thought I practiced pretty well that week and played pretty good that weekend.”
The juniors will practice twice a day with games on Wednesday and Friday, with the roster expected to be announced following Friday’s game.
Now Korczak needs to put his best skate forward if he wants to suit up with Team Canada in Edmonton come Christmas Day.