WJC Golden Memories | The Best Ever

Coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Americans the previous year, Team Canada headed to Grand Forks, North Dakota for the 2005 tournament with an NHL lockout and a heightened sense of determination working for them. It’s only fitting that the team many still consider the greatest to ever enter the event would feature one of the greatest players to ever ply his trade in the QMJHL.

Sidney Crosby was already hyped as the next great talent to grace the NHL entering the tournament, though he would not appear in a pro game for another nine months. In fact, there would be a second consecutive league soring title, another CHL Player of the Year Award and a President Cup to earn with Rimouski before he would take center stage in Pittsburgh.

On the flip side, one of his Team Canada linemates, former Acadie-Bathurst Titan Patrice Bergeron, already had a full season of NHL action under his belt with the Boston Bruins. Between the two, they would rack up 22 points in Grand Forks. Canada would dominate the opposition, going 6-0-0 and outscoring their competitors 41-7 while Bergeron would capture tournament MVP honors.