Pinelli makes Team Canada dreams a reality
Luca Pinelli made his dream come true: he’ll represent Canada at the 2025 World Junior Hockey Championships.
He was told Friday night, a moment he’ll remember for the rest of his life.
“I got a knock on my hotel room door, and I opened it to see Dave and the staff there,” Pinelli said. “It was obviously an unbelievable moment, it felt amazing.”
“It has to be one of the best moments of my life.”
With 21 goals and 37 points through 26 games this season, Pinelli is tied for sixth in the former category in the OHL, and is tied for the league’s top spot in power-play goals.
Despite his success this season, there’s a narrative floating around that Pinelli is only on the team because Dave Cameron — his Head Coach in Ottawa — is coaching the Canadians.
Anyone peddling that narrative is plainly wrong, and writing off the accomplishments of a 19-year-old kid unfairly. They should know Cameron has never given anything to anyone who doesn’t deserve it.
“When you’re able to coach at this level and tell kids that it made the team, it’s always very emotional, very exciting,” Cameron said. It’s the best part of it. When one of those players on your team has tolerated me for three-plus years, it’s a special feeling.”
“His hockey speaks for itself. He’s a special kid in terms of coming in every day with a smile on his face, he’s a great teammate, he loves hockey. I told him when the invitation came in the summer, I told him the invitation came in December, and I told him when he made this team, he isn’t here because of me. That’s quite clear. He made this team because he’s a hell of a hockey player.”
Peter Anholt, part of the management group advising Canada’s National Junior Team agrees with Cameron that Pinelli is a valuable chip for this year’s team.
“Dog on a bone,” Anholt said of the 67’s captain. “I think he’s a glue guy, he’s that kind of a player. He can play in different situations for us, he can score when he gets a chance, but I think his character [is great].”
During Selection Camp, the 67’s and their staff came to support Pinelli whenever they could, and although they’ll be missing their top goal scorer for the next handful of games, they couldn’t be happier to see him sticking around with Canada.
“We are all very excited,” said 67’s Assistant Coach Norm Milley. “He’s put in the work. If you look at how far he has come from since the first year to now, it’s night and day. He’s come a long way, and he earned it. He deserved it.”
It remains to be seen what kind of role Pinelli will have with Team Canada, but whatever it is, the Stoney Creek native is excited to get going.
“My family’s gonna come up,” Pinelli said. “It’s gonna be unbelievable, probably the best Christmas ever.”
