Kevin Elliott is surrounded by his Hockey Canada family this Christmas in Edmonton.
The Charlottetown Islanders athletic therapist is with Team Canada at the world junior tournament that begins Christmas Day. Canada opens the tournament on Boxing Day against Germany.
The Saint John, N.B., native and Charlottetown resident, who will only say he is 50-something, is working his sixth world junior event. There wasn’t a lot of introductions required when he met the staff he will be working with.
“There’s a lot of familiar faces here,” Elliott said. “We’re a family. … It’s a great experience, and I love it.”
He has worked four tournaments with fellow athletic therapist Brian Cheeseman, equipment manager Brian St-Louis, sports performance manager Adam Douglas and head coach André Tourigny.
Elliott applied for the role in January and found out in the spring he was selected.
“Once we heard who was coming, we couldn't wait,” Elliott said.
TEAM CANADA EXCLUSIVE | Superstar support staff.
— #WorldJuniors (@HC_WJC) December 24, 2020
Behind-the-scenes in the bubble with the crew who makes it happen. Team Canada’s #WorldJuniors support staff — trainers, equipment managers, conditioning coach — on what the tournament means this year.
WATCH ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Tmdx2I7Dge
Despite his resumé, this year’s tournament will be unlike anything Elliott has experienced. The team has gone through quarantines, is now living in a bubble and will play without fans in the stands. They have already been together for 40 days, and the tournament hasn’t started.
But Elliott takes it all in stride.
“Obviously, it’s new with everything that’s going on with COVID,” he said. “But once you get in the dressing room, outside wearing your masks and washing hands (regularly), … it’s all the same.”
Islanders head coach and general manager Jim Hulton said the experienced staff will be invaluable this year as Hockey Canada navigates unchartered waters. Hulton said Elliott took on the lion’s share of the responsibilities for the Isles in their return to play this season.
“We’re awfully spoiled,” he said. “It’s extremely reassuring knowing you’re in such excellent care. Kevin is a guy who is consistently going the extra mile not only for the players, but the rest of the staff and the organization. …
“He incorporates a lot of these new changes quickly and naturally into our everyday process where a lot of us don't even recognize how much he does behind the scenes.”
The pandemic means Elliott’s family (parents Don and Nancy Elliott and brother Rob Elliott, all in Saint John, N.B., and stepson Matt Barr) are unable to attend the tournament.
“This Christmas was going to be a special event,” Elliott said. “It would have just been an amazing concept for everybody (to be here).”
Hulton coached at three world juniors, returning with gold in 2005 and silver in 2004 and 2019. The 2005 event was with the dream team during the NHL lockout while the game-winning goals in 2004 and 2019 came late in the third period and in overtime, respectively.
Hulton said the popularity of the event has grown significantly.
“The world junior championship at Christmas has become such an engrained tradition. I think you will see the numbers will be huge (in terms of) viewership because people are dying to get back to some hockey,” he said. “I think everybody is starving for a little break from reality with COVID.”
Cornwall's Jordan Spence is a defenceman with Team Canada while former Islanders winger Gaetan Jobin is playing for Switzerland. He had 13 goals and 25 points in 52 games last season with the Islanders. He had three points in five world junior games a year ago in the Czech Republic.
Need to know
Here’s a look at the world junior hockey tournaments Kevin Elliott has worked with Team Canada at and how the team placed.
- Year Finish Host
- 2010 Second Saskatoon, Sask.
- 2011 Second Buffalo, N.Y.
- 2013 Fourth Ufa, Russia
- 2017 Second Toronto/Montreal
- 2018 First Buffalo, N.Y.
- 2021 TBD Edmonton
Jason Malloy is The Guardian's sports editor.
