The best phone call Ian Mitchell never received was the one that didn’t come.
It meant the defenceman from Calahoo made Team Canada for the IIHF World Junior Championship after the 22-man roster was finalized following the selection camp tryouts in Victoria.
“We were sitting around in our hotel room kind of hoping that we didn’t get called down because if you get called down it means you’re getting cut and when that phone didn’t ring, it was definitely pretty exciting. It was definitely one of the best moments in my hockey career so far in making that team,” Mitchell told the Gazette on Monday.
The U20 world junior tournament runs Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Vancouver and Victoria. Team Canada, the defending champion, plays in group A with the Czech Republic, Denmark, Russia and Switzerland.
“I’m just going to try and enjoy it. It’s only going to happen one time in my life so it’s something I will definitely look back on with fond memories,” Mitchell said. “At the end of the day, we want to win the gold medal so I’m going to be focused going in and trying to be the best player that I can be in helping Team Canada win.”
Mitchell, 19, was among 12 defencemen and 34 players overall invited to last week’s selection camp.
“I definitely felt confident that I would be selected to the camp but at the same time you never know until you know so I was definitely very excited and very honoured,” said the sophomore with the University of Denver Pioneers in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. “This is something I’ve dreamed about. It’s been my goal to play on the world junior team since I was a little kid so for sure there were some nerves but also I was just really grateful for the opportunity and I've really tried to run with it.”
The rest of the Team Canada defensive core includes Edmonton Oilers’ draft pick Evan Bouchard, Noah Dobson, Josh Brook, Jared McIsaac, Markus Phillips and Ty Smith of Lloydminster.
Mitchell’s role on the blueline was still to be determined.
“We’re just kind of starting to practice so I’m sure once the games start there will be more discussion about that so I’m looking forward to playing whatever role they hand me and contributing any way that I can,” said the 2014-15 midget AAA St. Albert Raider.
Mitchell has previous Hockey Canada experience at the 2017 IIHF U18 World Championship in Slovakia, 2016 World Junior A Challenge with Canada West in Bonnyville, 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and the 2015 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge with the Canada White gold medallists in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, B.C. He also attended the national under-17 development camp in August of 2015.
“Hockey Canada does things a certain way that’s a little different than how other programs run so it was definitely good to have that previous experience to help me through the tryout process,” said the second-round (57th overall) draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017.
With the Pioneers this season, Mitchell had two goals and 11 points in 14 games after recording 28 assists (his 19 power-play assists was second most in NCAA division one) and 30 points in 41 games in his freshmen campaign as the highest-scoring defenceman for fifth overall on the team. His 54 block shots was also tops on the Pioneers.
The 2018 NCHC All-Rookie Team and Frozen Faceoff All-Tournament Team selection was a finalist for the NCHC Rookie of the Year Award.
“It’s gone well in Denver. I’ve been able to play on the top power play unit and I get to play a lot of minutes there,” said Mitchell, a business student majoring in finance. “My game has really gone to the next level this year defensively and also offensively. I’m trying to be involved in the rush a lot more and also I’m harder to play against in my defensive zone as well.
“I’ve taken a lot of good strides this year to hopefully earning a contract at some point with the Blackhawks,” said the St. Albert Catholic High School graduate. “I’m a little bit more comfortable each game that we play. I’m definitely trying to round out all aspects of my game. I’m a good skater as an offensive defenceman and I’ve had to work on playing defence and working in my own zone so that’s something that’s coming over time and playing against good players I’ve been able to definitely pick that up as I play more.”
Mitchell’s journey to the world junior championship started in the Calahoo minor hockey system from initiation to peewee.
“Definitely a lot of people are asking me about Calahoo. Even people from the area don’t necessarily know where it is, is kind of my joke,” Mitchell said. “It was pretty cool growing up in a small town. I’ve had a lot of people that I grew up with get in touch with me and tell me congratulations and that’s pretty special just having those connections from such a young age.”
The 2015 Canada Winter Games silver medallist with Team Alberta also played two bantam AAA seasons with the PAC Saints and after his stint with the Raiders joined the Spruce Grove Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. In 107 regular-season games, Mitchell compiled 14 goals and 64 points and in his last season was the 2016-17 AJHL’s Top Defenceman finalist and All-League Team nominee.
