Kevin Bieska blasts online trolls for unwanted comments aimed at Team Canada after WJC exit

The World Junior Championship in Canada is considered a huge event, with the eyes of the entire nation fixed on the young players representing the country. Each year, Team Canada enters the tournament with hype surrounding it as it has an elaborate hockey system starting right from the junior levels.

However, Team Canada suffered a second consecutive shock exit at the hands of Team Czechia. The team went down 4-3 in the quarterfinals on Friday, with the Czechs scoring their winning goal in the dying seconds of the game. After the game, on social media, Team Canada's young players were heavily trolled for their poor performance.

Speaking on Sportsnet's "Hockey Night in Canada," analyst and former NHL player Kevin Bieska voiced his opinions about the way the online mass media in Canada hurled its criticism toward the young Team Canada players. He called out the trolls for speaking ill about the teenagers suiting up to play for their country and asked them to be more supportive.

"Yeah, but as a country, though, there should be a little bit more support than demanding victory and then when they lose think about all the people that are writing negative things online," Bieska said. "Like, who does that? Who writes a negative thing online about a 16 to 20 year old playing their hearts out trying to win?

"You think they want to lose? We should be nothing but support."

Overall it can be argued that Team Canada wasn't up to the mark at all. It had suffered two losses in the preliminary round, one to the defending champions, Team USA, and the other a shocking loss to Team Latvia. In the entire tournament, the team's discipline on the ice was questioned as penalties made it suffer.

Don Cherry gives his suggestion to Team Canada after disastrous exit

NHL veteran Don Cherry made his feelings known about Team Canada in the World Juniors. As per him, the players weren't to blame as they needed a full-time coach. In Canada, the World Juniors coach, albeit announced way ahead in the tournament, is picked from the successful coaches in the Canadian Hockey League.

“Don’t be too hard on the kids. They tried their best. They seemed tight all tournament. Hockey Canada has to get with it and hire full-time coaches for the World Jrs, Under 18, Under 17 and get some consistency,” Cherry wrote on X.

Dave Cameron, coach for this year, has been at the Ottawa 67s since 2021. Last year, it was Alan Letang who coached the team, suffering the same result.