In the lead-up to the 2021 World Junior Championship, we're taking a look back at each of the 18 Canadian teams to capture the gold medal, culminating Dec. 25 with the start of the latest edition of the tournament.

The 1993 World Junior Hockey Championship in Gavle, Sweden, was an important one for Canada.

One year beforehand, the team sputtered to a sixth-place finish despite boasting the likes of Eric Lindros and Scott Niedermayer.

Neither of those future Hall of Famers returned to the '93 squad, but it still featured its share of standout performers, including another eventual legend who cemented himself as a budding star with his play in this tourney and a goaltender who stole the show.

The roster

*Denotes returning player
All ages are as of the start of the tournament

The tournament

Canada went 6-1-0 in the tournament, which used a round-robin format and awarded medals to the top three teams based on the standings. The squad's only defeat came in its final game on Jan. 4 at the hands of the Czech and Slovak Republics - a unified side that began the event as Czechoslovakia before the country dissolved into two separate nations three days before the game.

Sweden was a more dominant club throughout the tourney. The Swedes were led by a 19-year-old Peter Forsberg, who amassed seven goals and an incredible 24 assists in seven games to lead all skaters in points while setting a tournament record in that category. Teammates Markus Naslund and Niklas Sundstrom finished first and second in the goal-scoring race at 13 and 10, respectively, with Naslund's total giving him a record of his own.

The Swedes finished with the same record as Canada and a better goal differential. However, the Canadians earned a 5-4 victory in the two powerhouses' lone meeting at the tournament on Dec. 27, 1992, which ultimately served as the tiebreaker.

The stars

Legace posted a stellar .955 save percentage over six games. The future NHL veteran was named best goaltender and was also the lone netminder the media chose for the tournament All-Star team.

Kariya's eight points ranked second among Canadian skaters. The skilled winger dramatically improved compared to his two-point output through six contests in 1992.

Lapointe led Canada with nine points and tied Gendron for the team lead with five goals. Tully - who collected a goal and two assists in seven games - earned an All-Star nod as one of only two defensemen on the list.

The key moment

Nearly a year to the day before Canada and Sweden met at this tournament, the teams played to a 2-2 tie in which the Swedes scored the equalizer with seven seconds left to knock Canada out of medal contention.

On the night before their clash at the 1993 tourney, Forsberg said this to TSN's Bob McKenzie:

(Courtesy: TSN/YouTube)

The matchup certainly lived up to the hype, with the two deep squads trading goals in a spirited affair. It even got physical - both Daigle and Sweden's Naslund were ejected.

The heavily favored Swedes had a glorious chance to force overtime in the final seconds of the contest, but Mats Lindgren whiffed on a centering pass in front of the Canadian net just before the buzzer sounded.

The fallout

A pair of future Hockey Hall of Famers on this Canadian squad went early in the NHL draft about six months later. Kariya's strong play undoubtedly helped convince the Anaheim Ducks to select him fourth overall, while Pronger went two picks ahead of him after registering one goal and three assists in the tourney.

The Ottawa Senators took Daigle with the first pick in that draft, and although the eventual mega-bust didn't score in the 1993 tournament, he did contribute six assists in seven games.

Only three players from the '93 team (Bouchard, Gendron, and Tully) returned the following year, but this title got Canada back on track and started a run of five straight gold medals for the Canadian program at the tournament.

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Vancouver Canucks goaltender Braden Holtby will not wear the new Indigenous-themed mask he had planned to debut with his new team this season after being accused of cultural appropriation.

"I just wanted to make sure I apologize to anyone I had offended," Holtby told CTV News' Emad Agahi on Saturday. "It was definitely not my intent and I definitely learned a valuable lesson through this all and I'll make sure I'm better and moving forward, do the things that help the community the most."

In a now-deleted Instagram post, Swedish goalie mask artist Dave Gunnarsson shared his design for Holtby's headgear, which he wrote depicted "the myth of the Thunderbird, a Canadian west (coast) myth." Gunnarsson also described the image, as shown below, as "The Northwest Coast Indigenous Myth."

(Courtesy: Reddit Hockey)

Gunnarsson took the post down a day later after social media users claimed it appropriated Aboriginal culture. Several First Nations figures agreed.

"When we see the mask, although looking brilliant, one of the first questions you ask is, 'Who made it?'" said Robert Philips, a member of the First Nations Summit Political Executive and the Northern Secwepemc te Qelmucw (Shuswap) of the Canim Lake First Nation.

"Immediately thoughts of cultural appropriation come up,” Philips told Agahi.

Jay Soule, an Indigenous artist based in Toronto, had a suggestion for Holtby.

"If the goalie in question wants to use Indigenous art on his helmet, the right thing to do would be just to reach out to an Indigenous artist and commission (them) to do that," Soule said.

Soule added that when this kind of work comes from non-Indigenous artists, it has a "catastrophic" effect on his community's economy. The artist also said he too believes it was cultural appropriation, but lauded Gunnarsson for taking "a step in the right direction" by removing the post.

Holtby told Agahi he plans to collaborate with a First Nations artist for a new mask he'll wear for the 2020-21 season.

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The Detroit Red Wings have traded the rights to forward Dmytro Timashov to the New York Islanders for future considerations.

Timashov, a restricted free agent, played five games with the Red Wings last season after Detroit claimed him off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs in late February.

The 24-year-old reunites with Lou Lamoriello, the Islanders' president and general manager, who left the Maple Leafs to join New York in May 2018.

Timashov collected four goals and five assists in 39 contests during his first NHL season with Toronto in 2019-20. Before that, the Ukrainian winger played three campaigns with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, helping them win the Calder Cup in 2018.

The Maple Leafs drafted him 125th overall in 2015.

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The man who put together the championship team at the last best-on-best men's international hockey tournament will likely be entrusted to do it again.

"(St. Louis Blues general manager) Doug Armstrong will be asked to come back and be GM of Canada's national team for the Olympics," TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on the latest edition of "Insider Trading."

The NHL's participation in the 2022 Beijing Olympics is still not a certainty, as the league and the IOC still need to hammer out an agreement.

Armstrong assembled the Canadian team that won gold at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto. The longtime executive was also part of the Canadian management groups that built championship clubs at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics as well as the World Championships in 2007 and 2016.

The executive constructed the St. Louis squad that won the Stanley Cup in 2019, becoming the first individual in management to join the Double Triple Gold Club by winning two titles in the NHL, a pair at the Olympics, and two more at the worlds.

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The border between Canada and the United States remains closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but that won't stop NHL teams in one nation from making deals with clubs in the other.

There will be no rules preventing intercountry trades, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on the latest edition of "Insider Trading."

However, players traded from Canada to the U.S. or vice versa will still be subject to quarantine protocols in the relevant provinces or states, LeBrun added.

The border has been closed to all non-essential travel since the COVID-19 outbreak in March.

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford recently expressed concern that he wouldn't be able to make as many swaps as he usually does due to the travel restrictions.

The NHL is reportedly targeting a Jan. 13 start date for the 2020-21 season. Both the league and the NHLPA prefer a 56-game schedule.

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In the lead-up to the 2021 World Junior Championship, we're taking a look back at each of the 18 Canadian teams to capture the gold medal, culminating Dec. 25 with the start of the latest edition of the tournament.

The 1982 world junior tournament was a memorable one for Canada for several reasons, but it was headlined by the fact the country won its first-ever world junior gold medal.

It was also the first time the Canadian brain trust put together a true national junior team. Ultimately, the tourney was unforgettable because of what happened amid the gold-medal celebration.

This was the sixth edition of the event and it was held primarily in Minnesota, with several games taking place in Manitoba and Ontario.

The roster

*Denotes returning player
All ages are from the start of the tournament

The tournament

Canada won its first six games in the round-robin tourney, outscoring opponents 42-11 while dealing the Soviet Union its worst-ever loss in a 7-0 rout.

However, not all of Canada's victories were blowouts, as the team narrowly prevailed over Sweden (3-2) and the United States (5-4) before thumping West Germany 11-3 and dominating Switzerland 11-1.

Canada only needed to tie Czechoslovakia in its final game to guarantee the gold, and that's exactly what happened, as the two sides played to a 3-3 draw.

The stars

Habscheid - who'd eventually become a fixture behind Canada's bench on the international stage - led the team and ranked third among all skaters with six goals in the tourney. Mike Moller led all Canadian players with 14 points, posting the third-highest total in the tournament.

Moffatt was named goaltender of the tourney after posting a .935 save percentage across four games.

Kluzak earned top defenseman honors while joining Moffatt and the aforementioned Moller on the tournament All-Star team.

The key moment

Canada was hemmed in its defensive zone for the final minute of play in the gold-medal game, needing to win a faceoff in its own end in the dying seconds to secure the tie. The Canadian squad won the draw, and the victorious players spilled onto the ice to celebrate as the buzzer sounded.

After the Canadian players received their gold medals, they realized the small arena in Rochester, Minnesota, didn't have a proper audio setup and couldn't play "O Canada." The Canadians began singing the anthem in unison while lined up on the ice, unknowingly starting a tradition that still endures to this day.

The fallout

The 1982 team didn't boast any future NHL megastars, but several players on the Canadian team ultimately had solid pro careers, including Patrick, Murray, Arniel, and Butcher. Habscheid, Patrick, and Arniel later entered the coaching ranks, while Randy Moller became a longtime broadcaster with the Florida Panthers - a role he continues to occupy - following his playing career.

Canada struggled to match its success in the tourney in the two years that followed, settling for bronze in 1983 and placing fourth in 1984 before claiming gold again in 1985.

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The Minnesota Wild won't have one of their key playmakers in the lineup when the 2020-21 campaign begins.

Mats Zuccarello will not be ready for the start of the season after undergoing right arm surgery several weeks ago, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo. The winger left his native Norway for Minnesota to consult with his team's medical staff, reports Russo.

Doctors found a torn ligament in Zuccarello's arm, and the 33-year-old played through the injury for most of 2019-20, Russo adds. It's the same arm Zuccarello broke in his first game with the Dallas Stars in 2018-19.

The 10-year veteran produced 15 goals and 22 assists in 65 games for the Wild last season. It was his first with Minnesota after signing a five-year, $30-million contract with the club as a free agent on July 1, 2019.

Zuccarello spent his first eight campaigns and much of his ninth with the New York Rangers before they traded him to the Stars in February 2019. He ultimately played only two regular-season games and 13 playoff contests before signing with the Wild.

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Chris Driedger might have to wear his new mask at all times.

The Florida Panthers goaltender provided an early glimpse of his new headgear Thursday night. It features both Baby Yoda and Din Djarin, the two primary protagonists from "The Mandalorian."

The critically acclaimed series debuted in November 2019 and is currently in its second season.

Driedger is about as inexperienced in the NHL as Baby Yoda is at life, though the 26-year-old netminder did spend parts of the last seven campaigns in the minors before excelling in limited action with the Panthers last season. He posted a .938 save percentage in 12 games for Florida in 2019-20.

Baby Yoda has become a viral star since the show first aired, and while Driedger might not match the beloved infant's mainstream appeal, this is the way to become a fan favorite.

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Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford is preparing for the possibility that he won't be able to make deals with other clubs as easily as he usually does.

Rutherford still plans to be proactive on the trade market if and when plans for the 2020-21 season are finalized, but he acknowledged transactions could be more complicated given travel restrictions amid the pandemic.

"If there are trades this season," Rutherford told The Athletic's Rob Rossi. "I don't know."

The longtime executive believes the NHL could become similar to the NFL in the upcoming season in terms of having fewer in-season swaps.

"It's probably (going to be) more like football than ever," Rutherford said. "It's probably going to be more where you set your team and that's going to be your team."

He added that though it's possible the policies are relaxed as the campaign progresses, he's going to try to fine-tune his roster as much as he can before the puck drops for the season opener.

"It may mean as the season goes along these restrictions get eased off a bit, and maybe you can start to do stuff, but these are some of the things I've started to think about," Rutherford said. "Like, you better get as many guys in place as you can because it may not be easy for somebody when the season starts."

However, the 71-year-old cautioned that he doesn't know more than anyone else at this stage, adding that if he identifies any areas of need on his team, he'll try to address them immediately.

Rutherford is one of the NHL's most active GMs when it comes to trades, having made 53 since taking the Penguins job in June 2014, according to Rossi. He's orchestrated several significant deals while with Pittsburgh, acquiring the likes of Phil Kessel and Patric Hornqvist for the Penguins' back-to-back titles before trading them both away in separate deals about one year apart.

The three-time Stanley Cup-winning GM landed current Penguins forward Jason Zucker two weeks before the 2019-20 trade deadline. He also acquired winger Kasperi Kapanen - whom he originally sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs when he first nabbed Kessel in 2015 - and defenseman Mike Matheson in August and September, respectively.

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University of North Dakota defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker and forward Jasper Weatherby kneeled during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before their NCHC season opener against Miami University on Wednesday.

Here's a wider angle:

Bernard-Docker and Weatherby made their intentions known Tuesday. The players explained they wanted to protest racial injustice and promote equality.

Weatherby said at the time they planned to kneel only before Wednesday's contest.

The two players attended a Black Lives Matter march in Grand Forks along with North Dakota goaltender Peter Thome in the wake of George Floyd's death in police custody in May, according to the Grand Forks Herald's Brad Elliott Schlossman.

Bernard-Docker and Weatherby are also members of their school's Student-Athlete Inclusion and Diversity group that meets twice a month. Weatherby, the NCHC's player representative in a college hockey diversity group, made a list of recommendations for making his campus more inclusive and sent the suggestions to school officials.

The Fighting Hawks hosted a team movie night in November where they watched a documentary about Floyd's death, as well as another film that focused on systemic racism of Black people in the United States.

Bernard-Docker and Weatherby are junior classmates, roommates, and assistant captains for the top-ranked Fighting Hawks. Bernard-Docker is a 2018 first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators and he's one of the club's top prospects. That same year, the San Jose Sharks selected Weatherby in the fourth round.

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