For 40 years, short-notice call-ups from North America, Europe, and Switzerland have shaped Team Canada’s roster at the Spengler Cup.

True to tradition, Team Canada is once again taking its time this year before announcing its roster for the Spengler Cup in Davos. As usual, the Canadians are the last of the six participating teams to reveal their lineup – often only shortly before Christmas, once the final league games before the holidays have been played. Only then does it become clear who is healthy, in form, and ready to pull on the proud hockey nation’s jersey.

According to the statistics platform Eliteprospects, no fewer than 582 players have worn Team Canada’s red-and-white jersey at the Spengler Cup since 1984. Some appeared only once, while others returned year after year and became part of the tournament’s history.

Ten players have worn the Canada jersey more than 20 times – proof of their close connection to Davos. The record holder is Domenic Pittis, who played 32 games in seven Spengler Cup appearances between 2004 and 2011. Stacy Roest (6 tournaments / 27 games), Chris Belanger (6 / 28), Micki Du Pont (6 / 25), Maxim Noreau (6 / 23), Chris DiDomenico (7 / 26), Yves Sarault (5 / 24), Joel Kwiatkowski (5 / 21), Shawn Heins (6 / 27), and Jean-Guy Trudel (5 / 21) also spent their Christmas holidays in Davos more often than anywhere else.

Some Canadian players not only represented their homeland but also suited up for other teams at the Spengler Cup – for example, Yves Sarault for Ingolstadt, Shawn Heins for Fribourg, or Micki Du Pont, who even played for three different clubs: Team Canada, Eisbären Berlin, and EHC Kloten.

But Team Canada has never been merely a gathering place for seasoned veterans – it has also served as a stage for major NHL stars. Ryan Smyth, Jason Spezza, John Tavares, Patrice Bergeron, Matt Duchene, Glenn Anderson, and Chris Kelly – all of them have worn the maple leaf in Davos.

One of the greatest among them was Martin St. Louis – a player who became a legend while still active. The Canadian took part in the Spengler Cup twice and won it both times – in 1995 with Team Canada and in 2004 with HC Davos.
With the Tampa Bay Lightning, he captured the Stanley Cup in 2004, and with the Canadian national team, he won Olympic gold in Sochi in 2014. His résumé also includes a gold medal from the World Cup of Hockey, two World Championship medals, and countless MVP, top-scorer, and All-Star honors. In 2018, Martin St. Louis was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. Since February 2022, the 50-year-old has been head coach of the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL.

St. Louis was never a man of many words; he focused entirely on himself: “As a player, I didn’t care what others thought. When you prove to yourself that you can achieve your goals – whatever they may be – it builds tremendous confidence.” It was the small goals, he says, that paved his path to success: “I always took it step by step, set short-term goals for myself, and I think that helped me become a stronger player.” Looking back, he considers the Spengler Cup one of the most valuable experiences of his career.

A detailed portrait of Martin St. Louis will appear in this year’s Spengler Cup Yearbook, to be published at the end of November.

Text: Spengler Cup-Redaktion    Foto: Keystone