Team Canada looking to channel some Blue Jays vibes at world juniors

In an effort to channel anything to help them return to medal contention after back-to-back disappointing tournaments, Team Canada is looking to tap into some Blue Jays karma for this year’s world junior tournament.

Hockey Canada announced via social media that following each Canadian goal scored in the tournament — which gets under way in Minnesota on Friday — the Blue Jays’ home run horn will be played in the arena.

It was certainly a popular sound during the Jays’ magical run through the post-season and all the way to Game 7 of the World Series, a booming celebration that fired up crowds at the Rogers Centre and Canadians watching and listening coast-to-coast on Sportsnet.

And now a group of Canadian teenagers will be hoping the noise gets plenty of airtime on TSN during the wildly popular tournament among hockey fans over the next couple of weeks.

https://x.com/BlueJays/status/1981798404968562778?s=20

“From Canada’s team to Team Canada,” Hockey Canada’s social media posts on Friday declared. “Our friends at the #Bluejays have loaned us their home run horn for the #worldjuniors.”

Canada was scheduled to open the annual tournament, a huge tradition among hockey fans here, with an 8:30 p.m. date against the Czechia.

Play for Canada starts Friday night

The tournament opener in St. Paul, Minn., is an opportunity for Canada to avenge a disappointing quarterfinal loss to the Czechs at last year’s tournament in Ottawa, after the hosts allowed a goal in the final minute of regulation to suffer a 4-3 defeat.

This year’s team is certainly hoping to make good use of the iconic Blue Jays home run horn, especially after scoring just seven even-strength goals in five games at last year’s tournament.

https://x.com/HockeyCanada/status/2004614484904599574?s=20

After Friday’s opener, the Canadians are back in action with a Saturday date against Latvia and continue round-robin action with games against Latvia and Finland on Monday and Wednesday, respectively.

Though Jays fans have long been familiar with the horn that fills the Rogers Centre following a Toronto home run, it got plenty of play and national exposure during the post-season that ended with a Game 7 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a memorable World Series.

Team Canada plans for goal celebrations in Minnesota to have the home run horn followed by the Tragically Hip’s hit song Courage.