'Not going to Michigan our way to the final': Canada hits reset button at world juniors

Dylan Guenther is all for elite players using every available tool at their disposal.

He's one of them.

It's when that skill stretches outside a team's structure where issues can arise.

Canada attempted "The Michigan" move twice in the early stages of Monday's embarrassing 5-2 opening-night loss to Czechia at the world junior hockey championship.

Guenther saw nothing wrong with either sequence in a vacuum.

But what they illustrated was how far the Canadians had already strayed from a supposed hard-nosed identity and game plan to accompany their high-end talent against an opponent that hadn't registered a regulation victory against the tournament favourites in 23 previous meetings.

"We're not going to 'Michigan' our way to the final," Guenther, who scored previously using the same polarizing move in the Western Hockey League, said Tuesday at the team's hotel. "We're trying it a lot. It's a skilled play. I get it. But I think that's kind of how our game's going right now.

"We're trying to skill our way through it. We're trying to toe-drag, beat guys one-on-one."

WATCH | Czechs upset Canada at world juniors:

One of three players loaned to Canada for the men's under-20 showcase by NHL clubs, the Arizona Coyotes forward speaks from a position of authority.

"You have to play the right way," said Guenther, who has 11 points in 21 NHL games this season. "Play together and play as a team. It starts with the simple side of the game — winning battles. Our skill ... there's no problem.

"It's the compete level."

Canadian head coach Dennis Williams also has no issues with hockey's most-skilled generation to date going for the audacious — as long the timing is appropriate.

"Would like to have seen us do a better job of getting to the