Back for a third world junior hockey championship, Ryan Ellis is looking forward to a bigger leadership role.
The diminutive dynamo on the blue-line is just one of four returning players named to Canada's team for the upcoming world junior hockey championship and given his experience, he'll be counted on to help guide the 18-first timers.
"It's exciting," said Ellis. "I think in my first year I was always learning from the older guys, now it's kind of my chance to help out the younger guys, there's a lot of first-year players here.
"It's always a new experience and I know I was nervous my first time. It's more exciting for me than nervous and they may be more nervous and to help them out is a big part to winning."
Ellis, who turns 20 on Jan. 3, was mostly used as a power-play specialist in his first world junior championship two years ago in Ottawa, helping Canada win gold. At the last tournament, he was given more playing time as Canada lost in the final to the United States in Regina.
This time around, the Windsor Spitfires star from Freelton, Ont., will likely to be called upon even more.
He believes the team's upcoming exhibition games are critical for helping the players identify their roles.
"The biggest thing is finding chemistry and bonding together as a team," he said. "We need to find the line combinations and the players you're most comfortable playing with, but most important I think is the bonding and the chemistry, getting to know everyone , getting comfortable with everyone in every which way."
A first-round pick taken 11th overall by the Nashville Predators in 2009, Ellis has constantly had to overcome negative perceptions of him, be it because of his slight five-foot-10, 184-pound frame or because of questions over his defensive play.
He feels those are behind him now, although they'll likely resurface once he turns pro.
"I've worked on my defensive game, that's always been a knock on me. I've tried to get bigger and stronger in the gym but most importantly is on the ice, working on anything I can," he said.
"(The criticism) used to be more motivating but I think I've moved on past that. It's going to be another adjustment at the next level in the NHL and I think that will kind of fuel some fire, now it's just more background noise. It's old news kind of thing."
LONG NIGHT: The night before the national junior team gets named is the worst for players trying out. Phone calls early in the morning send players home, while a knock on the door tells others they've made it.
The wait can be agonizing.
Forward Jaden Schwartz of Emerald Park, Sask., went through a series of ups and downs until he heard a knock on the door.
"It was probably the craziest night I've ever had," he said. "I didn't have a roommate so I was just sitting there by myself, I didn't get to bed until two, then I woke up at 6 a.m., I think the phone calls were going on around that time. I turned on the TV and never went back to sleep after that. It was a tough night, it was hard waiting there to see what the word was going to be.
"Until they knocked on the door I wasn't sure what was going to happen. I was pretty thrilled when I answered the door, I didn't look to see who it was, my eyes opened (wide) and I can't even explain the feelings that were going through me."