Standing in the hallways of Sharks Ice immediately following a hard-fought rookie tournament game, it would have been fair to wonder how a seemingly seasoned NHL veteran had made his way to the interview circle. 

After all, the man in question -- the one wearing the "C" throughout the weekend -- had given no indication he was drafted just 14 months prior. From his standout play on the ice to his calm, collected demeanor when addressing multiple reporters, to the way he had emerged the unquestioned leader of a team still very much getting to know one another, Mason McTavish made it seem like he had been in this league for years.

"It's just for the rookie tournament," McTavish quickly pointed out, humbly downplaying the importance of his temporary leadership role before admitting how honored he felt to be selected. "But it's definitely really special. It means a lot to me, and I'm honored to wear it."

If it seems to you like McTavish has been in the headlines of the hockey world more often than not over the past year, you're far from alone in that sense. The 19-year-old forward has been all over the globe since officially joining the Ducks, competing in five different leagues and competitions, for six unique teams.

Tweet from @MattWeller_: Finally tally for Mason McTavish 's 2021-22 season:- 6 different teams- 72 games played- 48 goals- 90 points- NHL Debut- First NHL Goal- Became an Olympian- OHL Championship- Memorial Cup Runner Up- OHL Second-Team All-Star#FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/bLRUbw2WzJ

To most teenagers, that would warrant a necessary, well-earned rest for the summer. A chance to step back from the sport, take stock of one's development and recharge the proverbial batteries before a challenging NHL training camp.

But when faced with that exact decision this summer, whether to attend the rescheduled World Junior Championship in Edmonton, there was no doubt in McTavish's mind what path he would choose. 

"It was a huge goal of mine to play in the World Juniors," he said. "Not even a goal, actually, it was just a dream. As a kid, I didn't even think I really could. Then I got the opportunity, and those experiences don't come around that often. So I really wanted to capture it." McTavish was one of few top prospects to make that difficult call. Many chose the rest and relaxation route, but that goes against the very fabric of who the 2021 third overall pick is as a person. If there's a competition on the table, especially one with the WJC's magnitude, you can undoubtedly count McTavish in.

"I just love to play hockey. I think that's biggest reason, I love to do it," McTavish said. "It makes it so much easier and way more fun. It's been my passion ever since I was a kid. I have the opportunity to do what I've wanted to do since I was a kid, and it's pretty special."

Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins recalled having some of those reservations about over-working a still-developing young player. When asked by his pupil, he gave McTavish his honest assessment after flying to Canada to catch some World Juniors action. McTavish's response though opened the coach's eyes to a new perspective.

"I was worried that he had played a whole lot of hockey and he might need some rest, but he came right back with his passion and said he really wanted to play," Eakins recalled. "And you know what, I think it's a great reminder to all of us with how we look at our lives. If you have a dream and you're passionate about something, you should never put it on the back burner, because you might never ever get another shot at it again. It made me think about things in my personal life where I was like, 'You know what, yeah, I'm passionate about that.' Or 'I had that dream, like, why am I waiting?' I just thought it was a great lesson to all of us to follow that kid's lead with his passion and fulfilling a dream."

That dream paid off in reality about as well as McTavish could have ever hoped, both individually and for his country. He was named Tournament MVP after a fully dominant performance, leading all players in scoring (17 points) and finishing tied for third in Canadian history with Wayne Gretzky and Eric Lindros. Meanwhile, he pulled off what will go down as one of the most famous plays in the history of the competition, a gold-medal saving goal line deflection, knocking the puck out of mid-air and sweeping it out of the crease.

But while the hockey world was losing its collective mind over his incredible heroics, McTavish didn't yet realize what he had just accomplished.

Tweet from @AnaheimDucks: MASON MCTAVISH WITH THE GOLD MEDAL SAVING SAVE! 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/g8L8aZYbk0

"I was pretty tired at the end of a shift, so not much oxygen was kind of going to my brain," McTavish laughed. "I just kind of remember it was trickling in, but honestly, I didn't think it was going to be like a big deal then. Obviously when I got to look back at it, it was, but like when I actually did it, I didn't think it was that special."

Special it was to his fellow Canadians and teammates alike, including fellow 2021 Ducks draftee Olen Zellweger. 

The smooth-skating defenseman, who too was on the ice when Finland came mere inches from glory, has been alongside McTavish at many of those previous stops, including the 2021 U-18's where McTavish solidified his spot atop Anaheim's draft board under Team Canada head coach and current Ducks assistant Mike Stothers.

"He's a great vocal leader, like many good leaders are, but I think he brings that element of leading with his actions," said Zellweger, who co-led the tournament in assists with McTavish. "He's doing himself what he's talking about to others. That's huge for a captain. Plus, he's super competitive, so it falls onto other guys in the room who want to be like that, too."

That relentlessly competitive mentality was paramount in Anaheim's decision to draft McTavish in the first place and is prevalent in everything he does, even in rookie tournament games that are technically just exhibition contests. If there was a post-whistle scrum, McTavish was in the middle of it for Anaheim.

And like Zellweger said, his teammates and coaches both notice and feed off of it.

"He lets his work ethic, his compete level and his commitment to his game and his teammates speak for itself," Eakins said. "And the thing I love about that is it's so infectious, it's like a disease. You catch it and that commitment we want all injected to all of our players."

McTavish acknowledged he feels a noticeable difference heading into his second training camp, more comfort with his surroundings, his teammates and coaches, plus a clearer understanding of what he needs to do to accomplish his very simple goal: make the Ducks roster and stick full-time.

"There are no spots guaranteed here, and anything can happen in training camp, so I'm going to work as hard as I can and hopefully earn a spot on the team," McTavish said. "But I've definitely met so many more people and feel a lot more comfortable around everybody. I've made so many new friends and I think it makes playing with everyone here a lot easier."

Eakins agreed with the assessment, but also reiterated that McTavish made enough of an impression a year ago to make the team out of camp at 18-years-old, an exceptionally rare feat. 

"He's an old soul in that he's so well-versed in the game" Eakins said. "He's already got pro habits and he's responsible without the puck. That's a lot of the reason why he was still here with us last year [at the end of training camp] at his age."

McTavish's versatility could help his cause. Naturally a center, he spent most of his time at wing with Anaheim last season and Eakins was particularly impressed with his ability along the wall in the defensive zone. A year bigger and stronger, McTavish is now even more physically ready to handle the challenges of puck battles against players five-plus years his senior.

"His skating has improved, I think he looks quicker, and his strength just keeps on building," Eakins said. "That's something that holds those teenage players back, their strength especially in those situations, but he already has very real strength and it's still growing."

McTavish's journey to the Ducks roster begins with the club's first official on-ice work this Thursday at Great Park Ice, which is open to the public.

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