Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jonathan Bernier has rejected an invite to represent his country at the World Hockey Championships next month.
Bernier revealed his decision to not don a different sort of Maple Leaf on the Canada jersey to reporters on Monday.
The 26-year-old is a restricted free agent this summer and with rumors he picked up a late season injury, not wanting to hurt his stock value in the NHL market is sure to have played a part in his decision. Having just become a Father in August, spending time with his family in the off-season may have been another factor.
Earlier in the month, the Laval, Quebec native expressed his desire to sign a new deal with the Leafs, but as the team is set to undergo a summer overhaul in preparation of a rebuild, his future remains uncertain.
The other goalie Canada invited, however, Arizona Coyotes’ Mike Smith signed with the team and is said to be committed to wear the red and white in a few weeks.
The Championships will take place in the Czech Republic starting May 1st with Canada in group A; a group boosting the likes of Sweden, the hosts, and Switzerland. The most notable teams in group B are the United States, Russia, and Finland.