The owner of the Ottawa Senators joined Canada's world junior hockey team on a special trip to CFB Petawawa Monday to live up to a promise they made to soldiers last winter.

"It's just a great thrill to be able to do something for them. These are hard working people that put their lives on the line and to give up a morning to come out here is a fraction of what they give back to us," said Eugene Melnyk, owner of the Ottawa Senators and organizing chair of the world junior hockey tournament.

Canada's junior hockey team visited the military base to take part in some team-building exercises last December as they prepared for their on-ice battle at the World Junior hockey championship held in Ottawa.

If they won the tournament, the players promised to return to the base with the winning cup. Canada won their fifth straight gold medal on Jan. 5, downing Sweden 5-1.

More than 2,000 soldiers joined Team Canada in celebrations at the base Monday afternoon.

"It's nice to see the players and the coach out here volunteering their time coming back to see us, showing that they support us," said Pte. Jeff Carvalho.

"You couldn't really ask for much more from these guys -- taking some time to come and see us, sign a couple of autographs, shake hands," added Cpl. Charles Cockerell.

But the coach behind the winning team said soldiers taught his players the importance of team-building. He said bringing Canada's trophy back to CFB Petawawa was the least the team could do to show their appreciation.

"It was a small gesture to be able to make and you never know if you're going to win, but in my mind if we won, we were coming back," said Team Canada head coach Pat Quinn.

"We really did appreciate the time we spent here and we really came together as a team and we know that without these guys we wouldn't have won," added Cody Hodgson, alternate captain for Team Canada.

This year's win tied Canada's best run at the world juniors, when Team Canada captured a streak of gold medals from 1993 to 1997.

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Jonathon Rotondo