The World Junior Championship, often referred to as the most fantastic time of year in hockey, is just around the corner. Team Canada has submitted their final roster ahead of the event, just as they did for 2024. This year’s team features an impressive 21 players who NHL teams have already drafted. After a disappointing finish last year when they were eliminated in the quarter-finals against Czechia, they look to bounce back and try to take home a medal this year.
Goaltenders
Carson Bjarnason (Brandon Wheat Kings), Carter George (Owen Sound), Jack Ivankovic (Brampton Steelheads)
The goaltending trio has some highlights, with two drafted goaltenders and one highly touted prospect in Jack Ivankovic. Ivankovic was the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection by Mississauga. He has a 12-7-1 record with a .898 save percentage (SV%) and 3.49 goals-against average (GAA). Given how well his fellow teammates have been playing, it might be a competition to see who will start game one.
Carson Bjarnason (Philadelphia Flyers) has an 8-6-2 record, a .913 SV%, and a 2.90 GAA. Carter George (Los Angeles Kings) has a 4-13-5 record, a .905 SV%, and a 3.49 GAA. Based on the statistics, it could be Ivankovic’s net to lose, but we shall see during camp what the team wants to roll with and how lenient they will be with their starts.
Defencemen
Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters), Beau Akey (Barrie Colts,) Sawyer Mynio (Seattle Thunderbirds), Tanner Molendyk (Saskatoon Blades), Oliver Bonk (London Knights), Caden Price (Kelowna Rockets), Sam Dickinson (London Knights), Andrew Gibson (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Seven of the eight defensemen are drafted, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that they will be a force on the defensive and offensive end. Matthew Schaefer is the only undrafted player on the list but is a highly touted prospect for this upcoming 2025 NHL Entry Draft. With many scouts projecting him to be a top-five pick, he will be one of many players on this defence core that can facilitate the puck at an elite level and potentially see time on the power play unit; it just depends if it’s on the first or second.
The London Knights duo of Oliver Bonk (Philadelphia Flyers) and Sam Dickinson (San Jose Sharks) are an elite pairing we have seen in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Dickinson excels at mirroring footwork in close quarters, taking away space and stepping into opponents to make stops. His defensive range often makes it challenging to get past him. He is decisive and explosive when he has the puck, drawing in forechecking pressure before effortlessly leaving it behind as he carries it from zone to zone without any hindrance. Bonk is a purebred shutdown defender. He helps safeguard his team by backtracking after offensive turnovers, blocking access to the defensive zone, and forcing opponents to dump the puck away from him.
Beau Akey (Edmonton Oilers) employs strong and precise footwork to track attackers and keep them away from the net. He applies pressure on opponents in the offensive zone before they can clear the puck. Sawyer Mynio (Vancouver Canucks) is also a strong, capable rush defender that can force attackers to the outside using his strength and footwork. Tanner Molendyk (Nashville Predators) is an excellent skater who can help with rush chances and create plenty of scoring chances while being a heavy hitter.
Caden Price (Montreal Canadiens) is a “Swiss Army knife” defender who can move the puck well, help set up plays and be a strong defensive stopper. Andrew Gibson (Nashville Predators), who at 6-foot-4, can easily manipulate opponents with his deceptive playmaking while using his strong frame to keep opponents off the puck while he looks for a play.
Most notably, Zayne Parekh (Calgary Flames), the ninth pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, was left off the final list, and many were expecting to make the team with the offensive firepower he brings.
Forwards
Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers), Bradley Nadeau (Chicago Wolves), Brayden Yager (Lethbridge Hurricanes), Jett Luchanko (Guelph Strom), Luca Pinelli (Ottawa 67’s), Berkly Catton (Spokane Cheifs), Carson Rehkopf (Brampton Steelheads), Ethan Gauthier (Drummondville Voltigeurs), Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals), Porter Martone (Brampton Steelheads), Tanner Howe (Calgary Hitmen), Cole Beaudoin (Barrie Colts), Easton Cowen (London Knights), Mathieu Cataford (Rimouski Oceanic)
Like the defencemen, this forward group is loaded with skill. Twelve of the 14 have been drafted, and the two who haven’t are again highly touted prospects in this upcoming draft and the next.
The two undrafted players are Porter Martone and Gavin McKenna. Martone (6-foot-3) is a powerful forward who plays a physical game but also has incredibly soft hands and exceptional scoring ability. He excels as both a playmaker and a goal-scorer. His combination of skill, work ethic, competitiveness, and ability to consistently contribute to the offence stands out. Currently second in scoring in the OHL with 27 goals and 28 assists for 55 points, he stands behind Michael Misa, another player many expected to make the team.
McKenna is a 6-foot, 165-pound forward who primarily plays on the wing but has the potential to play as a center. He is an excellent skater, displaying deceptive bursts of speed, a smooth skating stride, and natural agility. When he has the puck, he is highly effective. McKenna can transform challenging situations into scoring opportunities, thanks to his elite-level hockey sense and ability to get pucks into high-percentage areas through precise passing or by taking the puck himself.
Related: Guide to the 2025 World Junior Championship
Easton Cowan (Toronto Maple Leafs) has been having a great season offensively. With 15 goals and 13 assists for 28 points, he is currently on a 56-game point streak, which broke Doug Gilmour’s streak of 55 games, but since Cowan’s spanned across two different seasons, it “technically” does not count towards the league record. He left his last game with an injury, but with enough time before game one, there is plenty of time to recover and get healthy.
Calum Ritchie (Colorado Avalanche) played in the NHL, scoring his first career goal, but now he is back with the Generals. He continues to produce, with eight goals and 26 assists for 36 points in just 18 games. The same is true for Jett Luchanko (Philadelphia Flyers), who saw some time in the NHL before being sent back down. He has seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points in 16 games.
Carson Rehkopf (Seattle Kraken) has contributed to the Brampton Steelheads’ success alongside Martone and Ivankovic this season. With 20 goals and 27 assists for 47 points, he anticipates the game, controls his speed to attack, and stays in pockets of space. He reads rotations and switches of coverage well, dropping low or moving high when needed. Bradly Nadeau (Chicago Blackhawks) has five goals and seven assists for 12 points so far and will be a critical piece if his elite shooting skill can be utilized well with all of these playmakers on the team.
Braden Yager (Winnipeg Jets) is now with the Lethbridge Hurricanes (traded from the Moose Jaw Warriors), has one goal and three assists in four games, and is another intense two-way center. Luca Pinelli (Columbus Blue Jackets) recently signed his entry-level contract (ELC) after his strong start to the season, which saw him score 21 goals and 16 assists for 37 points in 26 games. Berkly Catton’s (Seattle Kraken) goal scoring has decreased slightly this season compared to his last (54 goals in 68 games), but is still up to 14 goals and 33 assists for 47 points in 28 games.
Ethan Gauthier’s (Tampa Bay Lightning) second season with the Voltigeurs has started well, with 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points in 24 games. Tanner Howe’s (Pittsburgh Penguins) first season with the Hitmen has also started well, with three goals and six assists for nine points in six games since being traded from the Regina Pats. Cole Beaudoin (Utah Hockey Club) has 13 goals and 16 assists for 19 points in his third season with the Colts. Mathieu Cataford’s (Vegas Golden Knights) first season with the Oceanic is going strong with 11 goals and 27 assists for 38 points.
On paper, Canada is a powerhouse in ice hockey. Their roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off at the NHL level proves this. The main question is whether they will rise to the occasion during critical moments. While Canada will always have plenty of talent to build a team with, it’s a matter of getting it done, not looking pretty on paper.
This team will be led by head coach Dave Cameron, who has four WJC medals to his name, last winning a goal medal during the 2021-22 season, and won CHL Coach of the Year, OHL Coach of the Year and was named to the OHL First All-Star Team (Coach) last season with the Ottawa 67’s.
Canada will kick off its tournament against Finland at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Dec. 27. Then, it will continue the preliminary round with Latvia, Germany, and the United States.
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