For much of the history of the tournament, Canada has been the most dominant team at the World Junior Championship. Since 1977, they have won 20 gold medals, 10 silvers, and five bronzes, which is by far the highest total from any single country. They are also the only nation to win five consecutive gold medals, doing so from 1993-97 and 2005-09. Although Canada hasn’t been quite as dominant lately, they still have won five gold medals since 2010, including four in the last six years, and have only missed medaling three times in that span.
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The 2024 tournament in Gothenburg, Sweden, promises to be no different with Canada once again entering as a medal favourite. However, that may not be a gold this time. Unlike previous rosters, they don’t have a star headlining the team, due in large part to many of the eligible players sticking with their NHL teams. There is also a concerning lack of international experience on this team – over 30% of the roster has never played on any iteration of Team Canada. That gap will become increasingly evident as they go up against Sweden, Finland, Germany, and Latvia in Pool A, where there will be no easy wins and every advantage will help.
However, they still have plenty of depth and are more than capable of finding a surprise breakout player. That’s the benefit of building Team Canada’s roster – there are almost no wrong choices among the many talented prospects available. So, will this Team Canada be able to win their third gold medal in a row? Let’s take a deep dive into the roster and see how it stacks up for the 2024 World Junior Championship.
Goaltenders
Scott Ratzlaff (Seattle Thunderbirds), Mathis Rousseau (Halifax Mooseheads), Samuel St-Hilaire (Sherbrooke Phoenix)
It’s been several years since Canada had a bona fide starting goaltender heading into the tournament and 2024 is no different. Of the three goalies on the team, none of them are household names and all have a realistic shot at taking over as the number one option in Sweden. However, that’s not always a bad thing. Just look at how Thomas Milic and Joel Hofer fared at the tournament despite being relatively unknown beforehand; each of them was unbeatable, propelling Canada to gold medals. Anything can happen at the World Juniors, and Canada’s goalies are determined to prove that.
Scott Ratzlaff is likely the most recognizable goalie on Canada’s roster this year. The Seattle Thunderbirds starter was a brick wall at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, posting a .976 save percentage (SV%) and allowing just two goals in four games as the Canadians captured their 23rd title. Back at home, he was an incredibly solid backup to Milic, sporting a .918 SV%, but this season hasn’t been quite as smooth now that he’s the starter. In 20 games, he has a .889 SV% and an 8-10-1 record. However, few goalies have played as many minutes as him nor had to make as many saves. Right now, he’s the favourite to be Canada’s starter in Sweden.
Ratzlaff’s biggest competition for the starting job is Mathis Rousseau. An undrafted 19-year-old, he has quietly put together one of the best starts of any Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) goalie in the past five years. In 21 games, he has a 16-3-2 record and a .935 SV%, both of which top the league. He also leads all goalies this year in goals, scoring one against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies back in October. He stands just 5-foot-11, which some consider to be small for a modern goalie, but he’s proven time and time again that he cannot be underestimated, which is partly why Craig Button picked him to be the starter.
Samuel St-Hilaire, another undrafted 19-year-old, has also been solid in the QMJHL this season. He’s started all but eight of the games for the Sherbrooke Phoenix while posting a .920 SV% and three shutouts. He also ranks fourth in goals allowed among goalies who have started at least 20 games, with Rousseau sitting first. It’s hard to think he’ll be much more than the third option at the tournament, but he earned his way onto this roster through two solid performances against the USPORTS teams and could surprise if given the chance.
Defencemen
Maveric Lamoureux (Drummondville Voltigeurs), Tristan Luneau (Anaheim Ducks), Denton Mateychuk (Moose Jaw Warriors), Noah Warren (Victoriaville Tigres), Tanner Molendyk (Saskatoon Blades), Oliver Bonk (London Knights), Jake Furlong (Halifax Mooseheads)
Canada’s defence is arguably their strongest position heading into the tournament despite not having Kevin Korchinski, who will remain with the Chicago Blackhawks, and 2023 first-rounder Owen Pickering. This group is filled with top-end, mobile, two-way players that can support in almost any area, which should make up for some gaps in the forward group.
Denton Mateychuk headlines the group, and there hasn’t been a hotter defenceman in the WHL this season. After 24 games with the Moose Jaw Warriors, he already has 35 points, the second-most points of any defenceman in the league and is on pace to hit 15 goals and 88 points, which would be the best finish of any defender since 1999-00. Always moving and looking for opportunities to break out, he’ll take one of the spots on the top pairing alongside Tristan Luneau, who joins Team Canada as the only NHL loan. He was named the QMJHL’s best defenceman last season and already has a goal and two assists with the Anaheim Ducks this season despite being a long shot to make the opening night roster.
The final lock for Canada’s blue line before the official announcement was Maveric Lamoureaux. Standing 6-foot-7, the Arizona Coyotes’ first-rounder is an intimidating presence and is not hesitant to use his size advantage, but this season has seen him flex his offensive instincts. In 25 games with the QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltigeurs, he has seven goals and 27 points, making him the second-highest-scoring defenceman in the league. His puck skills and mobility are virtually unheard of in a player his size, which gives Canada yet another dangerous player who can play both ends of the ice.
The final member of the top four looks to be Tanner Molendyk. Although the blue line is already filled with talented skaters, no one can move Nashville’s 2023 first-round pick. In transition, he can generate incredible bursts of speed to create highlight-reel-worthy goals. He’s no slouch on defence, either, using his speed and mobility to smother the shiftiest of opponents, including Connor Bedard last season. A knee injury almost kept him off this roster, but if he’s healthy, he’ll be an excellent partner for Lamoureaux.
Filling out the top six are two Ontario Hockey League (OHL) defenders, Oliver Bonk and Noah Warren. Bonk, son of former Ottawa Senator Radek Bonk, had a strong showing against the USPORTS team and emerged as one of Canada’s steadiest defenders. Warren was also incredibly consistent in his shutdown role. The 6-foot-5 defenceman has been described as one of the toughest players to go up against by his teammates, which speaks volumes about his potential impact in Sweden.
Jake Furlong will serve as the seventh defenceman, but that’s just fine; the 2022 fifth-round pick was seen as a long shot to make the team when the preliminary roster was announced, but he proved that he could compete with the best of them. In the first game against the USPORTS team, he scored twice and looked strong and patient on defence. Currently the captain of the Halifax Mooseheads, he’ll play limited minutes in Sweden but provide valuable leadership and consistency.
Forwards
Owen Allard (Soo Greyhounds), Owen Beck (Peterborough Petes), Macklin Celebrini (Boston University), Easton Cowan (London Knights), Nate Danielson (Brandon Wheat Kings), Jordan Dumais (Halifax Mooseheads), Conor Geekie (Wenatchee Wild), Fraser Minten (Saskatoon Blades), Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener Rangers), Matthew Savoie (Wenatchee Wild), Matthew Wood (University of Connecticut), Brayden Yager (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Unlike their defence, Canada’s forward group lacks some firepower compared to previous years. The team is holding out hope that will change, though, only naming 12 forwards to the roster in case either Matthew Poitras or Zach Benson is released from their current NHL team. If neither ends up joining the team in Sweden, then Canada will have to rely on some promising but inexperienced talent to drive their offence.
All eyes will be on the expected 2024 first-overall pick, Macklin Celebrini. Now, don’t get it confused – this isn’t the next Connor Bedard or Connor McDavid; Celebrini projects to be more of an all-around first-liner like Jonathan Toews. But that doesn’t mean he won’t be one of the brightest spots of this forward group. At the U18 World Juniors last year, he led the Canadians with 15 points in seven games en route to a bronze medal. His teammates praised his maturity and skill at the selection camp, and given his dominance in the NCAA, there’s a good chance he leads the U20 team in scoring, too.
Owen Beck is the only returnee on Team Canada this year from 2023’s gold medal team, although he only played three games after being called up to replace Colton Dach. Still, he brings some much-needed leadership to the inexperienced team; nine players on this year’s roster have never suited up at an international tournament before, and four more haven’t done so since playing at the 2020 U16 Youth Olympic Games.
However, there are a few players from the gold-medal-winning 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Bryaden Yager, Matthew Wood, and Carson Rehkopf reunite for Canada this year, which is promising as all three were big parts of the U18 squad, with Yager leading the way with five goals and nine points in five games and Wood and Rehkopft putting up five points apiece. Rehkopft will be especially interesting to watch this year after breaking out in the OHL this season with 31 goals and 55 points in 31 games, nearly eclipsing his total from the previous season.
Related: 2024 Guide to the World Junior Championship
Canada seems to be relying heavily on teammates this year. Three Mooseheads are on this year’s team with Rousseau, Furlong, and Jordan Dumais, who promises to bring a dynamic scoring touch to the team. The Columbus Blue Jackets’ third-round pick in 2022 has been the highest producer in the QMJHL over the past two seasons but has routinely faced criticisms over his 5-foot-9 frame. But after scoring 140 points last season and being on pace to hit 126 points this season, he brings an elite level of puck skills to a team that will be looking for someone to take the lead.
There’s also Conor Geekie and Matthew Savoie, who have been lighting up the WHL with the Wenatchee Wild ever since Savoie was re-assigned following a short stint in the NHL. In the 11 games the two have played together this season, they have combined efforts on 17 goals while individually putting up more than two points per game. If Benson is released from the Buffalo Sabres, that’ll make another trio of former teammates.
Looking at the bottom half of the forward group, Easton Cowan, Fraser Minten, and Nate Danielson will bring a bit more of a gritty, in-your-face game throughout the lineup. Minten could end up playing a similar role to Ridly Greig in 2022, which was crucial in Canada’s gold medal win. All three have strong defensive instincts and although they may find themselves at the bottom of the lineup, they’ll be heavily relied on against the toughest teams.
The final forward on Team Canada was easily the most surprising inclusion – Owen Allard. An undrafted 19-year-old, he hasn’t made many waves in the OHL, putting up a strong 30 points in 29 games, the fourth-highest total for the Soo Greyhounds. But there’s no doubt that he didn’t earn a spot, showing in both of the USPORTS games that he can do whatever is necessary on this team to help them win. He may be the first name bumped if Canada gets a late NHL loan, but he’s also one that could sneak up the lineup if given the right opportunities.
Canada’s Medal Hopes Are Secure
Although this may not be the best team Canada has brought to the World Juniors, it’s certainly not a bad team. Almost every player named to the final roster has been praised for their speed and intelligence, which will hopefully make up for some lacking experience. There are also several strong defensive presences among the forwards, which will be expected to help bail them out if they run into a more offensively dominant opponent. While gold may be a bit of a stretch this year, there’s no doubt that this is a team that can take home a medal.
Canada is set to play three preliminary matches before opening their tournament against Finland on Dec. 26. Stay tuned to The Hockey Writers for all your World Juniors news and updates!
