World Juniors

Canada Announces Roster For 2026 World Juniors

December 8, 2025 at 10:58 am CDT | by Brennan McClain Leave a Comment

Team Canada has become the latest to announce their preliminary roster for the 2025-26 World Junior Championships. Team USA and Team Sweden were the other two nations to announce their rosters earlier this month. Hockey Canada currently has 27 names on their list, meaning two players will eventually be on the outside looking in before the tournament kicks off on December 26th.

F Carter Bear (Red Wings, 2025, 1-13)
F Cole Beaudoin (Mammoth, 2024, 1-24)
F Braeden Cootes (Canucks, 2025, 1-15)
F Caleb Desnoyers (Mammoth, 2025, 1-4)
F Liam Greentree (Kings, 2024, 1-26)
F Michael Hage (Canadiens, 2024, 1-21)
F Tij Iginla (Mammoth, 2024, 1-6)
F Jett Luchanko (Flyers, 2024, 1-13)
F Brady Martin (Predators, 2025, 1-5)
F Porter Martone (Flyers, 2025, 1-6)
F Gavin McKenna (2026 draft eligible)
F Michael Misa (Sharks, 2025, 1-2)
F Jake O’Brien (Kraken, 2025, 1-8)
F Sam O’Reilly (Lightning, 2024, 1-32)
F Cole Reschny (Flames, 2025, 1-18)

D Kashawn Aitcheson (Islanders, 2025, 1-17)
D Harrison Brunicke (Penguins, 2024, 2-44)
D Carson Carels (2026 draft eligible)
D Ben Danford (Maple Leafs, 2024, 1-31)
D Ethan Mackenzie (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
D Zayne Parekh (Flames, 2024, 1-9)
D Cameron Reid (Predators, 2025, 1-21)
D Jackson Smith (Blue Jackets, 2025, 1-14)
D Keaton Verhoeff (2026 draft eligible)

G Carter George (Kings, 2024, 2-57)
G Jack Ivankovic (Predators, 2025, 2-58)
G Joshua Ravensbergen (Sharks, 2025, 1-30)

Outside of having 20 former first-round selections on their roster and a trio that are projected, Team Canada boasts 42 games of NHL experience. Comparatively, the reigning back-to-back champions from the United States don’t have any.

The firepower that Canada has on offense may be insurmountable for opposing teams. Every forward on the roster was drafted in the first round of their respective draft years, with McKenna being the presumptive first overall pick in next year’s draft. Hage, at the University of Michigan, is currently in a four-way tie for the NCAA’s league lead in points, while Martone is following closely behind at Michigan State University. Meanwhile, O’Brien and Beaudoin are pacing the CHL with 45 points and 41 points, respectively.

On defense, the roster is again composed of mostly first-round talents, with Brunicke and Mackenzie being the exceptions. Although Brunicke didn’t have the honor of being selected in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft, he’s already competed in nine games with the Pittsburgh Penguins this season and has 15 games of AHL experience from the last two seasons. Verhoeff, who is the most prominent challenger to McKenna’s billing as next summer’s first overall pick, has scored four goals and 11 points in 16 games at the University of North Dakota this season.

Lastly, Canada will bring two of the hottest goaltenders in their respective leagues to this year’s World Junior Championship. Ravensbergen has compiled a 16-6-0 record with a .921 SV% and 2.50 GAA in 22 games for the WHL’s Prince George Cougars, whereas Ivankovic has collected 16 wins in 20 games at the University of Michigan with a .927 SV% and 1.90 GAA.

Outside of a few eligible players that are remaining with their respective NHL organizations the rest of the way, the biggest surprise exclusion from Team Canada’s roster is undoubtedly defenseman Landon Dupont. Dupont, 16, is the odds-on favorite to be the first overall selection of the 2027 NHL Draft, scoring 20 goals and 79 points in 88 games over the last two years with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips with a +45 rating. He was likely left off this year’s roster due to some mild injury concerns he has had throughout the season.

Pacific Notes: Sharks, Hart, Karlsson

December 5, 2025 at 8:59 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

The Sharks have not yet decided if they will loan forward Michael Misa or defenseman Sam Dickinson to play for Canada at the upcoming World Juniors, reports Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. Misa is set to debut with the AHL’s Barracuda tonight while on a conditioning assignment, one that can last up to two weeks. The second overall pick back in June has been used quite sparingly this season, getting into just seven NHL games where he has a goal and two assists. Accordingly, he hasn’t officially activated the first year of his entry-level deal. If Misa plays out his AHL stint and then joins Canada’s roster, that would allow San Jose to wait until January before making a final call on keeping him in the NHL or sending him back to junior.

As for Dickinson, the 19-year-old has played much more frequently, getting into 21 games with the Sharks so far. However, he has been limited to just one goal and one assist after putting up 91 points in just 55 games with OHL London last season. Dickinson is averaging a respectable 14:27 per game of ice time but would have a much more prominent role at the World Juniors. With San Jose carrying eight healthy blueliners, they wouldn’t necessarily need to bring anyone up from the Barracuda to take his place on the roster if they were to loan Dickinson out.

Sweden Announces Roster For 2026 World Juniors

December 5, 2025 at 1:01 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 1 Comment

After USA Hockey announced its preliminary roster for the 2026 World Junior Championship at the beginning of the month, the Swedish Ice Hockey Association became the next gold medal contender to follow suit. Unlike the host country, though, Sweden released a 26-man list and therefore only has one cut to make before the tournament kicks off on Dec. 26 at the Wild’s Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul and 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, home to the University of Minnesota men’s team. Their roster is as follows:

F Jack Berglund (Flyers, 2024, 2-51)
F Viggo Björck (2026 draft eligible)
F Wilson Björck (Canucks, 2025, 5-143)
F Liam Danielsson (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
F Victor Eklund (Islanders, 2025, 1-16)
F Linus Eriksson (Panthers, 2024, 2-58)
F Anton Frondell (Blackhawks, 2025, 1-3)
F Milton Gästrin (Capitals, 2025, 2-37)
F Eddie Genborg (Red Wings, 2025, 2-44)
F Casper Juustovaara Karlsson (2026 draft eligible)
F Loke Krantz (Kraken, 2025, 7-218)
F Valter Lindberg (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
F Eric Nilson (Ducks, 2025, 2-45)
F Lucas Pettersson (Ducks, 2024, 2-35)
F Ivar Stenberg (2026 draft eligible)

D Sascha Boumedienne (Jets, 2025, 1-28)
D Felix Carell (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
D Alfons Freij (Jets, 2024, 2-37)
D Viggo Gustafsson (Predators, 2024, 3-77)
D William Håkansson (2026 draft eligible)
D Victor Johansson (Maple Leafs, 2024, 4-120)
D Felix Öhrqvist (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
D Leo Sahlin Wallenius (Sharks, 2024, 2-53)

G Måns Goos (Stars, 2025, 5-158)
G Love Härenstam (Blues, 2025, 6-179)
G Herman Liv (undrafted in 2024, 2025)

At forward, the Swedes are arguably bringing more true star power to the event than the Americans, who are seeking a three-peat. While the Bruins’ James Hagens is the only top-10 pick on the States’ roster, Sweden could have three – the reigning third-overall selection in Frondell, plus Stenberg and Björck, both of whom should hear their names called early on the first night of next year’s draft. Björck’s stock has slipped somewhat this year, but Stenberg’s has only risen to the point where he’s a legitimate challenger for first overall. With 23 points in 24 SHL games for Frölunda, he’s operating at the third-highest point-per-game pace all-time for an 18-year-old in that league behind Tomas Sandström and Markus Näslund. He and Frondell will form the centerpiece of Sweden’s attack.

The talent level drops off somewhat on the back end. They don’t have the top-15 talents like Axel Sandin Pellikka and Tom Willander that they’ve had at their disposal over the past couple of years. Boumedienne now takes the reins as their most high-profile name, along with the draft-eligible Håkansson, a 6’4″ lefty who most have pegged as a late first-round pick.

In goal, the Swedes have an open competition for the starters’ crease – in a good way. Härenstam and Liv are both off to great starts this season as starters for their respective teams in the HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier pro league. It would be quite a story for the undrafted Liv to emerge as the No. 1 option, considering his last start for the Swedes at a major international tournament was at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. However, it’s looking like that could be the case. With a .923 SV% in 12 games for Almtuna IS, he’s second in the league. The 19-year-old is the son of former SHL and KHL star and Red Wings prospect Stefan Liv, who died in the 2011 plane crash that killed 26 players and three staff of the KHL’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.

While Sweden has lost just four times in regulation in the group stage at the WJC since 2012, they haven’t won a gold medal in that span. In the past 13 tournaments, they’ve won silver four times (2013, 2014, 2018, 2024) and bronze twice (2020, 2022).

USA Hockey Announces Preliminary Roster For World Juniors

December 1, 2025 at 5:50 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 2 Comments

USA Hockey has announced its 28-player preliminary roster for the upcoming World Junior Championship in Minneapolis and St. Paul. They only need to make three cuts by the time final rosters are due Dec. 24, two days before round-robin action begins. They’ll do so over the course of their selection camp, which they’ll hold a few hours north of the Twin Cities in Duluth. That will begin on Dec. 15 and run for a week, including two pre-tournament friendlies against Finland and Germany. The initial squad is as follows:

F Kamil Bednarik (Islanders, 2024, 2-61)
F Trevor Connelly (Golden Knights, 2024, 1-19)
F Cole Eiserman (Islanders, 2024, 1-20)
F James Hagens (Bruins, 2025, 1-7)
F Will Horcoff (Penguins, 2025, 1-24)
F Jacob Kvasnicka (Islanders, 2025, 7-202)
F Ryker Lee (Predators, 2025, 1-26)
F Cole McKinney (Sharks, 2025, 2-53)
F Brendan McMorrow (Kings, 2025, 7-196)
F L.J. Mooney (Canadiens, 2025, 4-113)
F Max Plante (Red Wings, 2024, 2-47)
F A.J. Spellacy (Blackhawks, 2024, 3-72)
F Teddy Stiga (Predators, 2024, 2-55)
F Shane Vansaghi (Flyers, 2025, 2-48)
F Brodie Ziemer (Sabres, 2024, 3-71)

D Asher Barnett (Oilers, 2025, 5-131)
D Henry Brzustewicz (Kings, 2025, 1-31)
D E.J. Emery (Rangers, 2024, 2024, 1-30)
D Blake Fiddler (Kraken, 2025, 2-36)
D Logan Hensler (Senators, 2025, 1-23)
D Cole Hutson (Capitals, 2024, 2-43)
D Adam Kleber (Sabres, 2024, 2-42)
D Luke Osburn (Sabres, 2024, 4-108)
D Chase Reid (2026 draft-eligible)
D Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen (undrafted in 2025)

G Caleb Heil (Lightning, 2025, 7-193)
G Nick Kempf (Capitals, 2024, 4-114)
G A.J. Reyelts (undrafted in 2024, 2025)

The contingent will have University of Minnesota bench boss Bob Motzko as its head coach as they aim for their third straight gold medal. It’s a rather star-studded contingent – particularly up front, where five of the 15 forwards selected were first-round picks.

Perhaps the most dynamic player among the group is neither a forward nor a first-round pick. Hutson, much like his older brother Lane Hutson, has quickly outpaced his second-round billing and will be one of the league’s most anticipated prospects when he makes his arrival with Washington, presumably next spring. The 5’11” lefty was instrumental in the United States’ win at this tournament last year, leading the circuit with 11 points in seven games. After taking home NCAA top rookie honors in 2024-25, he’s rattled off seven goals and 18 points through his first 15 games at Boston University.

Alongside Hutson, seven others – Connelly, Eiserman, Hagens, Hensler, Kleber, Plante, Stiga, and Ziemer – are returning from last year’s squad.

While it’s an established skater group, it’s the most questionable group of goaltenders they’ve brought to the event since 2022. Kempf, a sophomore at Notre Dame who’s sporting a .902 SV% and 4-9-1 record in 14 games this year, is the likely No. 1. Reyelts, also 19 years old, has no previous national team experience and has a .901 SV% in 19 games for WHL Penticton this season. Heil previously suited up for the U.S. at the U18 World Juniors but has struggled with a .891 SV% in 16 games this season for USHL Madison.

Flames Will Loan Zayne Parekh To Team Canada For World Juniors

November 19, 2025 at 1:07 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 1 Comment

Flames defenseman Zayne Parekh will be on Canada’s roster for the World Junior Championship when it’s announced in December, Eric Francis of Sportsnet reports. First, he’ll need to recover from the upper-body injury that’s kept him out since Nov. 7 and has him listed as week-to-week.

Parekh has already been ruled out through the Flames’ ongoing road trip, Francis writes, but the team is targeting an early December return for their 2024 ninth overall pick. They have a four-game homestand to kick off the month and will look to get him into a couple of those games before letting him join the Canadian national junior team, which commences its camp in Niagara Falls on Dec. 12. He’s also eligible for a conditioning stint with AHL Calgary as a result of his missed time, something Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960 reports is under consideration.

The ultimate deadline for Parekh’s inclusion on the Canadian roster is Dec. 20, though, according to Francis. Even if Parekh can’t get on the ice before then, that would at least leave him enough time to get into a couple of exhibition games in Minneapolis and St. Paul, the host cities of this year’s WJC.

The injury has dotted what’s been a trying adjustment to pro hockey for Parekh. As a result of the 19-year-old being ineligible for a full-time assignment to the AHL, he’s been stuck operating as a No. 6/7 piece on the Flames’ NHL roster and hasn’t gotten extended playing time. He was a healthy scratch on multiple occasions before sustaining his injury. He was only averaging 14:46 of ice time per game when in the lineup, limiting him to one assist through 11 appearances.

Calgary’s only other option was to send him back to junior hockey for the remainder of the season. That was never something the Flames were seriously considering, though. Parekh has won back-to-back OHL defense scoring crowns with the Saginaw Spirit, putting up back-to-back 33-goal seasons from the blue line and logging 107 points in just 61 games last season. But depending on the state of their defense after Parekh returns from the World Juniors, letting him finish the season in Saginaw – where he’ll at least get back to playing top-pairing minutes – might be a better outcome for his readiness heading into training camp next fall.

NHL Draft Picks On 2025 World Junior Championship Rosters

December 21, 2024 at 7:28 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 3 Comments

The 2025 World Junior Championship is just around the corner. This year’s edition of the tournament, which takes place in Ottawa, will start on Boxing Day (Dec. 26) as usual. Most NHL fans looking to tune into the tournament will want to focus on Group A action – Finland, Canada and the United States comprise three-fifths of that group while Sweden is the only true NHL-heavy squad in Group B, although Czechia and Slovakia have a decent amount of NHL representation there.

Every one of the 10 squads participating in the tournament has at least one NHL-drafted player on their roster, although, in the case of relegation favorite Kazakhstan in Group B, it is just the lone representative. Out of the NHL’s 32 squads, only the Bruins don’t have a prospect suiting up in the tournament.

Wondering which countries to keep an eye on to track your team’s prospects? Here’s a list of every club’s prospects that are competing in the tournament:

Anaheim Ducks

F Austin Burnevik / USA / 2024, 6-182
D Vojtěch Port / Czechia / 2023, 6-161
F Carey Terrance / USA / 2023, 2-59
D Darels Uļjanskis / Latvia / 2024, 7-214

Buffalo Sabres

F Konsta Helenius / Finland / 2024, 1-14
D Adam Kleber / USA / 2024, 2-42
D Norwin Panocha / Germany / 2023, 7-205
D Maxim Štrbák / Slovakia / 2023, 2-45
F Anton Wahlberg / Sweden / 2023, 2-39
F Brodie Ziemer / USA / 2024, 3-71

Calgary Flames

D Axel Hurtig / Sweden / 2023, 7-208

Carolina Hurricanes

F Bradly Nadeau / Canada / 2023, 1-30
F Felix Unger Sörum / Sweden / 2023, 2-62
F Oskar Vuollet / Sweden / 2024, 5-133

Chicago Blackhawks

F Jiří Felcman / Czechia / 2023, 3-93
F Oliver Moore / USA / 2023, 1-19

Colorado Avalanche

F Calum Ritchie / Canada / 2023, 1-27

Columbus Blue Jackets

F Luca Pinelli / Canada / 2023, 4-114
G Melvin Strahl / Sweden / 2023, 5-156

Dallas Stars

F Emil Hemming / Finland / 2024, 1-29
D Aram Minnetian / USA / 2023, 4-125

Detroit Red Wings

G Trey Augustine / USA / 2023, 2-41
F Jesse Kiiskinen / Finland / 2023, 3-68
D Axel Sandin-Pellikka / Sweden / 2023, 1-17

Edmonton Oilers

D Beau Akey / Canada / 2023, 2-56
D Paul Fischer / USA / 2023, 5-138

Florida Panthers

F Linus Eriksson / Sweden / 2024, 2-58

Los Angeles Kings

D Jakub Dvořák / Czechia / 2023, 2-54
G Carter George / Canada / 2024, 2-57
G Hampton Slukynsky / USA / 2023, 4-118

Minnesota Wild

D Zeev Buium / USA / 2024, 1-12
D Aron Kiviharju / Finland / 2024, 4-122
F Rasmus Kumpulainen / Finland / 2023, 2-53
D Sebastian Soini / Finland / 2024, 5-140

Montreal Canadiens

D Rasmus Bergqvist / Sweden / 2024, 7-224

Nashville Predators

F David Edstrom / Sweden / 2023, 1-32
D Andrew Gibson / Canada / 2023, 2-42
D Viggo Gustafsson / Sweden / 2024, 3-77
G Jakub Milota / Czechia / 2024, 4-99
D Tanner Molendyk / Canada / 2023, 1-24
F Felix Nilsson / Sweden / 2023, 2-43
F Teddy Stiga / USA / 2024, 2-55
F Joey Willis / USA / 2023, 4-111

New Jersey Devils

F Herman Träff / Sweden / 2024, 3-91

New York Islanders

F Cole Eiserman / USA / 2024, 1-20
G Marcus Gidlöf / Sweden / 2024, 5-147
F Danny Nelson / USA / 2023, 2-49
F Jesse Nurmi / Finland / 2023, 4-113

New York Rangers

D Drew Fortescue / USA / 2023, 3-90
F Rico Gredig / Switzerland / 2024, 6-191
F Gabe Perreault / USA / 2023, 1-23

Ottawa Senators

G Vladimir Nikitin / Kazakhstan / 2023, 7-207

Philadelphia Flyers

F Jack Berglund / Sweden / 2024, 2-51
G Carson Bjarnason / Canada / 2023, 2-51
D Oliver Bonk / Canada / 2023, 1-22
F Jett Luchanko / Canada / 2024, 1-13
F Heikki Ruohonen / Finland / 2024, 4-107

Pittsburgh Penguins

F Tanner Howe / Canada / 2024, 2-46
D Kalle Kangas / Finland / 2023, 7-223
D Emil Pieniniemi / Finland / 2023, 3-91

San Jose Sharks

D Sam Dickinson / Canada / 2024, 1-11
F Kasper Halttunen / Finland / 2023, 2-36
G Christian Kirsch / Switzerland / 2024, 4-116
F Brandon Svoboda / USA / 2023, 3-71

Seattle Kraken

F Berkly Catton / Canada / 2024, 1-8
D Jakub Fibigr / Czechia / 2024, 7-202
F Zeb Forsfjäll / Sweden / 2023, 6-180
F Julius Miettinen / Finland / 2024, 2-40
D Caden Price / Canada / 2023, 3-84
F Carson Rehkopf / Canada / 2023, 2-50
G Kim Saarinen / Finland / 2024, 3-88
F Eduard Šalé / Czechia / 2023, 1-20

St. Louis Blues

F Adam Jecho / Czechia / 2024, 3-95
D Adam Jiříček / Czechia / 2024, 1-16
F Ondřej Kos / Czechia / 2024, 3-81
D Theo Lindstein / Sweden / 2023, 1-29
F Juraj Pekarčík / Slovakia / 2023, 3-76
D Colin Ralph / USA / 2024, 2-48
F Jakub Štancl / Czechia / 2023, 4-106
F Otto Stenberg / Sweden / 2023, 1-25

Tampa Bay Lightning

F Ethan Gauthier / Canada / 2023, 2-37
F Joona Saarelainen / Finland / 2024, 5-149

Toronto Maple Leafs

F Easton Cowan / Canada / 2023, 1-28
F Miroslav Holinka / Czechia / 2024, 5-151

Utah Hockey Club

F Cole Beaudoin / Canada / 2024, 1-24
G Michael Hrabal / Czechia / 2023, 2-38
F Vojtěch Hradec / Czechia / 2024, 6-167
G Melker Thelin / Sweden / 2023, 5-134
D Veeti Väisänen / Finland / 2024, 3-96

Vancouver Canucks

D Sawyer Mynio / Canada / 2023, 3-89
D Basile Sansonnens / Switzerland / 2024, 7-221
D Tom Willander / Sweden / 2023, 1-11

Vegas Golden Knights

F Mathieu Cataford / Canada / 2023, 3-77
F Trevor Connelly / USA / 2024, 1-19
F Tuomas Uronen / Finland / 2023, 6-192

Washington Capitals

D Cole Hutson / USA / 2024, 2-43
F Ryan Leonard / USA / 2023, 1-8
F Ēriks Mateiko / Latvia / 2024, 3-90
D Leon Muggli / Switzerland / 2024, 2-52
F Miroslav Šatan Jr. / Slovakia / 2024, 7-212
F Petr Sikora / Czechia / 2024, 6-178

Winnipeg Jets

F Brayden Yager / Canada / 2023, 1-14

USA Hockey Announces 2025 WJC Roster

December 19, 2024 at 4:17 pm CDT | by Brennan McClain 2 Comments

Dec. 19: Emery, Fiddler, Pelosi and Spellacy didn’t make the cut. The rest of the names on the list below will comprise the Americans’ contingent at the tournament.

Dec. 2: The United States is on gold medal defense in the IIHF World Junior Championship for the first time since 2021. Excitement continues to build for this year’s rendition of the event and the team has announced its 28-man preliminary roster.

General manager John Vanbiesbrouck and head coach David Carle will have to trim three players from the preliminary roster before official rosters are due. The tournament will run from December 26, 2024, to January 5, 2025, in Ottawa, Canada. Team USA will play in Group A alongside Canada, Germany, Finland, and Latvia.

Will Smith of the San Jose Sharks is the biggest name left off the list of available age-eligible players from last year’s team. Smith was flat-out electric for the team last year scoring four goals and nine points in seven games but the Sharks organization has decided not to loan him back for this winter’s tournament.

Team USA will bring 10 members of last year’s gold-medal team present at this year’s camp. This year’s preliminary roster is as follows:

F Austin Burnevik (Ducks, 2024, 182nd overall)
F Trevor Connelly (Golden Knights, 2024, 19th overall)
F Cole Eiserman (Islanders, 2024, 20th overall)
F James Hagens (2025 draft-eligible)
F Ryan Leonard (Capitals, 2023, 8th overall)
F Oliver Moore (Blackhawks, 2023, 19th overall)
F Danny Nelson (Islanders, 2023, 49th overall)
F Chris Pelosi (Bruins, 2023, 92nd overall)
F Gabe Perreault (Rangers, 2023, 23rd overall)
F AJ Spellacy (Blackhawks, 2024, 72nd overall)
F Teddy Stiga (Predators, 2024, 55th overall)
F Brandon Svoboda (Sharks, 2023, 71st overall)
F Carey Terrance (Ducks, 2023, 59th overall)
F Joey Willis (Predators, 2023, 111th overall)
F Brodie Ziemer (Sabres, 2024, 71st overall)

D Zeev Buium (Wild, 2024, 12th overall)
D EJ Emery (Rangers, 2024, 30th overall)
D Blake Fiddler (2025 draft-eligible)
D Paul Fischer (Oilers, 2023, 138th overall)*
D Drew Fortescue (Rangers, 2023, 90th overall)
D Logan Hensler (2025 draft-eligible)
D Cole Hutson (Capitals, 2024, 43rd overall)
D Adam Kleber (Sabres, 2024, 42nd overall)
D Aram Minnetian (Stars, 2023, 125th overall)
D Colin Ralph (Blues, 2024, 48th overall)

G Trey Augustine (Red Wings, 2023, 41st overall)
G Sam Hillebrandt (went undrafted in 2023, 2024)
G Hampton Slukynsky (Kings, 2023, 118th overall)

* Fischer was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 2023

Hockey Canada Announces 2025 WJC Roster

December 13, 2024 at 4:30 pm CDT | by Brennan McClain 7 Comments

Dec. 13: Canada has confirmed its roster for the tournament. Among the cuts were Ratzlaff, Allen, Brunicke (injured), Barkey, Cristall, Heidt, and Wood. Players like Sennecke and the Flames’ Zayne Parekh, who were added mid-camp due to injuries, were left off the final roster.

Dec. 2: Team Canada will look to rebound in a major way at this year’s IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa. The Canadian U20 failed to medal for the first time since 2019 in last year’s event and they’ll now look to rediscover their magic back on home ice.

Hockey Canada announced their 32-man preliminary roster earlier today and will have to cut seven players before the tournament begins. The 2025 World Junior Championship will run from December 26, 2024, to January 5, 2025. Team Canada will play in Group A alongside Germany, Finland, Latvia, and the United States.

One notable name left off this year’s roster is the recent third-overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, Beckett Sennecke. It’s uncommon to see such a high draft pick left of his country’s roster, especially considering Sennecke hasn’t aged out and wouldn’t have to be loaned from his NHL club.

There are still numerous exciting names up for consideration. Team Canada’s preliminary roster is as follows:

F Denver Barkey (Flyers, 2023, 95th overall)
F Cole Beaudoin (Utah, 2024, 24th overall)
F Mathieu Cataford (Golden Knights, 2023, 77th overall)
F Berkly Catton (Kraken, 2024, 8th overall)
F Easton Cowan (Maple Leafs, 2023, 28th overall)
F Andrew Cristall (Capitals, 2023, 40th overall)
F Ethan Gauthier (Lightning, 2023, 37th overall)
F Riley Heidt (Wild, 2023, 64th overall)
F Tanner Howe (Penguins, 2024, 46th overall)
F Jett Luchanko (Flyers, 2024, 13th overall)
F Porter Martone (2025 draft-eligible)
F Gavin McKenna (2026 draft-eligible)
F Bradly Nadeau (Hurricanes, 2023, 30th overall)
F Luca Pinelli (Blue Jackets, 2023, 114th overall)
F Carson Rehkopf (Kraken, 2023, 50th overall)
F Calum Ritchie (Avalanche, 2023, 27th overall)
F Matthew Wood (Predators, 2023, 15th overall)
F Brayden Yager (Jets, 2023, 14th overall)*

D Cameron Allen (Capitals, 2023, 136th overall)
D Beau Akey (Oilers, 2023, 56th overall)
D Oliver Bonk (Flyers, 2023, 22nd overall)
D Harrison Brunicke (Penguins, 2024, 44th overall)
D Sam Dickinson (Sharks, 2024, 11th overall)
D Andrew Gibson (Predators, 2023, 42nd overall)**
D Tanner Molendyk (Predators, 2023, 24th overall)
D Sawyer Mynio (Canucks, 2023, 89th overall)
D Caden Price (Kraken, 2023, 84th overall)
D Matthew Schaefer (2025 draft-eligible)

G Carson Bjarnason (Flyers, 2023, 51st overall)
G Carter George (Kings, 2024, 57th overall)
G Jack Ivankovic (2025 draft-eligible)
G Scott Ratzlaff (Sabres, 2023, 141st overall)

* Yager was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023
** Gibson was originally drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 2023

Czechia Releases Preliminary World Junior Roster

December 10, 2024 at 7:56 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Last week, several countries released their preliminary rosters for the upcoming World Juniors (or in Sweden’s case, pretty much their entire tournament roster was revealed). Today, it was Czechia’s turn as their federation announced their preliminary roster, one that consists of three goalies, nine defensemen, and 15 forwards. The roster is as follows with NHL affiliation, if applicable, in parentheses:

Goalies:
Michael Hrabal (Utah)
Jan Kavan
Jakub Milota (Nashville)

Defensemen:
Jakub Dvorak (Los Angeles)
Jakub Fibigr (Seattle)
Tomas Galvas
Vojtech Husinecky
Matteo Koci
Adam Jiricek (St. Louis)
Vojtech Port (Anaheim)
Marek Rocak
Patrik Volas

Forwards:
Vojtech Cihar
Jiri Felcman (Chicago)
Miroslav Holinka (Toronto)
Vojtech Hradec (Utah)
Adam Jecho (St. Louis)
Ondrej Kos (St. Louis)
Matej Mastalirsky
Adam Novotny
Dominik Petr
Eduard Sale (Seattle)
Petr Sikora (Washington)
Pavel Simek
Jakub Stancl (St. Louis)
Richard Zemlicka
Adam Zidlicky

St. Louis is by far the most represented NHL team out of this group with four players on the initial roster. Their top prospect of the group is Jiricek, a player whose availability for this tournament remains in question. Jiricek, the 16th overall pick back in June, has been limited to just four games with OHL Brampton this season. The federation is in touch with the Blues and a decision will be made about him being released later on.

Up front, Sale is the headliner. The 20th overall pick in 2023 by the Kraken, Sale is off to a solid start in the AHL with a dozen points in 19 games after splitting last season between OHL Barrie and Kitchener. It’s expected that Sale will not be with the Czechs for the entire camp but join them later on; a release date is being worked out between the federation and Seattle.

Czechia is in Pool B with Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Sweden, and Switzerland for the event which gets underway on December 26th. They’ll have to have their roster down to three goalies (which they are already at) and no more than 22 skaters by the time the tournament begins.

Sweden Names Roster For 2025 World Junior Championship

December 4, 2024 at 8:43 am CDT | by Josh Erickson Leave a Comment

After Hockey Canada and USA Hockey announced their preliminary rosters for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship on Monday, the Swedish Ice Hockey Association today announced their initial 24-player roster for the tournament. As always, this year’s iteration of the WJC kicks off on Dec. 26 and will be held in Ottawa.

Coached by Magnus Hävelid for the third year in a row, nine players are returning from the team that went 3-0-1 in group play last season and lost the gold medal game to the United States. Some of last year’s top-end talent, such as Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki, have aged out, but four of their top six scorers from the 2024 tournament are back as Sweden looks for a medal for the third time in the last four years.

The squad’s strong suit will be its defense, headlined by a trio of 2023 first-round picks in Theo Lindstein, Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Tom Willander. All were spectacular for Tre Kronor in 2024, and with another year of development and experience under their belt, will be relied upon even more.

Sweden is light on first-rounders up front, only boasting two, but pencil in the youngest player on the team as a third. 18-year-old left-winger Victor Eklund has made the team and is widely projected to be a top-15 selection in the 2025 draft class, following in the footsteps of older brother William Eklund. He has 15 points (8 G, 7 A) in 20 games for Djurgårdens IF this season in HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier professional league.

The Swedes also don’t have a clear-cut starter between the pipes, but that’s due to having three good options rather than a few mediocre ones. Utah’s Melker Thelin is the only returnee from last year’s tournament, and while he’s done well with a 7-1-0 record and .914 SV% in eight HockeyAllvenskan games this season, the Islanders’ Marcus Gidlöf has a .915 SV% and 2.10 GAA in top-level SHL action for Leksands IF and has a solid shot at starting games. The Blue Jackets’ Melvin Strahl has been strong stateside, logging a .911 SV% in 15 appearances for the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms.

The most notable omission is 17-year-old center Anton Frondell, who plays with Eklund with Djurgården and is widely expected to go a few spots ahead of him in next year’s draft. He’s failed to make the offensive impact his counterpart has this season, though, with only a goal and two assists in seven games.

The full roster, which features only a few non-NHL affiliated talents, is here:

F Dennis Altörn (undrafted in 2023, 2024)
F Jack Berglund (Flyers, 2024, 2-51)
F David Edstrom (Predators, 2023, 1-32)*
F Victor Eklund (2025 draft-eligible)
F Linus Eriksson (Panthers, 2024, 2-58)
F Zeb Forsfjäll (Kraken, 2023, 6-180)
F David Granberg (undrafted in 2023, 2024)
F Isac Hedqvist (undrafted in 2023, 2024)
F Felix Nilsson (Predators, 2023, 2-43)
F Otto Stenberg (Blues, 2023, 1-25)
F Herman Träff (Devils, 2024, 3-91)
F Felix Unger Sörum (Hurricanes, 2023, 2-62)
F Anton Wahlberg (Sabres, 2023, 2-39)
F Oskar Vuollet (Hurricanes, 2024, 5-133)

D Rasmus Bergqvist (Canadiens, 2024, 7-224)
D Viggo Gustafsson (Predators, 2024, 3-77)
D Wilhelm Hallquisth (undrafted in 2023, 2024)
D Axel Hurtig (Flames, 2023, 7-208)
D Theo Lindstein (Blues, 2023, 1-29)
D Axel Sandin-Pellikka (Red Wings, 2023, 1-17)
D Tom Willander (Canucks, 2023, 1-11)

G Marcus Gidlöf (Islanders, 2024, 5-147)
G Melvin Strahl (Blue Jackets, 2023, 5-156)
G Melker Thelin (Coyotes/Utah, 2023, 5-134)

*The Golden Knights drafted Edstrom before trading him to the Sharks, who subsequently dealt him to the Predators.

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