No country cares about the World Junior Championship like Team Canada.

Is it a media thing? Probably. But while college basketball has March Madness, hockey fans get to spend two weeks watching the best teenagers in the world play for gold in front of a worldwide audience. No money on the line, just pure, hard-hitting hockey. And that’s why Canada loves it.

They also love it when they win – something they’ve managed to do a record 20 times. Canada has won gold three of the past five times, and four of the past six – so, even while the rest of the hockey world is starting to catch up, Canada always expects to win.

The tournament is back in Ottawa, home of the famed 2009 tournament that saw Jordan Eberle become a national hero. Canada won gold the past two times they played on home ice, so they’ve got high expectations for a group that has a ton of skill.

Will it be enough? We’ll find out soon.

Looking Back to 2024

The only word to truly describe last year’s showing? Disappointment. They were never the gold medal favorites, and maybe not capable of silver. But a bronze? That was within reach as long as everyone stayed healthy.

Canada had won the last two championships, so expectations were high. Unfortunately for them, the tournament was a disaster when it really mattered. Canada started off with an excellent 5-2 win over Finland before crushing Latvia 10-0. The 2-0 loss to Sweden was definitely a wake-up call, but the 6-3 win over Germany gave them some life – especially after their four-goal third period to break the deadlock. But from the get-go, Canada needed its star players to be better – much, much better.

And that was especially true when they fell apart in the quarterfinal, losing 3-2 to Czechia to finish fifth – the first time they missed out on the semifinal since 2019. But the reality was that the stars simply didn’t show up when they should have. Matthew Poitras, who had spent the entire year in the NHL up to that point, had just four points in five games. Jordan Dumais – one of the QMJHL’s top-scoring players from the past decade – had just two points. Matthew Savoie had just one assist. The only players who seemed to thrive were Macklin Celebrini and Brayden Yager. Goaltender Mathis Rousseau also played every minute of the tournament, which, when he struggled, meant they didn’t have anyone else to go to. Not exactly a winning strategy call for coach Alan Letang.

Goaltenders

*Carter George (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

Some years, there isn’t a real No. 1 in the stable – 2024, for example. But this time, they’ve got two – Carter George and Carson Bjarnason. Both have legitimate cases to be the team’s No. 1 and they might not even finalize the starter until the game against the United States. What a spot to be in.

Let’s start with George, the Los Angeles Kings prospect. He was outstanding during the U-18 World Championship last year, posting a perfect record en route to a gold medal. He’s not big, but he’s athletic with a great glove hand. George even scored a goal for the Owen Sound Attack earlier this year, so if they need some extra help, he can do it. The stats are ugly with the Attack this year, but he’s been the reason they’ve managed to stay in as many games as they have – he’s a battler out there. Hockey Canada likes him, and after shining in camp, he might have the edge as the No. 1 right now.

But Bjarnason is no slouch, either. The Philadelphia Flyers draft pick has some of the best numbers of any CHL goaltender this year, playing a big role with the Brandon Wheat Kings. He’s also familiar to playing with Hockey Canada, but he did have a bit of a rough go at the U-18s. The 6-foot-4 goaltender is the biggest the team has, and you know scouts like guys with size. That’s not as important at this tournament, but Bjarnason is a high-end goaltending prospect who is hard to beat when he’s dialled in.

For the third goaltender, Jack Ivankovic is one of Canada’s top young goalies. He had a superstar performance at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup a few months ago and despite being just 5-foot-11, he does look like a potential first-round pick. Few goalies in recent years have as much pure skill as Ivankovic, and he’s no stranger to high-pressure situations already in his young career. Bringing him along will allow him to get some experience before potentially serving as the starter in either 2026 or 2027.

Based on pedigree alone, there isn’t much to worry about in net for Canada. Sure, we’ve seen some quality goaltenders falter on a stage like this, but Canada’s goaltending doesn’t feel like a problem this time around.

Defensemen

*Sam Dickinson (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

Canada’s blueline might arguably be the team’s biggest weakness. It’s not bad, for sure, but they’ve had deeper, more dynamic groups.

Sam Dickinson is going to be a big piece of this group. The San Jose Sharks prospect is on pace for around 40 goals and 115 points this year with the Knights, which is absurd from a blueliner. Seriously, he has 15 goals in 26 games already this year. Look for Dickinson to lead one of the power-play units while playing well north of 20 minutes a night. This might be a one-and-done for Dickinson, who almost certainly has a chance to crack the Sharks’ lineup next year with the way he’s playing.

He’ll likely stay paired with his teammate Oliver Bonk, who is back for a second run after being on the ice when Canada was eliminated last year. The Flyers prospect is a minute-eating defender who has some good offensive traits but is the more shutdown option of the two. Even then, he might register 20 goals this year in the OHL – that’s one heck of a presence.

One guy who absolutely loves having the puck on his stick is Tanner Molendyk. The Nashville Predators defender had 56 points a year ago and could hit 60 this year as one of the WHL’s most consistent point producers from the point. Molendyk is Canada’s best skater on the blueline and he’s going to turn some heads at this tournament after missing out with an iniury a year ago. Nobody moves as well as Molendyk does and that mobility and playmaking combination makes him a treat to watch.

On the more physical side of things, Andrew Gibson – another Predators prospect – turned heads at selection camp. He’s a big, rough-and-tumble defender who had to really push his way to make the team but looked excellent in that opening game against U SPORTS. That seemed to help solidify his spot because no blueliner did as good of a job at keeping the puck away from the net as Gibson did.

Sawyer Mynio, meanwhile, plays better when he’s paired with a two-way defender and he can instead focus on being a shutdown force. I thought he looked great with Zayne Parekh at camp and I think he’s going to impress despite not being a high-profile youngster. Vancouver Canucks fans definitely love him, though.

Keep a close eye on Matthew Schaefer – considered by many to be the top prospect for 2025. More on him below, but this is a guy who could potentially start deeper down in the lineup but almost certainly will be deserving of some top-four ice time. No other defenseman is as dynamic as him both with and without the puck – he’s a future NHL star.

Forwards

*Easton Cowan (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

A year ago, Canada’s scoring depth was limited – and their biggest stars were nowhere to be found. This time, they’re leaving off the OHL’s top scorer in Michael Misa – they’ve got depth to spare.

Let’s start with Easton Cowan, the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect who has an unofficial 56-game regular season point streak in OHL action. He sat out the camp – outside of individual skates – after leaving the last London Knights game with a concussion. He should be good to go, and will play a bigger role than the bottom-line spot he had a year ago. Since then, he won OHL regular season and playoff MVP, led the Knights to an OHL title and established himself as Toronto’s true No. 1 prospect. It’ll be interesting to see if they have him killing penalties, but he will be counted on to put a bunch of points on the board.

Bradly Nadeau also didn’t participate in camp, but he was a lock to make Canada from the get-go. The Carolina Hurricanes product is having a good first season with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, where he is on pace for more than 40 points as a rookie. He was on a bit of a hot stretch prior to the team being named, so that’s a good sign, too. Nadeau has one of the best shots on this team, and his experience playing against pros should come in handy. This will be Nadeau’s first major international tournament with Canada after spending most of his development time in the BCHL and NCAA.

Two forwards with NHL experience this season are Colorado Avalanche forward Calum Ritchie and Philadelphia Flyers youngster Jett Luchanko. Ritchie scored his first NHL goal during his seven-game stretch with the Avs earlier this year before scoring at a rate of nearly two points per game back in Oshawa. Luchanko, meanwhile, is one of Canada’s most energetic two-way forwards, and while he didn’t score during his four-game stint, he has done so much this calendar year from an overall standpoint to help solidify his role on the team. At the very least, Canada will lean on the pro experience of both throughout the tournament. They’re also both very diverse forwards who can play many different roles with the team – that’ll be important when games start to matter more.

Brayden Yager is back for a second go at the tourney after finishing second in team scoring last year. Now a Winnipeg Jets prospect, Yager had a solid showing in camp and was downright lethal after his trade to Lethbridge last week. Look for Yager to have a lesser role this year, but that just shows how good Canada’s depth is.

All eyes will be on Gavin McKenna, the 2026 draft superstar. He’s leading the entire CHL with 60 points in 30 games and should be able to finish north of 130. And to think – he still has another year left until he’s selected. McKenna had one of the greatest performances ever recorded at the U-18 World Championship last year, which included a hat-trick in a comeback final victory over the United States. He might be one of the youngest players in the tournament, but there’s no way McKenna isn’t one of Canada’s top scorers when it’s all said and done.

But if there’s one guy to keep an extra close eye on, it’s Berkly Catton. The Seattle Kraken prospect has been one of the most productive CHLers over the past two years, and he’s only getting better the more he plays. He’s a dynamic center who can score and set guys up, and it’s expected that he’s going to carry a ton of responsibility on this team. Don’t be surprised if Catton is playing on the top line at this tournament before making a run at Seattle’s roster next season.

Deeper down in the lineup, I think Carson Rehkopf will also give the team some decent depth scoring after starting last year as the 13th forward – his play with 2025 NHL Draft prospect Porter Martone has been wonderful this year.

2025 NHL Draft

*Matthew Schaefer (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

It’s so rare for any country to bring two of the top three prospects in the upcoming draft. Canada had often shied away from taking underaged prospects, but that trend seems to be dead. At defense, Schaefer is going to be one of Canada’s best players. There isn’t a better, more deceptive skater on the blueline in this draft class, with his mobility being among the best we’ve seen in recent years. Schaefer is as good of a puck distributor as you’ll find, too, and it’s only a matter of time until he pops off in the OHL. That’s partly because he thinks that game is at such an advanced level at his age, often luring opponents in before pulling off a deceptive deke and getting the puck where it needs to be.

And then there’s Martone, who might remind you of a young Matthew Tkachuk. He hits everyone in sight, plays with pure power and is one of the best goal-scorers in the draft class. He’s a perfect fit for a bottom-six role because he makes himself difficult to play against – but he’s fully capable of being a power-play stalwart, too. The thing about Martone is he’s great away from the puck, too, meaning he’s more than capable of playing solid defensive hockey.

Projection

There isn’t a more skilled team in this tournament. Up and down the lineup, Canada has the depth needed to make a serious run. But skill isn’t everything – finding chemistry quick like the United States with their built-in connections will be vital. Canada’s offense looks good and they’ve got a couple of goaltenders capable of winning big games. Can the blueline hold up their end of the bargain? It’s not a bad group back there by any means, but it’s not as deep as some other years.

But that’s being nitpicky. So much has already been made about who DIDN’T make this team, but the reality is that this group has some substantial playing power. You can’t just rely on pure skill, though – this isn’t an all-star event. Canada might be favorites to win it all, but getting everyone on the right page right away against the Finns and never backing down after that will be the key to victory. Canada won gold back in Ottawa back in 2009 off the heels of the incredible performance from Eberle – they’d love to replicate that again this year.

Round-Robin Schedule

Dec. 26 vs. Finland: 7:30 PM ET
Dec. 27 vs. Latvia: 7:30 PM ET
Dec. 29 vs. Germany: 7:30 PM ET
Dec. 31 vs. USA: 8:00 PM ET

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