Breaking down Canada’s 2026 World Junior Championship training camp roster

Dec 8, 2025, 11:10 EST

Breaking down Canada’s 2026 World Junior Championship training camp roster

Credit: (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)

TORONTO, Ont. – Hockey Canada announced the team’s 27-man roster for the 2026 World Junior Championship training camp on Monday in Toronto, and there were a fair number of surprises.

In lieu of a traditional selection camp, Hockey Canada announced its roster during an in-person media availability. The team will take part in daily practices from Dec. 13-22 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. They’ll also play a pair of games against Sweden in Kitchener and London before finishing off the pre-tournament with a game against Denmark in Minnesota on Dec. 23.

IIHF teams can bring 25 players, but Hockey Canada is electing to go with 24 instead. With 15 forwards, nine defensemen and three goaltenders, Hockey Canada plans to cut one forward, one defenseman and one goaltender before flying to Minnesota on Dec. 22. If injuries arise in Minnesota, players can be called up to fill one of the open roster spots, knocking the injured player out for the rest of the event.

Here’s a breakdown of Canada’s roster ahead of training camp this weekend, with a full team preview coming next week:

Canada's training camp roster for the 2026 #WorldJuniors. pic.twitter.com/yCRELcoHyT

— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) December 8, 2025

Getting Help from the NHL

Remember when Hockey Canada cut Zayne Parekh (Calgary Flames) and didn’t even invite Michael Misa (San Jose Sharks) to camp last year? They got the last laugh, with both starting the 2025-26 season in the NHL. But injuries for the pair meant using the World Juniors as a rehab assignment, of sorts, was suddenly possible.

Parekh should be Canada’s top defender, holding down the fort on the power play while giving them a fourth forward at times. Misa, meanwhile, can play center and the wing – and his ability to drive the net and create chances is better than just about anyone. The Oakville, Ontario native won the CHL’s MVP title last year, and his experience against NHLers this year should make him one of the most dangerous players in the tournament.

Harrison Brunicke was one of the Pittsburgh Penguins‘ top performers during the preseason, which meant keeping him with the big club was a no-brainer. But with just one point in nine NHL games, he kept bouncing in and out of the lineup before getting sent down to the AHL on a conditioning stint. He played well in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but it still felt like the World Juniors was the right pathway for him to get adequate playing time and build a high level of confidence.

Returning Faces

I’ll maintain that last year’s team was a good group that was just heavily mismanaged. Some fans thought Canada shouldn’t have brought back anyone from 2025 – but that was never going to happen. A total of four skaters were brought back from the team that fell short in Ottawa: Cole Beaudoin (Utah Mammoth), Jett Luchanko (Philadelphia Flyers), Porter Martone (Philadelphia Flyers) and Gavin McKenna (2026 NHL Draft). All four were locks to make the team and absolutely deserved to be there.

Martone and McKenna, in particular, should be heavy offensive contributors. Luchanko will likely play a bottom-six role, serving as one of the team’s better two-way forwards (like he was last winter). Beaudoin is having a breakout season and could probably play higher in the lineup, but it feels like he’ll be best suited in the bottom-six, where they’ll rely on his heavy game style to throw opponents off their game.

Tons of NHL Draft Talent

Gavin McKenna and Keaton Verhoeff were locks, no matter what. McKenna is expected to be on Canada’s top line, where he’ll have a chance to line up with 2024 U-18 World Championship linemate Martone again. In terms of pure skill, there aren’t many players in this tournament who can match him. Let’s see if this tournament can spike his draft stock again.

Verhoeff’s mobility, hockey sense and big 6-foot-4 frame makes him very valuable, especially with Canada leaving some size off the roster. Verhoeff struggled a bit at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, but has generally been a dominant force with Canada whenever he has worn the team’s colors. He shouldn’t have much issue adjusting to the pace of the WJCs after taking the leap to the NCAA.

Carson Carels, meanwhile, was a bit more of a surprise. His name started to appear in the WJC rumor mill a few weeks ago, and his strong play at the CHL USA Prospects Challenge helped solidify that. He’s strong, smart and excellent with the puck, and his defensive game is among the best of any blueliner in this draft class.

Goalie Depth Looks Stout

Canada’s goaltending has been a topic of discussion far too often. This year? That hasn’t changed, but for positive reasons. Carter George (Los Angeles Kings) and Jack Ivankovic (Nashville Predators) are back in the midst of strong seasons for both. George is one of the top goaltenders in the CHL, putting up solid numbers on a mid-pack Owen Sound Attack squad. Most expect him to be traded once he returns from the WJC – but right now, his focus is on trying to prove why he was one of the top goaltenders from the 2025 tournament.

Ivankovic, meanwhile, has been lights out in the NCAA. He’d likely be the starter on just about any other team in this tournament, but he’ll have to share the crease with George. Ivankovic has never lost a tournament when he has served as starter for the Canadians, and he’ll likely get the opportunity to be “the guy” when the tournament heads back to Edmonton next year. If George falters, Ivankvoic is one heck of a fallback option to lean on.

Canada’s third goalie, Joshua Ravensbergen (San Jose Sharks), is no slouch, either. He was a first-round pick in 2025 (ahead of Ivankovic) and has been great in the WHL. Most other years, he’d be Canada’s No. 1 – he just happened to be in the same age group as two of the best junior-aged goalies the nation has seen in recent years.

Biggest Surprise

After missing the start of the season, and then not blowing away the scoresheet in his third full WHL season, Carter Bear (Detroit Red Wings) seemed to be on the outside looking in. He is in the midst of his best hockey as of late, though – 15 points over the past eight games – but it still felt like he was dealing with an upward battle. Fortunately, he has so many high-end tools that he can be this team’s Brandon Hagel – a toolsy, intense forward who can create havoc around the net while being no slouch with the puck.

Notable omissions

I’ll have a bigger omissions story out tomorrow, but let’s start with a few I wanted to highlight.

I liked the idea of Canada bringing Justin Carbonneau (St. Louis Blues) for his shot and speed. Concerns about his hockey sense and off-puck play likely didn’t do him many favors. I think he would have been a good fit on the third line, personally.

In net, Evan Gardner (Columbus Blue Jackets) has done everything in his power to get himself noticed by Hockey Canada. The 2024 second-round pick was the top goalie who wasn’t invited to the camp roster last year, and has played decently again this year. He hasn’t outplayed Ravensbergen, though, who also benefits from playing on a more dangerous team.

John Mustard‘s (Chicago Blackhawks) hot first half in the NCAA helped get him on Hockey Canada’s radar, but he ultimately ran out of time. He had never represented Canada internationally in the past, and if you believe in all the political talk, the fact he has spent his entire junior career in the United States likely didn’t help his case. His recent cold streak – one point in his last six games – was poorly timed, too.

The exclusion of Marek Vanacker (Chicago Blackhawks) means the top scorer in the OHL has not been invited two years in a row. Vanacker has been downright lethal with the Brantford Bulldogs. Some scouts have expressed concerns about his game away from the puck, though, and with a handful of skilled shooters, some wondered if he was redundant on this group. I would have taken him, personally.

Pre-Camp Projected Lineup

Gavin McKenna (2026) – Michael Misa (SJS) – Porter Martone (PHI)
Michael Hage (MTL) – Jake O’Brien (SEA) – Tij Iginla (UTA)
Cole Reschny (CGY) – Caleb Desnoyers (UTA) – Brady Martin (NSH)
Cole Beaudoin (UTA) – Jett Luchanko (PHI) – Braeden Cootes (VAN)
Carter Bear (DET), Sam O’Reilly (TBL)

Projected cut: Liam Greentree (LAK)

Kashawn Aitcheson (NYI) – Zayne Parekh (CGY)
Cameron Reid (NSH) – Harrison Brunicke (PIT)
Ben Danford (TOR) – Keaton Verhoeff (2026)
Carson Carels (2026) – Jackson Smith (CBJ)

Projected cut: Ethan MacKenzie

Carter George (LAK)
Jack Ivankovic (NSH)
Joshua Ravensbergen (SJS)

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