Cowan, McKenna highlight Canada's world junior camp roster
Hockey Canada unveiled a 32-player training camp roster for the upcoming World Junior Championship on Monday, with Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan and 16-year-old WHL scoring leader Gavin McKenna highlighting the list.
Canada left off five players selected in the top 10 of the 2024 NHL Draft from the camp roster: Beckett Sennecke (third), Cayden Lindstrom (fourth), Tij Iginla (sixth), Carter Yakemchuk (seventh), and Zayne Parekh (ninth).
Lindstrom hasn't played since April and underwent minor back surgery in November.
Canada must cut the roster to 25 players before the tournament begins Dec. 26 in Ottawa.
Forwards (18)
| Player | Age | Current Team | NHL Rights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Barkey | 19 | London (OHL) | Flyers |
| Cole Beaudoin | 18 | Barrie (OHL) | Utah |
| Mathieu Cataford | 19 | Rimouski (QMJHL) | Golden Knights |
| Berkly Catton | 18 | Spokane (WHL) | Kraken |
| Easton Cowan | 19 | London (OHL) | Maple Leafs |
| Andrew Cristall | 19 | Kelowna (WHL) | Capitals |
| Ethan Gauthier | 19 | Drummondville (QMJHL) | Lightning |
| Riley Heidt | 19 | Prince George (WHL) | Wild |
| Tanner Howe | 19 | Calgary (WHL) | Penguins |
| Jett Luchanko | 18 | Guelph (OHL) | Flyers |
| Porter Martone | 18 | Brampton (OHL) | 2025 eligible |
| Gavin McKenna | 16 | Medicine Hat (WHL) | 2026 eligible |
| Bradly Nadeau | 19 | Chicago (AHL) | Hurricanes |
| Luca Pinelli | 19 | Ottawa (OHL) | Blue Jackets |
| Carson Rehkopf | 19 | Brampton (OHL) | Kraken |
| Calum Ritchie | 19 | Oshawa (OHL) | Avalanche |
| Matthew Wood | 19 | Minnesota (NCAA) | Predators |
| Brayden Yager | 19 | Moose Jaw (WHL) | Jets |
Cowan, Rehkopf, Wood, and Yager return from last year's team. Macklin Celebrini, Canada's scoring leader at the 2024 tourney, is with the San Jose Sharks and is unlikely to be sent back for the world juniors.
Eight forwards on the camp roster were drafted in the first round - Beaudoin, Catton, Cowan, Luchanko, Nadeau, Ritchie, Wood, and Yager.
Cowan has registered a point in 54 consecutive regular-season games dating back to last November. Doug Gilmour holds the OHL record at 55 contests, though Cowan won't officially break Gilmour's mark if he gets to 56 games since his streak spans two seasons.
Martone is a contender to go first overall in next year's NHL draft and ranks second in OHL scoring. McKenna, the top prospect for the 2026 draft, scored 20 points in seven games at the Under-18s in the spring. He'll turn 17 years old before the tournament begins.
Cristall leads the entire CHL with 2.61 points per game.
Canada also omitted OHL scoring leader Michael Misa from the roster. He's eligible for the 2025 draft.
Defensemen (10)
| Player | Age | Current Team | NHL Rights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron Allen | 19 | Guelph (OHL) | Capitals |
| Beau Akey | 19 | Barrie (OHL) | Oilers |
| Oliver Bonk | 19 | London (OHL) | Flyers |
| Harrison Brunicke | 18 | Kamloops (WHL) | Penguins |
| Sam Dickinson | 18 | London (OHL) | Sharks |
| Andrew Gibson | 19 | Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) | Predators |
| Tanner Molendyk | 19 | Saskatoon (WHL) | Predators |
| Sawyer Mynio | 19 | Seattle (WHL) | Canucks |
| Caden Price | 19 | Kelowna (WHL) | Kraken |
| Matthew Schaefer | 17 | Erie (OHL) | 2025 eligible |
Three defenders on the camp roster were drafted in the first round - Bonk, Dickinson, and Molendyk. Bonk is the only returnee from last year's team.
Dickinson has torched the OHL with 15 goals and 45 points in 24 games this season. He ranks third in league scoring and is 10 points ahead of the next top-scoring blue-liner.
Schaefer is considered the top defenseman in the 2025 draft and a candidate to go first overall.
Goaltenders (4)
| Player | Age | Current Team | NHL Rights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson Bjarnason | 19 | Brandon (WHL) | Flyers |
| Carter George | 18 | Owen Sound (OHL) | Kings |
| Jack Ivankovic | 17 | Brampton (WHL) | 2025 eligible |
| Scott Ratzlaff | 19 | Seattle (WHL) | Sabres |
Ratzlaff was Canada's third-string netminder at last year's tournament but owns the lowest save percentage of the group named to the camp roster (.889).
Bjarnason was selected 51st overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2023 and is the highest-drafted goaltender on the camp roster. Ivankovic backstopped Canada to gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August.