2026 World Juniors: Final roster projection for Team Canada

Nov 28, 2025, 08:40 ESTUpdated: Nov 28, 2025, 10:19 EST

Credit: Canada forward #22 Porter Martone (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)

In the not-so-distant future, we’ll know what Canada’s World Junior team will look like.

In lieu of a traditional selection camp, Canada will host a 10-day training camp in Niagara Falls, Ont., before playing a pair of exhibition games against Sweden. From there, they’ll head to Minnesota, where they’ll play Denmark on Dec. 23 before kicking off the tournament for real three days later.

There are still a handful of NHLers who remain eligible for this tournament who could be loaned out. Of them, only Calgary’s Zayne Parekh, Pittsburgh’s Harrison Brunicke, San Jose’s Michael Misa, and Seattle’s Berkly Catton have a real chance of being loaned out. There’s still a chance Ben Kindel gets sent to Minnesota, but given how he’s played in Pittsburgh, the odds don’t seem that high. We know Parekh is expected to join Canada – don’t be surprised if Brunicke and Catton do, too.

If you want to know what Canada’s roster could look like with the best U-20 players available, check this out. Regardless, Canada looks deep this year – and many think the overall talent pool across the other nine teams is a bit weaker than it was last year.

We looked at Canada’s projected roster earlier this month, so let’s do one last look before the official roster is released sometime over the next few days:

Forwards

Gavin McKenna (2026) – Berkly Catton (SEA) – Porter Martone (PHI)
Michael Hage (MTL) – Jake O’Brien (SEA) – Tij Iginla (UTA)
Cole Reschny (CGY) – Caleb Desnoyers (UTA) – Justin Carbonneau (STL)
Cole Beaudoin (UTA) – Jett Luchanko (PHI) – Braeden Cootes (VAN)
Marek Vanacker (CHI), Brady Martin (NSH)

Also considered: Sacha Boisvert (CHI); Liam Greentree (LAK); Malcolm Spence (NYR); Sam O’Reilly (TBL); Terik Parascak (WSH)

I have Catton getting sent back in time to play in the tournament – he has a legit chance of helping the team win gold and then stealing the WHL title with Spokane. If the Kraken aren’t going to play him a ton – and they haven’t so far – I think they’ll let him go.

The big draw will be McKenna, the top prospect in 2026. He had a quiet showing at this event a year ago and hasn’t blown the doors off the NCAA like many expected this year. I fully expect him to be extra motivated to prove himself in his second go-around. He and Martone have experience playing together internationally, nearly breaking the all-time scoring record together at the 2024 U-18 World Championship. Keep them together – it’ll work.

O’Brien is definitely one of the most intriguing forwards. He’s been downright dominant in Brantford, playing at a pace of nearly 100 assists and 125 points. By all accounts, his offensive exploits are more than enough to get him on this team. If Catton and Misa aren’t loaned out, there’s a decent chance he starts the tournament as Canada’s No. 1 center. If both are loaned out, I could see the Canadians leaving O’Brien off entirely. Why? I don’t think they’d use him in more of a checking role.

Regardless of whether he plays center or the wing, I expect Hage to play a big role for Canada. He’s been excellent in the NCAA and was one of Canada’s top players at the World Junior Summer Showcase. As for the other winger on the line, Iginla gives them a work ethic very few on the team can match. I could see him swapped out for a bottom-six role, but I think he’d be a good addition to this group. I also really like Reschny and Carbonneau, while Luchanko is a lock due to his NHL experience. Beaudoin’s incredible OHL campaign makes him a lock as a returnee, as well.

But here’s where things get tougher.

One player I took out of the bottom six (and out of the lineup altogether) was Greentree. With the puck, he makes things happen. He has been incredibly productive in recent years and is doing so again this time. But his lack of pace is concerning, and I know scouts feel his game isn’t rounded enough to stand out at an event like this. For reference, when I polled scouts about whether they’d take him over Vanacker, most picked Vanacker instead due to his size, intensity and bottom-six potential.

Desnoyers hasn’t played as much due to injury, and I could see them leaving him off in favor of other centermen. But his career has been built upon showing up in big moments, so I’m keeping him around. That being said, he’s not a lock by any means and could get pushed out if Misa gets loaned back. We’ll see.

I’m really high on Spence, someone who could play a variety of roles. But with Beaudoin, Martin and Vanacker, among others, already capable of bringing a physical presence, Spence’s role felt redundant. I wanted to find a spot for Boisvert, but I had him below a few of the bubble guys like Vanacker and Desnoyers. I think, personally, Greentree would be the first player to get the call out of the honorable mentions here, but that’s just a hunch.

Defensemen

Kashawn Aitcheson (NYI) – Zayne Parekh (CGY)
Cameron Reid (NSH) – Harrison Brunicke (PIT)
Ben Danford (TOR) – Keaton Verhoeff (2026)
Xavier Villeneuve (2026) – Charlie Elick (CBJ)

Also considered: Jackson Smith (CBJ); Owen Protz (MTL); Carson Carels (2026)

The Flames are expected to loan out Parekh once he’s fully healthy – that’s your power-play quarterback right there. I also expect the Penguins to let Brunicke take a detour to Minnesota, as well – there’s your minute-muncher. Easy peasy.

Aitcheson and Verhoeff provide Canada with plenty of size, mobility, and hockey sense in the top four. Verhoeff is projected to be a top-three pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and his maturity suggests he will play a significant role for Canada. I could see Verhoeff stepping up to the top pair if needed, too. Aitcheson is an absolute beast on the blueline, giving the team a mix of skill and toughness while being able to play all situations.

Beyond that, the team could go a bunch of different ways. I like Reid’s skating, while Danford can shut down just about anyone. Elick can be paired up with anyone and bring toughness and a willingness to win every shift. Protz could do the same, but I like Elick’s game a bit more. Either option there seems fine to me, especially if they’re in more of an eighth-defender role. As for Villeneuve, his ability to run the power play makes him incredibly intriguing, but he’ll have to beat out Smith to take a final roster spot (and I could absolutely see that happening).

Goaltending

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

Also considered: Ryerson Leenders (BUF); Evan Gardiner (CBJ)

All three are among the top goaltenders in their respective leagues, with George and Ivankovic coming back from the 2025 team. Ivankovic is likely Canada’s No. 1 in 2027, making him a rare three-year keeper with the U-20 team. It’s still George’s net to lose, though – he was one of the few truly stable assets the team had in Ottawa last winter.

I could see Canada giving the third spot to Gardiner over Ravensbergen, given his body of work the past two years. But Ravensbergen has been spectacular in Prince George and could be one of the best Canadian goaltenders of the past decade to never hold the starter’s gig.

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2026 World Juniors: Final roster projection for Team Canada

Forwards

Defensemen

Goaltending

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