2026 World Juniors: Top standouts from Canada vs. Denmark

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Canada had no issue dominating against Denmark to close out Monday’s action, winning a

Canada will have a chance to win Group B on Wednesday night when they take on Finland, who currently sits one point behind Canada.

Canada had three goals before the Danes even registered a shot on net. It all started at 3:17, when Gavin McKenna fired home a one-timer on the power play. Then, Braeden Cootes and Zayne Parekh both scored off beautiful wrist shot goals, making it 3-0 just past the halfway mark of the first.

The Danes started the second period with a surprise goal. After Cole Beaudoin gave the puck up by the goal line, Mads Klyvo was able to get an off-angle goal on Carter George to end his shutout after two shots. Canada controlled the rest of the frame, though, with McKenna adding two more, Michael Misa and Kashawn Aitcheson scoring their first and Porter Martone snagging two to finish off the night.

Here’s a look at the top performers from 3M Arena:

Canada

#19 Zayne Parekh, D (Calgary Flames): Parekh had a solid two-point game, starting with his first-period goal. The Danes couldn’t keep up with his footwork, and he rarely got beaten in transition. Parekh’s game can be really hit or miss, especially when he gets a bit whimsical in the D zone. But few players can distribute and rush the puck with the confidence that he has.

#20 Keaton Verhoff, D (2026 NHL Draft): I know it was against Denmark, but… maybe Canada should keep Verhoeff in for another game. He looked confident, and while his positioning was a bit suspect at times, I thought he made a positive impact just about every time he hit the ice. He kept playing more and more as the game wore on and I feel like he was Canada’s best defenseman in the third period. It’s not easy stepping into game action midway through and thriving, so I liked him today.

#7 Michael Misa, C (San Jose Sharks): Will a one-goal, three-point effort spark the rest of the tournament for him? Misa was so dominant in junior but struggled in the early stages of this tournament since coming back from injury. Today, he was flying, and almost all his passes seemed to connect. He needed that.

#8 Braeden Cootes, RW (Vancouver Canucks): Cootes finally registered his first goal of the tournament, showing that the bottom-six could contribute offensively. But beyond that, I thought he did a solid job of retrieving pucks and forcing turnovers. He’s not a playdriver on this team, but he’s an excellent support player who can be difficult to play against.

#9 Gavin McKenna, LW (2026 NHL Draft): Now that was more like it. The projected top pick in 2026 scored on the power play to open the scoring, and then continued to lay on the pressure the rest of the night. He had a five-point effort against Denmark in the pre-tournament game, but everyone was waiting for him to have an explosive night in Minneapolis. With three goals today – including a pretty one in the third – it’s safe to say he delivered.

#17 Jett Luchanko, RW (Philadelphia Flyers): I really, really liked Luchanko today. He was flying out there, and he ultimately created two quality breakaway chances today. He worked much harder than anyone else out there – he rarely lost a battle for the puck. This felt more like one of his performances a year ago, where he couldn’t be contained.

#22 Porter Martone, RW (Philadelphia Flyers): Martone made some excellent plays that turned into scoring chances in the first period and eventually got one in the back of the net in the middle stanza before adding an assist. It felt like everything he was trying all tournament long – the dekes, the offensive zone pressure – finally materialized today. That should be good for his confidence.

#28 Brady Martin, RW (Nashville Predators): It felt like a quiet three-point performance tonight compared to his own standards – maybe because he didn’t go around killing people. Still, his passing was top-notch, and he still snuck past defenders like it was nothing in the offensive zone. Besides Michael Hage, Martin has been Canada’s best forward in Minnesota.

Denmark

#35 Patrick Tiedjen, G: With all due respect to Anton Wilde, maybe Tiedjen should have started the previous games. He was excellent today, especially in the second period when the Danes couldn’t get out of their zone 90 percent of the time. It all fell apart in the end but he gave it his all – that’s all that matters.

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