Building the best possible 2026 Canadian World Junior team

Dec 2, 2025, 09:00 ESTUpdated: Nov 28, 2025, 10:40 EST

Building the best possible 2026 Canadian World Junior team

Credit: Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff

Canada is set to begin their 10-day training camp in Niagara Falls on Dec. 12, but there’s still plenty of tough lineup decisions to be made.

We’ll have an updated roster projection to kick off next week, but that’s not our focus today. Instead, we’re looking at what Canada’s lineup could look like if they could bring the best U-20 team possible, regardless of NHL status. It’s such a uniquely Canadian issue where many of the team’s top World Junior-eligible prospects are already in the NHL, which often gets overlooked when people look at Canada’s development following an early tournament exit.

Of the 13 U-20 NHLers to play at least one game this season, 12 of them are Canadian (Russia’s Matvei Gridin is the lone exception). Last year, eight – including Connor Bedard – saw NHL action, with Will Smith being the lone full-time American.

So, what if we put together Canada’s ultimate roster? We’ll never see a lineup like this, but it makes for fun discussions, at least – especially with two potential Canadian Olympians in the lineup:

Forwards

Gavin McKenna (2026) – Macklin Celebrini (SJS) – Beckett Sennecke (ANA)
Michael Misa (SJS) – Berkly Catton (SEA) – Porter Martone (PHI)
Tij Iginla (UTA) – Michael Hage (MTL) – Ben Kindel (PIT)
Jake O’Brien (SEA) – Caleb Desnoyers (UTA) – Brady Martin (NSH)
Jett Luchanko (PHI), Justin Carbonneau (STL)

Also considered: Cole Reschny (CGY); Sacha Boisvert (CHI); Marek Vanacker (CHI); Liam Greetree (LAK); Braeden Cootes (VAN); Cole Beaudoin (UTA)

Celebrini had a great showing at the 2024 World Juniors, but there was no chance he was ever going back. Instead, he looks destined to be on Canada’s Olympic team after sitting in the top five of the NHL’s scoring race from the get-go. It’s crazy to think he could win Olympic gold in a year when he’s still World Junior-eligible.

Sennecke has been one of the NHL’s top rookies this season, so he’ll stick in Anaheim. Kindel might not be blowing up any scoreboards with his play this year, but he’s been important enough to Pittsburgh that sending him to the World Juniors would be a surprise.

The one big question mark, though, is Misa. He was still being eased into San Jose’s lineup before his injury. If he’s healthy and ready to go, could the Sharks loan him out for the World Juniors to get his game back in order before heading back to California? Or will the team’s brass prefer to keep him with the team’s pro coaching staff and get him back into NHL action as soon as he’s ready? That’ll be an interesting storyline to watch.

Even if none of those mentioned above is on the main roster, Canada’s forward group looks deep. I still think Catton will be loaned out, given he’s not playing a ton in Seattle. Martone and Hage have been excellent in the NCAA, McKenna has the skill the team needs in the top six, and Iginla, Martin, and Carbonneau bring you the work ethic needed to shine just about anywhere in the lineup. It’s a deep core, with some notable names still being left off.

Defensemen

Matthew Schaefer (NYI) – Zayne Parekh (CGY)
Sam Dickinson (SJS) – Harrison Brunicke (PIT)
Kashawn Aitcheson (NYI) – Keaton Verhoeff (2026)
Jackson Smith (CBJ) – Cameron Reid (NSH)

Also considered: Tarin Smith (ANA); Charlie Elick (CBJ); Owen Protz (MTL); Ben Danford (TOR); Xavier Villeneuve (2026)

Like Celebrini, Schaefer looks Olympic-bound at this point. Nobody in their wildest dreams could have expected that heading into the season, but he has absolutely earned a spot on Canada’s 25-man roster. Dickinson also seems likely to stay in the NHL over the Christmas break – but that could change if his ice time continues to slip. Regardless, he has already played the majority of San Jose’s games to date, which indicates that he’s likely to stick around.

We know Parekh is likely to be loaned out once he’s healthy. Don’t be surprised to see Pittsburgh let Brunicke go after his recent loan to the AHL on a conditioning stint, either. Beyond that, Aitcheson and Verhoeff are locks, while Reid looks very likely, as well. Jackson Smith is the one who could be swapped out for Elick, Danford or Villeneuve, but it’s likely a depth spot we’re talking about here, regardless. Of this list, Schaefer is the only one with absolutely no chance to go to the WJC – beyond that, though, it’s open season.

Goaltenders

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

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

This is the one position that won’t be different from the actual roster. 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 from the past decade to not be the team’s No. 1 at the World Juniors when it’s all said and done. Canada has some truly incredible goaltending depth – all three could be No. 1s on most other teams.

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Building the best possible 2026 Canadian World Junior team

Forwards

Defensemen

Goaltenders

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