Canada White wins 2024 World U-17 Hockey Challenge with win over Canada Red
Canada White has won the all-home-team matchup to close out the 2024 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, beating Canada Red 3-1 in Sarnia on Saturday to win gold.
It’s the second time in a row Canada White won the title, and third time in tournament history. It’s also only the second time since the start of the 2010s that a team won consecutive titles – Russia was the last to do so in 2018 and 2019.
The first half of the game was quite quiet, with neither team generating many high-danger opportunities. The goaltending at both ends was the story early, with neither keeper seemed to lose focus.
That all changed at 32:55. Jean-Christoph Lemieux would beat Carter Esler after skating down the ice and taking a pass from Logan Hawery, scoring on a nice cross-crease pass. Three minutes later, Mathis Preston scored after taking Keaton Verhoeff’s feed to the right of Esler, wasting no time on a one-timer to make it 2-0.
Canada Red was desperate for a goal in the third period – but Canada White had other plans. Early in the final frame, Adam Valentini stole the puck off a Canada Red defender and walked in for the 3-0 goal, helping to firmly secure the victory. Braidy Wassilyn scored to make it 3-1, but it wasn’t enough to spark the comeback effort.
Earlier in the day, Sweden edged out the United States 5-4 in overtime to win bronze, while Finland needed just one goal to shut out Czechia for fifth.
Here’s a look at the top three players for both Canadian teams from throughout the tournament:
Canada Red
#5 Landon DuPont, D (2027): DuPont was so elusive with the puck all tournament long, and today was no exception. He makes it difficult for opponents to get a good read on him because he can start off slow before making a quick play that nobody sees coming. DuPont is so smart and so skilled and is an easy candidate to go first overall in 2027. It’s still exceptionally early – he can play another year at this tournament – but he was easily one of the best players all around.
#24 Alex McLean, LW (2026): McLean was one of Canada’s most dangerous players in open space, with his one-timer being one of his standout qualities. It felt like he was always buzzing out there, looking to create and finish plays. I also liked how aggressive he was in his own zone, pushing players around whenever he needed to.
#16 Colin Fitzgerald, C (2026): You could argue there are a lot more players who could have taken the third spot over a center with no points to show for. But Fitzgerald did so many things right as a fourth-line forward – he was noticeable on both ends of the ice while showing a nice mix of skill, physicality, and defensive play. Fitzgerald does a lot of small things well, to the point where I fully expect him to make an easy transition to the NHL when the time comes.
Other notables: #18 Jaxon Jacobson, LW (2027), #23 Brett Olson, C (2026)
Canada White
#3 Keaton Verhoeff, D (2026): Verhoeff was not only so good defensively, but he got better as a puck distributor as the tournament wore on. I wish he’d shoot the puck more because he puts a ton of power behind his shot, but he was a big part of Canada White’s victory on Saturday. He’s difficult to beat, wins 1-on-1 situations and blocks a ton of shots. There’s a lot to love about a prospect with top-10 potential for 2026.
#16 Mathis Preston, C (2026): The tournament goal-scoring leader with six, Preston got better with every passing game. While Preston had some quieter moments earlier on in the tournament, he played his best hockey when it mattered the most – the two medal-round games. Preston is creative, always scanning to find open space and can shoot from just about anywhere. Overall, there was a lot to love there.
#12 Adam Valentini, C (2026): Valentini finished the tournament tied for first in scoring with nine points, including the 3-0 goal on Saturday night. He was so consistent, registering at least one point in every game. The best was his four-point effort against Czechia in the opening game, but he found a way to make himself relevant in just about every game in many different ways.
Other notables: #5 Ethan Belchetz, LW (2026), Gavin Betts, G (2026)
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