Canada’s roster for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship is starting to come into focus now that we’ve seen Hockey Canada’s selection camp roster. Thirty two players were invited to Canada's camp which will open Dec. 10 in Ottawa.

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The Canadian group will be led by a forward group that is packed with talent, but there will be particular focus on some of the younger players in the group. NHL Draft-eligible prospect Porter Martone, who is in the hunt to be the top pick, was among Canada’s forwards, as was 2026 NHL Draft projected top pick Gavin McKenna. Aside from those two youngsters, Canada leaned more heavily on experience.

Among returning players from last year’s disappointing WJC squad to be heading to selection camp are Easton Cowan (TOR), Carson Rehkopf (SEA), Matthew Wood (WPG) and Brayden Yager (WPG). Recent first-rounders Berkly Catton (SEA) and Jett Luchanko (PHI) were among a select few from the 2006 birth year to get an invite, however.

On the blue line, only three of the 10 blueliners named have been first round draft picks, but they’re of the high-profile variety. Sam Dickinson (SJS), Tanner Molendyk (NSH) and Oliver Bonk (PHI) are the first-rounders in camp, with Matthew Schaefer – NHL Draft eligible in 2025 – sure to join the first-round ranks in the draft. 

In net, Canada will bring four goaltenders including Carter George (LAK), who backstopped Canada to a World Under-18 gold medal last spring. Draft-eligible goalie Jack Ivankovic was also named to Canada's roster.

Here’s a look at the full list.

Canada World Junior Selection Camp Roster

Forwards

• Denver Barkey, London (PHI)
• Cole Beaudoin, Barrie (UTA)
• Mathieu Cataford, Rimouski (VGK)
• Berkly Catton, Spokane (SEA)
• Easton Cowan, London (TOR)
• Andrew Cristall, Kelowna (WSH)
• Ethan Gauthier, Drummondville (TBL)
• Riley Heidt, Prince George (MIN)
• Tanner Howe, Calgary (PIT)
• Jett Luchanko, Guelph (PHI)
• Porter Martone, Brampton (2025)
• Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat (2026)
• Bradly Nadeau, Chicago (CAR)
• Luca Pinelli, Ottawa (CBJ)
• Carson Rehkopf, Brampton (SEA)
• Calum Ritchie, Oshawa (COL)
• Matthew Wood, Minnesota (NSH)
• Brayden Yager, Moose Jaw (WPG)

Defense

• Cameron Allen, Guelph (WSH)
• Beau Akey, Barrie (EDM)
• Oliver Bonk, London (PHI)
• Harrison Brunicke, Kamloops (PIT)
• Sam Dickinson, London (SJS)
• Andrew Gibson, Sault Ste. Marie (NSH)
• Tanner Molendyk, Saskatoon (NSH)
• Sawyer Mynio, Seattle (VAN)
• Caden Price, Kelowna (SEA)
• Matthew Schaefer, Erie (2025)

Goalies

• Carson Bjarnason, Brandon (PHI)
• Carter George, Owen Sound (LAK)
• Jack Ivankovic, Brampton (2025)
• Scott Ratzlaff, Seattle (BUF)

Notable Omissions From Canada's Camp Roster

• Carter Yakemchuk, D, Calgary (OTT)
• Zayne Parekh, D, Saginaw (CGY)
• Beckett Sennecke, F, Oshawa (ANA)
• Tij Iginla, F, Kelowna (UTA)
• Joshua Ravensbergen, G, Prince George (2025)

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the Canada roster was that neither of two of the top offensive defensemen from last year's draft will be even in camp for Canada. Neither Carter Yakemchuk, nor Zayne Parekh, are part of Team Canada's plans. Instead, draft-eligible Matthew Schaefer is among the players that got the nod over them. Hockey Canada clearly wanted more of a workmanlike defense and didn't have as much room for offense-first puck movers.

Another surprise was seeing Jack Ivankovic, who was Canada's goalie at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, get the nod as one of four goalies over Joshua Ravensbergen, who is very likely to be the first goalie selected in the 2025 NHL Draft. Ivankovic is undersized for the position, but has drawn raves from teammates. That said, Ivankovic backed up Carter George at the U18 Worlds and Canada had a relatively easy time at Hlinka-Gretzky. This is a good test for the youngster.

At forward, Canada clearly wanted to go for some older players. They did add youth in Porter Martone and Gavin McKenna, but both are proven international performers at U18 Worlds and the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. Players like Sennecke and Iginla, who were high picks at last year's draft in favor of more senior players like Bradly Nadeau and Riley Heidt seems to be part of a focus to have a lot more 19-year-olds on the final roster.

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