CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has unveiled the 19 players who will wear the Maple Leaf with Canada’s National Para Hockey Team at the International Para Hockey (IPH) Cup, Oct. 20-26 in Ostrava, Czechia.

Three goaltenders, six defencemen and 10 forwards were selected by head coach Boris Rybalka (Vernon, BC) and Adam Janssen (Richmond Hill, ON) , manager of hockey operations. Assistant coach Steve Arsenault (Spruce Grove, AB), goaltending coach Dominic Larocque (Québec, QC), and skills and video coach Dean Seymour (Calgary, AB) also provided input.

“This is an exciting time for our program,” said Rybalka. “Our staff and players have been working hard since the world championship in Buffalo last spring to get prepared for the 2025-26 season. We know this is just the beginning of the journey to the 2026 Paralympic Games, and we’re excited to grow, get better and develop as a group while facing four tough opponents in Czechia.”

The roster features 14 players who won a gold medal at the 2024 World Para Hockey Championship in Calgary (Armstrong, Boily, Burnett, Cozzolino, Dixon, Dunn, Halbert, Henry, Jacobs-Webb, Kingsmill, Kovacevich, Lelièvre, McGregor, Watson) .

The roster also includes forward Greg Westlake (Oakville, ON) , who announced on Aug. 21 that he was ending his retirement and returning to the ice this season with his sights set on a sixth appearance at the Paralympic Winter Games in 2026.

Canada opens its schedule at the IPH Cup against the United States at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT on Oct. 20. It will also face the host Czechs (Oct. 21), China (Oct. 23) and Italy (Oct. 24) in preliminary-round play with the medal games on Oct. 26.

Hockey Canada also announced the support staff that will travel to Ostrava:

•  Performance analysis director James Emery (Calgary, AB)
•  Mental preperation coach Liam Heelis (Georgetown, ON/Acadia, AUS)
•  Equipment managers Grant Boswall (Cornwall, PE) and AJ Murley (St. John’s, NL)
•  Physiotherapist Michael Lenart (Keswick, ON)
•  Team physician Dr. Danielle Kelton (Guelph, ON)
•  Operations vice-president Jesse Albers (Victoria, BC)
•  Hockey operations director Benoit Roy (Sudbury, ON)
•  Hockey operations coordinator Jake Grison (Owen Sound, ON)

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook , X, Instagram and TikTok.

In the annals of Canadian para hockey history, few have left a more indelible mark on the game than Todd Nicholson.

So it is of little surprise that Nicholson will become the first para hockey player to earn induction into the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025.

For 18 seasons, from 1992 to 2010, the native of Dunrobin, Ontario, was a member of Canada’s National Sledge Team (now known as Canada’s National Para Hockey Team). He wore the ‘C’ as captain for 13 of those seasons, concluding his playing career on home ice at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

His résumé includes a medal of each colour at the Paralympics – winning gold (2006), silver (1998) and bronze (1994) – and appearances on the Paralympic All-Star Team in 1998 and 2002. At Torino 2006, Nicholson proudly carried the Canadian flag into the Opening Ceremony, and then posted a goal and two assists in five games to help Canada to its first Paralympic gold.

He also won four medals in five appearances at the World Para Hockey Championship – two gold (2000, 2008) and two bronze (1996, 2009).

After the national team officially came under the Hockey Canada umbrella ahead of the 2004-05 season, Nicholson tallied 52 points (11 goals, 41 assists) in 83 games, and sits 15th in all-time Team Canada scoring.

While his on-ice career came to an end in Vancouver, Nicholson has remained committed to para sport in retirement.

From 2013 to 2017, he served as chair of the International ParalympicCommittee (IPC) Athletes’ Council, earning him a seat on the IPC Governing Board.

He was also IPC Athlete Representative to the International Olympic Committee, and played a role in the organization of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London (2012), Sochi (2014), Rio de Janeiro (2016) and PyeongChang (2018).

Nicholson was front and centre at the 2018 Paralympics, serving as chef de mission and leading Canada to 28 medals in South Korea, eight of them gold. Following the Games, he was elected chair of the board of Own the Podium, serving in that role until 2023.

Among countless other accolades, Nicholson received the Meritorious Service Cross from the Governor General in 2016 for his contributions to para sport, and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.

He was also inducted into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame in 2014, and into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame in 2017.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has unveiled the schedules and ticket package details for the 2025 editions of the U17 World Challenge, U18 Women’s National Championship, Para Cup and Junior A World Challenge.

“We are excited to unveil the schedules for our four fall events that will happen across Canada in November and December, and to provide an opportunity for fans to secure their tickets to watch some of the top players compete in incredible communities,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact for Hockey Canada. “These are exciting events for participants and fans alike, and we are grateful for the commitment of our host committees, volunteers, community leaders and Members who help us create world-class experiences for everyone involved.”

The U17 World Challenge returns to Nova Scotia for the first time since 2014, with Truro set to host at the 2,500-seat Rath Eastlink Community Centre from Nov. 2-8. Six teams – Canada Red, Canada White, Czechia, Finland, Sweden and the United States – will be split into two groups and will each play two preliminary-round games before the medal round. The event will also feature pre-tournament games in Truro, Amherst and Wolfville on Oct. 31.

For the first time in tournament history, the U18 Women’s National Championship will be held in Newfoundland and Labrador. Eight teams consisting of the top under-18 players in Canada – Alberta, Atlantic, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario Blue, Ontario Red, Quebec and Saskatchewan – will compete for gold at Glacier Arena in Mount Pearl and CBS Arena in Conception Bay South from Nov. 2-8.

The Para Cup is set to return to British Columbia for the first time since the inaugural event in 2007, with Dawson Creek hosting at the 4,500-seat Ovintiv Event Centre from Nov. 30-Dec. 6. Canada’s National Para Hockey Team will take on China, Czechia and the United States as it looks to secure its first gold medal at the event since 2013.

The Junior A World Challenge will head to Quebec for the first time when Trois-Rivières plays host at the 4,390-seat Colisée Vidéotron, set for Dec. 7-13. The four-team tournament will feature Canada East, Canada West, Sweden and the United States, with each team playing three preliminary-round games before the tournament wraps up with the bronze and gold medal games on Dec. 13. The event will also feature pre-tournament games, with matchups and locations to be announced in the coming weeks.

Full-event ticket packages for the U17 World Challenge, U18 Women’s National Championship, Para Cup and Junior A World Challenge are on sale now and can be purchased at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets.

Hockey Canada and the local organizing committees of the 2025 Para Cup and 2025 Junior A World Challenge are currently looking to fill volunteer positions for both events. Individuals that are interested in creating a world-class experience for players and fans alike are encouraged to CLICK HERE to learn more about Hockey Canada’s volunteer program or visit the individual event pages to apply now.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will air select tournament games, with broadcast details to be announced at a later date. Tournament games not being broadcast by TSN and RDS will be available via livestream.

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the coaching and support staffs that will lead Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team through the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, March 5-16, 2026 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

Boris Rybalka (Camrose, AB), who was named head coach Aug. 8, will be joined by assistant coach Steve Arsenault (Spruce Grove, AB), goaltending coach Dominic Larocque (Québec, QC), and video and skills coach Dean Seymour (Calgary, AB).

Additionally, Greg Westlake (Oakville, ON), who has spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with Canada's National Para Hockey Team, has ended his retirement and will return to the ice this season with his sights set on a sixth appearance at the Paralympic Winter Games in 2026.

The coaching staff was selected by Jesse Albers (Victoria, BC), vice-president of operations, and Adam Janssen (Richmond, ON), manager of hockey operations, with input from Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, Misha Donskov (London, ON), vice-president of hockey operations and men’s national teams coach, and Benoit Roy (Sudbury, ON), director of hockey operations.

“We are proud to have Boris, Steve, Dominic and Dean lead our Paralympic Hockey Team on the journey to Italy,” said Janssen. “This coaching staff brings an exceptional blend of experience, leadership and deep commitment to para-athlete development, and their passion and vision for the game align perfectly with our program’s pursuit of excellence both on and off the ice. We are confident they will guide our athletes with integrity, purpose and pride as we set our sights on the Paralympic podium.”

Rybalka spent the last two seasons as assistant coach with Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, helping the team to a gold medal at the World Para Hockey Championship in 2024 and silver in 2025. He won two gold medals (2006, 2007) and one silver (2008) as head coach of Canada West at the Junior A World Challenge. The Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) Coach of the Year in 2003-04, Rybalka led the Camrose Kodiaks to five AJHL championships (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008) and won the Royal Bank Cup as national Junior A champions in 2001, and is the all-time leader in wins by a coach in Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) history (683).

Arsenault returns for his fifth season after joining the coaching staff as video coach in 2020. He helped Canada’s National Para Hockey Team capture its first gold medal since 2017 at the 2024 World Para Hockey Championship in Calgary and a silver medal in 2025. Prior to joining Team Canada, Arsenault had an impressive run as the head coach of Team Alberta, winning four-consecutive national para hockey championships (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019). As a player, Arsenault appeared in two Paralympic Winter Games, winning a silver medal at PyeongChang 2018 and a bronze medal at Sochi 2014. He also won a pair of world championship gold medals (2013, 2017), as well as a bronze medal (2015).

Larocque will be making his coaching debut in the 2025-26 season. He was first named to Canada’s National Para Hockey Team in 2010 as a forward, appearing in 65 games and winning Paralympic bronze in 2014 and Para Worlds gold in 2013. Following the 2014 Games, he transitioned to goaltender, backstopping Canada to Para Worlds gold (2017) and a pair of Paralympic silver medals (2018, 2022). Larocque ranks third in all-time games played by a goaltender with Team Canada (69), fashioning a 38-18-1 record with 20 shutouts. A veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, Larocque was inducted into the CAF Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.

Seymour will be making his para hockey coaching debut in the 2025-26 season. Named manager of hockey development and next generation at Hockey Canada in 2022, he has worked in skill development with men’s and women’s national teams. Seymour has worked as a development consultant with the NHL’s Calgary Flames (NHL) since 2018, working alongside members of the Flames and AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, and has been a guest coach at the last four Flames development camps. Additionally, he served as head coach of Team Scotiabank in the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association (PWHPA) Dream Gap Tour for three seasons (2020-23).

Hockey Canada has also announced the support staff that will work with Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team:

• Equipment managers Grant Boswall (Cornwall, PE) and AJ. Murley (St. John’s, NL)
• Physiotherapist Michael Lenart (Keswick, ON)
• Physical performance lead Bryan Yu (Edmonton, AB)
• Team physician Danielle Kelton (Guelph, ON)
• Mental preparation Liam Heelis (Georgetown, ON/Acadia University, AUS)
• Hockey operations coordinator Jake Grison (Lion’s Head, ON)
• Media relations coordinator Branden Crowe (Virden, MB)

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organizations.

In preparation for the upcoming season, 21 para hockey athletes will attend the National Teams Orientation Camp, set for Aug. 26-28 in Calgary. The camp is a three-day, off-ice event with players and staff from the men’s, women’s and para hockey programs, which will include presentations, team-building opportunities, team meetings and media opportunities.

Following the orientation camp, the team will take part in three days of practices Aug. 31–Sept. 2 at the WinSport Event Centre at Canada’s Olympic Park in preparation for the 2025 International Para Hockey Cup Oct. 20-26 in Ostrava, Czechia.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Program please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – As part of the road to Italy, Hockey Canada has invited 92 players from its men’s, women’s and para hockey teams to attend its National Teams Orientation Camp, set for Aug. 26-28 in Calgary. 

The National Teams Orientation Camp is a three-day, off-ice event with players and staff from all three programs, which will include presentations, team-building opportunities, team meetings and media opportunities in preparation for the upcoming season.

“We are excited to unveil the 92 athletes who will kick off the road to Italy, and to bring our men’s, women’s and para hockey teams together for three days as the first step towards our goal of winning triple gold in February,” said Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), Hockey Canada’s senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations. “While the next several months will bring intense evaluation and difficult roster decisions, we look forward to kicking off the season in Calgary and giving our athletes and staff a chance to come together and start to become one team as we set our sights on February.”

“This season will be an exciting time for Hockey Canada and for the sport as a whole, and we are excited to continue our preparation by welcoming 92 men’s, women’s and para hockey athletes to Calgary this summer,” said Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), Hockey Canada’s president and chief executive officer, who provides support to all three programs. “We certainly do not take for granted the opportunity and privilege we have to unite Canadians through our National Winter Sport, and we are confident that our national team athletes, coaches and staff will represent our country with tremendous pride on and off the ice as they deliver on our commitment to performance excellence.”

On the men’s side, 42 National Hockey League (NHL) players – including three goaltenders, 13 defencemen and 26 forwards – were selected by general manager Doug Armstrong (Sarnia, ON/St. Louis, NHL), assistant general managers Julien BriseBois (Greenfield Park, QC/Tampa Bay, NHL), Jim Nill (Hanna, AB/Dallas, NHL) and Don Sweeney (St. Stephen, NB/Boston, NHL), director of player personnel Kyle Dubas (Sault Ste. Marie, ON/Pittsburgh, NHL) and head coach Jon Cooper (Prince George, BC/Tampa Bay, NHL), with input from player relations advisor Ryan Getzlaf (Regina, SK) and Salmond.

The list includes three players who have won Olympic gold medals (Crosby, Doughty, Tavares), 12 who have won gold at the IIHF World Championship (Crosby, Ekblad, Hagel, Hill, MacKinnon, Marchand, McDavid, Montembeault, Reinhart, Scheifele, Stone, Weegar) and 13 who have won gold at the IIHF World Junior Championship (Bedard, Byfield, Crosby, Doughty, Makar, Marchand, McDavid, Morrissey, Point, Reinhart, Tavares, Theodore, Thomas). It also includes 19 Stanley Cup champions (Bennett, Binnington, Cirelli, Crosby, Doughty, Ekblad, Hill, MacKinnon, Makar, Marchand, Parayko, Point, Reinhart, Stone, Theodore, Thomas, Toews, Verhaeghe, Wilson), as well as all 24 players who were members of Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off championship-winning team.

On the women’s side, 30 players – four goaltenders, 10 defence and 16 forwards – will be a part of Canada’s National Women’s Team throughout the 2025-26 season, with players participating in training blocks and attending events during the year. The players were selected by general manager Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, QC/Toronto, PWHL), head coach Troy Ryan (Spryfield, NS/Toronto, PWHL) and Cherie Piper (Scarborough, ON), senior manager of player development and scouting. Assistant coaches Kori Cheverie (New Glasgow, NS/Montréal, PWHL), Caroline Ouellette (Montréal, QC/Concordia University, RSEQ) and Britni Smith (Port Perry, ON/Syracuse University, AHA), along with goaltending consultant Brad Kirkwood (Calgary, AB/Toronto, PWHL), also provided input.

Included on the roster are 17 players who helped Canada win its fifth Olympic gold medal at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing (Ambrose, Clark, Desbiens, Fast, Fillier, Jenner, Larocque, Maltais, Maschmeyer, Nurse, Poulin, Shelton, Stacey, Spooner, Thompson, Turnbull, Zandee-Hart). It also includes 24 players who helped Canada win a silver medal at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship (Ambrose, Clark, Desbiens, Gardiner, Gascon, J. Gosling, Fast, Fillier, Jacques, Jenner, Larocque, Maltais, Nurse, O’Neill, Poulin, Primerano, Serdachny, Shelton, Spooner, Stacey, Thompson, Turnbull, Watts, Zandee-Hart).

As part of Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, 20 players – including three goaltenders, six defenceman and 11 forwards – have been selected to participate in camps and events throughout the 2025-26 season. The athletes were selected by the coaching staff, with input from Benoit Roy (Sudbury, ON), director of hockey operations, and Adam Janssen (Richmond Hill, ON), manager of hockey operations.

The roster includes nine players who claimed a silver medal at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games (Armstrong, Dixon, Dunn, Henry, Hickey, Kingsmill, Lavin, McGregor, Jacobs-Webb). It also includes 16 players who helped Canada win a gold medal at the 2024 World Para Hockey Championship in Calgary (Armstrong, Boily, Burnett, Cozzolino, Dixon, Dunn, Halbert, Henry, Hickey, Jacobs-Webb, Kingsmill, Kovacevich, Lavin, Lelièvre, McGregor, Watson).

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced that Stanley Cup champion Misha Donskov (London, ON) has joined the organization as vice-president of hockey operations and men’s national teams coach, effective immediately.

Reporting to Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, Donskov brings National Hockey League (NHL) experience as an executive and coach to the organization and will be responsible for implementing the vision and strategies for Hockey Canada’s men’s, women’s and para hockey teams, and strengthen the alignment between the organization’s hockey operations and business operations staffs.

Donskov will also serve as head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Team at the IIHF World Championship, as assistant coach with the Men’s Olympic Team and as associate coach with Canada’s National Junior Team.

“We are thrilled to name Misha to his role today as he will play a critical role to ensure Canada’s national teams are set up for sustained success when representing our country on the world stage,” said Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), Hockey Canada’s president and chief executive officer. “Misha is a proven winner, collaborative leader and unwavering in his commitment to supporting our athletes, coaches and staff, and we know he will make Canadians proud throughout his work with Hockey Canada.

“We received a tremendous number of applications from candidates in Canada, across North America and around the world for this position and appreciate their interest in the role as part of the extensive recruitment process.”

Donskov recently completed his second season as an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars after spending parts of four seasons as an assistant coach (2020-23) with the Vegas Golden Knights, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2023. Before joining the Golden Knights coaching staff, he was the team’s director of hockey operations for four seasons (2016-20). Internationally, Donskov has been part of a number of successful Canadian teams, including championships as an assistant coach at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off and 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He also won gold at two IIHF World Championships (2015, 2016) and one IIHF World Junior Championship (2015) as manager of hockey operations, analytics and video, and won the 2019 Spengler Cup as director of hockey operations and assistant coach as well as the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament as video coach.

Donskov spent five seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the London Knights (2009-12) and Ottawa 67s (2012-14), highlighted by an OHL championship as London’s assistant general manager and assistant coach in 2012. In addition to his coaching and management career, Donskov has extensive experience in hockey development, including previous NHL roles with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Atlanta Thrashers.

Prior to pursuing a full-time career in hockey, Donskov spent six years with Cardinal Health, a Fortune 500 global, integrated healthcare solutions company. He held roles of increasing responsibility in finance, sales, and sales management. He holds a master's degree in kinesiology with a specialization in coaching education from the University of Western Ontario.

“It is a tremendous honour to be trusted to serve as Vice President, Hockey Operations and National Men’s Teams Coach for Hockey Canada,” said Donskov. “I would like to thank the Hockey Canada Board, Katherine Henderson and Scott Salmond for this incredibly unique opportunity. Hockey Canada has played a significant role in my hockey journey and development — both personal and professional. I am excited to be returning to Hockey Canada to help support our world leading teams, programs and people. In addition, I would like to thank Tom Gaglardi, Jim Nill and Pete DeBoer for affording me the privilege to coach in the National Hockey League and be a part of the Dallas Stars family and organization.”

This is the second critical hockey operations staff announcement ahead of the 2025-26 international hockey season after Hockey Canada announced the hiring of Alan Millar (Tottenham, ON), the first full-time general manager of the Program of Excellence.

“Misha brings a coaching acumen and focus to Hockey Canada that our programs will benefit immensely from,” added Salmond. “With a full time general manager in Alan Millar and now the addition of Misha Donskov, we are in a great position as an organization moving forward.”

Additions to the Program of Excellence management group, as well as the coaching staffs, support staffs and rosters for the under-17, under-18 and under-20 programs will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the Program of Excellence, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

BUFFALO, New York – Canada’s National Para Hockey Team has finished with the silver medal at the 2025 World Para Hockey Championship after dropping a 6-1 decision to the United States in the gold medal game Saturday afternoon.

Liam Hickey (St. John’s, NL)scored the lone goal early in the first period for the Canadians, who trailed 3-1 after one period and 4-1 after two as the North American rivals met in the final for the eighth-consecutive time at Para Worlds.

“That is the best game I’ve seen the U.S. play in a long time, and it’s just unfortunate that it came today against us,” said head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, ON). “They didn’t give us any space or room to breathe. We were unable to impose our will at all tonight. I would say that is an American team that has been sitting on a sour feeling since last year’s final and they were waiting for their chance to get us back. We can take some solace in the fact it took that type of effort to beat us, but there is a lesson here too that now we need to have that same fire in our belly and take care of business [at the Paralympics] in Italy in March.”

Adam Kingsmill (Smithers, BC) made 18 saves as the United States outshot Canada 24-11.

Captain Tyler McGregor (Forest, ON) and Dominic Cozzolino (Mississauga, ON) earned assists on Hickey’s goal, while James Dunn (Wallacetown, ON) skated in his 100th game as a member of Canada’s National Para Hockey Team.

Cozzolino finished as Canada’s leading scorer with 15 points (7-8—15), two more than McGregor (6-7—13). They were third and fourth, respectively, in tournament scoring.

“Not the performance we wanted today,” said McGregor. “When you look at the bigger picture and look back at the full year and how far we’ve come and how much we’ve grown as a group, there are lots of positives we can find. This one didn’t go our way, and all the credit to the U.S., they played a heck of a game. This one hurts for sure, but for our group we know what we have to do: move forward, use this as fuel, get better every day and prepare to leave Milano-Cortina with a gold medal.”

Following the game, McGregor was named Best Forward of the tournament.

Canada finished first in Group A with a perfect 3-0 record in the preliminary round with wins over Germany (11-0), Korea (12-0) and China (4-2). It booked its spot in the gold medal game with a 3-0 semifinal victory over Czechia.

With the win over Korea in the preliminary round, Canada officially clinched its place at the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games , March 6-15 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

In 15 appearances at the World Para Hockey Championship, Canada has captured five gold medals (2000, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2024), in addition to five silver (2015, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025) and three bronze (1996, 2009, 2012).

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook , X, Instagram and TikTok.

Here we go again. Canada’s National Para Hockey Team faces its cross-border rivals from the United States on Saturday night with the gold medal on the line at the 2025 World Para Hockey Championship.

Last Game

Canada punched its ticket to the gold medal game with a 3-0 semifinal win over Czechia on Friday. Liam Hickey and Adam Dixon scored 18 seconds apart midway through the first period to provide the Canadians all the offence they would need, Tyler McGregor added a power-play goal in the second period and Adam Kingsmill made eight saves for his second shutout in as many starts.

The Americans earned their place in the final with a 6-1 win over China in their semifinal. Declan Farmer had two goals and three assists to take sole possession of the tournament scoring lead, Jack Wallace also scored twice and the U.S. took charge with a four-goal second period.

Last Meeting

The rivals have met nine times this season, most recently in the finale of a three-game series in Thorold, Ontario in late March. Kingsmill starred in that game with a 16-save effort, Vincent Boily and Mathieu Lelièvre contributed a goal and an assist apiece and the Canadians earned a 2-1 victory.

The last meeting at Para Worlds was a thriller in last year’s gold medal game in Calgary. Kingsmill was again the story, making 24 saves, Dominic Cozzolino set the tone with a goal just 35 seconds in and Anton Jacobs-Webb netted the game-winner midway through the second period as Canada ended a seven-year gold medal drought with a 2-1 win.

What to Watch

We’ve mentioned him a couple of time already, but let’s do it once more – Kingsmill always seems to come up big in big games against the Americans. The 25-year-old was the unquestioned star of last year’s gold medal game, making a handful of point-blank saves to backstop Canada to a home-ice world title in Alberta. He’s also the only goaltender in Buffalo who has played more than one game and had yet to allow a goal, although he has had to make only 10 saves while blanking the Koreans and Czechs. Up front, James Dunn will reach at least one milestone; the forward will make his 100th appearance for Canada’s National Para Hockey Team and needs just one point to record 100 for his international career.

As he is at every major international event, Farmer is the straw that stirs the drink for the Americans. The Florida native is up to 18 points (10-8—18) after his five-point effort in the semifinals, good for a three-point cushion over Wallace and four over Cozzolino. A four-time world champion, Farmer is no stranger to the top of the scoring chart; he was first a year ago in Calgary (11-9—20 in five games), second in 2023 in Moose Jaw (9-3—12 in five games) and first at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing (7-11—18 in four games). He has also been pretty darn good against the Canadians this season, recording 20 points (13-7—20) in nine games.

A Look Back

This is the 138th edition of the North American rivalry, with the Americans holding a slight edge.

Prior to last spring, the most recent Canadian win with a major title on the line came at the 2017 Para Worlds in Gangneung, South Korea. McGregor scored a pair of goals, Brad Bowden added a goal and two assists and Canada earned a 4-1 victory to lay claim to the world championship.

All-time record: United States leads 75-61-1 (15-7 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 261
United States goals: 321

Canada’s National Para Hockey Team is into the playoff round at the 2025 World Para Hockey Championship, facing off against Czechia in the first semifinal Friday at the LECOM Harborcenter.

Last Game

The Canadians closed out the preliminary round Tuesday with a 4-2 win over China, completing a perfect prelims and clinching top spot in Group A. Dominic Cozzolino potted a pair of goals, including the game-winner 3:47 into the third period to break open a tie game. Adam Dixon and Mathieu Lelièvre also found the back of the net for Canada, which pulled away with three goals in 3:38 early in the final frame.

Czechia put a scare into the United States in its prelim finale on Tuesday, getting within a goal in the third period before dropping a 4-3 decision. Michal Geier scored twice and Martin Zizlavsky was in on all three Czech goals, earning a trio of assists. Patrik Sedlacek was terrific in goal, making 25 saves.

Last Meeting

The semifinals of the 2024 Para Cup in Charlottetown, P.E.I., was the last time the Canadians and Czechs faced off. In that one, Tyler McGregor and Liam Hickey finished with a goal and an assist each, Cozzolino chipped in with two helpers and Canada edged Czechia 3-1 to move into the gold medal game.

What to Watch

Cozzolino has picked up right where he left off a year ago at Para Worlds. Last spring in Calgary, the Mississauga native earned Top Forward honours after finishing third in tournament scoring (7-10—17) and helping Canada end its long gold medal drought with a tone-setting goal just 35 seconds into the final against the rival Americans. In Buffalo, Cozzolino sits tied for the scoring lead with U.S. point-producer Declan Farmer with 13 points (7-6—13) in three games. He has also (for the moment) jumped past his linemate, Hickey, for sixth in all-time Team Canada scoring with 172 points (62-110—172) in 126 international games.

Filip Vesely has already surpassed his offensive output from a year ago in Calgary, posting seven points – all of them assists – in three prelim games to sit second in helpers, just one behind U.S. defenceman Jack Wallace. He led the Czechs with six points (4-2—6) in five games in Alberta. Vesely has a little more help this time around; Zizlavsky also sits at seven points (2-5—7), while Geier contibuted six goals in the round robin, tied for third behind Farmer (eight) and Cozzolino (seven). The Czechs were the only team in the tournament not to allow a power-play goal in the prelims, killing off all five man-advantages they faced.

A Look Back

Canada has an unblemished all-time record against the Czechs, winning all 21 meetings dating back to 2009.

These teams have met twice before in the semifinals at Para Worlds, both of them shutout wins for Canada; in 2013, Greg Westlake scored twice in a 6-0 victory, and in 2023, Cozzolino and James Dunn had two goals apiece in a 5-0 triumph.

All-time record: Canada leads 21-0
Canada goals: 84
Czechia goals: 10