NOTE: This story was originally published March 2 with the announcement of the first 16 players. It has been updated to reflect the full Team Canada roster.

The players named to Team Canada are a who’s-who of Canadian hockey; they have combined for 21 Olympic gold medals and 16 more at the IIHF World Championship, and all but one – goaltender Corey Crawford – has previous international experience on their résumé.

Included in their list of successes is the IIHF World Junior Championship. Of the group, 16 are World Juniors alumni, and 14 of them have a gold medal to their name; Brad Marchand, John Tavares and Jonathan Toews lead the way with two apiece.

Here’s a look at how the World Cup-bound Canadians fared at the World Juniors:

PATRICE BERGERON
2005 WJC – 6GP 5G 8A 13P (gold medal/MVP/All-Star Team)

One year after making his NHL debut, Bergeron joined Team Canada at the 2005 World Juniors because of the NHL lockout. His professional experience paid off; he combined with Sidney Crosby and Corey Perry to form Canada’s most dangerous line, and finished with a tournament-leading 13 points to help Canada end an eight-year gold medal drought, earning MVP honours and a spot on the media all-star team in the process.

JAY BOUWMEESTER
2000 WJC – 7GP 0G 0A 0P (bronze medal)
2001 WJC – 7GP 0G 2A 2P (bronze medal)
2002 WJC – 7GP 0G 2A 2P (silver medal/All-Star Team)

In 2000, Bouwmeester became the youngest player to ever represent Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship (16 years, 3 months), a distinction he still holds. The defenceman is one of only seven players to play for Canada’s National Junior Team at three World Juniors and is tied with three others for most games (21). A steady presence on the blue-line, Bouwmeester recorded a tournament-best +11 in 2002 and was named to the Media All-Star Team.

Burns has twice been named Best Defenceman at the IIHF World Championship, in 2008 and 2015. But in 2004, he set the physical tone while making his international debut as a forward on Canada’s National Junior Team. On loan from the Minnesota Wild, he registered six assists – including two each in wins over Switzerland and the Czech Republic – in six games playing on a line with Jeff Carter and Ryan Getzlaf.

SIDNEY CROSBY
2004 WJC – 6GP 2G 3A 5P (silver medal)
2005 WJC – 6GP 6G 3A 9P (gold medal)

The youngest player to ever score for Canada at the World Juniors when he tallied against Switzerland in 2004, Crosby made his biggest impact one year later; the future two-time Olympic gold medallist trailed only Jeff Carter in goals in Grand Forks, tied Éric Dazé’s all-time Canadian record for power-play goals in one World Juniors (five), and helped Canada end eight years of gold medal heartache.

DREW DOUGHTY
2008 WJC – 7GP 0G 4A 4P (gold medal/Best Defenceman/All-Star Team)

Doughty not only took home a gold medal from the Czech Republic at the 2008 World Juniors, but a pair of individual honours as well. While he registered only four points in seven games – two assists against both Slovakia and Finland – he was recognized for his ability to make life difficult for opposing offences; the blue-liner was named Best Defenceman by the IIHF Directorate, and to the media all-star team.

RYAN GETZLAF
2004 WJC – 6GP 3G 3A 6P (silver medal)
2005 WJC – 6GP 3G 9A 12P (gold medal)

After settling for silver at the 2004 World Juniors in Helsinki, where he averaged a point a game, Getzlaf was back in red and white one year later, joining what many believe is the best Canadian team ever. The Regina, Sask., native was an offensive force, finishing second in Team Canada and tournament scoring with 12 points, and scoring just 51 seconds into the gold medal game to help the Canadians to a gold medal.

CLAUDE GIROUX
2008 WJC – 7GP 2G 4A 6P (gold medal)

Giroux tied for second in team scoring in Pardubice and Liberec, with his best offensive outing – a goal and two assists – coming in a loss to Sweden in the preliminary round. He had an assist in wins over Denmark on New Year’s Eve and the United States in the semifinals. His most important point, however, came in the gold medal game; his goal give Canada a 2-0 lead in a game it eventually won 3-2 in overtime.

BRAD MARCHAND
2007 WJC – 6GP 2G 0A 2P (gold medal)
2008 WJC – 7GP 4G 2A 6P (gold medal)

Marchand’s name goes hand-in-hand with IIHF World Junior Championship success, as he won back-to-back gold medals. He wasn’t much different in the red and white of Team Canada as he is today with the Boston Bruins – a feisty winger who played bigger than his size and loved to play physical. Marchand scored twice in 2007, including a goal in the gold medal game, and added six points in seven games one year later.

COREY PERRY
2005 WJC – 6GP 2G 5A 7P (gold medal)

Perry lined up alongside Patrice Bergeron and Sidney Crosby on what coaches initially deployed as their shutdown line. He registered at least one point in five of six games, including a two-goal effort in an 8-1 win over Finland. The gold medal is part of an impressive collection of hardware; Perry joins Team Canada alumnus Scott Niedermayer as the only players to earn membership to the IIHF Triple Gold Club (Olympic gold, IIHF World Championship gold, Stanley Cup), and win World Juniors gold and the Memorial Cup (with London in 2005).

Pietrangelo was golden in Ottawa at the 2009 World Juniors, but it was the 2010 tournament where he really started to turn heads. The King City, Ont., native dominated from the blue-line, tying Bryan McCabe’s Canadian record for points by a defenceman in one year (12). Pietrangelo recorded at least a point in all six games, deservedly earning Top Defenceman honours and a spot on the media all-star team.

CAREY PRICE
2007 WJC – 6GP 6-0-0 1.14GAA .961SV% 2SO (gold medal/MVP/Best Goaltender/All-Star Team)

The last goaltender to play every second of every game for Team Canada at the World Juniors, Price backstopped the Canadians to a third-consecutive gold medal in 2007; the 2015 Hart Trophy and Vezina Trophy winner opened the tournament with a shutout and never slowed down, leading the WJC in goals-against average, save percentage, and shutouts, and turning away the U.S. in a semifinal shootout thriller.

STEVEN STAMKOS
2008 WJC – 7GP 1G 5A 6P (gold medal)

The future first-overall pick finally won a medal with Team Canada in his third go-round after finishing off the podium at the summer U18 tournament and U18 worlds. The 17-year-old had three assists in a tournament-opening win over the host Czechs, and chipped in a goal and two assists the rest of the way to finish second in team scoring as the Canadians won a fourth gold in a row with an overtime win over Sweden.

JOHN TAVARES
2008 WJC – 7GP 4G 1A 6P (gold medal)
2009 WJC – 6GP 8G 7A 15P (gold medal/MVP/Best Forward/All-Star Team)

Tavares had four goals in seven games as a 17-year-old to help Canada win gold at the 2008 World Juniors, but that was nothing compared to his 2009 performance as the Canadians made it five in a row in Ottawa. He won MVP and Best Forward honours after a 15-point effort, earned a spot on the media all-star team, and sits tied with Jeff Carter and Eric Lindros for second-most goals in Canadian WJC history (12).

JOE THORNTON
1997 WJC – 7GP 2G 2A 4P (gold medal)

Thornton was 17 and the youngest member of Canada’s National Junior Team in 1997. Five months before going first overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, he had a pair of goals and assists as the team went undefeated in Geneva, Switzerland, capped off with a 2-0 shutout of the U.S. in the gold medal game for Canada’s fifth-straight World Juniors title. The head coach of that 1997 team? World Cup bench boss Mike Babcock.

JONATHAN TOEWS
2006 WJC – 6GP 0G 2A 2P (gold medal)
2007 WJC – 6GP 4G 3A 7P (gold medal)

The Winnipeg, Man., native had a modest two assists at the 2006 World Juniors as part of the best defensive team ever, but he broke out one year later. Toews led Canada in scoring in Sweden with seven points in six games en route to gold, and that doesn’t include his biggest contribution – three goals in three attempts in a semifinal shootout win over the U.S. that booked his place in Canadian hockey history.

SHEA WEBER
2005 WJC – 6GP 0G 0A 0P (gold medal)

Weber did not record a point in six games as Canada ended its eight-year gold medal drought in Grand Forks – the only Canadian to play more than one game and not find the scoresheet – but that doesn’t mean he didn’t play a major role; making his international debut, the blue-liner joined Dion Phaneuf on Canada’s shutdown defensive pairing, finishing tied for third in plus/minus at +10 – tops among all defencemen.

The first 16 players named to Team Canada are a who’s-who of Canadian hockey; they have combined for 19 Olympic gold medals and five more at the IIHF World Championship, and all but one – goaltender Corey Crawford – has previous international experience on their résumé.

Included in their list of successes is the IIHF World Junior Championship. Of the group, 11 are world juniors alumni, and each and every one of them have a gold medal to their name; John Tavares and Jonathan Toews lead the way with two apiece.

Here’s a look at how the World Cup-bound Canadians fared at the world juniors:

JAMIE BENN
2009 WJC – 6GP 4G 2A 6P (gold medal)

The reigning Art Ross Trophy winner, and again among the NHL’s scoring leaders this season, Benn has cemented his spot as one of the hockey world’s top point-getters. But that wasn’t the case in 2009; the Victoria, B.C., native was a role player with Team Canada at the world juniors, chipping in six points in six games – five in a one-sided win over Kazakhstan – to help Canada to its fifth-straight gold in Ottawa.

PATRICE BERGERON
2005 WJC – 6GP 5G 8A 13P (gold medal/MVP/All-Star Team)

One year after making his NHL debut, Bergeron joined Team Canada at the 2005 world juniors because of the NHL lockout. His professional experience paid off; he combined with Sidney Crosby and Corey Perry to form Canada’s most dangerous line, and finished with a tournament-leading 13 points to help Canada end an eight-year gold medal drought, earning MVP honours and a spot on the media all-star team in the process.

JEFF CARTER
2004 WJC – 6GP 5G 2A 7P (silver medal/All-Star Team)
2005 WJC – 6GP 7G 3A 10P (gold medal/All-Star Team)

Part of the group that experienced heartbreak in Helsinki at the 2004 world juniors, where he was named a media all-star, Carter came back one year later and repeated that feat; he scored seven times to tie Eric Lindros for most goals in Canadian WJC history (12, since passed by Eberle and Tavares), became the only Canadian to ever be named an all-star in consecutive years, and, most importantly, won gold in Grand Forks.

SIDNEY CROSBY
2004 WJC – 6GP 2G 3A 5P (silver medal)
2005 WJC – 6GP 6G 3A 9P (gold medal)

The youngest player to ever score for Canada at the world juniors when he tallied against Switzerland in 2004, Crosby made his biggest impact one year later; the future two-time Olympic gold medallist trailed only Jeff Carter in goals in Grand Forks, tied Éric Dazé’s all-time Canadian record for power-play goals in one world juniors (five), and helped Canada end eight years of gold medal heartache.

DREW DOUGHTY
2008 WJC – 7GP 0G 4A 4P (gold medal/Best Defenceman/All-Star)

Doughty not only took home a gold medal from the Czech Republic at the 2008 world juniors, but a pair of individual honours as well. While he registered only four points in seven games – two assists against both Slovakia and Finland – he was recognized for his ability to make life difficult for opposing offences; the blue-liner was named Best Defenceman by the IIHF Directorate, and to the media all-star team.

RYAN GETZLAF
2004 WJC – 6GP 3G 3A 6P (silver medal)
2005 WJC – 6GP 3G 9A 12P (gold medal)

After settling for silver at the 2004 world juniors in Helsinki, where he averaged a point a game, Getzlaf was back in red and white one year later, joining what many believe is the best Canadian team ever. The Regina, Sask., native was an offensive force, finishing second in Team Canada and tournament scoring with 12 points, and scoring just 51 seconds into the gold medal game to help the Canadians to a gold medal.

CAREY PRICE
2007 WJC – 6GP 6-0-0 1.14GAA .961SV% 2SO (gold medal/MVP/Best Goaltender/All-Star Team)

The last goaltender to play every second of every game for Team Canada at the world juniors, Price backstopped the Canadians to a third-consecutive gold medal in 2007; the 2015 Hart Trophy and Vezina Trophy winner opened the tournament with a shutout and never slowed down, leading the WJC in goals-against average, save percentage, and shutouts, and turning away the U.S. in a semifinal shootout thriller.

STEVEN STAMKOS
2008 WJC – 7GP 1G 5A 6P (gold medal)

The future first-overall pick finally won a medal with Team Canada in his third go-round after finishing off the podium at the summer U18 tournament and U18 worlds. The 17-year-old had three assists in a tournament-opening win over the host Czechs, and chipped in a goal and two assists the rest of the way to finish second in

team scoring as the Canadians won a fourth gold in a row with an overtime win over Sweden.

JOHN TAVARES
2008 WJC – 7GP 4G 1A 6P (gold medal)
2009 WJC – 6GP 8G 7A 15P (gold medal/MVP/Best Forward/All-Star Team)

Tavares had four goals in seven games as a 17-year-old to help Canada win gold at the 2008 world juniors, but that was nothing compared to his 2009 performance as the Canadians made it five in a row in Ottawa. He won MVP and Best Forward honours after a 15-point effort, earned a spot on the media all-star team, and sits tied with Jeff Carter and Eric Lindros for second-most goals in Canadian WJC history (12).

JONATHAN TOEWS
2006 WJC – 6GP 0G 2A 2P (gold medal)
2007 WJC – 6GP 4G 3A 7P (gold medal)

The Winnipeg, Man., native had a modest two assists at the 2006 world juniors as part of the best defensive team ever, but he broke out one year later. Toews led Canada in scoring in Sweden with seven points in six games en route to gold, and that doesn’t include his biggest contribution – three goals in three attempts in a semifinal shootout win over the U.S. that booked his place in Canadian hockey history.

SHEA WEBER
2005 WJC – 6GP 0G 0A 0P (gold medal)

Weber did not record a point in six games as Canada ended its eight-year gold medal drought in Grand Forks – the only Canadian to play more than one game and not find the scoresheet – but that doesn’t mean he didn’t play a major role; making his international debut, the blue-liner joined Dion Phaneuf on Canada’s shutdown defensive pairing, finishing tied for third in plus/minus at +10 – tops among all defencemen.

The 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship officially wrapped up on Sunday after 11 days of competition in the nation’s capital.

Fans at home watching on TSN see the action on the ice, but the action behind the scenes is crucial to help welcome the world to what is one of the most-watched tournaments on the international hockey calendar.

What exactly goes into – and comes out of – hosting the World Juniors? Let’s look at the numbers:

7: Communities in the Ottawa area that hosted pre-tournament games – Arnprior, Belleville, Brockville, Cornwall, Hawkesbury, Kingston and Ottawa.

10: Indigenous artists whose work was on display for Player of the Game awards, volunteer belt bags and a special commemorative jersey.

23: Officials assigned to work the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, representing nine countries – Finland (4), United States (4), Canada (3), Sweden (3), Czechia (2), Denmark (2), Latvia (2), Slovakia (2) and Switzerland (1).

26: People from 14 different countries who took the Oath of Citizenship to become Canadian citizens ahead of Canada’s pre-tournament game against Czechia.

27: Partners who supported Hockey Canada and the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.

28: Shooters in the bronze medal game shootout between Czechia and Sweden, the longest in International Ice Hockey Federation history. Goaltenders Michael Hrabal and Marcus Gidlof combined for 23 saves before Eduard Sale scored the winner for the Czechs in the 14th round.

76: Unique puck stacks, created by team services volunteers, ahead of practices.

116: Minor hockey players who participated in the event as flag bearers and Esso Player of the Game presenters in pre- and post-game ceremonies.

121: Accredited media members from 11 different countries, plus 36 accredited photographers.

193: Goals scored in the tournament. The highest single-game total was 16, when Czechia topped Kazakhstan 14-2, while the lowest total was three, done three times (Switzerland vs. Slovakia – 2-1; Canada vs. Germany – 3-0; and Finland vs. Latvia – 3-0).

322: Volunteers who gave their time during the tournament through the TELUS volunteer program.

400: Water jugs consumed throughout the tournament by teams, volunteers and staff.

1,094: Social media posts sent across all Hockey Canada platforms (X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok) from Dec. 19 (when pre-tournament play started) through Jan. 5. The posts earned 45,217,677 impressions and 2,000,899 engagements.

1,964: Minutes of hockey played during the tournament. Seven games went beyond 60 minutes, including the Finland-Sweden semifinal and both medal games. It’s the third time in the last four years that the gold medal game has required overtime.

4,000+: Single-game tickets donated to local community and Indigenous groups, including 150 kids each from the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation, Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation and Mohawks of Akwesasne who attended a game. As well, 150 newcomers experienced their first hockey game during the tournament.

6,177: Attendance for the relegation-round game between Germany and Kazakhstan in Ottawa on Jan. 2, making it one of the highest-attended relegation games in World Juniors history.

15,000: Meals saved through the Tablée des Chefs food recovery program, as a part of the event’s sustainability initiatives. This effort by the two main venues and two hotels prevented more than 6,842 pounds (three tons) of food from going to waste.

16,700+: Event packages sold between both venues. In total, 13,200 event packages were sold for Canadian Tire Centre and 3,532 packages were sold for TD Place.

80,000+: Attendance for Fan Fest, which was hosted at the historic Aberdeen Pavilion from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. The free event featured close to 50 different community activations, including live watch parties for World Juniors games, free skates, fireworks on New Year’s Eve, a Stanley Cup visit and a meet and greet with the PWHL’s Ottawa Charge. It also included live performances from 10 live bands and DJs.

296,895: Official attendance for all 29 games at the Canadian Tire Centre and TD Place, the eighth-highest total in World Juniors history. The number grows to more than 325,000 when Canada’s three pre-tournament games in Ottawa are included.

3,208,095: Amount, in dollars, generated from Hockey Canada 50/50 ticket sales across all 10 provinces and the Northwest Territories.

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. CZECHIA (JAN. 2)

Let the playoffs begin. It’s win or go home as Canada’s National Junior Team faces Czechia on Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship at Canadian Tire Centre.

Last Game

Canada dropped a 4-1 decision to the United States in its last preliminary-round game on Tuesday night. Bradly Nadeau scored on a Canadian power play early in the third period to briefly tie the game before the American power play restored its lead and added insurance. The Canadians were whistled for 22 minutes in penalties, leading to three U.S. goals with the man advantage. Carter George made 24 saves, with Canada outshooting the United States 39-28.

Czechia lost its final game of the preliminary round, falling 4-2 to Sweden on Tuesday. Petr Sikora cut the Swedish lead to 2-1 midway through the second period, but the Swedes pushed their advantage to 4-1 after 40 minutes. Captain Eduard Sale capitalized on a penalty shot in the third period, but the Czechs would get no closer.. Michael Hrabal made 37 saves in a losing effort.

Last Meeting

Canada wrapped up a perfect pre-tournament schedule with a 3-2 win over Czechia on Dec. 23. Gavin McKenna scored twice in the third period—including the game-winner with 2:29 to go—to give the Canadians the win. Nadeau provided the other goal, while George made 21 saves as the Canadians outshot Czechia 39-23.

What to Watch

The Canadians are the only team in the tournament yet to allow a goal at 5-on-5 (five goals against came on opposition power plays, and one was into an empty net), so keeping the game at even strength will be key. Despite suffering his first loss in a Team Canada jersey (he’s now 12-1), George has been the best goaltender in Ottawa, leading all netminders in goals-against average (1.01), save percentage (.964) and shutouts (2). A Los Angeles Kings prospect (57th overall in 2024), the 18-year-old was very good in playoff games while backstopping Canada to gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship and 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup; in five elimination games (all wins), George has a 2.60 GAA and .919 save percentage with a shutout.

Czechia has played for a medal at each of the last three World Juniors, and have eight players back from the team that won bronze a year ago in Gothenburg. The St. Louis Blues have four prospects on the Czech roster: defenceman Adam Jiricek (16th overall in 2024) and forwards Adam Jecho (95th overall in 2024), Ondrej Kos (81st overall in 2024) and Jakub Stancl (106th overall in 2023). Czechia has three players in the top six point-getters through the prelims: Stancl and Vojtech Hradec have four goals and seven points apiece, while Sale has four goals and six points. The Czechs led the prelims in shooting percentage (25 goals on 127 shots – 19.7%) and go into the playoffs with the No. 4 power play (3-for-13 – 23.1%) and No. 3 penalty kill (16-for-19 – 84.2%).

Since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, Canada and Czechia (formerly the Czech Republic) have faced each other 24 times at the World Juniors, with the Canadians claiming victory in 21 of those meetings.

The two teams have frequently met in decisive games in recent years. It was quarterfinal heartbreak last year in Gothenburg, with Canada falling 3-2 to the Czechs. They also met in the 2023 gold medal game in Halifax (a 3-2 overtime win for Canada), the 2022 semifinals in Edmonton (a 5-2 Canada win) and quarterfinals of the 2021 World Juniors in the bubble in Edmonton (a 3-0 Canada win).

All-time record: Canada leads 21-3-2 (1-1 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 120
Czechia goals: 48

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. UNITED STATES (DEC. 31)

Preliminary-round action comes to a close in Ottawa as Canada’s National Junior Team faces off against the United States with first place in Group A on the line at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Last Game

Canada bounced back from its loss to Latvia with a 3-0 shutout of Germany on Sunday. Special teams struck early for Canada, with Oliver Bonk scoring a power-play goal in the first period. A shot from Caden Price bounced off the skate of German goaltender Nico Pertuch to double the lead in the third period before Mathieu Cataford added an empty-netter with three seconds to go to round out the scoring. Carter George was fantastic in net, turning aside 25 shots for his second shutout in as many starts and adding an assist on Cataford’s goal.

The United States was also in action Sunday, with the Americans dropping a 4-3 decision in overtime to Finland. Carey Terrance scored in the first period, Cole Hutson gave the U.S. the lead early in the second and Brodie Ziemer tied the game at 3-3 with an early goal in the third period, but Tuomas Uronen netted the winner for the Finns. Trey Augustine made 40 saves for the Americans.

Last Meeting

The last time these teams met was a pre-tournament matchup a year ago, with Canada dropping a 6-5 overtime decision to the Americans in Kungsbacka, Sweden. Macklin Celebrini scored in the first period before a busy second period—featuring Canadian goals from Conor Geekie and Matthew Savoie—gave the United States a 5-3 lead. Celebrini scored his second and Owen Allard sent the game to overtime, but Lane Hutson was the overtime hero for the U.S. Mathis Rousseau and Samuel St-Hilaire split duties in net to combine for 22 saves.

In tournament action, Canada and the United States met for a semifinal showdown in Halifax in 2023, with Canada earning a 6-2 win en route to its 20th gold medal. The Americans took an early 2-0 lead, but it was all Canada after that. Joshua Roy led the way with two goals and two assists for the Canadians, while Connor Bedard, Logan Stankoven, Adam Fantilli and Brandt Clarke added a goal apiece. Thomas Milic had 43 saves for Canada in his semifinal performance.

What to Watch

George has been the best goaltender in the tournament, with a 31-save shutout against Finland preceding his 25-save performance against the Germans. A Los Angeles Kings prospect (57th overall in 2024), the 18-year-old has a .905 save percentage with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack this year and has never lost in a Team Canada jersey (12-0). The netminder also backstopped Canada to gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship and the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. In addition to Canada’s goaltending, the penalty kill has been effective so far this tournament. Canada has only allowed two power play goals so far in the tournament, currently ranking third overall for teams in the tournament.

James Hagens and Cole Hutson have been the top performers for the United States in preliminary play. Eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft, Hagens has two goals, six points and is a plus-four in three games. The 18-year-old opened his tournament with a four-point performance against Germany and has five goals and 20 points with Boston College this season. Hutson has recorded one goal, six points and is a plus-seven through three games. A second-round pick of the Washington Capitals (43rd overall in 2023), the 18-year-old has four goals and 14 points with Boston University.

A Look Back

Canada has historically had the upper hand against the United States, winning 34 of 49 meetings with three ties, but things have been more even in recent history. The Canadians have split the last 10 meetings with the U.S. dating back to 2012.

Prior to the semifinal win in 2023, Canada’s last victory over the Americans came in the 2020 World Juniors opener, when Alexis Lafrenière scored a late game-winner and added three assists in a 6-4 Boxing Day win.

All-time record: Canada leads 34-12-3 (3-3 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 200
United States goals: 136

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. GERMANY (DEC. 29)

Preliminary-round action continues in Ottawa as Canada’s National Junior Team looks to bounce back against Germany at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Last Game

It was a Friday night heartbreaker as Canada was edged by Latvia 3-2 in an eight-round shootout. Jett Luchanko opened the scoring with a shorthanded beauty in the second period and Calum Ritichie gave the Canadians the lead again with a power-play goal in the third, but Linards Feldbergs was spectacular in the Latvian goal, turning aside 55 shots in regulation and overtime, and all eight Canadian shooters in the shootout. Canada also lost 17-year-old defenceman Matthew Schaefer for the remainder of the tournament after he left early with an injury.

Germany was in action Friday afternoon at the Canadian Tire Centre, falling 3-1 to Finland. The Germans kept the game close, with Clemens Sager scoring late in the second period to cut the Finnish lead to 2-1, but couldn’t find the equalizer. Linus Vieillard was very good between the pipes, making 40 saves.

Last Meeting

It was a New Year’s Eve matchup the last time Canada and Germany met, with Canada earning a 6-3 win last year in Gothenburg, Sweden. Macklin Celebrini and Brayden Yager scored in the first period to give the Canadians a lead they would not relinquish before a big third period, with goals from Owen Beck, Jordan Dumais, Celebrini and Easton Cowan, sealed the victory.

What to Watch

Canada has a bright spot in goal, with Carter George and Jack Ivankovic putting up solid performances in the first two games. George posted a 31-save shutout against Finland to open the tournament. A Los Angeles Kings prospect (57th overall in 2024), the 18-year-old has a .905 save percentage with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack this year and has never lost in a Team Canada jersey (11-0). As a 17-year-old, Ivankovic is eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft. The Mississauga, Ontario, native has a 12-7-1 record with the Brampton Steelheads this year with a .898 save percentage. The netminders backstopped Canada to to gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship, with Ivankovic also winning gold at this summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup, a year after George did the same.

The Germans enter the matchup with one of the tournament’s best penalty kills of the tournament; they were perfect on seven opportunities against the Finns and Americans. Julius Sumpf leads Germany with a goal and an assist through two games. The 19-year-old plays with the Moncton Wildcats and has 16 goals and 37 points in 29 QMJHL games this season. This is Sumpf’s second World Juniors, as he recorded one goal and three points at last year’s tournament.

A Look Back

Canada has won all 17 meetings since Germany’s reunification in 1991. Looking back past 1991 for games against West Germany from 1977-89, Canada boasts an impressive record of 26 wins from 27 meetings.

Canada’s only blip was a 7-6 loss in the consolation round in 1981. The good news from that defeat? It indirectly contributed to the establishment of the Program of Excellence the following year.

All-time record: Canada leads 17-0-0
Canada goals: 108
Germany goals: 26

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. LATVIA (DEC. 27)

Canada’s National Junior Team is right back to action at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, riding the momentum from a tournament-opening win into a Friday face-off against Latvia at the Canadian Tire Centre.

Last Game

Canada opened the preliminary round in style on Thursday, getting a 31-save shutout from Carter George and a goal and an assist from Matthew Schaefer in a 4-0 win over Finland. Gavin McKenna, Easton Cowan and Luca Pinelli rounded out the scoring for the Canadians, who outshot the Finns 41-31.

The Latvians capped off pre-tournament play on Monday with a 5-1 loss to Switzerland in Arnprior. Olivers Murnieks scored the lone goal late in the third period, while Linards Feldbergs made 38 saves in a losing cause.

Last Meeting

The Canadians and Latvians faced off a year ago to the day in Gothenburg in what finished as a 10-0 victory for Canada. Macklin Celebrini was the offensive star for Canada, scoring once and adding four assists, while Conor Geekie and Carson Rehkopf had two goals apiece. Mathis Rousseau turned aside all 22 shots he faced for the shutout as the Canadians pulled away with five goals in the third period.

What to Watch

The first 17-year-old defenceman to make Team Canada since Jamie Drysdale in 2020, the only thing that sets Schaefer apart from his older teammates is the cage he’s wearing as an under-18 player. The Hamilton product was terrific against the Finns, helping set up McKenna’s ice-breaker in the first period and capping the win with a 200-foot empty-net goal in the dying seconds. Schaefer has done nothing but win in his international career – gold at the 2023 World U17 Hockey Challenge (as captain), gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship (as an underager) and gold at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (as captain). Not bad, kid. Not bad at all.

The Latvians have a sizeable youth movement (even in a tournament for teenagers), rostering four 16-year-olds – all of whom are plying their trade in North America this season. Murnieks has 15 points (9-6—15) in 25 games with the Sioux City Muskateers of the USHL, Rudolfs Berkalns plays for Muskegon of the USHL, Martins Klaucans is with the St. Cloud Norsemen of the NAHL and Roberts Naudins is with the U18 Prep team at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School.

A Look Back

The all-time history between the Canadians and Latvians is a short one, with just four meetings in World Juniors history. The Canadians have controlled all four, hitting double digits in goals in three of them.

The first-ever matchup, at the 2010 World Juniors in Saskatchewan, provided the most fireworks ; in the Boxing Day opener in Saskatoon, Gabriel Bourque tied the Canadian single-game scoring record with seven points (3-4—7), Brandon Kozun added five (2-3—5), and Jordan Eberle, Patrice Cormier, Nazem Kadri and Luke Adam provided two goals apiece in a 16-0 win.

All-time record: Canada leads 4-0-0
Canada goals: 41
Latvia goals: 4

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. FINLAND (DEC. 26)

Let the games begin! Canada’s National Junior Team opens the preliminary round of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship against Finland on Thursday at the Canadian Tire Centre.

Last Game

Canada wrapped up a perfect pre-tournament schedule with a 3-2 win over Czechia on Monday night. Bradly Nadeau opened the scoring early in the first period before Czechia responded before the end of the opening frame. Gavin McKenna scored twice—including the game-winner with 2:29 to go—to seal the win. The Canadians outshot Czechia 39-23 and Carter George made 21 saves.

Finland was in action Monday night in Cornwall, falling 5-2 to the United States. Kasper Halttunen got the Finns on the board with a power-play goal in the second period, cutting the American lead to 2-1. Halttunen added his second goal on a penalty shot in the third period, while Noa Vali and Kim Saarinen combined for 25 saves.

Last Meeting

The Canadians and Finns opened up the tournament exactly a year ago in Gothenburg, Sweden, with Canada earning a 5-2 win. Nate Danielson and Owen Allard gave Canada a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes. Macklin Celebrini got the game-winner to start the third period, and empty-netters by Matthew Poitras and Maveric Lamoureux sealed the win. Canada threw 29 shots on net and Mathis Rousseau made 24 saves.

What to Watch

Let’s hear it for McKenna! He celebrated his 17th birthday last week and has already made an impact on the ice for Canada. The Whitehorse, Yukon, native—who has 19 goals and 60 points in 30 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers this season—is the eighth-youngest player in National Junior Team history, but comes into the tournament with plenty of international experience—he recorded a record-setting 10 goals and 20 points on the way to gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship, and added three goals and six points when Canada won gold at this summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Finland has six returning players from last year’s fourth-place team. In addition to his two goals against the United States, Halttunen (36th overall in 2023 to San Jose) also added a goal and an assist against Slovakia in pre-tournament action. The Finns have two first-round NHL picks­—Konsta Helenius (14th overall to Buffalo in 2024) and Emil Hemming (29th overall to Dallas in 2024). Helenius has registered six goals and 17 points this season with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, while Hemming has put up five goals and 20 points with the OHL’s Barrie Colts.

A Look Back

Other than the United States, Finland is Canada’s most frequently-faced opponent at the World Juniors. The two countries have met 42 times, with the Canadians winning 27 of those games. The matchup has been even more favourable when Canada is on home ice, with the Canadians owning a 13-1 record.

The most recent home game was the gold medal game of the August 2022 tournament in Edmonton, a thrilling 3-2 overtime win for Canada. Joshua Roy and William Dufour scored for a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes, but the Finns evened the score in the third period to send the game to overtime. In a now iconic World Juniors moment, Mason McTavish knocked a Finnish shot out of the air to prevent it from going in during overtime, and Kent Johnson notched the game-winner a few moments later.

All-time record: Canada leads 27-9-6 (1-1 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 168
Finland goals: 107

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. CZECHIA (DEC. 23)

With two pre-tournament wins under its belt, Canada’s National Junior Team faces Czechia on Monday night for one final tune-up at the Canadian Tire Centre ahead of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Last Game

A strong third period powered Canada to a 4-2 win over Sweden on Saturday night. Luca Pinelli opened the scoring for Canada to the delight of Ottawa 67s fans in attendance. Sweden responded to take a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes, but Oliver Bonk, Calum Ritchie and Easton Cowan scored in the final 10:45 of the third period to erase the deficit and give Canada its second pre-tournament win. Canada racked up 40 shots on goal, while Jack Ivankovic and Carson Bjarnason combined for 22 saves.

Czechia was in action Friday night in Brockville, earning a 5-1 win over Latvia. Matej Mastalrisky got the Czechs on the board in the first, Petr Sikora scored twice and Adam Jecho added one of his own for a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes. Patrik Volas recorded the final goal in the third period and Jan Kavan made 21 saves for the Czechs.

Last Meeting

It was a quarterfinal heartbreaker last year in Gothenburg, with Canada falling 3-2 to the Czechs. After Czechia took a 2-0 lead after the first period, Matthew Wood and Jake Furlong got Canada even in the middle frame. With overtime looming, Jakub Stanci’s goal with 11 seconds remaining in regulation was the difference, with Czechia moving on to eventually claim the bronze medal.

What to Watch

Ritchie had a strong showing Saturday, with the Colorado Avalanche prospect recording a goal and two assists against the Swedes. The Oakville, Ontario, native began his season with the Avs, scoring a goal in seven games before rejoining the Oshawa Generals. Selected as an alternate captain for Canada at this tournament, Ritchie’s leadership and experience will have an impact on Canada—he won gold at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and led the tournament in scoring with four goals and six assists in five games.

Czechia has made it to the medal round of the World Juniors for the past three tournaments, and have eight returning players coming to Ottawa. The St. Louis Blues have four prospects on the Czechs’ pre-tournament roster: defenceman Adam Jiricek (16th overall in 2024) and forwards Adam Jecho (95th overall in 2024), Ondrej Kos (81st overall in 2024) and Jakub Stancl (106th overall in 2023). Jiricek has not played with the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs since Nov. 6 due to injury and had another injury-shortened season last year with HC Plzen. Forward Miroslav Holinka made a splash at the Toronto Maple Leafs’ development camp this summer. The 19-year-old was drafted 151th overall in 2024 and has 10 goals and 21 points with the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings this season.

A Look Back

Since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, Canada and Czechia (formerly the Czech Republic) have faced each other 24 times at the World Juniors, with the Canadians claiming victory in 21 of those meetings.

The two teams have frequently met in decisive games in recent years. In addition to last year’s quarterfinal, they also met in the 2023 gold medal game in Halifax (a 3-2 overtime win for Canada), the 2022 semifinals in Edmonton (a 5-2 Canada win) and quarterfinals of the 2021 World Juniors in the bubble in Edmonton (a 3-0 Canada win).

All-time record: Canada leads 21-3-2 (1-1 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 120
Czechia goals: 48