2026 World Junior Championship: Projecting Canada’s roster

2026 World Junior Championship: Projecting Canada’s Roster

Canada appears well-positioned to contend for gold in Minnesota, though several important roster choices still need to be resolved.

Thirteen under-20 NHL players have already seen action in the league this season. With the exception of Russia’s Matvei Gridin, all come from Canada. Some players, including Nashville’s Brady Martin, Philadelphia’s Jett Luchanko, and Vancouver’s Braeden Cootes, have been loaned back to their junior teams. That leaves nine others still active in the NHL.

“Macklin Celebrini was never being loaned back under any circumstance.”

Among these players, Schaefer has already established himself as one of the league’s most productive defenders, making his return highly unlikely. Parekh and Catton may still be candidates to be sent back, alongside potential returns of Kindel and Brunicke. However, most appear likely to remain in the NHL — and deservedly so.

Coming off two straight quarterfinal exits, Canada will accept nothing less than gold at the 2026 World Junior Championship in Minnesota. Instead of a traditional selection camp, Hockey Canada will gather the roster for a 10-day training camp in Niagara, with exhibition games in Kitchener and London.

Author’s Summary

Canada’s youth-heavy roster, built around active NHL talent, aims to reclaim gold at the 2026 World Juniors after back-to-back quarterfinal disappointments.

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Daily Faceoff Daily Faceoff — 2025-11-07

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