Making the grade: Canada unveils world junior roster featuring plenty of youth
CTV
Canada's team for the upcoming world junior hockey championship is set. The country unveiled its 25-player roster Friday following the conclusion of a selection camp in Ottawa.
Gavin McKenna will suit up for Canada at the world junior hockey championship.
Set to turn 17 next week, the star forward with the Western Hockey League's Medicine Hat Tigers headlines the country's 25-player roster for the annual tournament announced Friday.
McKenna, who is projected as the potential top pick at the 2026 NHL draft, will be joined by a pair of fellow youngsters battling for the No. 1 selection spot in June -- 18-year-old winger Porter Martone and 17-year-old defenceman Matthew Schaefer.
Five of seven eligible returnees from last year's squad that finished a disappointing fifth in Sweden are back, with forwards Easton Cowan, Brayden Yager and Carson Rehkopf getting the nod, while defencemen Oliver Bonk and Tanner Molendyk will anchor the blue line.
The two players unable to hold onto their spots for the event set to run Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Ottawa are forward Matthew Wood and goaltender Scott Ratzlaff.
Making up the rest of the group up front are Bradly Nadeau, Jett Luchanko, Luca Pinelli, Berkly Catton, Ethan Gauthier, Calum Ritchie, Tanner Howe, Cole Beaudoin and Mathieu Cataford.
Nadeau didn't attend selection camp in Ottawa this week, but was guaranteed a spot after being made available by the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes from their American Hockey League affiliate.
