2026 World Junior Championship: Projecting Canada’s Roster
Canada aims to win gold at the 2026 World Junior Championship in Minnesota, though some important roster decisions are still pending. Thirteen NHL players under 20 years old have appeared in NHL games this season, all Canadian except Russia’s Matvei Gridin.
Several players have already been loaned back to the junior ranks, including Brady Martin (Nashville), Jett Luchanko (Philadelphia), and Braeden Cootes (Vancouver). However, nine players remain in the NHL:
- Beckett Sennecke (Anaheim)
- Zayne Parekh (Calgary)
- Matthew Schaefer (New York Islanders)
- Ben Kindel (Pittsburgh)
- Harrison Brunicke (Pittsburgh)
- Sam Dickinson (San Jose)
- Michael Misa (San Jose)
- Macklin Celebrini (San Jose) – not eligible for loan back
Most of these players have a strong chance to remain in the NHL, especially Schaefer, who is already one of the league’s top-performing defenders and unlikely to be sent back. Players possibly returning to junior include Parekh, Catton, and potentially Kindel and Brunicke, but the majority seem set to stay in the NHL.
“After two quarterfinal losses, Canada won’t accept anything less than gold at the 2026 World Junior Championship in Minnesota.”
Instead of a traditional selection camp, Hockey Canada will hold a 10-day training camp with the final roster in Niagara, followed by two exhibition games in Kitchener and London to prepare the team for the tournament.
Author’s summary: Canada’s roster for the 2026 World Junior Championship balances NHL talent with strategic development, aiming to capture gold after past disappointments.