The Big Ten held quite the Canadian talent, featuring four players from the conference.
In the World Juniors, Canada featured six skaters from the NCAA on a talent-stacked roster.
Although just accounting for 24% of the roster, these NCAA players were responsible for three of the top four scorers, as well as holding the statistically most impressive goaltender, all members of the Big Ten Conference as well.
Jan 2, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Canada forward Michael Hage (29) looks to pass against Slovakia during the second period in the quarterfinals of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at 3M Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn ImagesMichael Hage (Michigan)
It doesn't feel shocking at all that one of the NCAA’s point leaders at just the age of 19 also happened to triumph the rest when it comes to the points column in the World Juniors.
Michigan’s Michael Hage just did that, with a tournament-leading 15 points and madly impressive 13 assists.
Hage is a piece of the most dominant line in all of the NCAA alongside T.J Hughes and Will Horcoff, a top line for the Wolverines where all three forwards are tied for the sixth most points in the nation, with 28.
Hage’s teammate Horcoff leads the nation with 19 goals in the NCAA, and many see Hage as his activator.
His scoring stats were impressive, but his discipline was just as eye-popping. Hage had zero penalty minutes the entire tournament, the only one out of the top eight scorers to do so.
Hage was a first-round draft pick by the Montreal Canadiens back in 2024.
Jan 5, 2026; St. Paul, Minnesota, USA; Canada forward Gavin McKenna (9) makes a pass against Finland during the second period in the third place game of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship ice hockey tournament at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn ImagesGavin McKenna (Penn State)
McKenna made the move from Canadian juniors to the NCAA when he was 17, having turned 18 in this mid-season. Some media will claim the young gun didn’t make the right decision by going to college hockey, but it seems playing with harder competition made the World Juniors more of a breeze for him.
McKenna dropped a second-highest 14 points in the World Juniors, only behind Michael Hage. A year can make quite a difference, as McKenna only had one point in last year's World Juniors.
The freshman in State College, PA, for the Nittany Lions is over a point per game so far this season in the NCAA, dropping 18 points in 17 games.
McKenna is still favored by many as the top pick in this year’s NHL Entry Draft.
Jan 2, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Canada forward Porter Martone (22) celebrates his goal against Slovakia during the second period in the quarterfinals of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at 3M Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn ImagesPorter Martone (Michigan State)
Martone made a loud return to the World Junior, resembling the captain of this year’s team.
In a very spread-out attack for Canada, Martone cleared the path with six goals, which led the team and the entire tournament. There were seven different Canadians with four or more goals in the tournament.
Martone dialed up that count of goals on just 19 shots, a 31.58% when it comes to shooting percentage.
Martone returns back to East Lansing to finish his first NCAA season with the Michigan State Spartans, one of the nation’s best, with him playing a giant factor in that.
The 6’3 right winger was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers with the #6 overall pick in last year’s draft.
Jan 2, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Canada goalie Jack Ivankovic (1) looks on against Slovakia during the third period in the quarterfinals of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at 3M Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn ImagesJack Ivankovic (Michigan)
Canada saw time from two different goaltenders in the tournament, and the OHL’s Carter George led the way with four appearances.
That did not stop Jack Ivankovic, who posted a tournament best .918% save percentage in just three looks, going 2-1-0 on the tournament.
Ivankovic has impressed in the NCAA as well with top-ranked Michigan, holding the fifth-best goals against average in college hockey at a 1.90 with three shutouts sprinkled in.
Ivankovic is eligible to return in the next World Junior tournament, not turning 20 until May 2027. He will be a treat for Canada in the time to come.
The Nashville Predators draft pick was selected back in 2025 in the second round.
Bronze might not have been what Canada had hoped for, but they will carry quite the returning talent in the 2027 tournament.