Canada Releases World Juniors Camp Roster: Reaction, Snubs, Bubble Players

Canada's 2025 world juniors squad announced the 32 players attending its training camp in Ottawa. Tony Ferrari looks at some roster battles, who will likely make it and the snubs.

Canada is gearing up for the 2025 world juniors by releasing its training camp roster of 32 players.

The Canadians will bring four goalies, 10 defensemen and 18 forwards to camp in Ottawa from Dec. 10 to 13. They'll look to whittle down the roster to 22 or 23, depending on whether they bring a third goaltender. The final roster will likely feature two goalies, seven defensemen and 13 forwards.

The roster features 28 drafted players, three eligible for the 2025 NHL draft and Gavin McKenna representing the 2026 NHL draft class. 

Some notable snubs from the roster include four top 10 draft picks in 2024: Beckett Sennecke, Tij Iginla, Carter Yakemchuk and Zayne Parekh. The CHL’s leading goal-scorer and 2025 top prospect, Michael Misa, didn't make the cut either. Cayden Lindstrom, another top-10 pick last June, has been injured all year, but there’s no guarantee he would have been here, either.

Here's more on each position.

In net, the team will likely lean on 2005-born netminders Carson Bjarnason and returnee Scott Ratzlaff. But Carter George has been a Hockey Canada favorite for a few years now, and Jack Ivankovic is arguably the 2025 NHL draft’s best goalie. The days of Canada having a surefire stud in the net are behind us, but this is a very solid group, even if they go with the younger guys.

Returning defenders Oliver Bonk and Tanner Molendyk will lead Canada's blueline. But Matthew Schaefer, the top defenseman available for the 2025 NHL draft, is the youngest member of the blueline. He’s been such an effective two-way force for the Erie Otters, and he’s always been able to step up his game in a Canadian jersey. He will still be in tough to make this roster, though, as there is quite a bit of talent on the back end.

Sawyer Mynio and Sam Dickinson look like the best bets of the rest of the defense corps to make the roster as they play the kind of hockey Team Canada typically loves. Dickinson has been a minute muncher with the London Knights, and pairing him with his London teammate Bonk makes a ton of sense.

Harrison Brunicke, Andrew Gibson, and Caden Price will all compete for spots with some somewhat surprising additions in Cam Allen and Beau Akey, who have battled injuries over the last two years. 

The defense group may lack the offensive dynamism that Parekh or Yakemchuk could have brought, but this is a very typical Hockey Canada blueline group.

The forward group is an interesting mix of talents. 

Returning players Easton Cowan, Carson Rehkopf, Matthew Wood and Brayden Yager will be integral pieces of this group. McKenna, the youngest invitee, is nearly a lock to make this team, and he could provide the difference-making offensive firepower that teams need in this kind of tournament. This group of five should provide a very solid foundation up front.

Calum Ritchie and Jett Luchanko should make the roster, as both played NHL games this year before being sent back to the OHL, where they continue to be very effective pieces for their respective clubs. Richie, in particular, should be one of the team’s best players and has a chance to play on the top line, while Luchanko looks like the prototypical Hockey Canada bottom-six player.

Andrew Cristall has always struggled to make Hockey Canada rosters as he doesn’t play their brand of hockey, but his offensive firepower should be valued. Having almost made the Washington Capitals in training camp, Cristall would be a glaring omission if he doesn’t make the squad, but not an entirely surprising one.

Berkly Catton is the only top-10 pick from last June on the roster. The Seattle Kraken prospect isn’t guaranteed a spot in the lineup, but he has been one of the most productive and dynamic offensive forces in the CHL for two years now. He should get a long look to be on this roster.

With Misa missing out, Porter Martone is the only 2025 NHL draft-eligible forward attending camp. The power forward brings leadership, skill and strength to the game, and he could play up and down this Canadian lineup. He fits the mold of what Hockey Canada typically loves in their players, but his youth will be a question as they tend to lean on their older players.

Bradly Nadeau will attend camp on loan from the AHL’s Chicago Wolf Pack, and the Carolina Hurricanes prospect should be one of the more interesting players in camp. He’s been heating up in the AHL, with five goals and nine points in 17 games, which could be the perfect lead into the world juniors.

Competing for the final roster spots, Denver Barkey was the last cut from the team last year, while Cole Beaudoin is a Hockey Canada man through and through. Riley Heidt and Luca Pinelli are two undersized forwards who are highly productive in very different ways. Heidt is a skilled and slick playmaker, while Pinelli is a bull in a china shop with a cerebral mindset toward the game. Ethan Gauthier is an interesting addition to the roster.

Denver Barkey

Cole Beaudoin

Mathieu Cataford

Berkly Catton

Easton Cowan

Andrew Cristall

Ethan Gauthier

Riley Heidt

Tanner Howe

Jett Luchanko

Porter Martone

Gavin McKenna

Bradly Nadeau

Luca Pinelli

Carson Rehkopf

Calum Ritchie

Matthew Wood

Brayden Yager

Cameron Allen

Beau Akey

Oliver Bonk

Harrison Brunicke

Sam Dickinson

Andrew Gibson

Tanner Molendyk

Sawyer Mynio

Caden Price

Matthew Schaefer

Carson Bjarnason

Carter George

Jack Ivankovic

Scott Ratzlaff

Get the latest news and trending stories right to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum.