Analysts Say Stars Prospect Could Make Loaded Team Canada World Junior Roster

With the IIHF World Junior Championships more than a month away, Elite Prospects Senior Director Cam Robinson and NHL Draft and Prospects Analyst Chris Peters broke down what a potential Team Canada roster could look like on Friday. Among the many top-tier prospects expected to make the team is one from the Dallas Stars' pipeline.

Cameron Schmidt, Dallas' third-round pick in 2025, has become the organization's fastest-rising prospect after scoring 51 goals and adding 49 assists for 100 points in 72 games last season. Despite that stellar year, the 19-year-old Edmonton native did not make Team Canada. This time around, he may finally crack the roster.

Schmidt has been dominant again this season in the Western Hockey League with the Victoria Royals, recording 13 goals and ten assists for 23 points in 14 games, a pace that puts him on track for close to 110 points. He turns 20 this January, and the Stars hope he can make the jump to the pro level next season with the AHL's Texas Stars and prove that his early draft-gem status is legitimate.

Make Sure You Bookmark THN's Dallas Stars Site For The Latest News, Exclusive Interviews, Breakdowns, And So Much More.

He is still early in his development, but making a powerhouse like Team Canada and playing on the international stage would give Stars fans plenty to be excited about, especially if he breaks out on a loaded Canadian team.

Several first-round picks from the 2026 NHL Draft class are expected to make the team, including four of the first nine selections: Caleb Malhotra, Daxon Rudolph, Carson Carels and Keaton Verhoeff. Other first-rounders, Tynan Lawrence, Maddox Dagenais, Ethan Belchetz, Ryan Lin and Liam Ruck, were all taken inside the top 22 picks.

Joining Schmidt among the newcomers would be Landon Dupont, the consensus top prospect for the 2027 NHL Draft, along with other top-tier names such as Jack Nesbitt and Dima Zhilkin.

Canada has not won World Junior gold since 2023, when it completed three golds in a four-year span.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.