Tavares last played for Canada at the World Championships in 2024, after Toronto was eliminated by Boston in the first round of the playoffs.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares appears set to join Team Canada for the World Championships in Switzerland.
One day after saying "things are trending" in the direction of playing for Canada at the Worlds, TSN's Darren Dreger reports that Canada has secured Tavares, along with Mark Scheifele, Robert Thomas, and Ryan O'Reilly.
"Obviously want to be playing for the Stanley Cup," said Tavares on Thursday during the team's locker cleanout day, "but anytime you get the opportunity to represent your country, and certainly the stage that I'm at, you don't take it lightly.
"And I think for me, it can only benefit me to go play and help Canada, but also, I think what's ahead of me in my career."
Tavares was one of the Maple Leafs' most consistent players this season, despite his goal total taking a slight dip. The 35-year-old played in all 82 games for Toronto and was the only one to do so.
He tallied 71 points — 31 goals and 40 assists — in that span.
This will be Tavares' fifth go-around with Canada at the World Championships. Two years ago (2023-24), he captained Canada at the tournament, tallying two goals and 11 points in nine games.
Canada fell 4-2 to Sweden in the bronze-medal game and failed to capture a medal.
Tavares also played in three World Championships while with the New York Islanders, from 2010 to 2012. In 2010, the center finished with the most goals in the tournament with seven. During the next two years, Tavares finished as a top-three player on Canada.
Three strong years, but he's medalled with Canada at the World Championships.
Tavares has, however, secured four gold medals with Canada in other tournaments: twice at the World Junior Championships, once at the 2014 Olympics, and once at the 2016 World Cup.
The Mississauga, Ont., native has represented Canada a total of eight times since his first World Juniors in 2008.
"It's just a different environment," Tavares added on Thursday, when asked what else he can gain from representing Canada at the World Championships.
"Obviously, around some different people, and you just learn and gain different perspectives. And it's not just like when you're a young player — even when someone has the experience like me, you just get into a different environment around different people, and (there's) always something to learn, something to grow, and it's just fun to compete.
"I love to play. And playing for Canada is an amazing honor, something you never take lightly," Tavares continued. "And obviously, where you hope to end up in the tournament, pretty highly competitive, intense games that have a lot of meaning to them, and that's the hockey you want to be playing."
The IIHF World Championships begin on May 15, with Canada's opening game against Sweden.