Canada has cut Brantford Bulldogs star forwards Marek Vanacker and Jake O'Brien from their 2026 World Junior Championship roster.
Canada did not wait long to make their three cuts at the skater position after beating Sweden 2-1 on Wednesday night in their pre-tournament opener. They announced Thursday afternoon that forwards Marek Vanacker and Jake O’Brien, along with defenseman Jackson Smith, have been returned to their club teams.
The Brantford Bulldogs were trying to become the first OHL team since the Niagara IceDogs in 2012 to have four players from its roster represent Canada at the World Junior Championship in the same year. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs are now down to two, Luchanko and Danford, who they traded for this season.
Vanacker originally didn’t receive an invite to Canada’s training camp. Like Zayne Parekh last year, he was a late addition, with the uncertainty of Michael Misa’s health. But with Misa officially loaned to the team, he and O’Brien had their roster spots in jeopardy.
The two Brantford forwards appeared to be on the outside looking in to start camp. They started camp on a line together with Calgary Flames 2025 first-rounder Cole Reschny. On Day 3 of practice, they stayed together, but London Knights captain Sam O’Reilly. Those three played together last night against Sweden on the presumably “fourth line.”
Brady Martin Leads Canada To Pre-Tournament Win Over Sweden, Showcasing His Importance In The Lineup
Canada defeated Sweden 2-1 in their first pre-tournament game as they prepare for the 2026 World Juniors, and Brady Martin was the star.
Outside of a high-danger scoring chance off the rush in the first period, that all-OHL line was quiet, and Vanacker and O’Brien each had a poor turnover at the offensive blueline that helped Sweden get back up ice. They didn’t play awful last night, but they didn’t make Canada’s decision tougher.
This will be the second year in a row that the top goal scorer from the OHL will not be on Team Canada at the World Juniors. Will Canada regret not bringing Vanacker’s goal-scoring prowess and O’Brien’s elite playmaking and poise with the puck?
The reality was that if those two were on the team, they would be playing in a bottom-six role for Canada, not necessarily a place suited for their skill set. Canada has plenty of high-end talent already up in the lineup with McKenna, Martone, Hage, Misa, Iginla, and Martin. Then you have Desnoyers, Luchanko, Beaudoin, Cootes, and O’Reilly who have the tools to play, and excel, in a depth, energy/checking role.
Vanacker and O’Brien needed to show the coaches and management last night that they, too, could thrive in a depth role. You can’t question their work ethic; both were skating hard on the forecheck, but the turnovers just weren’t there. O’Brien will be missed on Canada’s second power play unit, and there’s a good chance he was battling it out with Spitfires captain Liam Greentree.
Vanacker, unfortunately, will be too old to play at the tournament, but O’Brien should have an even better look at Canada’s lineup for the 2027 World Juniors.
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