Canada takes on Sweden in Kitchener tonight in their first 2026 World Juniors pre-tournament game. OHL forwards on the bubble and will need to impress tonight.
The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium will be rocking tonight as Canada plays its first of three pre-tournament games, with the first of two against Sweden. Canada has to cut three skaters and one goaltender before they make their trip down to Minnesota for the 2026 World Juniors.
A few of the players slated to play in Canada’s exhibition game Wednesday night are projectedly on the bubble. Five players will sit out tonight’s game, including a couple of OHL players.
Canada’s projected lines for tonight are as follows:
McKenna-Hage-Martin
Bear-Reschny-Cootes
Desnoyers-Luchanko-Greentree
Vanacker-O’Brien-O’Reilly
MacKenzie-Parekh
Aitcheson-Verhoeff
Reid-Smith
Carels
Owen Sound Attack’s Carter George will get the start in net. He is the presumed starter for the Canadians heading into the tournament, although there is a strong case that both Joshua Ravensbergen and Jack Ivankovic haven’t played themselves out of that question.
The projected scratches for tonight are: Tij Iginla, Porter Martone, Harrison Brunicke, Cole Beaudoin, and Ben Danford.
The assumption would be that those five are considered “locks” on the team since they will be taking the night off. Porter Martone and Cole Beaudoin are returnees and have had line rushes together in practice, so you can assume they are locks. Iginla and Brunicke would be shocking cuts. And Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ben Danford brings a playing element to the blueline that is needed.
Brantford Bulldogs star forwards Marek Vanacker and Jake O'Brien are two names who are on the bubble. Playing on a line with London Knights forward Sam O'Reilly, they will need to stand out tonight against Sweden to make Dale Hunter and co.'s decision a lot harder.
Another OHL player, Liam Greentree, may have his spot on the team in jeopardy as well. With Iginla, Beaudoin, and Martone in the lineup, Greentree’s spot on the team gets pushed down. And it makes a lot of sense to have a player like Beaudoin play in a physical, checking role over Greentree, who is more of a skilled power forward.
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