WJC: 2025 Team Canada Roster Talk

[Five Alarm Fire]

Not bad but I would be surprised if we had 2 of McKenna/Martone/Misa. This years team is so deep that bringing younger players isn’t required.

I would be tempted to put Ivankovic on the team given the year he’s had so far, despite being younger.

 

[FourQuarters]

Team Canada is deep, but last year, they didn't get a single medal last year when they thought they were too strong to be sure of winning by picking "rounded" players instead of the league's scoring leader such as Firkus and Cristall

 

[Mathieukferland]

Not bad but I would be surprised if we had 2 of McKenna/Martone/Misa. This years team is so deep that bringing younger players isn’t required.

I would be tempted to put Ivankovic on the team given the year he’s had so far, despite being younger.

It’s an embarrassment of riches up front, all those great players that have been drafted and then you have Misa and McKenna who are leading their respective leagues in scoring

 

[JackSlater]

Not bad but I would be surprised if we had 2 of McKenna/Martone/Misa. This years team is so deep that bringing younger players isn’t required.

I would be tempted to put Ivankovic on the team given the year he’s had so far, despite being younger.

I agree that Canada likely won't go as young as people think, but I am hoping that Hockey Canada doesn't fall into the trap of sorting players by draft status. It will probably happen though. Martone is in his third year of junior, just like plenty of players who will make this team, and is not even three months younger than Iginla. Spence is barely a month younger than Iginla even though he is draft eligible.

I don't expect to see both McKenna and Misa there. Even if they should both be there, which is quite possible, this is a very deep team at forward. In addition to them you have 19 forwards who were first round selections, plus a returning forward in Rehkopf, Cataford tuning up the QMJHL, and three 2006 forwards who may go top ten in 2025 in Martone, Spence, and McQueen. That's essentially two forward groups of 18/19 year old first rounders plus Rehkopf and Cataford.

 

[Digital Dog]

I agree that Canada likely won't go as young as people think, but I am hoping that Hockey Canada doesn't fall into the trap of sorting players by draft status. It will probably happen though. Martone is in his third year of junior, just like plenty of players who will make this team, and is not even three months younger than Iginla. Spence is barely a month younger than Iginla even though he is draft eligible.

I don't expect to see both McKenna and Misa there. Even if they should both be there, which is quite possible, this is a very deep team at forward. In addition to them you have 19 forwards who were first round selections, plus a returning forward in Rehkopf, Cataford tuning up the QMJHL, and three 2006 forwards who may go top ten in 2025 in Martone, Spence, and McQueen. That's essentially two forward groups of 18/19 year old first rounders plus Rehkopf and Cataford.

Agree - McQueen isnt likely even a consideration though, he has an undiscolsed injury and hasnt played since 11th Oct.

 

[Halfy]

2 of Martone, Misa and Mckenna literally have to be there, unless hockey Canada falls into their own trap. Bring the best players. Period.

 

[newmanager]

These are the skaters that I would select for the 2025 WJC.
Connor Bedard, Macklin Celebrini, Tyler Benson in NHL and Cayden Lindstrom not available (Injured).

Gavin McKenna		Braden Yager		Porter Martone
Tij Iginla		Callum Ritchie		Matthew Wood
Bradley Nadeau		Michael Misa		Easton Cowan
Carson Rehkopf		Cole Beaudoin		Beckett Senneke
		Ethan Gauthier		Jett Luchanko
	Sam Dickinson		Oliver Bonk
	Tanner Molendyk		Carter Yakemchuk
	Tristan Bertucci		Zane Parekh
	Etienne Morin

My selections for the 2026 WJC.
Assuming Macklin Celebrini, Michael Misa, Porter Martone and Sam Dickinson not available due to NHL duties.

Gavin McKenna		Roger McQueen		Beckett Senneke
Berkly Catton		Cayden Lindstrom		Terik Parascak
Malcolm Spence		Tij Iginla		Liam Greentree
Marek Vanacker		Cole Beaudoin		Jett Luchanko
Lynden Lakovic		Sacha Boisvert
	Matthew Schaefer		Ben Danford
	Jackson Smith		Zane Parekh
	Kashawn Aitcheson		Charlie Elick
			Colton Roberts

 

[joeyrikley]

This is a very young group, but I just love this layout of the roster. Yager and Wood were sneaky good together last year, could see Ritchie on the RW too because of his past experience with Yager at the Hlinka Gretzky. Nadeau may get overlooked, but he's playing pro competition this year, would be a shame if he didn't get a shot.

I love the young gun line, Mckenna and Martone were electric together at the U18s, and dominating the CHL. Catton is another offensive weapon to compliment their game. I can again see Ritchie being the C, acting as the stable presence for the youngsters.

The third line is the "veterans", a couple returnees. While I can imagine this group being used as much as the first line, I think they'll get a lot of defensive responsibility, definitely with the youngsters on the second.

Finally, the 4th line + 13th forward. Again very young, but Iginla and Sennecke feel like guys who are willing to play a physical game when called upon. Barkey is just a DOG. Luchanko is a very solid 2-way centre who can plug and play on every line + penalty kill.


Let me know what you guys think

LW​	C​	RW​
Wood​	Yager​	Nadeau​
McKenna​	Catton​	Martone​
Cowan​	Ritchie​	Rehkopf​
Iginla​	Barkey​	Sennecke​
	Luchanko​

 

[jj cale]

We can scratch any OHL guys listed here off the team. It's come to my recent attention by a highly respected scout here who get this.........actually has his own publication that people shell out their hard earned money for and who is kind enough to lend his thoughts to all us peons on this site that the OHL is a joke bush league.

If these players aren't playing in the greatest above all leagues that is the NCAA then just what are we doing here?

 

[Mathieukferland]

We can scratch any OHL guys listed here off the team. It's come to my recent attention by a highly respected scout here who get this.........actually has his own publication that people shell out their hard earned money for and who is kind enough to lend his thoughts to all us peons on this site that the OHL is a joke bush league.

If these players aren't playing in the greatest above all leagues that is the NCAA then just what are we doing here?

Thank god the Florida Panthers didn’t have any OHL guys on their team, they couldn’t have ever even dreamt of winning the cup if their team was made up of majority OHL players. Good thing they avoided OHL players entirely

 

[jj cale]

Thank god the Florida Panthers didn’t have any OHL guys on their team, they couldn’t have ever even dreamt of winning the cup if their team was made up of majority OHL players. Good thing they avoided OHL players entirely

yep, if you wanna win hockey games in 2024 the key is making sure not to have any of that rubbish on your team.

In fact you can put all Canadian players in that basket, after all.............what has Canada ever done in the sport of hockey?

Hopefully we can develop our program in the coming years, we need only look south to the historical number 1# hockey powerhouse that is the U.S to figure things out.

 

[Leviathan899]

My picks

Matthew Wood - Brayden Yager - Bradly Nadeau
Easton Cowan - Calum Ritchie - Carson Rehkopf
Gavin McKenna - Berkly Catton - Beckett Sennecke
Tij Iginla - Jett Luchanko - Porter Martone
Cayden Lindstrom

Molendyk - Bonk
Mynio - Parekh
Dickinson - Yakemchuk
Dupont

This team, on paper, is one of the best rosters they’ve had in recent memory imo

 

[Leviathan899]

yep, if you wanna win hockey games in 2024 the key is making sure not to have any of that rubbish on your team.

In fact you can put all Canadian players in that basket, after all.............what has Canada ever done in the sport of hockey?

Hopefully we can develop our program in the coming years, we need only look south to the historical number 1# hockey powerhouse that is the U.S to figure things out.

USA hockey last year with 4 first rounders compared to 19 for Canada. Imagine the outcry if it were reversed?

 

[jj cale]

USA hockey last year with 4 first rounders compared to 19 for Canada. Imagine the outcry if it were reversed?

Well, it was the influence of TSN that made that possible.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

My selections for the 2026 WJC.
Assuming Macklin Celebrini, Michael Misa, Porter Martone and Sam Dickinson not available due to NHL duties.

Gavin McKenna		Roger McQueen		Beckett Senneke
Berkly Catton		Cayden Lindstrom		Terik Parascak
Malcolm Spence		Tij Iginla		Liam Greentree
Marek Vanacker		Cole Beaudoin		Jett Luchanko
Lynden Lakovic		Sacha Boisvert
	Matthew Schaefer		Ben Danford
	Jackson Smith		Zane Parekh
	Kashawn Aitcheson		Charlie Elick
			Colton Roberts

You dont think Hage can crack the 2026 lineup ? hes having a good start in the NCAA

 

[newmanager]

You dont think Hage can crack the 2026 lineup ? hes having a good start in the NCAA

Anything can happen as it's still over a year away from the tourney so everyone's still in the mix including Hage. Just made this team based on past accomplishments, current play and history with team Canada. Having said that, all these kids here as well as a lot of orhers have had strong starts to the season also, except for the kids recovering from surgery of course.
Canada looks to have some real strong teams for the foreseeable future so cracking the squad won't be easy for anyone.....especially at center ice. Right wing might be Hage's easiest path to a roster spot.

 

[ORRFForever]

Canada looks to have some real strong teams for the foreseeable future so cracking the squad won't be easy for anyone...

Yes. We are truly on a roll.

 

[ORRFForever]

Just a quick aside...

Trying to remember who was NOT allowed to play at the World Juniors for Canada last year.

Their stats this year...

Connor Bedard - 3 goals / 10 assists in 17 games and he couldn't look any less happy in Chicago.
Adam Fantilli - 3 goals / 4 assists in 15 games.
Zach Benson - 3 goals / 1 assist in 11 games.
Shane Wright - 1 goal / 1 assist in 16 games.
Kevin Korchinski - playing in the AHL.

So... How did they benefit from being in the NHL at 18 / 19 and why couldn't they play at the WJR's in 2023?

 

[Petes2424]

There’s gonna be a lot of upset fans this year, as always. People also shouldn’t count out someone like Emmitt Finnie making the roster in place of someone like Iginla either. He’s so well respected by coaches, has played some in the AHL already, and plays the game the right way. Doesn’t hurt he’s also among WHL scoring leaders. Ahead of guys like Iginla and Yager.

There’s always someone like Finnie who ends up on the team.

 

[kyle44]

There’s gonna be a lot of upset fans this year, as always. People also shouldn’t count out someone like Emmitt Finnie making the roster in place of someone like Iginla either. He’s so well respected by coaches, has played some in the AHL already, and plays the game the right way. Doesn’t hurt he’s also among WHL scoring leaders. Ahead of guys like Iginla and Yager.

There’s always someone like Finnie who ends up on the team.

Agreed, Hockey Canada loves to surprise us with an Aidan Dudas/Owen Allard type of pick.

Speaking of unexpected invites, I wonder if Luca Marrelli get a look? Guy has been on fire to start the year. 6’2, 19-year old dman on pace for 100 points might be appealing to them.

 

[dino200022]

Agreed, Hockey Canada loves to surprise us with an Aidan Dudas/Owen Allard type of pick.

Speaking of unexpected invites, I wonder if Luca Marrelli get a look? Guy has been on fire to start the year. 6’2, 19-year old dman on pace for 100 points might be appealing to them.

Yes we have to remember that they will be trying to build the "Best Team", that usually does not necessarily mean a team that has all of the "Best Players" on it. In short tournaments I think that familiarity is a key factor. I fully expect Team Canada to not get "Letanged" this year by picking a homerish team and instead they will pick players that can best fit certain roles.

 

[jj cale]

You dont think Hage can crack the 2026 lineup ? hes having a good start in the NCAA

He's a lock!!

 

[novisor]

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... starting to get excited for this tournament again and the holiday season as whole.

Mckenna and Misa both need to be on this team. HC needs to bring the best players. This tournament also desperately needs Russia back in it.