Meantime, Hockey Canada has announced the 22-player roster that will represent Canada at the 2023 World Junior Championship in Halifax and Moncton.

Headlined by 2023 N-H-L top prospects Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli, as well as 2022 fourth overall pick Shane Wright, Canada will be looking to defend their gold medal on home soil. Canada opens their tournament on Boxing Day against Czechia. Returning players from the gold-medal winning squad in August are forwards Bedard, Logan Stankoven, Brennan Othmann, Joshua Roy, Nathan Gaucher and Zack Ostapchuk plus defencemen Olen Zellweger, Ethan Del Mastro. Bedard, Stankoven, Ostapchuk and Zellweger are joined by seven other current or former W-H-L players, including the Seattle defence pair of Saskatoon product Kevin Korchinski and Davidson native Nolan Allan plus former Saskatoon forward Colton Dach, now with Kelowna. Following are the news releases from Hockey Canada and the W-H-L…..

December 12, 2022

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22 PLAYERS TO REPRESENT CANADA AT 2023 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

Team Canada kicks off World Juniors on Boxing Day against Czechia

MONCTON, N.B. – Hockey Canada has unveiled the 22 players who will wear the Maple Leaf with Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Halifax, N.S., and Moncton, N.B.

Two goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards were selected by Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.), director of player personnel, and James Boyd (Midland, Ont./Ottawa, OHL), the U20 lead for the Program of Excellence management group, with support from Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of hockey operations. Head coach Dennis Williams (Stratford, Ont./Everett, WHL) and assistant coaches Stéphane Julien (Shawinigan, Que./Sherbrooke, QMJHL), Brent Kisio (Calgary, Alta./Lethbridge, WHL) and Alan Letang (Renfrew, Ont./Sarnia, OHL), as well as goaltending consultant Kelly Guard (Prince Albert, Sask./Prince Albert, WHL), also provided input.

Among the 22 players are eight players who won a gold medal at the 2022 World Juniors in Edmonton (Bedard, Del Mastro, Gaucher, Ostapchuk, Othmann, Roy, Stankoven, Zellweger).

“We are excited to unveil the 22 players who have earned the opportunity to represent Canada at the World Juniors, as we believe we have assembled a deep and talented roster that will give us the best opportunity to defend gold on home ice,” said Millar. “While there were many difficult decisions to make at selection camp, we want to congratulate our players and their families, and we look forward to them wearing the Maple Leaf with pride in Halifax and Moncton.”

Canada’s National Junior Team will practice at the Garcelon Civic Centre in St. Stephen, N.B., Dec. 14-18, prior to the start of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. It will also face off against Switzerland on Dec. 19, Slovakia on Dec. 21 and Finland on Dec. 23 as part of its pre-tournament schedule.

The 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship begins on Boxing Day with four games, including Canada taking on Czechia at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax at 7:30 p.m. AT. Canada will also take on Germany, Austria and Sweden to round out the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the bronze and gold medal games on Jan. 5.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will once again provide extensive coverage of the event, broadcasting all 31 tournament games, as well as all three Team Canada pre-tournament games. TSN Radio will also provide comprehensive tournament coverage.

ELEVEN WHL PLAYERS TO REPRESENT CANADA AT 2023 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2022

Calgary, Alta. – A total of 11 current and former Western Hockey League players have been chosen to represent Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship in Halifax, N.S. and Moncton, N.B.

Hockey Canada announced the National Junior Team roster Monday afternoon.

Six WHL Clubs will be represented by a current roster player on the 2023 Canadian National Junior Team. The Seattle Thunderbirds will be represented by four players, while the Kamloops Blazers boast two invitees. The Everett Silvertips, Kelowna Rockets, Regina Pats and Vancouver Giants will each have one representative on Canada’s National Junior Team.

Former Edmonton Oil Kings forward Dylan Guenther, who skates with the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, has also been named to the squad.

The Canadian roster features four WHL returnees from the team that captured a gold medal at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton, Alta. this past August.

The 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship is scheduled to be played from December 26, 2022 through January 5, 2023.

WHL Players – National Men’s Junior Team

* – last skated with Edmonton Oil Kings in 2021-22.
^ – returnee from 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship gold-medal team.

“We are excited to unveil the 22 players who have earned the opportunity to represent Canada at the World Juniors, as we believe we have assembled a deep and talented roster that will give us the best opportunity to defend gold on home ice,” said National Junior Team Director of Player Personnel Alan Millar. “While there were many difficult decisions to make at selection camp, we want to congratulate our players and their families, and we look forward to them wearing the Maple Leaf with pride in Halifax and Moncton.”

In addition to the 11 current and former WHL players comprising Canada’s National Junior Team, the coaching and support staff for Canada’s entry at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship is accented by four WHL personnel.

Everett Silvertips head coach and general manager Dennis Williams will serve as Canada’s head coach, while Lethbridge Hurricanes bench boss Brent Kisio has been named an assistant coach.

Prince Albert Raiders goaltending coach Kelly Guard will act as goaltending consultant while Regina Pats equipment manager Gord Cochran will serve in a similar role at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Canada’s National Junior Team will practice at the Garcelon Civic Centre in St. Stephen, N.B., from December 14-18, prior to the start of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Canada will open the tournament December 26 versus Czechia.