One month and some changes later, the 2025 World Junior Championships (WJC) will be underway for some of the best under-20 hockey players in the world. Inside last tournamentTeam Canada didn’t even qualify for the Bronze Medal Game. If anything to prove, they’ll be bringing the heat this winter.

Below is a prediction of Canada’s 2025 WJC roster of 13 forwards, seven defensemen and three goaltenders. The prospects of 13 different NHL teams, accounting for more than 40 percent of the league, are represented here. No matter who you’re cheering for, there’s a reason you should keep an eye on this team.

Canada’s Forwards

There are some uncertainties in the forward group, starting from the attack. There are many directions to get here:

This Canadian forward group is loaded with talent, so there are a lot of notable absences here (Tij Iginla, Andrew Cristall, Liam Greentree, Cayden Lindstrom, Michael Misa, and more). Unlike the 2024 roster, this team is ready to do some damage. With veteran leadership, tremendous skill and players who can meet their needs in any situation, Canada should be the favorite to win the gold medal.

Relating to: 2025 World Junior Championship Program Announced

Three members of the top six I’ve been on this stage before: Easton Cowan, Brayden Yager and Matthew Wood. They have accumulated 11 cumulative points in Canada’s five-game tournament in 2024 and have earned a re-invitation. Each could see the top six workloads.

Cowan has become one of the most unstoppable players in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) since he last played in the WJC. He has points in 49 consecutive regular season games through Nov. 23, 2023. There were some critical points there, but ultimately he is the key name for this squad. Seeing as some fans and pundits felt he had a chance Playing with the Toronto Maple Leafs This season is more than worthy of this spot. Yager is heavily affiliated with the Moose Jaw Warriors club in the Western Hockey League (WHL) and can control the game when he is out. He looks like the de facto best center on this team. Wood became the top scoring young player in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) this season with 14 points. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Wood provides size to a roster that is lacking in that regard. He will also score against the second line.

Bradly Nadeau’s professional experience (briefly in the NHL but full-time in the American Hockey League (AHL)) should earn him some minutes. One of his greatest strengths will be taking advantage of space in the offensive zone. Calum RitchieThe player, who played for the Colorado Avalanche for a short time this season, also works in his favor professionally. The only teenager to place in the top six is ​​Gavin McKenna, who qualified for the competition. 2026 NHL Draft. He may be 16 years old (17 when the tournament starts) and almost three years younger than his rivals, but don’t let that fool you. A dynamic player who can make plays for himself or his teammates and take over shifts. He is the WHL’s current top scorer with 39 points.

We can have some more fun with the bottom six. It’s mostly on the smaller side, but both Canada’s third and fourth places are better than the top seeds of many competing countries on paper. Riley Heidt was not a part of this team’s last performance, but that trend shouldn’t be dismissed (at least objectively speaking). The 19-year-old is the WHL’s leading scorer from 2022-23 to date, so it would be difficult to double that. Berkly Catton, who rivaled Heidt’s production last season, will be his partner in crime. His offensive ability and IQ will allow him to keep the attack going when Canada’s top players need rest. Beckett Sennecke, the third overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, is off to a great start in the OHL (23 points in 15 games) after his stint. foot fracture in offseason. This will complete the dangerous line.

The fourth line is a very young line, but it can catch some teams off guard. Linemates Carson Rehkopf (2023 draft class) and Porter Martone (2025 draft class) took the OHL by storm, giving the Brampton Steelheads a combined 61 points. This trio, with 18-year-old Jett Luchanko in the middle, has speed, skill and the ability to extend offensive zone dominance. because of new Rehkopf-Martone connectionThis can be a sneakily overpowered depth unit.

Things get difficult with the last striker. It’s arguable that any of Iginla, Cristall, Greentree, Lindstrom (if healthy), or Misa would make this team better. But there’s a good mix of everything in the squad. Denver Barkey invoked that last point, even though his 11 points in 13 games wasn’t exactly groundbreaking in the OHL. He scored 102 points last season and could be very useful in a limited role. Barkey is a good energy player who could feature in the bottom six and can play both on the wing and in the middle. Moreover, he plays penalty kicks with Cowan for the London Knights.

Canadian Defenders

There is less fun with defenders on this team, but that doesn’t mean tough decisions won’t have to be made. Here are the predictions:

There may be some questionable choices here, but the Knights Sam Dickinson and Oliver Bonk unite on a match For Canada. Bonk is a returning member from the 2024 WJC, while Dickinson was selected 11th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2024 NHL Draft. They showed high-level chemistry in the OHL, so putting that in the international spotlight should be a good challenge. Opponents especially need to keep an eye on Dickinson, who scored 25 points (11 goals and 14 assists) in 15 games this season.

In the second matchup, Tanner Molendyk and Zayne Parekh also look like good bets to make the team. The first was taken by the Nashville Predators in the 2023 NHL Draft. He put up 37 points in 67 games that season, but has since increased his point-per-game production in the WHL. He will be an invaluable asset to his skating club. Next to him, Parekh’s offensive advantage is even higher. The OHL defenseman broke out in his draft year with 96 points, and the Calgary Flames took notice, selecting him ninth overall. Both Molendyk and Parekh could make Canada’s blue line stronger, which could help them top the competition.

Caden Price and Carter Yakemchuk are on this third pairing. Price, a member of the 2023 draft class, is producing at a 100-point pace for the Kelowna Rockets this season. The Kraken’s third-round gem will be useful in the transition. Yakemchuk, on the other hand, is a bit raw to be selected with the seventh pick, but Canada will trust him. He is a point-per-game player in the WHL, just like last season.

The last slot is up for grabs, so Matthew Schaefer is an inspired choice here. Objectively the best defender in the upcoming 2025 class, he is capable of making this team despite his youth. He can play at both ends of the ice but is extremely talented with elite skating ability and top-notch hockey IQ. As a player competing for the first overall pick among a group of forwards, it’s possible he’ll find his way ahead of some of his older colleagues to make this roster. He recorded 11 points in nine games for the Erie Otters this season.

Schaefer is outperforming more experienced talent like Lukas Dragicevic and Sawyer Mynio, but his advantage gives him the edge. He was a key figure in Canada’s gold medal victory. 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August.

Canadian Goalkeepers

The goaltending battle is quite interesting, as there really isn’t a clear beginning at this point. This can be anyone’s battle:

Even though his numbers haven’t been great this season (.891 save percentage), Buffalo Sabers prospect Scott Ratzlaff He deserves to be on this team. He’s been in tight spots many nights with the Seattle Thunderbirds and has a lot of experience to boot. He’s a safe pick with over 100 starts in the WHL, but he’s also a potentially reliable pick.

Carter George, selected in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft, could steal some starts. His numbers this season have been great but not fantastic; He has a .908 save percentage with the Owen Sound Attack. Being a year younger than Ratzlaff may have prevented him from taking on a heavier workload, but George was also a starter on Canada’s under-18 gold medal team in the spring.

Carson Bjarnason is probably on par with the other two netminders in terms of talent, but could be ahead on the depth chart given his hot start to the 2024-25 season. Among the 41 goaltenders who have played at least five games, he leads the WHL in save percentage (0.925) by a wide margin. Brandon Wheat has been the Kings’ starter for three seasons, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him be the team’s starter. Still, Ratzlaff and George are ahead in this prediction.

Joshua Ravensbergen, who qualified for the 2025 NHL Draft, was awarded an honorable mention here. None of the netminders mentioned were selected in the first round, but Ravensbergen could be. His .904 save percentage helped the Prince George Cougars become one of the best teams in the WHL.

This January, Canada will be looking to add its 21st gold medal from this tournament to its collection. They are stronger than a year ago and have the weapons to make this a reality.