WJC Playmakers: Bart Given
The TORQUE Strategies managing director talks about working with the Playmakers group, building the Vancouver/Victoria bid, and power of REPRESENT
Leading in to the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship the host committee has formed the Playmakers group, bringing together business leaders from across B.C. to serve as event ambassadors and strategic advisors, as well as serving as a connection to local partners and businesses in Vancouver and Victoria.
The Playmakers will help share the message from Hockey Canada and the host committee, and support initiatives around community engagement and the benefits of hosting the World Juniors in their backyard.
This time, HockeyCanada.ca sat down with Bart Given, the managing director of TORQUE Strategies.
Q: Why is it important for you to be involved in the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship?
BG: I think for me, being involved from day one on helping create the bid, bringing it to life and our work as an agency in addition to my personal effort, I just want to see it to fruition. That’s the business side. On the personal side, I love World Juniors as a property, I’ve watched it for years. I watch it religiously, and I just think it’s one of the anchor events on the calendar in Canada because you know when it’s happening, you know December 26 there’s going to be a game with Canada playing, you know there’s almost always a game on New Year’s Eve and that Canada is going to be challenging for a medal, so it’s a great time of the year to watch hockey and I just love the storylines behind it.
Q: From your side, what went into the bid process?
BG: For us it was looking holistically on why British Columbia, and specifically Vancouver and Victoria, why this was a good time for Hockey Canada and the IIHF to come here. I think from our perspective; this market wears the flag like no other place in Canada. I say that cautiously, because I know there’s a lot of great cities that support Team Canada events, but from the World Juniors in ’06, he Olympic & Paralympic Games, FIFA events here, and Rugby Sevens, this city, and Victoria as well, really wrap themselves in the flag and support Team Canada whenever it’s here. So, the timing was great, the market was ready, and it just felt like our time and we knew the event would be a tremendous success.
Q: Why is REPRESENT the right way to get people involved in the World Juniors?
BG: It has so many meanings, and it’s a bit of a layered word from our perspective. It starts with the athlete pathway, young boys, including my son, imagine their hockey “career” ultimately ending up in the NHL, but before that – they are representing Team Canada over the holidays. The way that the event has been built and how it’s been marketed over the years, they’re also representing their hometown and their junior team. That helped us really wrap around the athlete, but from a consumer perspective too it was important for us to show a bit of a pride point for the West Coast to show that we represent Canada very well, and we will represent the World Juniors very well, we’ll put on a great show and come out in full force wearing red and white.
Q: What makes the World Juniors such a must-see event for Canadians every year?
BG: It’s the storyline. It’s the kids playing for their country, giving it their all and the ups and downs that come with it. It’s the emotion that has been built in that event. It’s the timing; it’s such a perfect window of people
spending time with their families and we’re watching kids play hockey, it’s the truest Canadian event that we have in that sense. We also know the exact date on the calendar. The Grey Cup, the Stanley Cup, and the Super Bowl are all great events that we watch en masse, but they have floating dates. You know when this event is happening, you can book it a year in advance, two years in advance that you’re going to be watching Canada play at some point on Boxing Day. I think that’s part of the story that makes it really compelling as well. Additionally, it comes down to spending time with a broader family, and the fact that for that window, the entire country puts away their Canucks jersey, or their Flames jersey, or their Giants jersey and their Royals jersey and just gets behind one jersey, and that’s Team Canada.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish with the Playmakers group?
BG: I think it’s just continuing to strengthen relationships with the people who are executing the vision, and will ultimately make this event super successful. It’s become a bit of a family.
11 days in Ottawa, by the numbers
A facts-and-figures look at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, on and off the ice
The 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship officially wrapped up on Sunday after 11 days of competition in the nation’s capital.
Fans at home watching on TSN see the action on the ice, but the action behind the scenes is crucial to help welcome the world to what is one of the most-watched tournaments on the international hockey calendar.
What exactly goes into – and comes out of – hosting the World Juniors? Let’s look at the numbers:
7: Communities in the Ottawa area that hosted pre-tournament games – Arnprior, Belleville, Brockville, Cornwall, Hawkesbury, Kingston and Ottawa.
10: Indigenous artists whose work was on display for Player of the Game awards, volunteer belt bags and a special commemorative jersey.
23: Officials assigned to work the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, representing nine countries – Finland (4), United States (4), Canada (3), Sweden (3), Czechia (2), Denmark (2), Latvia (2), Slovakia (2) and Switzerland (1).
26: People from 14 different countries who took the Oath of Citizenship to become Canadian citizens ahead of Canada’s pre-tournament game against Czechia.
27: Partners who supported Hockey Canada and the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
28: Shooters in the bronze medal game shootout between Czechia and Sweden, the longest in International Ice Hockey Federation history. Goaltenders Michael Hrabal and Marcus Gidlof combined for 23 saves before Eduard Sale scored the winner for the Czechs in the 14th round.
76: Unique puck stacks, created by team services volunteers, ahead of practices.
116: Minor hockey players who participated in the event as flag bearers and Esso Player of the Game presenters in pre- and post-game ceremonies.
121: Accredited media members from 11 different countries, plus 36 accredited photographers.
193: Goals scored in the tournament. The highest single-game total was 16, when Czechia topped Kazakhstan 14-2, while the lowest total was three, done three times (Switzerland vs. Slovakia – 2-1; Canada vs. Germany – 3-0; and Finland vs. Latvia – 3-0).
322: Volunteers who gave their time during the tournament through the TELUS volunteer program.
400: Water jugs consumed throughout the tournament by teams, volunteers and staff.
1,094: Social media posts sent across all Hockey Canada platforms (X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok) from Dec. 19 (when pre-tournament play started) through Jan. 5. The posts earned 45,217,677 impressions and 2,000,899 engagements.
1,964: Minutes of hockey played during the tournament. Seven games went beyond 60 minutes, including the Finland-Sweden semifinal and both medal games. It’s the third time in the last four years that the gold medal game has required overtime.
4,000+: Single-game tickets donated to local community and Indigenous groups, including 150 kids each from the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation, Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation and Mohawks of Akwesasne who attended a game. As well, 150 newcomers experienced their first hockey game during the tournament.
6,177: Attendance for the relegation-round game between Germany and Kazakhstan in Ottawa on Jan. 2, making it one of the highest-attended relegation games in World Juniors history.
15,000: Meals saved through the Tablée des Chefs food recovery program, as a part of the event’s sustainability initiatives. This effort by the two main venues and two hotels prevented more than 6,842 pounds (three tons) of food from going to waste.
16,700+: Event packages sold between both venues. In total, 13,200 event packages were sold for Canadian Tire Centre and 3,532 packages were sold for TD Place.
80,000+: Attendance for Fan Fest, which was hosted at the historic Aberdeen Pavilion from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. The free event featured close to 50 different community activations, including live watch parties for World Juniors games, free skates, fireworks on New Year’s Eve, a Stanley Cup visit and a meet and greet with the PWHL’s Ottawa Charge. It also included live performances from 10 live bands and DJs.
296,895: Official attendance for all 29 games at the Canadian Tire Centre and TD Place, the eighth-highest total in World Juniors history. The number grows to more than 325,000 when Canada’s three pre-tournament games in Ottawa are included.
3,208,095: Amount, in dollars, generated from Hockey Canada 50/50 ticket sales across all 10 provinces and the Northwest Territories.
World Juniors Preview: Canada vs. Czechia
Thursday, January 2 | 7:30 p.m. ET | Ottawa, Ontario | Quarterfinal
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. CZECHIA (JAN. 2)
Let the playoffs begin. It’s win or go home as Canada’s National Junior Team faces Czechia on Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship at Canadian Tire Centre.
Last Game
Canada dropped a 4-1 decision to the United States in its last preliminary-round game on Tuesday night. Bradly Nadeau scored on a Canadian power play early in the third period to briefly tie the game before the American power play restored its lead and added insurance. The Canadians were whistled for 22 minutes in penalties, leading to three U.S. goals with the man advantage. Carter George made 24 saves, with Canada outshooting the United States 39-28.
Czechia lost its final game of the preliminary round, falling 4-2 to Sweden on Tuesday. Petr Sikora cut the Swedish lead to 2-1 midway through the second period, but the Swedes pushed their advantage to 4-1 after 40 minutes. Captain Eduard Sale capitalized on a penalty shot in the third period, but the Czechs would get no closer.. Michael Hrabal made 37 saves in a losing effort.
Last Meeting
Canada wrapped up a perfect pre-tournament schedule with a 3-2 win over Czechia on Dec. 23. Gavin McKenna scored twice in the third period—including the game-winner with 2:29 to go—to give the Canadians the win. Nadeau provided the other goal, while George made 21 saves as the Canadians outshot Czechia 39-23.
What to Watch
The Canadians are the only team in the tournament yet to allow a goal at 5-on-5 (five goals against came on opposition power plays, and one was into an empty net), so keeping the game at even strength will be key. Despite suffering his first loss in a Team Canada jersey (he’s now 12-1), George has been the best goaltender in Ottawa, leading all netminders in goals-against average (1.01), save percentage (.964) and shutouts (2). A Los Angeles Kings prospect (57th overall in 2024), the 18-year-old was very good in playoff games while backstopping Canada to gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship and 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup; in five elimination games (all wins), George has a 2.60 GAA and .919 save percentage with a shutout.
Czechia has played for a medal at each of the last three World Juniors, and have eight players back from the team that won bronze a year ago in Gothenburg. The St. Louis Blues have four prospects on the Czech roster: defenceman Adam Jiricek (16th overall in 2024) and forwards Adam Jecho (95th overall in 2024), Ondrej Kos (81st overall in 2024) and Jakub Stancl (106th overall in 2023). Czechia has three players in the top six point-getters through the prelims: Stancl and Vojtech Hradec have four goals and seven points apiece, while Sale has four goals and six points. The Czechs led the prelims in shooting percentage (25 goals on 127 shots – 19.7%) and go into the playoffs with the No. 4 power play (3-for-13 – 23.1%) and No. 3 penalty kill (16-for-19 – 84.2%).
Since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, Canada and Czechia (formerly the Czech Republic) have faced each other 24 times at the World Juniors, with the Canadians claiming victory in 21 of those meetings.
The two teams have frequently met in decisive games in recent years. It was quarterfinal heartbreak last year in Gothenburg, with Canada falling 3-2 to the Czechs. They also met in the 2023 gold medal game in Halifax (a 3-2 overtime win for Canada), the 2022 semifinals in Edmonton (a 5-2 Canada win) and quarterfinals of the 2021 World Juniors in the bubble in Edmonton (a 3-0 Canada win).
All-time record: Canada leads 21-3-2 (1-1 in OT/SO) Canada goals: 120 Czechia goals: 48
World Juniors Preview: Canada vs. United States
Tuesday, December 31 | 8 p.m. ET | Ottawa, Ontario | Preliminary Round
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. UNITED STATES (DEC. 31)
Preliminary-round action comes to a close in Ottawa as Canada’s National Junior Team faces off against the United States with first place in Group A on the line at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Last Game
Canada bounced back from its loss to Latvia with a 3-0 shutout of Germany on Sunday. Special teams struck early for Canada, with Oliver Bonk scoring a power-play goal in the first period. A shot from Caden Price bounced off the skate of German goaltender Nico Pertuch to double the lead in the third period before Mathieu Cataford added an empty-netter with three seconds to go to round out the scoring. Carter George was fantastic in net, turning aside 25 shots for his second shutout in as many starts and adding an assist on Cataford’s goal.
The United States was also in action Sunday, with the Americans dropping a 4-3 decision in overtime to Finland. Carey Terrance scored in the first period, Cole Hutson gave the U.S. the lead early in the second and Brodie Ziemer tied the game at 3-3 with an early goal in the third period, but Tuomas Uronen netted the winner for the Finns. Trey Augustine made 40 saves for the Americans.
Last Meeting
The last time these teams met was a pre-tournament matchup a year ago, with Canada dropping a 6-5 overtime decision to the Americans in Kungsbacka, Sweden. Macklin Celebrini scored in the first period before a busy second period—featuring Canadian goals from Conor Geekie and Matthew Savoie—gave the United States a 5-3 lead. Celebrini scored his second and Owen Allard sent the game to overtime, but Lane Hutson was the overtime hero for the U.S. Mathis Rousseau and Samuel St-Hilaire split duties in net to combine for 22 saves.
In tournament action, Canada and the United States met for a semifinal showdown in Halifax in 2023, with Canada earning a 6-2 win en route to its 20th gold medal. The Americans took an early 2-0 lead, but it was all Canada after that. Joshua Roy led the way with two goals and two assists for the Canadians, while Connor Bedard, Logan Stankoven, Adam Fantilli and Brandt Clarke added a goal apiece. Thomas Milic had 43 saves for Canada in his semifinal performance.
What to Watch
George has been the best goaltender in the tournament, with a 31-save shutout against Finland preceding his 25-save performance against the Germans. A Los Angeles Kings prospect (57th overall in 2024), the 18-year-old has a .905 save percentage with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack this year and has never lost in a Team Canada jersey (12-0). The netminder also backstopped Canada to gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship and the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. In addition to Canada’s goaltending, the penalty kill has been effective so far this tournament. Canada has only allowed two power play goals so far in the tournament, currently ranking third overall for teams in the tournament.
James Hagens and Cole Hutson have been the top performers for the United States in preliminary play. Eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft, Hagens has two goals, six points and is a plus-four in three games. The 18-year-old opened his tournament with a four-point performance against Germany and has five goals and 20 points with Boston College this season. Hutson has recorded one goal, six points and is a plus-seven through three games. A second-round pick of the Washington Capitals (43rd overall in 2023), the 18-year-old has four goals and 14 points with Boston University.
A Look Back
Canada has historically had the upper hand against the United States, winning 34 of 49 meetings with three ties, but things have been more even in recent history. The Canadians have split the last 10 meetings with the U.S. dating back to 2012.
Prior to the semifinal win in 2023, Canada’s last victory over the Americans came in the 2020 World Juniors opener, when Alexis Lafrenière scored a late game-winner and added three assists in a 6-4 Boxing Day win.
All-time record: Canada leads 34-12-3 (3-3 in OT/SO) Canada goals: 200 United States goals: 136
World Juniors Preview: Canada vs. Germany
Sunday, December 29 | 7:30 p.m. ET | Ottawa, Ontario | Preliminary Round
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. GERMANY (DEC. 29)
Preliminary-round action continues in Ottawa as Canada’s National Junior Team looks to bounce back against Germany at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Last Game
It was a Friday night heartbreaker as Canada was edged by Latvia 3-2 in an eight-round shootout. Jett Luchanko opened the scoring with a shorthanded beauty in the second period and Calum Ritichie gave the Canadians the lead again with a power-play goal in the third, but Linards Feldbergs was spectacular in the Latvian goal, turning aside 55 shots in regulation and overtime, and all eight Canadian shooters in the shootout. Canada also lost 17-year-old defenceman Matthew Schaefer for the remainder of the tournament after he left early with an injury.
Germany was in action Friday afternoon at the Canadian Tire Centre, falling 3-1 to Finland. The Germans kept the game close, with Clemens Sager scoring late in the second period to cut the Finnish lead to 2-1, but couldn’t find the equalizer. Linus Vieillard was very good between the pipes, making 40 saves.
Last Meeting
It was a New Year’s Eve matchup the last time Canada and Germany met, with Canada earning a 6-3 win last year in Gothenburg, Sweden. Macklin Celebrini and Brayden Yager scored in the first period to give the Canadians a lead they would not relinquish before a big third period, with goals from Owen Beck, Jordan Dumais, Celebrini and Easton Cowan, sealed the victory.
What to Watch
Canada has a bright spot in goal, with Carter George and Jack Ivankovic putting up solid performances in the first two games. George posted a 31-save shutout against Finland to open the tournament. A Los Angeles Kings prospect (57th overall in 2024), the 18-year-old has a .905 save percentage with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack this year and has never lost in a Team Canada jersey (11-0). As a 17-year-old, Ivankovic is eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft. The Mississauga, Ontario, native has a 12-7-1 record with the Brampton Steelheads this year with a .898 save percentage. The netminders backstopped Canada to to gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship, with Ivankovic also winning gold at this summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup, a year after George did the same.
The Germans enter the matchup with one of the tournament’s best penalty kills of the tournament; they were perfect on seven opportunities against the Finns and Americans. Julius Sumpf leads Germany with a goal and an assist through two games. The 19-year-old plays with the Moncton Wildcats and has 16 goals and 37 points in 29 QMJHL games this season. This is Sumpf’s second World Juniors, as he recorded one goal and three points at last year’s tournament.
A Look Back
Canada has won all 17 meetings since Germany’s reunification in 1991. Looking back past 1991 for games against West Germany from 1977-89, Canada boasts an impressive record of 26 wins from 27 meetings.
Canada’s only blip was a 7-6 loss in the consolation round in 1981. The good news from that defeat? It indirectly contributed to the establishment of the Program of Excellence the following year.
All-time record: Canada leads 17-0-0 Canada goals: 108 Germany goals: 26
World Juniors Preview: Canada vs. Latvia
Friday, December 27 | 7:30 p.m. ET | Ottawa, Ontario | Preliminary Round
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. LATVIA (DEC. 27)
Canada’s National Junior Team is right back to action at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, riding the momentum from a tournament-opening win into a Friday face-off against Latvia at the Canadian Tire Centre.
Last Game
Canada opened the preliminary round in style on Thursday, getting a 31-save shutout from Carter George and a goal and an assist from Matthew Schaefer in a 4-0 win over Finland. Gavin McKenna, Easton Cowan and Luca Pinelli rounded out the scoring for the Canadians, who outshot the Finns 41-31.
The Latvians capped off pre-tournament play on Monday with a 5-1 loss to Switzerland in Arnprior. Olivers Murnieks scored the lone goal late in the third period, while Linards Feldbergs made 38 saves in a losing cause.
Last Meeting
The Canadians and Latvians faced off a year ago to the day in Gothenburg in what finished as a 10-0 victory for Canada. Macklin Celebrini was the offensive star for Canada, scoring once and adding four assists, while Conor Geekie and Carson Rehkopf had two goals apiece. Mathis Rousseau turned aside all 22 shots he faced for the shutout as the Canadians pulled away with five goals in the third period.
What to Watch
The first 17-year-old defenceman to make Team Canada since Jamie Drysdale in 2020, the only thing that sets Schaefer apart from his older teammates is the cage he’s wearing as an under-18 player. The Hamilton product was terrific against the Finns, helping set up McKenna’s ice-breaker in the first period and capping the win with a 200-foot empty-net goal in the dying seconds. Schaefer has done nothing but win in his international career – gold at the 2023 World U17 Hockey Challenge (as captain), gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship (as an underager) and gold at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (as captain). Not bad, kid. Not bad at all.
The Latvians have a sizeable youth movement (even in a tournament for teenagers), rostering four 16-year-olds – all of whom are plying their trade in North America this season. Murnieks has 15 points (9-6—15) in 25 games with the Sioux City Muskateers of the USHL, Rudolfs Berkalns plays for Muskegon of the USHL, Martins Klaucans is with the St. Cloud Norsemen of the NAHL and Roberts Naudins is with the U18 Prep team at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School.
A Look Back
The all-time history between the Canadians and Latvians is a short one, with just four meetings in World Juniors history. The Canadians have controlled all four, hitting double digits in goals in three of them.
The first-ever matchup, at the 2010 World Juniors in Saskatchewan, provided the most fireworks ; in the Boxing Day opener in Saskatoon, Gabriel Bourque tied the Canadian single-game scoring record with seven points (3-4—7), Brandon Kozun added five (2-3—5), and Jordan Eberle, Patrice Cormier, Nazem Kadri and Luke Adam provided two goals apiece in a 16-0 win.
All-time record: Canada leads 4-0-0 Canada goals: 41 Latvia goals: 4
World Juniors Preview: Canada vs. Finland
Thursday, December 26 | 7 p.m. ET | Ottawa, Ontario | Preliminary Round
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. FINLAND (DEC. 26)
Let the games begin! Canada’s National Junior Team opens the preliminary round of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship against Finland on Thursday at the Canadian Tire Centre.
Last Game
Canada wrapped up a perfect pre-tournament schedule with a 3-2 win over Czechia on Monday night. Bradly Nadeau opened the scoring early in the first period before Czechia responded before the end of the opening frame. Gavin McKenna scored twice—including the game-winner with 2:29 to go—to seal the win. The Canadians outshot Czechia 39-23 and Carter George made 21 saves.
Finland was in action Monday night in Cornwall, falling 5-2 to the United States. Kasper Halttunen got the Finns on the board with a power-play goal in the second period, cutting the American lead to 2-1. Halttunen added his second goal on a penalty shot in the third period, while Noa Vali and Kim Saarinen combined for 25 saves.
Last Meeting
The Canadians and Finns opened up the tournament exactly a year ago in Gothenburg, Sweden, with Canada earning a 5-2 win. Nate Danielson and Owen Allard gave Canada a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes. Macklin Celebrini got the game-winner to start the third period, and empty-netters by Matthew Poitras and Maveric Lamoureux sealed the win. Canada threw 29 shots on net and Mathis Rousseau made 24 saves.
What to Watch
Let’s hear it for McKenna! He celebrated his 17th birthday last week and has already made an impact on the ice for Canada. The Whitehorse, Yukon, native—who has 19 goals and 60 points in 30 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers this season—is the eighth-youngest player in National Junior Team history, but comes into the tournament with plenty of international experience—he recorded a record-setting 10 goals and 20 points on the way to gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship, and added three goals and six points when Canada won gold at this summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Finland has six returning players from last year’s fourth-place team. In addition to his two goals against the United States, Halttunen (36th overall in 2023 to San Jose) also added a goal and an assist against Slovakia in pre-tournament action. The Finns have two first-round NHL picks—Konsta Helenius (14th overall to Buffalo in 2024) and Emil Hemming (29th overall to Dallas in 2024). Helenius has registered six goals and 17 points this season with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, while Hemming has put up five goals and 20 points with the OHL’s Barrie Colts.
A Look Back
Other than the United States, Finland is Canada’s most frequently-faced opponent at the World Juniors. The two countries have met 42 times, with the Canadians winning 27 of those games. The matchup has been even more favourable when Canada is on home ice, with the Canadians owning a 13-1 record.
The most recent home game was the gold medal game of the August 2022 tournament in Edmonton, a thrilling 3-2 overtime win for Canada. Joshua Roy and William Dufour scored for a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes, but the Finns evened the score in the third period to send the game to overtime. In a now iconic World Juniors moment, Mason McTavish knocked a Finnish shot out of the air to prevent it from going in during overtime, and Kent Johnson notched the game-winner a few moments later.
All-time record: Canada leads 27-9-6 (1-1 in OT/SO) Canada goals: 168 Finland goals: 107
World Juniors Preview: Canada vs. Czechia
Monday, December 23 | 7 p.m. ET | Ottawa, Ontario | Pre-Tournament
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. CZECHIA (DEC. 23)
With two pre-tournament wins under its belt, Canada’s National Junior Team faces Czechia on Monday night for one final tune-up at the Canadian Tire Centre ahead of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Last Game
A strong third period powered Canada to a 4-2 win over Sweden on Saturday night. Luca Pinelli opened the scoring for Canada to the delight of Ottawa 67s fans in attendance. Sweden responded to take a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes, but Oliver Bonk, Calum Ritchie and Easton Cowan scored in the final 10:45 of the third period to erase the deficit and give Canada its second pre-tournament win. Canada racked up 40 shots on goal, while Jack Ivankovic and Carson Bjarnason combined for 22 saves.
Czechia was in action Friday night in Brockville, earning a 5-1 win over Latvia. Matej Mastalrisky got the Czechs on the board in the first, Petr Sikora scored twice and Adam Jecho added one of his own for a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes. Patrik Volas recorded the final goal in the third period and Jan Kavan made 21 saves for the Czechs.
Last Meeting
It was a quarterfinal heartbreaker last year in Gothenburg, with Canada falling 3-2 to the Czechs. After Czechia took a 2-0 lead after the first period, Matthew Wood and Jake Furlong got Canada even in the middle frame. With overtime looming, Jakub Stanci’s goal with 11 seconds remaining in regulation was the difference, with Czechia moving on to eventually claim the bronze medal.
What to Watch
Ritchie had a strong showing Saturday, with the Colorado Avalanche prospect recording a goal and two assists against the Swedes. The Oakville, Ontario, native began his season with the Avs, scoring a goal in seven games before rejoining the Oshawa Generals. Selected as an alternate captain for Canada at this tournament, Ritchie’s leadership and experience will have an impact on Canada—he won gold at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and led the tournament in scoring with four goals and six assists in five games.
Czechia has made it to the medal round of the World Juniors for the past three tournaments, and have eight returning players coming to Ottawa. The St. Louis Blues have four prospects on the Czechs’ pre-tournament roster: defenceman Adam Jiricek (16th overall in 2024) and forwards Adam Jecho (95th overall in 2024), Ondrej Kos (81st overall in 2024) and Jakub Stancl (106th overall in 2023). Jiricek has not played with the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs since Nov. 6 due to injury and had another injury-shortened season last year with HC Plzen. Forward Miroslav Holinka made a splash at the Toronto Maple Leafs’ development camp this summer. The 19-year-old was drafted 151th overall in 2024 and has 10 goals and 21 points with the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings this season.
A Look Back
Since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, Canada and Czechia (formerly the Czech Republic) have faced each other 24 times at the World Juniors, with the Canadians claiming victory in 21 of those meetings.
The two teams have frequently met in decisive games in recent years. In addition to last year’s quarterfinal, they also met in the 2023 gold medal game in Halifax (a 3-2 overtime win for Canada), the 2022 semifinals in Edmonton (a 5-2 Canada win) and quarterfinals of the 2021 World Juniors in the bubble in Edmonton (a 3-0 Canada win).
All-time record: Canada leads 21-3-2 (1-1 in OT/SO) Canada goals: 120 Czechia goals: 48
World Juniors Preview: Canada vs. Sweden
Saturday, December 21 | 7 p.m. ET | Ottawa, Ontario | Pre-Tournament
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. SWEDEN (DEC. 21)
After an opening-game win on its pre-tournament schedule, Canada’s National Junior Team has a Saturday showdown with Sweden at TD Place ahead of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Last Game
Canada started its pre-tournament preparations with a bang, earning a 7-1 win over Switzerland on Thursday night. The Canadians got off to a hot start in the first period as captain Brayden Yager opened the scoring before Andrew Gibson, Caden Price and Easton Cowan recorded goals in a span of 1:22. Cowan completed his hat trick with two goals in the third period, and Berkly Catton added a goal in the final frame. Canada racked up 40 shots on goal, while Carter George and Carson Bjarnason combined for 14 saves.
The Swedes’ last international contest was the finale of the 5 Nations Tournament in Finland in mid-November, a 2-0 win over the hosts. Both goals came in the final 12 minutes—from Noel Fransen and Otto Stenberg—while Melker Thelin posted a 21-save shutout for the Swedes, who finished the event with two regulation-time wins, an overtime victory and a shootout loss.
Last Meeting
The Canadians and the Swedes met during the preliminary round a year ago in Gothenburg, Sweden, with the Canadians dropping a 2-0 decision to the tournament hosts. Canada threw 21 shots towards Hugo Hävelid and Mathis Rousseau made 22 saves for the Canadians, but goals from Tom Willander and Noah Östlund were the difference.
What to Watch
How about Cowan? The first-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2023 NHL Draft (28th overall) is one of four returning players from the 2024 World Juniors roster and he made his presence known against Switzerland. The 19-year-old has had an excellent season with the London Knights, registering 15 goals and 28 points in 20 games and carrying on a 56-game point streak in the Ontario Hockey League—unofficially tying the OHL record with the streak spanning over two seasons.
Sweden’s roster has plenty of international experience, with nine players back from 2024, 15 owning medals from the last three IIHF U18 World Championships and 18 who are NHL draft picks. Returnees Theo Lindstein and Otto Stenberg are players to watch for the Swedes; Lindstein recorded two goals and eight points from the blue-line and was a media all-star in 2024, while Stenberg posted five goals, nine points and a plus-seven a year ago. The Swedes finished with silver on home ice, ranking second on the power play (45.5%) and penalty kill (83.3%).
A Look Back
The history between Canada and Sweden stretches all the way back to the inaugural World Juniors in 1977. In 36 all-time meetings, Canada has won 25 times, including four for the gold medal—1996, 2008, 2009 and 2018.
The 2009 gold medal game was also in Ottawa—Canada won that game 5-1 thanks to goals from P.K. Subban, Angelo Esposito, Cody Hodgson and Jordan Eberle, claiming its record-tying fifth-consecutive gold medal.
All-time record: Canada leads 25-11-1 (2-1 in OT/SO) Canada goals: 160 Sweden goals: 114
Brayden Yager to captain Canada’s National Junior Team at 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship
Tanner Molendyk, Calum Ritchie to serve as alternate captains
OTTAWA, Ontario – Hockey Canada has announced that Brayden Yager (Saskatoon, SK/Lethbridge, WHL) will wear the ‘C’ for Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa.
Joining Yager on the leadership group are Tanner Molendyk (McBride, BC/Saskatoon, WHL) and Calum Ritchie (Oakville, ON/Oshawa, OHL), who will serve as alternate captains.
“I am honoured to be named captain of Team Canada for the World Juniors on a team with so many great leaders, and I am excited for our group to take the ice in Ottawa and continue working towards our goal of winning a gold medal on home ice,” Yager said. “Tanner and Calum are great players and teammates that are deserving of this honour, and I look forward to serving on the leadership group with them and wearing the Maple Leaf with pride in front of Canadian fans.”
The 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship begins on Boxing Day with four games, which includes Canada taking on Finland at the Canadian Tire Centre at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT. Canada’s National Junior Team will also face off against Switzerland on Dec. 19, Sweden on Dec. 21 and Czechia on Dec. 23 in pre-tournament action on the Road to the World Juniors.
TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will once again provide extensive coverage of the event, broadcasting all 29 tournament games and all three Team Canada pre-tournament games.
For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Junior Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
World Juniors Preview: Canada vs. Switzerland
Thursday, December 19 | 7 p.m. ET | Ottawa, Ontario | Pre-Tournament
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. SWITZERLAND (DEC. 19)
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Canada’s National Junior Team takes to the ice for the first of its three pre-tournament games when it meets Switzerland on Thursday ahead of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Last Meeting
It’s been almost a year since Canada and Switzerland met in a pre-tournament tilt in Ängelholm, Sweden, ahead of the 2024 World Juniors, with the Canadians earning a 6-3 win. After a back-and-forth first period that ended 2-2, the Canadians exploded in the middle frame with four unanswered goals, including two by Owen Beck—one only 28 seconds into the period and a shorthanded effort to close out Canada’s scoring. Twelve Canadians recorded a point, Mathis Rousseau made 26 saves, and Canada racked up 39 shots.
What to Watch
New this year for IIHF events, the roster size has increased by three players to 25. Among the Canadians suiting up for the tournament are four returnees from the 2024 World Juniors in Sweden (Bonk, Cowan, Rehkopf, Yager), one player who was named to the 2024 roster but missed the tournament through injury (Molendyk) and seven who won gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship (Beaudoin, George, Ivankovic, Luchanko, Martone, McKenna, Schaefer). In addition, three players captured gold at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (Ivankovic, McKenna, Schaefer), marking the first time since 1991—when it was Eric Lindros, Martin Lapointe and Scott Niedermayer—that Canada has had three 17-year-old players on its roster.
Switzerland named 28 players to its pre-tournament roster, including nine returning from last year’s tournament. Defenceman Leon Muggli is the team’s highest NHL draft pick after being selected 52nd overall by the Washington Capitals in 2024. The 18-year-old is playing this season with the Swiss National League’s EV Zug after signing his NHL entry-level contact in July and has a goal and four assists across 21 games so far this season. The Swiss have additional NHL draftees to watch at each position: goaltender Christian Kirsch (116th overall, San Jose, 2024), defender Basile Sansonnens (221st overall, Vancouver, 2024) and forward Rico Gredig (191st overall, New York Rangers, 2024).
A Look Back
Canada has dominated the head-to-head history since the first meeting in 1980, winning all 25 meetings – 24 of them in regulation time.
While they have been frequent foes in pre-tournament play in recent years, the last official tournament matchup came at the 2022 World Juniors in Edmonton; in that one, Canada used a four-goal first period and two goals and an assist from Logan Stankoven to a 6-3 quarterfinal victory en route to gold.
There’s also one semifinal showdown in the record book; in Saskatchewan in 2010, after Switzerland stunned Russia in overtime in the quarterfinals, Canada got two goals from Taylor Hall and a shorthanded game-winner from Marco Scandella in a 6-1 victory.
All-time record: Canada leads 25-0-0 (1-0 in OT/SO) Canada goals: 160 Switzerland goals: 43
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