Predicting Canada's roster for the 2023 World Junior Hockey Championship

In just over a month from now, ten nations will embark on a quest to be crowed World Junior Hockey Champions when they take the ice in Halifax and Moncton starting on Boxing Day.

For the hosts, Canada, they'll be looking to win back-to-back tournaments for the first time since they won five straight from 2005 to 2009. Canada took home the gold medal during the re-scheduled 2022 event which was held in Edmonton in August.

Today, we're going to take a look at who could potentially be wearing the Maple Leaf this Christmas. It's unclear if the IIHF will allow teams to carry a 25-man roster again or if it'll be back to pre-pandemic rules. Just to be safe, I'll be listing 25 players on my roster projection.

Note: * - indicates returning player

Goaltenders (3)

- Tyler Brennan (Prince George - WHL)
- Thomas Milic (Seattle - WHL)
- William Rousseau (Quebec - QMJHL)

Outside looking in: Benjamin Gaudreau (Sarnia - OHL), Max Donoso (Ottawa - OHL)

Defencemen (8)

- Corson Ceulemans (University of Wisconsin - NCAA)
- Brandt Clarke (Los Angeles - NHL)
- Ethan Del Mastro (Mississauga - OHL)*
- Kevin Korchinski (Seattle - WHL)
- Carson Lambos (Winnipeg - WHL)*
- Denton Mateychuk (Moose Jaw - WHL)
- Olen Zellweger (Everett - WHL)

Outside looking in: Nolan Allan (Seattle - WHL), Ty Nelson (North Bay - OHL).

Forwards (14)

- Connor Bedard (Regina - WHL)*
- Owen Beck (Mississauga - OHL)
- Zachary Bolduc (Quebec - QMJHL)
- Jordan Dumais (Halifax - QMJHL)
- Adam Fantilli (University of Michigan - NCAA)
- Jagger Firkus (Moose Jaw - WHL)
- Nathan Gaucher (Quebec - QMJHL)*
- Riley Kidney (Acadie-Bathurst - QMJHL)*
- Zack Ostapchuk (Vancouver - WHL)*
- Brennan Othmann (Peterborough - OHL)*
- Joshua Roy (Sherbrooke - QMJHL)*
- Matthew Savoie (Winnipeg - WHL)
- Logan Stankoven (Kamloops - WHL)*
- Shane Wright (Seattle Kraken - NHL)

Outside looking in: Conor Geekie (Winnipeg - WHL), Zachary L'Heureux (Halifax - QMJHL).

Given the way how things are going with their respective NHL clubs, it makes sense for Brandt Clarke and Shane Wright to be released to Hockey Canada for the tournament. Not only will both of them play big minutes, they both should be able to produce offensively, which will give them a confidence boost when they return to the NHL.

One name I flip-flopped on was Wyatt Johnston, who would dominate this year's World Junior tournament. However, it seems unlikely the Dallas Stars will release him to Hockey Canada. Johnston has appeared in all of Dallas' games this season, and unlike Clarke and Wright, he's actually getting minutes, averaging 14:20 TOI per game.

Canada will open the 2023 World Juniors on Boxing Day against Czechia. They'll then face Germany on December 28th, Austria on December 29th and Sweden on December 31st. All of Canada's games are set for 6:30 p.m. Halifax time/7:30 p.m. ET.

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