Predicting Canada's 2022 World Junior roster

We are exactly 50 days until the start of the 2022 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. Hockey Canada will host their annual selections camp beginning on December 9th.

Today, I'm going to take a crack at predicting Canada's roster for this year's tournament.

Each of the ten participating nations will be allowed to carry a 23-man roster, usually divided up into 13 forwards, seven defencemen, and three goaltenders.

Forwards (13)
Connor Bedard (Regina Pats - WHL)
Zachary Bolduc (Quebec Ramparts - QMJHL)
Xavier Bourgault (Shawinigan Cataractes - QMJHL)
Mavrik Bourque (Shawinigan Cataractes - QMJHL)
Luke Evangelista (London Knights - OHL)
Tyson Foerster (Lehigh Valley Phantoms - AHL)
Ridly Greig (Brandon Wheat Kings - WHL)
Dylan Guenther (Edmonton Oil Kings - WHL)
Kent Johnson (University of Michigan - NCAA)
Zachary L'Heureux (Halifax Mooseheads - QMJHL)
Brennan Othmann (Flint Firebirds (OHL)
Cole Perfetti (Manitoba Moose - AHL)*
Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs - OHL)

Defencemen (7)
Corson Ceulemans (University of Wisconsin - NCAA)
Brandt Clarke (Barrie Colts - OHL)
Kaiden Guhle (Prince Albert Raiders - WHL)*
Daemon Hunt (Moose Jaw Warriors - WHL)
Carson Lambos (Winnipeg Ice - WHL)
Owen Power (University of Michigan - NCAA)
Jack Thompson (Sudbury Wolves - OHL)

Goaltenders (3)
Brett Brochu (London Knights - OHL)
Sebastian Cossa (Edmonton Oil Kings - WHL)
Dylan Garand (Kamloops Blazers - WHL)*

*- returning player.

Although it's not guaranteed he gets released from his AHL club, I included Tyson Foerster. The Alliston, Ontario native was the Philadelphia Flyers' 2020 first round pick and due to COVID-19 shutting down the OHL last season, he opted to play in the AHL. For the 2021-22 season, Foerster returned to Lehigh Valley, but there is a small chance that he could be sent back to the Barrie Colts of the OHL. If that moves comes, it would be more than likely after Foerster plays for Canada at the World Juniors.

I also included Cole Perfetti, who would be a returning player for Canada. Perfetti played in two games for the Winnipeg Jets earlier this season, but has since been sent to their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, where he has three points in five games. I would suspected that the Moose and Jets allow Perfetti to represent his country once again.

There were four other names I left off my roster because I have a hard time believing that their NHL clubs will loan them. Those players are: Jake Neighbours (St. Louis Blues), Mason McTavish (Anaheim Ducks), Seth Jarvis (Carolina Hurricanes), and Cole Sillinger (Columbus Blue Jackets). If I had to pick one name off this list to be loaned, I would say the most likely is Seth Jarvis.

To wrap up this article, let's take a look at Canada's games for the 2022 World Juniors (all at 7pm ET/5pm MT).

December 26th vs Czech Republic
December 28th vs Austria
December 29th vs Germany
December 31st vs Finland

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