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Eight WHL Players Named to Canada's National Junior Team for 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship

December 13, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, Alta. - Eight WHL players will represent Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa, Ont., from December 26 to January 5 as Hockey Canada announced its National Junior Team roster Friday.

Eight WHL Clubs will be featured on Canada's National Junior Team, including the Brandon Wheat Kings, Calgary Hitmen, Kelowna Rockets, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Medicine Hat Tigers, Saskatoon Blades, Seattle Thunderbirds, and Spokane Chiefs.

Two WHL players named to Canada's National Junior Team return from 2024, intent on delivering Canada back to the podium in 2025 - defenceman Tanner Molendyk (McBride, B.C. / Saskatoon Blades) and forward Brayden Yager(Saskatoon, Sask. / Moose Jaw Warriors).

Medicine Hat Tigers star Gavin McKenna (Whitehorse, Yukon) headlines an intriguing list of WHL players representing Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship for the first time. McKenna, who turns 17 on December 20, leads all Canadian Major Junior players in scoring, having registered 60 points (19G-41A) in 30 games this season.

Named WHL Rookie of the Year for 2023-24, McKenna helped lead Canada to a gold medal performance at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup this past summer in Edmonton. The highly touted playmaker was selected first overall by the Tigers in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft and is projected to be the first overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Brandon Wheat Kings star Carson Bjarnason (Carberry, Man.) will guard the blue paint for Canada. The prospect of the Philadelphia Flyers (2-51, 2023) is enjoying a solid campaign, with a record of 8-6-2-0, a 2.90 goals-against average, .913 save percentage, and one shutout.

Canada's blue line will feature three WHL players with B.C. connections - including Molendyk, Caden Price (Kelowna Rockets / Saskatoon, Sask.), and Sawyer Mynio (Seattle Thunderbirds / Kamloops, B.C.).

Molendyk, who hails from McBride, B.C., is on a point-per-game pace with the Blades, tallying 21 points (4G-17A) in 21 games this season. The two-way defenceman was a first-round pick (24th overall) of the Nashville Predators in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Price, from Saskatoon, Sask., has been a force on the blueline for the Rockets, registering 32 points (6G-26A) in 26 games, which ranks tied for second among all WHL defencemen. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound defender was a third-round pick (83rd overall) of the Seattle Kraken in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Mynio, of Kamloops, B.C., has collected 19 points (5G-14A) in 18 games with the Thunderbirds this season. Known for his relentless shot-blocking ability, the two-way defenceman was a third-round pick (89th overall) of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2023 NHL Draft. He won a WHL Championship as a member of the Seattle Thunderbirds in 2023.

Up front, Canada's contingent of forwards is led by Yager, a WHL Champion with the Moose Jaw Warriors, who was recently traded to the Lethbridge Hurricanes. A prospect of the Winnipeg Jets, Yager has secured 34 points (12G-22A) in 23 games split between Moose Jaw and Lethbridge. Yager's WHL trophy case is decorated with WHL Rookie of the Year honours (2021-22), and back-to-back WHL Most Sportsmanlike Player recognition (2022-23, 2023-24).

Spokane Chiefs star Berkly Catton (Saskatoon, Sask.) will bring his playmaking ability to Canada's roster. A prospect of the Seattle Kraken (1-8, 2024), the 5-foot-10 Catton has notched 47 points (14G-33A) in 28 games this season. His 47 points rank third in the WHL, while his 33 assists rank second, trailing only McKenna.

Calgary Hitmen forward Tanner Howe (Prince Albert, Sask.) delivers a hard-nosed, two-way presence to Canada's forward group. The 5-foot-11 prospect of the Pittsburgh Penguins (2-46, 2024) has split his season between the Regina Pats and Hitmen, tallying 16 points (9G-7A) in 16 games, along with a plus-8 rating.

Canada's National Junior Team - WHL Players

Last Name First Name Team Hometown Ht Wt Pos

Bjarnason Carson Brandon Wheat Kings Carberry, Man. 6'3" 202 G

Molendyk Tanner Saskatoon Blades McBride, B.C. 6'0" 181 D

Mynio Sawyer Seattle Thunderbirds Kamloops, B.C. 6'1" 180 D

Price Caden Kelowna Rockets Saskatoon, Sask. 6'1" 180 D

Catton Berkly Spokane Chiefs Saskatoon, Sask. 5'10" 170 F

Howe Tanner Calgary Hitmen Prince Albert, Sask. 5'11" 182 F

McKenna Gavin Medicine Hat Tigers Whitehorse, Yukon 6'0" 183 F

Yager Brayden Lethbridge Hurricanes Saskatoon, Sask. 6'0" 170 F

The National Junior Team roster announced by Hockey Canada includes three goaltenders, eight defencemen, and 14 forwards.

The National Junior Team roster was selected by U20 head scout Al Murray (Regina, Sask.) and the management group, which includes Peter Anholt (Naicam, Sask. / Lethbridge Hurricanes) and WHL alumnus Brent Seabrook (Tsawwassen, B.C.), with support from Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, Benoit Roy (Sudbury, Ont.), director of hockey operations, and player development coach Scott Walker (Cambridge, Ont. / Guelph Storm, OHL). Head coach Dave Cameron (Kinkora, P.E.I. / Ottawa 67s, OHL), assistant coaches Mike Johnston (Darmouth, N.S. / Portland Winterhawks), Chris Lazary (Toronto, Ont. / Saginaw Spirit, OHL), Sylvain Favreau (Orleans, Ont. / Drummondville Voltigeurs, QMJHL), and goaltending consultant Dan De Palma (Kamloops, B.C. / Kamloops Blazers), also provided input.

"We are excited to unveil the 25 players who have earned the opportunity to represent Canada at the World Juniors, as we believe we have assembled a competitive and talented roster that will give us the best opportunity to win a gold medal on home ice," Anholt said. "While there were many difficult decisions to make at selection camp, we want to congratulate our players, and we look forward to them wearing the Maple Leaf with pride in Ottawa."

Canada's National Junior Team will travel to Petawawa, Ont., for a four-day training camp at Silver Dart Arena from December 15-18. Canada will also play pre-tournament games against Switzerland (December 19), Sweden (December 21), and Czechia (December 23).

The 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship begins Thursday, December 26, when Canada takes on Finland to open the tournament.

Canada will compete in Group A, alongside Finland, Germany, the United States, and Latvia, while Group B features Czechia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, and Kazakhstan.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast every game of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. Check your local listings for channel listings.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca.

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