With the IIHF World Junior Championship starting in less than a month, team rosters are expected to roll out shortly. Team Canada announced their 32-man selection camp roster that includes 4 prospects from the Philadelphia Flyers.
Forwards Denver Barkey and Jett Luchanko, defenseman Oliver Bonk, and goaltender Carson Bjarnason are hopeful to be representing their country. There is added motivation with the tournament taking place in Ottawa, Ontario this year between the 26th of December and the 5th of January.
Last year, Canada stumbled out in the Quarterfinals against Czechia when they lost 3-2. They had also finished second in their group with a 3-0-0-1 record as their only loss came against the host and group-leader in Sweden. The Americans ended up taking the gold against Sweden with Czechia taking bronze over Finland.
The Canadian roster is deep as it always is, but they omitted several marquee names, such as first round picks from this past draft in Zayne Parekh, Tij Iginla, Beckett Sennecke, Michael Hage, and surprisingly Carter Yakemchuk. Michael Misa, who many have tabbed as a top pick in the upcoming draft, was also left off the roster.
Barkey, who was named captain of the London Knights this year, has started the season with 4 goals and 28 points in 21 games with his running mate – and Team Canada teammate – Bonk also having a good season as well with 6 goals and 21 points in 22 games.
Surprisingly, neither lead their team in points with defenseman Sam Dickinson – who was one of 4 Knights to be named to the roster – having an amazing season at the top with 15 goals and 45 points in 24 games.
Luchanko, a London native, went back to the Guelph Storm and has put up 5 goals and 16 points in 13 games after starting the season with the Philadelphia Flyers. He appeared in 4 contests and went without a point, but he impressed everyone from top to bottom within the organization to even give him the chance to begin with.
Unfortunately, the Storm sit second to the bottom of the league’s standings with a 7-14-2-1 record and a -30 goal differential. It’s not all bad news though, as Luchanko is expected to be moved to a contender midseason.
Bjarnason has steadily improved from his draft season to the present and is expected to battle for starts at this year’s tournament. The 19-year-old has posted a 6-6-2 record with a 3.02 GAA and a .913 SV% for the Brandon Wheat Kings, who currently sit 5th in the WHL Eastern Conference.
Some notables joining the Flyers’ quartet are Easton Cowan, Berkly Catton, Andrew Cristall, Gavin McKenna, Brayden Yager, and Tanner Molendyk, among others.
With how the tournament shook down last year, Canada will be in the same group as the United States, Finland, Latvia, and Germany. Group B are headlined by Sweden, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Kazakhstan.
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