Team Canada held a practice at the Gale Centre in Niagara Falls, Ont. on Sunday.
Draft-eligible defencemen Carson Carels and Keaton Verhoeff are closing in on spots on Canada’s World Junior team.
“It was a little bit unexpected and wasn’t really on my bucket list this year but, I mean, I think I’ve played my way to get here,” said Carels, who logs big minutes for the Prince George Cougars in the Western Hockey League.
“I don’t know if I expected it,” said Verhoeff, who is a freshman at the University of North Dakota. “I think I was playing well. I thought I’d put my name in the hat, maybe.”
There are nine defencemen at Canada’s training camp with eight spots available. If Carels and Verhoeff make the cut, they will become the sixth- and seventh-youngest defencemen to play for Canada at the under-20 event. Both are still just 17-years-old with Carels being four days younger than Verhoeff.
“I’m young, but I don’t think age really matters right now,” said Carels.
“Coming from college, too, I’m a younger guy there as well,” said Verhoeff. “You adapt to it and kind of find a way to fit in.”
The only time that two 17-year-old defencemen have played for Canada at the same World Juniors was in 1987 when Chris Joseph and Luke Richardson both made it.
The San Jose Sharks may still loan Sam Dickinson to Hockey Canada, which would create more competition on the blue line but, for now, Carels and Verhoeff both appear to be in a good position.
Verhoeff, Carels showing age is just a number at Canada camp Keaton Verhoeff and Carson Carels are the two youngest players at Canada’s camp and both man the blue line. They share their experience so far and what they did this season to earn an invite at 17-years-old.
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Carels, a left shot, is skating on Canada’s third pair beside Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ben Danford.
“He’s a couple of years younger and I can’t believe it,” Danford said. “He’s a really good two-way guy.”
Carels has produced eight goals and 29 points in 28 games this season. He registered six goals and 35 points in 60 games last season.
“My game has taken off a little bit on the offensive side,” the native of Cypress River, Man. said. “I’ve gotten a little bit of a freedom to play a little offence and rack up some points, and get on that top power play unit. So, that’s where I’ve expanded my game a little bit.”
Carels is up to No. 6 on TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button’s latest list of top 2026 NHL draft prospects.
Carels, who stands at 6-foot-2 and 194 pounds, is doing it all for the Cougars, who are second place in the Western Conference.
“He’s up to 30, 32 minutes a night and for a 17-year-old that’s a lot,” said Team Canada assistant coach Brad Lauer, who is working with the defence. “He plays a game where he can calm things down and be patient with it. He plays an intelligent game.”
“Smooth, smart game,” Verhoeff observed. “He’s a strong kid, super strong on his feet as well, and able to move pucks super well and control the game … You can put him out in any situation and you’re going to have a trustworthy, strong defenceman back there.”
Carels says he models his style on Jake Sanderson and Miro Heiskanen, because of the way they mesh a two-way game with great puck-moving ability.
Carels has represented Canada three times in the past year, winning a silver medal at the World U17 Hockey Challenge, gold at the under-18 World Championship, and bronze at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Verhoeff and Carels were also teammates at the under-18 World Championship and at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
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Verhoeff, a right shot, is skating on the fourth pair at camp beside Penn State freshman Jackson Smith.
“I love his game,” Carels said of Verhoeff. “He’s a big guy and he can move pucks up the ice. He’s got a lot of offensive upside. He can really rip that puck. And he’s learning how to really play defence too. He’s turning into a great complete player.”
Verhoeff, who finished with 45 points in 63 games with the Victoria Royals in the WHL last season, has produced four goals and 11 points in 16 games so far this season in the NCAA where he is the second-youngest player.
“I have learned to adapt my game a bit, [adapt] to the pace of play and the style of our league,” Verhoeff said. “It’s a tough, physical league [so] kind of being able to move pucks better and join the rush after has been something huge.”
Verhoeff and Smith are Canada’s tallest defencemen at 6-foot-4. Verhoeff is Canada’s heaviest blueliner at 212 pounds.
“He moves very well for a big guy,” said Lauer. “Plays the game heavy. He’s got a good stick and he’s got great feet. He’s not as polished yet, but there’s a huge upside to his game … What we’ve seen the first two days here has been a very mature game from him.”
Verhoeff is the top defenceman on Button’s latest list coming in at No. 3.
“I’m a competitive kid,” the native of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. said. “I enjoy kind of that competitive feeling and competing every day to help move up in that draft stock as well as just having a better team back in North Dakota. And hopefully will bring that compete and skill level here as well.”
Verhoeff says he admired Victor Hedman while growing up and is now watching a lot of Thomas Harley.
“He’s another big Canadian that can move pucks,” Verhoeff noted. “He has some offensive upside, but also really takes care of his ‘D’ zone.”
Verhoeff, Carels unfazed by draft-year pressure; reveal NHL role models Still just 17-years-old, Keaton Verhoeff and Carson Carels are the two youngest players at Canada’s camp and are in their draft year. They discuss the extra pressure that comes with that and who their NHL role models are.
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Carels and Verhoeff need to wear additional facial protection (cage or full visor) under IIHF rules, because they’re under 18.
Gavin McKenna, who will turn 18 on Dec. 20, is wearing a regular visor at Canada’s camp after playing in a full face shield at Penn State.
“It felt really good,” Canada’s top-line left winger said after his first practice at the camp.
What’s the biggest change?
“The breathing aspect,” he explained. “With the bubble, you’re all tight in there. You’re free in the visor.”
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Ethan MacKenzie of the Edmonton Oil Kings skated as the ninth defenceman at the first two practices. But being an underdog is a familiar role for the 19-year-old from West Kelowna, B.C., who was passed over in the last two NHL drafts.
“He’s just gotten better and better over his three or four years in the Western Hockey League,” said Team Canada general manager Alan Millar. “He’s gone from a guy in his draft year that was, you know, five-foot-six to being just under six-foot-one now and close to 190 pounds. He does things hard.
“I would say he’s categorized as a complete defenceman. You can see his mobility, the way he skates, his edge work, and he does things hard. He snaps pucks and gets them to the net. He makes hard passes, tape to tape. He’s just turned himself into a real good player and is well deserving of being here and competing for one of the eight spots.”
MacKenzie, a lefty, has piled up 31 points in 30 games this season. Among Canada’s defence, only Kashawn Aitcheson of the Barrie Colts (32 points in 27 games) has scored more this season.
“He’s a kid that’s maybe come out of nowhere,” said Lauer, who also oversees the power play. “He’s a guy that can skate. He’s a guy that can defend and he’s also a guy that can put numbers up … He’s kind of gone through the cracks, but he’s caught some eyes through this season, which is a credit to him and it’s a great that he’s here.”
MacKenzie got a look as the quarterback on the second power-play unit at Sunday’s practice.
Button: Parekh, Dickinson and Brunicke are ‘three real strong pillars’ to Canada’s blueline TSN Hockey’s Craig Button and Frankie Corrado join James Duthie to discuss the experience Zayne Parekh, Sam Dickinson and Harrison Brunicke bring to Canada’s blueline at the World Juniors, and why defenceman Kashawn Aitcheson is a player to watch in the tournament.
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Danford is leaning on Leafs winger Easton Cowan, who played for Canada’s head coach Dale Hunter in London during his junior career, for advice as he looks to lock down a spot on Canada’s blueline.
“He said that [Hunter] likes guys that play hard, block shots, and that made me smile because, you know, that’s what I like to do,” Danford noted. “So, it’s perfect.”
After leading the London Knights to a Memorial Cup championship, Cowan is turning heads as a rookie with the Leafs this season.
“We talk on almost a daily basis,” said Danford. “He was just texting me asking how the first couple of days have been … He said, ‘You’ll do just fine,’ and ‘Just go make the team and win it all.’”
Danford’s Oshawa Generals lost to the Knights in the last two Ontario Hockey League championship series. He was recently traded to the Brantford Bulldogs where he’s eager to chase down an elusive trip to the Memorial Cup.
“We had a couple really deep runs and a couple tough pills to swallow there,” the 19-year-old from Madoc, Ont. said. “It’s almost like there’s a fire built up in me to go all the way and win it this year. I want to win in all aspects of hockey. I want to win here. It sucks coming second place.”
Leafs prospect Danford leans on Cowan for World Junior advice Maple Leafs prospect Ben Danford discusses his season so far and the opportunity in front of him at the World Juniors. He also touches on his friendship with Leafs’ rookie Easton Cowan and the advice he gave him.
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Former NHL centre Mike Eagles is serving as a faceoff consultant for Team Canada.
“It’s a game within the game,” said Eagles, who played for the Quebec Nordiques, Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals during a 16-year career. “It’s your first opportunity for competition at the start of a shift and I love that part of the game.”
Eagles, who played with Hunter during his time with the Capitals, believes faceoffs are even more important in today’s game.
“The players are better,” the 62-year-old said. “They skate better. They protect the puck better. The players are passing the puck better. There’s better structured systems. There’s more structure on ‘O’ zone face-offs and ‘D’ zone face-offs than there ever was and so getting that first possession is that much more important.”
Eagles made a presentation to the players before the on-ice sessions began at the training camp and has been working with the centres at the end of practice.
“I’m not really that interested in talking about the things that I talk about with the players,” Eagles said. “We want them to be good. We want them to get better, and as a team we want to be really good on faceoffs.”
The players received the memo about being tightlipped on the faceoff strategies this year.
“I don’t know if I want to give away any of his stuff,” said Bulldogs centre Jett Luchanko with a small smile. “There’s a lot to think about.”
Barrie Colts centre Cole Beaudoin did reveal that he liked a new drill that Eagles introduced where the puck starts on the dot before two players go at it.
Eagles helped Canada win bronze at the 1983 World Juniors and brought his tracksuit from that tournament with him to Niagara Falls for this camp.
“I’m super proud to have worn that in 1983 and happy to be back again,” he said while holding up the jacket. “It’s just a thrill for me to to be part of this program, and to have been asked to come in and try to help the guys to get better. I couldn’t be happier.”
Canada Ice Chips: Eagles’ eye helps at the dot; 1983 track suit still fits Mike Eagles played 16 seasons in the NHL and now joins Team Canada’s World Junior staff to help them improve in the faceoff circle. Mark Masters has more on Eagles’ philosophy and his history with Dale Hunter.
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Luchanko is one of six players back from last year’s Team Canada that finished fifth in Ottawa.
“Not the result we wanted,” he said. “We’re going to take that fire into this year and hopefully get it done.”
Luchanko has scored two goals in six games since being returned to the OHL by the Philadelphia Flyers.
“I’ve tried to develop my game as much as I can and especially my shot and offensive things like that,” the 19-year-old from London, Ont. said.
How different is his shot this year?
“I’ve worked on it, so I’d like to hope it’s better,” he said. “I’m just going to continue to keep putting in the work on that and hopefully keep raising it to the next level.”
It’s not just about increasing the power and accuracy.
“I think the big thing is kind of getting into those [high-danger] areas and setting myself up in shooting situations,” he said.
Luchanko improves his shot ahead of second shot at World Juniors Jett Luchanko is another returning player this year for Team Canada, he explains how he’s improved his shot and why he enjoys shootouts and other 1-on-1 situations.
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Lines at Sunday’s practice:
McKenna – Beaudoin – Martone
Cootes – Iginla – Hage
Bear – Luchanko – Martin
Greentree – Desnoyers – O’Reilly
Vanacker – O’Brien – Reschny
Reid – Parekh
Aitcheson – Brunicke
Carels – Danford
Smith – Verhoeff
MacKenzie
George
Ivankovic
Ravensbergen
Absent: Misa
Power play units at Sunday’s practice:
QB: Parekh
Flanks: Iginla, McKenna
Bumper: Reschny
Net front: Martone
QB: MacKenzie
Flanks: Hage, Luchanko
Middle: O’Brien
Net front: Greentree