Team Canada held a media availability at the Gale Centre in Niagara Falls, Ont. on Thursday.
Michael Misa experienced a special send-off before leaving the San Jose Sharks to join Canada’s World Junior team.
“It was actually kind of cool,” the 18-year-old centre from Oakville, Ont. said. “Right as I left every guy on the team came up to me and wished me good luck. It’s cool to see that support on that team.”
Misa, who was the second-overall pick in last June’s NHL draft, flew across the continent and joined Team Canada just in time to watch Wednesday’s pre-tournament win against Sweden in Kitchener, Ont. There was no practice on Thursday, but Misa hit the ice to stretch his legs and do some work with Hockey Canada faceoff consultant Mike Eagles.
The reigning Ontario Hockey League Most Outstanding Player is eager to make an impression as he returns to the junior level.
“My play on the ice is going to be really important for this team,” Misa said. “I got to definitely step up. I’m looking forward to the challenge and, yeah, excited to get going.”
Misa sustained a right ankle injury on Nov. 5 and missed a month of action before returning for a two-game conditioning stint in the American Hockey League (Dec. 5-6).
“He’s an NHL player,” said defenceman Zayne Parekh, who played with Misa on the Saginaw Spirit last season before starting this year with the Calgary Flames. “I know he was dealing with an injury, but he was playing really good hockey. He’s going to be one of the top players at this tournament, maybe even the best. I’m looking forward to watching it.”
Misa was left off Canada’s World Junior roster last year despite leading the OHL in scoring. He finished with 134 points in 65 games.
Canada struggled to generate offence at last year’s World Juniors en route to a quarterfinal loss. Brayden Yager and Easton Cowan tied for the team scoring lead with three points in five games.
Misa already has three points (one goal, two assists) in seven NHL games this season.
“It’s definitely a lot faster,” Misa said of the NHL level. “Just everyone’s making the right play and there’s not many mistakes out there. Everyone’s working, competing so, yeah, it’s definitely a step up, but in the games that I did play I felt great.”
“Misa adds another level in terms of our skill and sense,” said Team Canada general manager Alan Millar. “You want to have details. You want to play with structure. You want to play the right way. You want to keep pucks out of your net. But, at the same time, as we found out a year ago, you got to score goals as well. I think Michael will give us a real good balance with what we’ve got here already in terms of that offensive dynamic that our team needs.”
Misa was included on the initial World Junior training camp roster, but wasn’t officially activated off injured reserve and loaned to Hockey Canada until Wednesday.
Expectations are high for Misa to be the difference Canada needs at World Juniors Team Canada’s leading scorers at last year’s World Juniors produced just three points but this year, Michael Misa could be the game breaker the team needs to win gold. TSN’s Mark Masters has more on the high expectations for the Sharks forward at the tournament.
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Team Canada released three players on Thursday with Penn State Nittany Lions defenceman Jackson Smith and Brantford Bulldogs forwards Jake O’Brien and Marek Vanacker being sent back to their club teams.
“A tough morning for the group,” said Millar. “You’re dealing with quality people and quality players and, at this level, we have tough decisions to make. I want to thank Marek and Jake and Jackson for their commitment to our programs. Tough on Marek, he doesn’t get another shot, but the other two should be a big part of our team a year from now. We wish them all the best with their club teams the rest of the way.”
Vanacker leads the OHL with 26 goals in 26 games. O’Brien is second in OHL scoring with 46 points in 27 games.
“It sucks,” said Misa. “They’re great players and any one of them could have made this team. I think maybe my advice to them is just go and keep doing what they’re doing there, because they’re both impressive players and what they’re doing at Brantford, it’s pretty special.”
Hockey Canada is prioritizing preparation over additional player evaluation, which is why they made the cuts with two pre-tournament games still remaining on the schedule, including Saturday’s rematch against Sweden in London, Ont.
“With the decisions we’ve made today, we’ve got manageable numbers,” Millar said. “Now we can get players in the places and start to build some chemistry with line combinations, ‘D’ pairings, special teams.”
Canada rested five players along with Misa on Wednesday in order to get a closer look at the players on the bubble.
Unless Canada gets a last-minute loan from an NHL team, the roster is now set at the forward (14 players) and defence (eight players) positions.
“We’ll continue to stay in discussion with the NHL teams right through the weekend, but we’re moving forward here with the group that we have,” said Millar. “We have to look at it as if we’re not getting anybody and if we do we’ll adapt and adjust and go from there.”
Sharks defenceman Sam Dickinson and Seattle Kraken forward Berkly Catton, who is currently sidelined due to injury, are among those still eligible to play at the World Juniors.
‘Tough morning’: Canada makes cuts; not anticipating more help from NHL Team Canada cut forwards Jake O’Brien and Marek Vanacker, as well as defenceman Jackson Smith from their World Junior Championship camp roster on Thursday.
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Two draft-eligible defencemen – University of North Dakota freshman Keaton Verhoeff and Carson Carels of the Prince George Cougars – remain on the roster.
“It means a lot,” said Carels. “It came as a little bit of a surprise this morning seeing that [Smith] was gone. I’m really happy that I’m in this top eight right now alongside Verhoeff. We just got to keep battling, and we’re going to see how it turns out.”
“It’s special,” said Verhoeff. “To make it to the next step is fun, and to have the opportunity to keep going is a pleasure. I look forward to keep going and keep proving myself to eventually make that final roster.”
Canada has only taken two 17-year-old defencemen to the same World Juniors once before. In 1987, Chris Joseph and Luke Richardson both made the cut.
“They’re not your normal 17-year-old defencemen,” Millar said. “[Verhoeff is] 6’4, [Carels] 6’2 and a bit, 200-plus pounds and they play a mature game. If you’re comparing them to an 18- or 19-year-old defenceman, well, they’re in that conversation.”
The only defencemen to play for Canada at the World Juniors at a younger age than Carels and Verhoeff are Jay Bouwmeester (2000, 2001), Joseph (1987), Matthew Schaefer (2025) and Scott Niedermayer (1991).
“We’ve got a lot of experience with both young men in our programs, and we’re confident in them in terms of the opportunity that they have here with our national junior team right now,” Millar said.
Carels and Verhoeff helped Canada win gold at the 2025 under-18 World Championship and also wore the maple leaf at the summer Hlinka Gretzky Cup event winning bronze.
Draft-eligible defencemen Verhoeff, Carels survive Canada’s cut Canadian defencemen Keaton Verhoeff and Carson Carels survived Thursday’s cuts and are both thrilled to have the opportunity to keep going.
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Team Canada still plans to release one of the three goalies that are at training camp prior to the start of the tournament.
“We’ll contemplate taking three goalies to Minnesota to get through the third pre-competition game on the 23rd [against Denmark], but it is our plan, after the game on the 23rd, to get down to two,” Millar confirmed.
The three goalies at camp are Carter George of the Owen Sound Attack, University of Michigan freshman Jack Ivankovic and Joshua Ravensbergen, who plays for Prince George.
Teams are allowed to carry three goalies at the World Juniors, so why is Canada only going to take two?
“A couple things,” Millar said. “One, is it the right thing to have a goaltender not play at all at the World Juniors? And when the tournament is in North America you feel that, in a timely fashion, if you need to get a goalie in, you can get them in.”
And, if Canada does end up needing a third goalie, they prefer not to call upon someone who is cold.
“Probably more important is, is it more valuable for that goaltender to be playing as opposed to sitting around and just practising with the team?” Millar said. “Is it better off that they’re with their club team and they’re playing if we need them for whatever reason?”
Canada Ice Chips: Two’s company, three’s a crowd in the crease Team Canada released three players on Thursday from their WJC roster and they still plan on releasing one of the three goalies in camp before the tournament begins. TSN’s Mark Masters has more
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George, who is Canada’s incumbent starter, turned aside 19 of 20 shots to earn the win on Wednesday.
“I felt pretty good,” the Los Angeles Kings prospect said. “I felt like after I made the first save I kind of got my mojo back, so I was happy with it and the boys played really well in front of me.”
The only goal George allowed came on a 5-on-3 power play for Sweden.
“He played solid the whole time,” said coach Dale Hunter. “They had some good looks especially on the power plays. They had some good looks and only the 5-on-3 goal got him.”
Ivankovic, who was a second-round pick of the Nashville Predators last June, is also a returning player. Ravensbergen was a first-round pick by the Sharks in June, but has never suited up for Canada in international competition.
George: It was unbelievable, a lot of fun to get back on the ice wearing the maple leaf Team Canada goaltender Carter George explains what it was like to put on the maple leaf again, how he felt in the win over Sweden, and what he saw from Gavin McKenna on Wednesday night.
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Canada was shorthanded five times on Wednesday, but Hunter did not sound too worried.
“A couple accidental sticks,” the coach said. “It happens when you go to lift the stick up and the guy moves. It wasn’t retaliatory. I don’t like retaliatory hits where after you get hit you retaliate and it’s a selfish play.”
Canada was the most penalized team at last year’s World Juniors so perhaps it’s no surprise that some of the returning players seemed a bit more concerned.
“That was our problem last year,” said Penn State freshman Gavin McKenna. “We got to work on that a little bit better.”
“We took a lot of penalties, which sucks,” said centre Jett Luchanko.
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Canada’s top line – Michigan sophomore Michael Hage between McKenna and Brady Martin of the Soo Greyhounds – generated both goals on Wednesday.
McKenna fired a cross-ice pass to Martin, who hammered home a one-time shot early in the second period to open the scoring.
“I saw him come over the blue line and I know he’s going to see every pass, so I just stopped up and waited for him to give it to me there,” said Martin, who was the fifth-overall pick by the Predators in June.
“That guy, he’s got a thing for scoring,” McKenna said with a smile. “I don’t know many people who would take that slap shot. He did and found a way to put it in. That’s such a him goal.”
Martin stands out because of his skill and his outgoing nature both on and off the ice. He jokingly stared down Parekh while the defenceman did an interview with TSN after the game. On the ice, he enjoys mixing it up with the opposition.
“He’s a hard-nosed player, but with skill,” said Hunter. “They’re hard to find. He plays hard. He knows how to score and he goes to the net. At the end of the night, the opposing team goes, ‘Oh, he was tough to play against,’ and that’s what you want to hear.”
Martin sounds motivated to maintain his spot beside McKenna.
“It’s unbelievable,” Martin said. “He’s a special player and he’s going to go high in the draft this year. It’s a privilege and I’m taking it all in … We were just working off each other. He just put pucks in spots where I can get ‘em. He’s a really good player so it’s really easy to play with him.”
TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button believes the line should remain together moving forward. That was a popular opinion on Thursday.
“It’s going to be a great line, and hopefully they stay together,” said Carels. “Gavin and Marty there, they both found each other really well.”
McKenna started camp on a line with fellow returning players Cole Beaudoin and Porter Martone, who were among the scratches on Wednesday.
Team Canada buzzing about instant chemistry between McKenna, Hage and Martin With Gavin McKenna, Brady Martin and Michael Hage combining for five points in Team Canada’s pre-tournament win over Sweden, the team shared its thoughts on the instant chemistry of the top line.
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McKenna was playing for the first time since Nov. 22, which is when Penn State paused for the holiday break.
“I felt good,” said the projected first-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. “Nothing too out of the ordinary. Obviously playing with different guys, it takes some time to get used to, but by the end of the game my line was meshing pretty well.”
The sense among Team Canada’s ranks is that McKenna, who will celebrate his 18th birthday on Saturday, is just getting going.
“Gav was good,” said Parekh. “He can take it to even another level, which is crazy to think. He’s that good. Just an exceptional player, and better person. He’s fun to be around too.”
McKenna has four goals and 14 assists in 16 games in NCAA play this season.
McKenna: ‘As the game went on we just kept getting better and better’ Team Canada forward Gavin McKenna explains what his team can take away from the win over Sweden, how he felt on the ice on Wednesday night, and what it was like playing with Brady Martin.
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Parekh was playing for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 7.
“I felt better in the third, like, conditioning-wise,” the 19-year-old from Nobleton, Ont. said. “Just trying to get a feel for things and figure out the pace out there. It’s a little slower than what I’m used to, but I felt pretty good for a first game back.”
Parekh seemed comfortable with the puck on his stick. Almost too comfortable.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen more of a nonchalant player in a good way,” said McKenna with a smile. “He’s so smooth and makes so many good plays. He’s on his edges and he can break some ankles out there. He’s a lot of fun to watch.”
What does Parekh think of the “nonchalant” description?
“I think it’s maybe my stance,” he said with a grin. “I skate pretty straight up so, you know, everyone thinks I’m pretty lackadaisical.”
Looks can be deceiving.
“I’m competing,” Parekh stressed. “I’m a competitor, and I love to win, so, you know, maybe at times, with my deception, it’s a little nonchalant, but I play the game pretty hard.”
And reuniting with Misa may help Parekh accentuate his approach.
“I kind of play a unique style of game and he knows how to play off me, so it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Parekh said.
McKenna appreciates Flames defenceman Parekh’s ‘nonchalant’ style Gavin McKenna explains why Zayne Parekh is a lot of fun to play with and says that he’s never ‘seen a more nonchalant player.’
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Team Canada unveiled its goal song for the World Juniors during Wednesday’s game. The team will be going with ‘Courage’ by iconic Canadian band The Tragically Hip.
“I thought it was catchy,” said Hage. “I like the choice.”
The song was originally released as a single in 1993.
“I’d never heard it before,” said Hage, who was born in 2006. “I feel like not too many guys our age had heard it before, but I think we all liked it right away.”
The idea for the song came from Hockey Canada staff, but players feel it’s fitting for this year’s team.
“We got a lot of courage in this group,” McKenna said. “We lost last year. There’s a lot eyes on us and we want to have courage. Plus, it’s a Canadian band so hopefully the Canadian fans like it.”
Hockey Canada decided to reveal the song in pre-tournament play this year so that the home fans could hear it first. Usually the song is debuted on Boxing Day when the tournament starts.
Last year, Canada used the Opus song ‘Live Is Life’ as the goal song.
Why ‘Courage’ by The Tragically Hip is a fitting goal song for Canada at World Juniors With ‘Courage’ by The Tragically Hip being revealed as Team Canada’s goal song in their pre-tournament game against Sweden, members of the team shared their thoughts on the choice.
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Upcoming schedule at Canada’s training camp:
Friday Dec. 19 – Canada practice at 11 am
Saturday Dec. 20 – Canada skate at 9:30 am, Canada game vs. Sweden at 7 pm in London, Ont.
Sunday Dec. 21 – Canada practice at 11 am
Monday Dec. 22 – Canada practice at 9 am, flight to Minneapolis at 8 pm
Tuesday Dec. 23 – Canada game vs Denmark at 7 pm in Mankato, Minn.