Team Canada held a practice at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis on Thursday ahead of the opening game of the 2026 World Juniors.
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Prince George Cougars defenceman Carson Carels was pretending to interview Owen Sound Attack goaltender Carter George, using the blade of his stick to act as a microphone.
“Ask what my real name is,” Carels suggests.
“Carlos,” George responds with a grin. “That’s what we call him.”
Carels credits Michigan Wolverines centre Michael Hage for coming up with the nickname.
“It’s stuck now,” he said. “Hagger’s got names for me and [University of North Dakota defenceman Keaton] Verhoeff just with us being the younger guys. We’ve heard our fair share of different names. We’re enjoying it, but I don’t know where ‘Carlos’ came from.”
Carels is Team Canada’s youngest player, so he’s faced some good-natured ribbing since training camp opened.
But whether he’s interacting with teammates off the ice or snapping break-out passes on the ice, you would never know that the 17-year-old from Cypress River, Man. is about to become one of the youngest defencemen to ever suit up for Canada at the World Juniors.
“You can’t really think too much about your age,” the 6-foot-2, 194-pound lefty said. “You just have to be mature about it and play like you’re a 19-year-old and you deserve to be here.”
The list of defencemen to play for Canada at the World Juniors at a younger age than Carels is short: Jay Bouwmeester (2000, 2001), Chris Joseph (1987), Matthew Schaefer (2025) and Scott Niedermayer (1991).
“As a younger D-man, sometimes you see them get a bit nervous, but he just stays really poised, and always makes the right play, and has a really good stick,” observed Michigan State winger Porter Martone. “He’s really good at breaking up plays. He’s going to be a huge part of our team for this tournament, and I think he’s up for the challenge.”
Carels started as Canada’s seventh defenceman during last Saturday’s pre-tournament game against Sweden, which was the first time the full roster dressed. In Tuesday’s final exhibition outing against Denmark, he moved up to the second pair beside Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Harrison Brunicke.
He produced a goal and a primary assist against the Danes.
Barrie Colts blueliner Kashawn Aitcheson, who had been playing beside Brunicke, was rested on Tuesday. When he returned to practice on Thursday, he was on the third pair beside Brantford Bulldog Ben Danford.
Carels, who models his style on Ottawa Senator Jake Sanderson and Dallas Star Miro Heiskanen, remained with Brunicke.
“He’s a good skater,” said coach Dale Hunter. “He’s very smart and he moves the puck. He plays within himself. He’s been playing really well.”
When Hage came up with the “Carlos” nickname perhaps he was thinking of the Carlos Santana song “Smooth” featuring Rob Thomas.
“He’s such a smooth skater,” said Penn State left winger Gavin McKenna when asked what stands out about Carels. “He’s very poised back there. He almost doesn’t really make any mistakes.”
McKenna is projected to go first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft. TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button has Carels at No. 6 on his latest list, but it’s clear that his stock is on the rise.
“I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t know too much about him before coming here,” said San Jose Sharks centre Michael Misa. “I really haven’t seen him play much. He’s something else. He’s going to go really high in this draft. We’re lucky to have him.”
Canada’s youngest player, Carels earns promotion to top four 17-year old Carson Carels is Canada’s youngest player at the World Juniors, and the defender has impressed earning a promotion to the top four. He spoke on Thursday about the pressure of playing well during his draft year, his relationship with Harrison Brunicke, and more.
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After leaving Tuesday’s blowout win over Denmark early, Misa participated fully in Thursday’s practice.
“No point in pushing an injury in a pre-tournament game like that,” he said. “The goal is to be ready for the tournament.”
Misa declined to say if the issue is connected to the right ankle injury, which sidelined him for a month earlier this season.
“It’s just a lower-body thing,” he said.
Misa practised on the top line between Kelowna Rocket Tij Iginla and Martone.
“We got speed, smarts on the line,” he said. “Marty’s a big boy, who can shoot the puck, and mixed with me and Iggy’s speed, it’s a really good line. I’m looking forward to playing with those guys in the tournament.”
Misa assisted on two Iginla goals during Tuesday’s game.
“I felt good,” he said. “Felt like myself. Stuff happens, but I’m glad I’m feeling good today.”
“Looks like himself, 100 per cent,” said Martone. “I’m excited to play with him. He’s got so much skill, so much speed. He’s really easy to play with and complements my game really well.”
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Before the team sat down for a Christmas dinner on Wednesday night, Hunter informed the group that Martone will serve as captain.
“You’re at a loss of words for a little bit,” the Philadelphia Flyers sixth overall pick said. “It’s special. It was especially really exciting to tell my parents.”
Martone’s father, Mike, wore the ‘C’ for the Peterborough Petes during his playing days.
“My dad just said, ‘Be yourself. Don’t really change who you are.’ So that’s what I try to be every single day, and make everyone around me [feel] better.”
Martone also served as captain for Team Canada at the under-18 World Championship in 2024. During the gold-medal game at that event, Canada rallied from 3-1 down to beat the United States 6-4.
“He came through in big moments,” McKenna recalled. “Bringing the locker room together when we were down to the U.S in the finals there.”
Martone addressed the team for the first time as World Junior captain on Wednesday night and referenced that comeback win in the under-18 final.
“I said, ‘There’s going to be lots of adversity in this tournament. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s whether at those times you come closer together, and don’t fall apart,’” the 19-year-old from Peterborough, Ont. said. “When the times get going tough that’s when teams bond, and that’s how you win championships.”
Colts centre Cole Beaudoin and Brunicke will serve as alternate captains.
‘Great leader’ Martone named captain Canada for World Juniors Philadelphia Flyers prospect Porter Martone will be captain of Canada’s World Junior team as the tournament gets underway on Friday, Hockey Canada announced. The 6-foot-3 winger represented Canada in last year’s World Juniors in Ottawa, recording a goal in three games. He spoke on Thursday about what it means to be named captain, and his teammates share what makes him a great leader.
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Martone authored a big moment for Canada last year. With his team down 3-1 in the quarterfinals against Czechia, Martone scored the only goal of the second period to get Canada back in it.
Canada eventually tied it in the third period before allowing a crushing last-minute goal to be eliminated on home ice.
“You always dream of World Junior gold and that didn’t happen last year,” said Martone. “No real way to put it into words. But that’s in the past now, and we’re moving on. We’re excited to get some revenge tomorrow.”
Six Canadian players are back from last year’s team, but everyone knows the history.
“It’s what we’ve been waiting for,” said McKenna. “It’s finally here. We want revenge and we’re excited.”
Czechia also knocked Canada out in the quarterfinals in 2024.
“We know Canadians are kind of mad at us from the last two years,” said Petes winger Adam Novotny with a smile. “So, of course, you want to continue and make it three.”
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Canada split a pair of games against Sweden before ending the exhibition schedule with a dominant win over Denmark.
Czechia won both its pre-tournament games, but needed overtime to beat Slovakia and Latvia.
“I’ve seen some things I didn’t like to see, and I’m hoping we can smooth out our system better,” said Czechia head coach Patrik Augusta. “I’m hoping the players will be ready from the first shift in this tournament.”
What was the biggest issue in the pre-tournament games?
“The effort,” said Augusta. “I think you have to win every battle, every puck, every position. I know our players are very skilled and very intelligent and they know the tournament is something different than exhibition games.”
Despite the underwhelming performances in the pre-tournament games, the Czechs brings a healthy swagger into the Boxing Day rematch against Canada.
“It’s hockey, everything can happen,” said Brantford defenceman Adam Jiricek, who is getting set to take part in his third World Juniors. “We did it two times in a row now, so we are pretty confident. We can look on the last year like we can do it. I think our team has the strength to do it again. So we’ll see what’s going to happen.”
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George, who is from Thunder Bay, Ont., is feeling at home in Minneapolis.
“I played a lot of my minor hockey, spring hockey tournaments down here in Minnesota,” he said. “It brings a lot of my childhood back, a lot of childhood memories back, being back here. There’s a lot of memories here in Minnesota. It was pretty special being able to play for Team Minnesota in the Brick Tournament. It’s just a lot of Deja vu.”
His best Minnesota memory growing up?
“There’s so many,” the Los Angeles Kings prospect said. “We were always down here for hockey weekends and whatnot and it was always a lot of fun. And, for me, it’s just the hotels. I mean, you’re playing mini-sticks in the hallways all the time down here and stuff like that.”
With the drive between Thunder Bay and Minneapolis only being about six hours, George is expecting plenty of friends in the crowd.
“I couldn’t put an exact number on it, but I know there’ll be a lot of people from Thunder Bay coming,” he said. “I’m pretty happy about it and looking forward to seeing everyone down here.”
George’s phone has been flooded with unexpected messages in the lead up to the World Juniors.
“My buddies back home, I mean, they’ve all been texting me,” George said. “Guys I’ve played hockey with and haven’t really talked to in a long time, they’ve all reached out to say they’re coming down. Super grateful they’re going to be able to come down for this and looking forward to seeing all of them.”
Last year’s World Juniors ended on such a sour note that it’s easy to forget the promising way the tournament started. George pitched a 31-save shutout in a 4-0 win over Finland on Boxing Day last year.
“It was kind of a surreal feeling that first game,” George reflected. “A little bit in awe in the first game. And then the way it went, it was kind of a pretty surreal feeling. Hopefully we can do the same this year and, for me, just want to build off it and take as much confidence and all the positives out of that game.”
Minnesota World Juniors is like deja vu for Canada’s George Canadian goalie and Thunder Bay, Ontario native Carter George talks about his Minnesota roots and why this year’s World Juniors will be like deja vu.
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With 19 goals in 29 games, Novotny has scored more than any other player on the Czech roster this season.
“He’s on fire,” said Jiricek. “He has so many goals in the OHL. He’s a sniper. I hope I’m gonna feed him, and he going to score huge goals.”
Novotny produced nine points in his final four Ontario Hockey League games before joining Team Czechia.
Novotny, who turned 18 last month, scored once in seven games at last year’s World Juniors, but projects to play a bigger role this time around as he looks to boost his draft stock.
Novotny actually models his game after a Canadian World Junior hero in Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish, who famously knocked a puck off the goal line in mid-air in overtime to keep the gold-medal game going against Finland in the summer of 2022.
“I play in Peterborough and he played there too,” Novotny notes. “A lot of coaches and people from Peterborough say I’m same like him. I like his game. He can make plays. He can score goals. He can play defensive. He’s a great guy and I think, yeah, he’s pretty similar to me.”
Novotny is No. 23 on Button’s latest list of draft-eligible prospects.
Novotny channels his inner McTavish during draft-eligible season Czechia forward Adam Novotny joins TSN’s Mark Masters to discuss how his season has been going so far, who his NHL role model is, and what the pressure is like during his draft-eligible season.
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Lines at Thursday’s practice:
Iginla – Misa – Martone
McKenna – Hage – Martin
Reschny – Beaudoin – Luchanko
Greentree – Cootes – O’Reilly
Bear, Desnoyers
Reid – Parekh
Carels – Brunicke
Aitcheson – Danford
MacKenzie – Verhoeff
George
Ivankovic
Ravensbergen
Power play units at Thursday’s practice:
PP1
Parekh, McKenna, Reschny, Hage, Martin
PP2
Brunicke, Misa, Iginla, Luchanko, Martone