Defenceman Keaton Verhoeff and forward Carter Bear will make their World Junior debuts tonight for Canada as they enter the lineup for the first time at this year’s tournament.
Both players were registered this morning as forward Liam Greentree and defenceman Carson Carels will sit tonight.
Projected 🇨🇦 lineup tonight
Iginla – Misa – Martone
McKenna – Hage – Martin
Desnoyers – Beaudoin – O’Reilly
Luchanko – Reschny – Cootes
Bear
Reid – Parekh
MacKenzie – Brunicke
Aitcheson – Danford
Verhoeff
George starts 🆚🇩🇰
Ivankovic
Scratches: Greentree, Carels, Ravensbergen
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) December 30, 2025
Bear, 19, has 13 goals and 27 points in 23 games this season with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips.
The 13th overall pick by the Detroit Red Wings in June’s draft, this will be Bear’s first time playing for Canada in a major international tournament.
Verhoeff, who will start the game as Canada’s seventh defenceman, has four goals and 11 points in 16 games as a freshman this season with the University of North Dakota.
The 17-year-old has previously won U17 and U18 titles for Canada and captained his country to bronze at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August.
Per TSN’s Mark Masters, Carter George will be in net for Canada as he makes his second start of the tournament.
He started the opening game against Czechia on Boxing Day, allowing five goals in a 7-5 win.
Canada is 2-0 to start the 2026 World Juniors and wrap up round robin play on New Year’s Eve against Finland.