What Canada’s 2024 World Junior Championship roster could look like

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis
What Canada’s 2024 World Junior Championship roster could look like
Credit: Macklin Celebrini (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)

T-Minus 27 days.

We’re less than a month until the start of the 2024 World Junior Championship in Sweden, with Canada looking to snag gold for the third consecutive year.

Last month, we looked at what Canada’s lineup could look like. But so much has changed. Shane Wright isn’t expected to go. Colby Barlow is hurt and hasn’t been good enough. Matthew Wood is having a fine, but unspectacular run in the NCAA. David Goyette hasn’t blown the doors off the OHL like many expected. Kevin Korchinski has played too well with Chicago, so it feels safe to count him out for now.

Still, Canada looks like a team destined for a medal. Gold? USA is the favorite right now, and they’ll get their own updated look tomorrow. But Canada isn’t lacking depth and will still have a few high-profile prospects ready to represent later next month.

With help from Daily Faceoff’s Colton Davies, here’s a look at what Canada’s roster might look like for the 2024 World Junior Championship in Sweden with just about two weeks to go until training camp kicks off in Oakville, Ontario:

STEVEN ELLIS’ LINEUP

Forwards

Zach Benson (BUF) – Conor Geekie (ARI) – Matthew Savoie (BUF)
Brayden Yager (PIT) – Macklin Celebrini (2024) – Jordan Dumais (CBJ)
Jagger Firkus (SEA) – Nate Danielson (DET) – Carson Rehkopf (SEA)
Fraser Minten (TOR) – Owen Beck (MTL) – Easton Cowan (TOR)
Riley Heidt (MIN)

No Matthew Poitras (likely)? No Shane Wright? Definitely no Connor Bedard. This is not a forward group at full strength, but Canada’s depth will step up in a big way.

I’d still like to see the big three from the Wenatchee Wild together, even if Benson isn’t loaned back there until after the tournament. Speaking of Benson, I know Sabres don’t want to let him go, but a chance to lead Canada to gold would have its benefits. I’d like to see him and his good buddy Savoie dominate a tournament like this, with Geekie showing his worth as a stable, two-way threat.

At this point, it’s not whether Celebrini will make the team but it’s where he’ll play. He’s a dynamo in the faceoff dot, and he’s having one of the best college seasons we’ve seen from a freshman in decades – potentially even better than Adam Fantilli’s last year. For now, I’m starting Celebrini on the second line. Could you imagine him setting up Dumais on a nightly basis? Pure filth. There’s a few options that could help fill out that line, including Wood, Celebrini’s U-18 World Championship linemate, but Yager’s speed and two-way play would be a nice boost for this group.

To give the third line some oomph, Firkus – the WHL’s leading scorer – would be a perfect recipient for Danielson’s setup plays. Rehkopf, a second-round pick in 2023, could end up winning the OHL’s scoring race. So you’ve got two of the CHL’s top performers on a line together with a strong, two-way center? Yeah. That’s good.

There are plenty of options for the fourth line, but the shutdown potential of having Beck, Cowan and Minten together is so tempting. Sure, there might be a bit of in-fighting between their NHL affiliates’ fanbases, but all three are energetic, smart and do an excellent job of getting in the way. Having two fourth-liners with NHL experience in Beck and Minten would be huge.

As a given, don’t worry about the line combinations too much. Knowing how this tournament works, the lines will make no sense on paper when Canada opens up pretournament action, but it’ll make sense with time.

Defensemen

Denton Mateychuk (CBJ) – Tristan Luneau (ANA)
Owen Pickering (PIT) – Maveric Lamoureux (ARI)
Tanner Moldenyk (NSH) – Michael Buchinger (STL)
Ty Nelson (SEA)

There isn’t a sure-fire No. 1 defenseman on this lineup, especially with Korchinski expected to remain in the NHL. Mateychuk is a lock on the left side, with Pickering, Luneau and Lamoureux being no-brainers. After originally having Lamoureux as the seventh defenseman, I feel like he’s going to have a bigger role this time around.

The third pairing has some interesting boom-bust potential. Molendyk sometimes feels like a fourth forward out there with how he moves the puck and generates chances. The offense is finally starting to follow, catching up with some smart decision-making with the puck.

And there’s Buchinger, a creative defender with a solid top speed and the willingness to play physically. He’s a tough defenseman to read because his play style can vary from night to night, but his decision-making in his own zone has taken big steps forward since the 2022 draft.

For the seventh defenseman, I like Nelson’s potential to quarterback one of the two power-play units. He’s so gifted with the puck and could jump in anywhere in the lineup. As a seventh defenseman, this is what Canada needs.

Goalies

Mathis Rousseau (2024)
Domenic DiVincentiis (WPG)
Scott Ratzlaff (BUF)

This might be a position of strength for Canada here, which isn’t always the case. DiVincentiis was the OHL’s best goaltender last year with an explosive performance in North Bay and appeared to be the No. 1 keeper for Canada heading into 2024. But he has struggled in his fourth year with the club as North Bay has taken a big step back – albeit an expected one.

So that leaves the door open for Rousseau – a 19-year-old with no prior experience playing with Canada internationally. But he’s been outstanding this year, leading Halifax with a 16-2-1 record with three shutouts and a .937 save percentage. He’s been the top goaltender in the CHL this year and they’ll want to try and ride the hot hand. Rousseau is just 5-foot-11, but we’ve seen smaller goalies thrive at this event before. Just ask Devon Levi.

Ratzlaff was tremendous at the Hlinka Gretzky in 2022 and looks to be the starting goalie for Canada at the 2025 world juniors in Ottawa. It hasn’t been smooth sailing for a Thunderbirds team that saw most of their top players either age out or move on over the summer, but Ratzlaff is someone goalie scouts seem to really believe in, regardless.

COLTON DAVIES’ LINEUP

Forwards

Zach Benson (BUF) – Conor Geekie (ARI) – Matthew Savoie (BUF)
Brayden Yager (PIT) – Macklin Celebrini (2024) – Jordan Dumais (CBJ)
Jagger Firkus (SEA) – Riley Heidt (MIN) – Carson Rehkopf (SEA)
Fraser Minten (TOR) – Owen Beck (MTL) – Easton Cowan (TOR)
Nate Danielson (DET)

The biggest question here? Whether the Sabres will release Benson. With his hot start in Buffalo, it would be hard to see them let him go, but the experience is valuable. Mix him in with Savoie and Geekie and you’ve got one of the best lines in the tournament.

With Celebrini likely slotting in on that second line, I have him, much like Steven, surrounded by Yager and Dumais. Dumais’ speed and skill combined with Yager’s exceptional two-way game create a fun line.

Why not have the OHL and WHL’s point leaders playing alongside the guy who ranks second in the WHL in Riley Heidt? With the ‘Firkus Circus’ off to a terrorizing start in Moose Jaw, and Rehkopf looking like he has the OHL scoring title in the bag, pairing them up with a superior playmaker like Heidt would make them unstoppable. For the fourth group, pairing Minten on a line with Beck and Cowan would be lethal given how all three are such creative, high-IQ players.

Defensemen

Denton Mateychuk (CBJ) – Tristan Luneau (ANA)
Owen Pickering (PIT) – Maveric Lamoureux (ARI)
Tanner Moldenyk (NSH) – Michael Buchinger (STL)
Noah Warren (ANA)

No Korchinski? No problem. Canada will rely upon Mateychuk and Luneau as the top pair. Mateychuk’s cousin, Owen Pickering, will slot in on the second pairing, with 6-foot-8 Lamoureux playing a shutdown role.

I’m copying Steven’s third pairing, but going in a different direction for the seventh defender. It was a difficult choice between Nelson and Noah Warren. But Warren is a monster 6-foot-6, 225-pound shutdown defender who uses his size and physicality to control the game – something Canada could use.

Goalies

Mathis Rousseau (2024)
Domenic DiVincentiis (WPG)
Scott Ratzlaff (BUF)

It’s hard to go against the trio Steven shared. DiVincentiis seemed like the clear favorite at one point, but Rousseau has been the best goalie in the CHL this year. While he has no prior experience with Hockey Canada, Rousseau could be a shot-in-the-dark goalie to come in and sweep the tournament.

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