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Canada unveils 25-man roster for world junior championship

justin cuthbert
·2 min read
OSTRAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC - JANUARY 2, 2020: Slovakia's Martins Vitalos (L) and Canada's Dylan Cozens in their 2020 IIHF World Junior Ice Hockey Championship quarter-final match at Ostravar Arena. Peter Kovalev/TASS (Photo by Peter Kovalev\TASS via Getty Images)
Dylan Cozens will return to Canada for the 2021 World Junior Hockey Championship. Peter Kovalev/TASS (Photo by Peter Kovalev\TASS via Getty Images)

Almost a month after first convening in Red Deer, and following an impromptu two-week quarantine after positive tests were found at camp, Hockey Canada has selected its 25-man roster for the 2021 World Junior Hockey Championship.

Six returnees from last winter’s gold medal-winning squad will headline the team, including forwards Quinton Byfield, Dylan Cozens, Connor McMichael and Dawson Mercer, as well as defencemen Bowen Byram and Jamie Drysdale.

Kirby Dach, on loan from the Chicago Blackhawks, leads a team made up entirely of NHL draft selections, with the exception of undrafted overage netminder Taylor Gauthier. Of the 24 NHL prospects named to the team, 20 were selected in the first round.

The Colorado Avalanche lead the way with three prospects on the roster, including defenders Byram and Justin Barron, as well as forward Alex Newhook, while the Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers and Vegas Golden Knights each have two apiece.

Here’s the complete roster:

Goaltenders

Dylan Garand, Kamloops (WHL), Rangers (4th round)
Taylor Gauthier, Prince George (WHL), undrafted
Devon Levi, Northeastern (NCAA), FLA (7th round)

Defensemen

Justin Barron, Halifax (QMJHL), Avalanche (1st round)
Bowen Byram, Vancouver (WHL), Avalanche (1st round)
Jamie Drysdale, Erie (OHL), Ducks (1st round)
Kaiden Guhle, Prince Albert (WHL), Canadiens (1st round)
Thomas Harley, Mississauga (OHL), Stars (1st round)
Kaeden Korczak, Kelowna (WHL), Golden Knights (2nd round)
Braden Schneider, Brandon (WHL), Rangers (1st round)
Jordan Spence, Moncton (QMJHL), Kings (4th round)

Forwards

Quinton Byfield, Sudbury (OHL), Kings (1st round)
Dylan Cozens, Lethbridge (WHL), Sabres (1st round)
Kirby Dach, Chicago (NHL), Blackhawks (1st round)
Dylan Holloway, Wisconsin (NCAA), Oilers (1st round)
Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg (WHL), Golden Knights (1st round)
Connor McMichael, London (OHL), Capitals (1st round)
Dawson Mercer, Chicoutimi (QMJHL), Devils (1st round)
Alex Newhook, Boston College (NCAA), Avalanche (1st round)
Jakob Pelletier, Val-d’Or (QMJHL), Flames (1st round)
Cole Perfetti, Saginaw (OHL), WPG (1st round)
Jack Quinn, Ottawa (OHL), Sabres (1st round)
Ryan Suzuki, Saginaw (OHL), Hurricanes (1st round)
Philip Tomasino, Oshawa (OHL), Predators (1st round)
Connor Zary, Kamloops (WHL), Flames (1st round)

Canada will begin its tournament bid on Boxing Day versus Germany. The event will officially begin one day prior to that, with all participating nations scheduled to enter the Edmonton bubble this weekend.

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