Canucks World Juniors Throwback 5: Canada

The 2025 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships are fast approaching, with exhibition matches already underway. December 26 marks the first day of the tournament itself, and games will be played nearly every day until the gold medal game on January 5. To get into the World Juniors spirit, let’s take a look at some recent performances from Vancouver Canucks prospects sorted by country. Here are some highlights from the past few years of Team Canada.

2019: Michael DiPietro

Picked in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft, Michael DiPietro was slated to be Thatcher Demko’s understudy for Vancouver’s “goalie of the future.” Despite Canada’s unfortunate tournament result, DiPietro posted an impressive .952 SV% and 1.23 GAA in four games played. He registered a shutout against Denmark and made a total of 98 saves throughout the tournament.

2018: Jonah Gadjovich

Like DiPietro, Gadjovich was a 2017 draft pick for the Canucks, being selected 55th overall. In seven tournament games played, Gadjovich put up two goals and one assist. After a few seasons with the Utica Comets, he found himself on the San Jose Sharks for two seasons. Later, he joined the Florida Panthers and helped them win a Stanely Cup this past year.

2017: Noah Juulsen (Montréal Canadiens)

Originally a Montréal Canadiens draft pick, Noah Juulsen went 26th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft. He has since found his way to the Canucks, where he’s been a solid, hard-hitting defenceman who can fill in for any holes in the team’s D-core. In the 2017 World Juniors, he tallied two assists in seven games for team Canada.

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2014: Bo Horvat

The former Canucks captain from 2019 to 2023, Horvat was a staple in the organization’s period of transition between the 2011 core and the current one. He was selected after a draft day surprise that sent goaltender Cory Schneider to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for the ninth overall pick. In seven games played for Team Canada’s U20 World Juniors roster, Horvat notched a goal and two assists.

2009: Tyler Myers (Buffalo Sabres) and Cody Hodgson

While Vancouver fans didn’t know it back in 2009, Team Canada’s Tyler Myers would become a large part of the Canucks organization ten years later. He, along with Cody Hodgson, helped propel Canada to their fifth consecutive gold medal in the World Junior Championships. Myers had one goal in six games. Hodgson, on the other hand, led the entire team in points with five goals and eleven assists.