The countdown to the 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa is on.
After missing the podium in 2024 for the first time in five tournaments, Hockey Canada announced the 32 players invited to the national junior team selection camp that will begin Wednesday, December 10.
Included in the invitees are five players born in Saskatchewan:
Defenceman Caden Price hails from Saskatoon and plays for the Kelowna Rockets in the Western Hockey League. Seattle selected Price in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft.
Forward Berkley Catton is also from the Bridge City and plays in the WHL with Spokane. Catton was the eighth overall selection of the Kraken in the 2023 NHL entry draft.
Fellow Saskatoon-born sniper Riley Heidt plays in Prince George with the Cougars. Heidt was drafted by the Minnesota Wild as a second-round pick in 2023.
Prince Albert’s Tanner Howe was recently traded from the Regina Pats to the Calgary Hitmen. Pittsburgh selected Howe in the second round of this spring’s NHL draft.
Saskatoon-raised Brayden Yager led the Moose Jaw Warriors to the WHL championship in the spring and is a prospect in the Winnipeg Jets system.
In total, four goaltenders, ten defencemen and 18 forwards were selected by U20 head scout Al Murray (Regina, SK) and the management group, which includes Peter Anholt (Naicam, SK/Lethbridge, WHL) and Brent Seabrook (Tsawwassen, BC), with support from Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, Benoit Roy (Sudbury, ON), director of hockey operations, and player development coach Scott Walker (Cambridge, ON/Guelph, OHL). Head coach Dave Cameron (Kinkora, PE/Ottawa, OHL), U17 head scout Byron Bonora (Brooks, AB) and goaltending consultant Dan De Palma (Kamloops, BC/Kamloops, WHL), as well as coaches and general managers from across the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), also provided input.
Canada opens the World Junior tournament on Boxing Day when they take on Finland.
