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Gavin McKenna headlines the 27 players Hockey Canada has invited to its world junior training camp ahead of the 2026 tournament in Minnesota.
The Penn State freshman is one of six returnees from last year’s roster, joining Cole Beaudoin, Carter George, Jack Ivankovic, Jett Luchanko and Porter Martone.
Six players who have already appeared in the NHL — Harrison Brunicke, Braeden Cootes, Luchanko, Brady Martin, Michael Misa and Zayne Parekh — are also on the camp list.
Dale Hunter, the longtime London Knights head coach, will lead Canada behind the bench.
Camp runs Dec. 12-22 in Niagara Falls, Ont., and includes pre-tournament games against Sweden in Kitchener, Ont., and London, Ont., and Denmark in Minnesota.
Canada, which lost in the quarterfinal at last year’s tournament in Ottawa to the Czech Republic, opens the world junior hockey championship on Dec. 26 against the Czechs at 3M Arena in Minneapolis.
The projected 1st-overall selection in next year’s NHL entry draft hails from the far north of Canada — Whitehorse, Yukon. He’ll also be playing in the NCAA at Penn State for his draft year, a decision that could change the path top prospects take to the NHL. But, who is Gavin McKenna?
Canada roster
Forwards
- Carter Bear —West St. Paul, Man.
- Cole Beaudoin —Kanata, Ont.
- Braeden Cootes — Sherwood Park, Alta.
- Caleb Desnoyers — Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.
- Liam Greentree — Oshawa, Ont.
- Michael Hage — Mississauga, Ont.
- Tij Iginla — Lake Country, B.C.
- Jett Luchanko — London, Ont.
- Brady Martin — Elmira, Ont.
- Porter Martone — Peterborough, Ont.
- Gavin McKenna — Whitehorse, Yukon
- Michael Misa — Oakville, Ont.
- Jake O’Brien — Toronto
- Sam O’Reilly — Toronto
- Cole Reschny — Macklin, Sask.
Defencemen
- Kashawn Aitcheson — Toronto
- Harrison Brunicke — Calgary
- Carson Carels — Cypress River, Man.
- Ben Danford — Madoc, Ont.
- Ethan Mackenzie — West Kelowna, B.C.
- Zayne Parekh — Nobleton, Ont.
- Cameron Reid — Aylmer, Ont.
- Jackson Smith — Calgary
- Keaton Verhoeff — Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.
Goaltenders
- Carter George — Thunder Bay, Ont.
- Jack Ivankovic — Mississauga, Ont.
- Joshua Ravensbergen — North Vancouver, B.C.
