Hockey Canada unveils 27-player world junior roster, led by NHL prospect Gavin McKenna

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.

From the Yukon to Penn State: Who is Gavin McKenna?

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