Iginla to represent Canada at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship
Hockey Canada has announced that Kelowna Rockets forward Tij Iginla has been added to Canada’s roster for the upcoming 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship that is scheduled to run from April 25 – May 5 in Espoo and Vantaa, Finland.
His addition means that there are now 25 CHL players set to lace up their skates for Team Canada at the tournament, including a total of 13 players from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), nine players from the Western Hockey League (WHL), and three from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). In all, 16 of the 25 players named to Team Canada’s roster were listed in NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft.
Iginla previously wore the Maple Leaf at the 2022 World U17 Hockey Challenge where he played at a point-per-game pace across seven contests to earn a silver medal. A WHL champion with Seattle in 2023, Iginla was traded to Kelowna in the offseason and enjoyed a breakout campaign where he had 47 goals and 84 points in 64 with the Rockets. In the WHL Playoffs, he had nine goals in 11 games as the Rockets reached the second round.
Canada’s quest for a gold medal at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship begins April 25 at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT against Sweden. Canada will play Czechia on April 26, Switzerland on April 28, and Kazakhstan on April 30 to close out preliminary-round action. The quarterfinals are set for May while the semifinals are set for May 4 before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 5.
TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners will broadcast select tournament games, including all Team Canada games and all playoff-round games. Check your local listings for details. Since 2002, Canada has won four gold medals at the IIHF U18 World Championship (2003, 2008, 2013, 2021), in addition to one silver (2005) and four bronze (2012, 2014, 2015, 2023).
For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
25 CHL PLAYERS NAMED TO CANADA’S 2024 IIHF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER
Goaltenders (3)
Jack Ivankovic (Mississauga Steelheads / OHL)
Ryerson Leenders (Mississauga Steelheads / OHL)
Carter George (Owen Sound Attack / OHL)
Defencemen (8)
Frankie Marrelli (Ottawa 67’s / OHL)
Henry Mews (Ottawa 67’s / OHL)
Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie Colts / OHL)
Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters / OHL)
Harrison Brunicke (Kamloops Blazers / WHL)
Reese Hamilton (Calgary Hitmen / WHL)
Spencer Gill (Rimouski Océanic / QMJHL)
Charlie Elick (Brandon Wheat Kings / WHL)
Forwards (14)
Tij Iginla (Kelowna Rockets / WHL)
Ollie Josephson (Red Deer Rebels / WHL)
Maxim Massé (Chicoutimi Saguenéens / QMJHL)
Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL)
Marek Vanacker (Brantford Bulldogs / OHL)
Malcolm Spence (Erie Otters / OHL)
Roger McQueen (Brandon Wheat Kings / WHL)
Jett Luchanko (Guelph Storm / OHL)
Ryder Ritchie (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL)
Porter Martone (Mississauga Steelheads / OHL)
Carson Wetsch (Calgary Hitmen / WHL)
Caleb Desnoyers (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL)
Liam Greentree (Windsor Spitfires / OHL)
Cole Beaudoin (Barrie Colts / OHL)
Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs / WHL) and Cayden Lindstrom (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL) were invited, but unable to participate
Staff
Head Coach – Gardiner MacDougall (former Saint John Sea Dogs head coach)
Assistant Coach – Travis Crickard (Saint John Sea Dogs / QMJHL)
Assistant Coach – Ryan Smith (Spokane Chiefs / WHL)
Goaltending Coach – Dan De Palma (Kamloops Blazers / WHL)
Program of Excellence management group representative – Dave Brown (Erie Otters / OHL)
Athletic Therapist – Jimmy McKnight (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL)
Team Physician – Dr. Michael Conrad (Victoria Royals / WHL)