25 CHL players earn gold as Canada defeats the United States at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship

Today, 25 CHL players proudly won gold as Team Canada topped the podium at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship by defeating the United States 6-4 in Sunday’s final in Espoo, Finland. The victory gave Canada its first gold medal at the IIHF U18 World Championship in three years. Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL) scored a hat-trick and an assist in the Gold Medal game, while Tij Iginla (Kelowna Rockets / WHL) recorded three points (1G-2A) including the game-winning goal. Goaltender Carter George (Owen Sound Attack / OHL) was named Canada’s Player of the Game as he turned aside 31-of-35 shots against the United States.

Ultimately, Canada held a perfect 7-0 record during the tournament.

With 20 points (10G-10A) through seven games, 2026 NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna led all Canadian skaters at the event in both scoring and goals. McKenna’s 10 goals were the most of any player at the tournament and now stands as the most-ever by a Canadian at this event, beating the previous record of nine goals held by OHL alumnus Shane Wright. McKenna’s 20 points also established a new single-tournament record for points by a Canadian at the U18 World Championship by besting the previous mark of 15. 

2025 NHL Draft prospect Porter Martone (Mississauga Steelheads / OHL) finished the event with 17 points (5G-12A) in seven games. Having now accrued 23 points (8G-15A) in 14 career games at the IIHF U18 World Championships, Martone set a new career scoring record by a Canadian by surpassing WHL alumnus Connor Bedard’s previous record of 21 points.

In net, 2024 NHL Draft prospect Carter George was named the top goaltender of the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship. He finished the tournament with a 2.33 goals against average and a .915 save percentage, both of which ranked second among all goalies at the U18 World Championship. As of result of their excellent performances, George, Martone, and McKenna were all named to the tournament all-star team and they were identified as Canada’s top three players at the event on Saturday.

In total, 25 CHL players were a part of the gold medal-winning Canadian squad (see complete list below), including 13 players from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), nine from the Western Hockey League (WHL), and three from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). 16 of the 25 players on Team Canada’s U18 roster were listed in NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft, including Kelowna Rockets forward Tij Iginla (6G-6A in 7 GP), Chicoutimi Saguenéens forward Maxim Massé (2G-3A in 7 GP), and Ottawa 67’s defenceman Henry Mews (2G-5A in 7 GP).

Team Canada was led by former Saint John Sea Dogs bench boss and 2022 Memorial Cup champion Gardiner MacDougall who served as the squad’s head coach. He was joined on the bench by assistant coaches Travis Crickard (Saint John Sea Dogs / QMJHL) and Ryan Smith (Spokane Chiefs / WHL) along with goaltending coach Dan De Palma (Kamloops Blazers / WHL).

Since 2002, Canada has now won five gold medals at the IIHF U18 World Championship (2003, 2008, 2013, 2021, 2024), in addition to one silver (2005) and four bronze (2012, 2014, 2015, 2023). In total, there were 38 players from the CHL who competed in the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship including eight with Czechia, three with Switzerland, and one with Latvia and Slovakia.

38 CHL PLAYERS PARTICIPATED IN THE 2024 IIHF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Canada (25)
G – Jack Ivankovic (Mississauga Steelheads / OHL)
G – Ryerson Leenders (Mississauga Steelheads / OHL)
G – Carter George (Owen Sound Attack / OHL)
D – Frankie Marrelli (Ottawa 67’s / OHL)
D – Henry Mews (Ottawa 67’s / OHL),
D – Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie Colts / OHL)
D – Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters / OHL)
D – Harrison Brunicke (Kamloops Blazers / WHL)
D – Reese Hamilton (Calgary Hitmen / WHL)
D – Spencer Gill (Rimouski Océanic / QMJHL)
F – Charlie Elick (Brandon Wheat Kings / WHL)
F – Tij Iginla (Kelowna Rockets / WHL)
F – Ollie Josephson (Red Deer Rebels / WHL)
F – Maxim Massé (Chicoutimi Saguenéens / QMJHL)
F – Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL)
F – Marek Vanacker (Brantford Bulldogs / OHL)
F – Malcolm Spence (Erie Otters / OHL)
F – Roger McQueen (Brandon Wheat Kings / WHL)
F – Jett Luchanko (Guelph Storm / OHL)
F – Ryder Ritchie (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL)
F – Porter Martone (Mississauga Steelheads / OHL)
F – Carson Wetsch (Calgary Hitmen / WHL)
F – Caleb Desnoyers (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL)
F – Liam Greentree (Windsor Spitfires / OHL)
F – Cole Beaudoin (Barrie Colts / OHL)

Czechia (8)
G – Jakub Milota (Cape Breton Eagles / QMJHL)
D – Jakub Fibigr (Mississauga Steelheads / OHL)
D – Ales Zielinski (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL)
F – Maxmilian Curran (Tri-City Americans / WHL)
F – Samuel Drancak (Red Deer Rebels / WHL)
F – Adam Jecho (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL)
F – Matej Kubiesa (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL)
F – Adam Titlbach (Vancouver Giants / WHL)

Latvia (1)
D – Bruno Petrovics (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL)

Slovakia (1)
F – Ondrej Maruna (Charlottetown Islanders / QMJHL)

Switzerland (3)
F – Jordan Forget (Shawinigan Cataractes / QMJHL)
F – Kimi Körbler (Ottawa 67’s / OHL)
F – Yannik Ponzetto (Acadie-Bathurst Titan / QMJHL)