41 CHL players earn medals as Canada White defeats Canada Red for gold at the 2024 World U17 Hockey Challenge

Tonight, in Sarnia, Ontario, 41 players from the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) proudly took home medals at the 2024 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (see rosters for each team below). Specifically, 19 CHL players earned gold as Canada White defeated Canada Red and its 22 CHL players 3-1 in what was the first all-Canadian gold medal game at the World U17 Hockey Challenge since 2009.

Jean-Christoph Lemieux (Windsor Spitfires / OHL) and Mathis Preston (Spokane Chiefs / WHL) both tallied goals for Canada White in the gold-medal game. Preston recorded what was the game-winner and it represented his tournament-leading sixth goal of the 2024 World U17 Hockey Challenge. Both Preston (6G-1A) and Lemieux (2G-5A) led all CHL players in scoring at this event with seven points in five games.

Goaltender Gavin Betts (Kingston Frontenacs / OHL) was excellent for Canada White as he turned aside 38-of-39 shots to secure the victory on Saturday night. Braidy Wassilyn (Niagara IceDogs / OHL) had the lone goal for Canada Red in the final. Landon DuPont (Everett Silvertips / WHL), Jaxon Jacobson (Brandon Wheat Kings / WHL), and Alex McLean (Guelph Storm / OHL) wrapped up the tournament as the scoring leaders for Canada Red with four points in four games.

Following the gold-medal game, Preston, Betts, DuPont, and Keaton Verhoeff (Victoria Royals / WHL) were among the six players named to the 2024 World U17 All-Star Team.

41 CHL players competed with Canada Red and Canada White at the 2024 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, from November 3-9 at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena in Sarnia, Ontario. Namely, there were 19 players from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), 15 from the Western Hockey League (WHL), and seven from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) who helped Canada place first and second at this tournament. Moreover, 29 CHL clubs were represented with at least one player, led by the Windsor Spitfires (OHL) who had three players who competed at this year’s U17 World Challenge. 

Travis Crickard (Saint John Sea Dogs / QMJHL) and Mathieu Turcotte (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada / QMJHL) served as the head coaches for Canada Red and Canada White, respectively. Joining Crickard behind the bench for Canada Red were assistant coaches Matt Anholt (Lethbridge Hurricanes / WHL) and Wes Wolfe (Erie Otters / OHL). Meanwhile, Brad MacKenzie (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL) and Ryan McDonald (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL) served as assistant coaches for Canada White.

The 2024 World U17 Hockey Challenge marked the second year in a row that a Canadian team topped the podium after Canada White achieved the feat at this event in 2023. At that tournament a year ago, among the 21 CHL players who won gold for Canada White, six are set to represent the CHL at the 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota Canada from November 26-27 in London and Oshawa, Ontario: Cameron Schmidt (Vancouver Giants / WHL), Caleb Desnoyers (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL), Blake Fiddler (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL), Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters / OHL), Cameron Reid (Kitchener Rangers / OHL), and Jack Ivankovic (Brampton Steelheads / OHL).

More than 2,000 NHL draft picks have suited up since the inception of the U17 World Challenge (previously known as the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and Quebec Esso Cup) in 1986, including 10 CHL alumni since 2001 who were later drafted first overall to the NHL (Rick Nash, 2002; Marc-André Fleury, 2003; Patrick Kane, 2007; John Tavares, 2009; Taylor Hall, 2010, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 2011; Nathan MacKinnon, 2013; Aaron Ekblad, 2014; Connor McDavid, 2015; Alexis Lafrenière, 2020).

For more information on Hockey Canada and the U17 World Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

GOLD – Canada White (19)
(G) Antoine Proulx, Lévis (LHM18AAAQ) / Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
(G) Gavin Betts, Pickering (OJHL) / Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
(D) Giorgos Pantelas, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
(D) Keaton Verhoeff, Victoria Royals (WHL)
(D) Daxon Rudolph, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
(D) Ryan Lin, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
(D) Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte, Val-d’Or Foreurs (QMJHL)
(D) Caleb Mitchell, London Knights (OHL)
(F) Ethan Belchetz, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
(F) Beckham Edwards, Sarnia Sting (OHL)
(F) Liam Ruck, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
(F) Tyler Challenger, Erie Otters (OHL)
(F) Jean-Christoph Lemieux, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
(F) Mathis Preston, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
(F) Logan Hawery, London Knights (OHL)
(F) Markus Ruck, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
(F) Riley Boychuk, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
(F) Cole Zurawski, Flint Firebirds (OHL)
(F) Jayden Plouffe, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)

Head Coach – Mathieu Turcotte (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada / QMJHL)
Assistant Coach – Brad MacKenzie (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL)
Assistant Coach – Ryan McDonald (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL)
Director of Operations – Barclay Parneta (Vancouver Giants / WHL)
Video Coach – Matthew Smith (Acadie-Bathurst Titan / QMJHL)
Goaltending Consultant – Antoine Samuel (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL)
Equipment Manager – Andrew MacNeill (Charlottetown Islanders / QMJHL)
Team Physician – Dr. Danielle Kelton (London Knights / OHL)
Athletic Therapist – Jennifer Love (Sarnia Sting / OHL)

SILVER – Canada Red (22)
(G) Carter Esler, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
(G) Colin Ellsworth, Guelph Storm (OHL)
(D) Cameron Chartrand, Bishop Kearney (US16U) / Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
(D) Lucas Ambrosio, Erie Otters (OHL)
(D) Carson Carels, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
(D) Carter Hicks, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
(D) Blake Gowan, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
(D) Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips (WHL) 
(D) Kohyn Eshkawkogan, Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
(F) Cruz Pavao, Tri-City Americans (WHL)
(F) Parker Vaughan, Barrie Colts (OHL)
(F) Pierce Mbuyi, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
(F) Braidy Wassilyn, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
(F) Colin Fitzgerald, Peterborough Petes (OHL)  
(F) Alessandro Di Iorio, Sarnia Sting (OHL)
(F) Jaxon Jacobson, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
(F) Joe Iginla, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
(F) Brett Olson, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
(F) Alex McLean, Guelph Storm (OHL)
(F) Romain Litalien, Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL)
(F) Maddox Dagenais, Québec Remparts (QMJHL)
(F) Chad Lygitsakos, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)

Head Coach – Travis Crickard (Saint John Sea Dogs / QMJHL)
Assistant Coach – Matt Anholt (Lethbridge Hurricanes / WHL)
Assistant Coach – Wes Wolfe (Erie Otters / OHL)
Director of Operations – Dave Drinkill (Saginaw Spirit / OHL)
Video Coach – Jonathan Deschênes (Sherbrooke Phoenix / QMJHL)
Goaltending Consultant – Jeff Harvey (Saskatoon Blades / WHL)
Equipment Manager – Trevor Castonguay (Owen Sound Attack / OHL)
Team Physician – Dr. Michael Conrad (Victoria Royals / WHL)
Athletic Therapist – Raphaël Boudreau (Victoriaville Tigres / QMJHL)