Spokane Chief goaltender Carter Esler made 19 saves in a 6-0 win, shutting out Latvia for Team Canada at the 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship

Trencin, Slovakia – Spokane Chief goaltender Carter Esler made 19 saves in a 6-0 win, shutting out Latvia for Team Canada at the 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship.

2027 NHL Draft-eligible netminder Carter Esler (Okotoks, Alta. / Spokane Chiefs) played all 60 minutes in the victory.

The Chiefs star led the WHL with five shutouts in 2025-26 and was also a finalist for the Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy for Humanitarian of the Year.

Esler also set a new franchise mark in 2025-26, with 24 wins, the most ever for a 17-year-old netminder in Chiefs’ history.

Canada (1-0-0-1) will look to build momentum when it faces Norway (0-0-0-1) on Saturday, April 25 at 5:00 a.m. PT.