Howe to represent Canada at 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship
Calgary, Alta. – Hockey Canada announced their 22 player roster for Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship, with Regina Pats forward Tanner Howe cracking the roster on Thursday, as the tournament takes place from April 20-30 in Basel and Porrentruy, Switzerland.
Howe will represent Canada for the fourth time in his career, as he participated in their Under-17 tournament in 2021 and played for Canada at the Under-18’s in Germany last spring and at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August.
Howe, 17, posted a career high 36 goals, 49 assists and 85 points in 67 games this past season, finishing tied for 13th in the WHL in points. The Prince Albert, Sask. product also tallied four points (2G-2A) in seven playoff games for the Pats, helping Regina push the Saskatoon Blades to game seven of the opening round. The 5-foot-10, 182 lb. forward had success internationally as well, posting four points (2G-2A) in five games at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, helping Canada to a gold medal.
The roster, which includes three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 12 forwards. Among the 22 players are eight who won a gold medal with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (Allen, Barlow, Bjarnason, Cristall, Howe, Price, Ritchie, Wood) and three players who suited up for Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2022 IIHF U18 World Championship (Dragicevic, Howe, Wood). The roster also includes four players who played at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (Catton, Celebrini, D’Aigle, Martone).
Head coach Jeff Truitt (Rosetown, Sask./Prince Albert, WHL) will be joined by assistant coaches John Dean (Don Mills, Ont./Sault Ste. Marie, OHL) and Bruce Richardson (Montréal, Que./Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL), as well as goaltending consultant Justin Pogge (Penticton, B.C./Wolfsburg, DEL).
Hockey Canada also announced the support staff that will work with Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the event:
- Video coach Andrew Boucher (Timmins, Ont.)
- Equipment manager Ashton ‘A.J.’ Murley (St. John’s, N.L.)
- Athletic therapists Kevin Elliott (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) and Jimmy McKnight (Bradford, Ont./Edmonton, WHL)
- Team physician Dr. Michael Conrad (Vancouver, B.C./Victoria, WHL)
- Education consultant Nic Reynard (Victoria, B.C./Victoria, WHL)
- Hockey operations coordinator Cassidy Wait (North Vancouver, B.C.)
Canada opens the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship against Sweden on April 20 at 6:30 a.m. MDT. They will also take on Germany on April 21, Slovakia on April 23 and Czechia on April 24 to round out the preliminary round before the tournament wraps up with the bronze and gold medal games on April 30. TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners, will broadcast select tournament games, including all Team Canada games.
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 three bronze (2012, 2014, 2015).
