Carter one of 19 WHL players named to Team Canada rosters for U17 World Challenge
Calgary, Alta. – Nineteen Western Hockey League players will represent Hockey Canada at the 2025 U17 World Challenge. Hockey Canada announced the 44 players for Canada White and Canada Red on Wednesday morning.
The 2025 U17 World Challenge is set for November 2-8 at Rath Eastlink Community Centre in Truro, N.S.
Leading the charge for Canada White are a pair of 15-year-old Regina Pats forwards – Maddox Schultz and Liam Pue. Schultz, who hails from Regina, was selected first overall in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft and has appeared in seven games, registering four assists this season. Pue, a product of Langley, B.C., was selected third overall in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft and has appeared in six games, recording three points (1G-2A).
Prince Albert Raiders defenceman Brock Cripps, who was selected second overall in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft, will don the Maple Leaf for the first time, representing Canada Red. The product of Victoria, B.C., has skated in seven games and collected four assists for the Raiders this season.
The Raiders will be represented by two players at the U17 World Challenge, including forward Ben Harvey, who will skate for Canada White.
The Victoria Royals will also send two players to represent Canada White, including forwards Eli McKamey and Jacob Schwartz.
A total of 16 WHL Clubs will be represented at the 2025 U17 World Challenge.
All 44 players named to Canada Red and White have been drafted by Canadian Hockey League (CHL) teams, including the 19 from the WHL, 17 from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and eight from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
Canada Red – WHL Players
| Name | Position | Ht. | Wt. | Born | WHL Club |
| Oaten, Leif | Goaltender | 6’3” | 195 | Calgary, Alta. | Lethbridge |
| Carter, Colt | Defence | 5’9” | 162 | Drayton Valley, Alta. | Moose Jaw |
| Cripps, Brock | Defence | 5’10” | 148 | Victoria, B.C. | Prince Albert |
| Geras, Joaquin | Defence | 6’1” | 180 | Calgary, Alta. | Kamloops |
| Hayden, Owen | Defence | 6’7” | 205 | Calgary, Alta. | Kelowna |
| Tait, Boston | Defence | 6’2” | 170 | Estevan, Sask. | Wenatchee |
| Chorney, Blake | Forward | 5’11” | 183 | Nipawin, Sask. | Vancouver |
| Dufour, Mirco | Forward | 5’8” | 171 | Rocky View, Alta. | Everett |
| England, Brock | Forward | 5’11” | 165 | Airdrie, Alta. | Seattle |
| Surkan, Chase | Forward | 5’8” | 155 | Regina, Sask. | Brandon |
Canada White – WHL Players
| Name | Position | Ht. | Wt. | Born | WHL Club |
| Christie, Cash | Goaltender | 5’11” | 122 | North Vancouver, B.C. | Medicine Hat |
| Bouchard, Aden | Defence | 6’0” | 162 | Airdrie, Alta. | Tri-City |
| Hamilton, Calder | Defence | 5’9” | 135 | Martensville, Sask. | Calgary |
| Harvey, Ben | Forward | 5’8” | 164 | Edmonton, Alta. | Prince Albert |
| McKamey, Eli | Forward | 5’9” | 178 | Cowichan Bay, B.C. | Victoria |
| Pue, Liam | Forward | 6’2” | 154 | Langley, B.C. | Regina |
| Schultz, Maddox | Forward | 5’10” | 165 | Regina, Sask. | Regina |
| Schwartz, Jacob | Forward | 5’7” | 145 | Vancouver, B.C. | Victoria |
| Stroeder, Kayden | Forward | 5’10” | 150 | Lanigan, Sask. | Edmonton |
The rosters were selected by head scout Byron Bonora (Brooks, Alta.), Program of Excellence general manager Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.), and Mike Johnston (Dartmouth, N.S. / Portland Winterhawks), U17 lead with the POE management group.
Benoit Roy (Sudbury, Ont.), director of hockey operations, and Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, also provided input, along with regional scouts Pierre Cholette (Quebec), Scott Grieve (Ontario), Jared Power (West), Rob Simpson (Ontario), and Darren Sutherland (Atlantic).
U17 directors of operations Dave Drinkill (Elmvale, Ont. / Saginaw Spirit, OHL) and Dylan Seca (Sunridge, Ont. / Sarnia Sting, OHL) provided additional support.
“We are incredibly proud to announce the 44 athletes who will represent Canada at the U17 World Challenge next month in Truro,” Millar said. “This is an important step in their development and a tremendous opportunity to compete at the international level. We believe we have assembled two strong teams that will compete to defend our back-to-back gold medals.”
The 2025 U17 World Challenge begins November 2, with Canda Red taking on Finland at 12:30 p.m. MT and Canada White facing off against Sweden at 4:30 p.m. MT. Teams will play two preliminary round games before the medal round, which concludes November 8 with medal games. The event will also feature pre-tournament games in Truro, Amherst, and Wolfville, on October 31 at 4:30 p.m. MT.
TSN and RDS, official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the medal games; check local listings for details.
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
