Nine WHL players named to Canada’s pre-tournament camp roster for 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship

Calgary, Alta. – Nine Western Hockey League players have been named to the pre-tournament camp roster for Canada’s National Men’s U-18 Team ahead of the 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship, Hockey Canada announced Monday.

The WHL will be represented by two goaltenders, two defencemen, and five forwards on Canada’s pre-tournament roster. In total, Hockey Canada named three goaltenders, seven defencemen, and 13 forwards to the roster, which was selected by General Manager Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.) and Head Scout Byron Bonora (Brooks, Alta.), with support from Director of Hockey Operations Benoit Roy (Sudbury, Ont.), Senior Vice-President of High Performance and Hockey Operations Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), and Coordinator of Hockey Operations Jared Power (Calgary, Alta.).

Seven WHL Clubs will be represented on Canada’s roster, with the Brandon Wheat Kings and Vancouver Giants both boasting two players. Also represented are the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Red Deer Rebels Regina Pats, Seattle Thunderbirds, and Spokane Chiefs.

Canada’s National Men’s U-18 Team – Pre-Tournament Camp, WHL Players

Last Name	First Name	WHL Club	Hometown	Ht	Wt	Pos
Oaten	Leif	Lethbridge Hurricanes	Calgary, Alta.	6-3	194	G
Esler	Carter	Spokane Chiefs	Okotoks, Alta.	5-11	165	G
Lin	Ryan	Vancouver Giants	Richmond, B.C.	5-11	176	D
Pantelas	Giorgos	Brandon Wheat Kings	Victoria, B.C.	6-2	214	D
Preston	Mathis	Vancouver Giants	Penticton, B.C.	5-11	176	F
Lansard	Zach	Regina Pats	Ste. Anne, Man.	6-0	174	F
England	Brock	Seattle Thunderbirds	Red Deer, Alta.	5-11	174	F
Jacobson	Jaxon	Brandon Wheat Kings	Brandon, Man.	5-10	183	F
Hamilton	Beckett	Red Deer Rebels	Saskatoon, Sask.	5-11	172	F

 

Also named to the team is former Victoria Royals defenceman Keaton Verhoeff. Roster additions will be announced in the coming weeks following the conclusion of the second round of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) playoffs, while the final roster for the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship will be announced prior to the start of the tournament.

Oaten appeared in 31 games with the Hurricanes this season, going 6-19-2-0. He won gold with Canada Red at the 2025 U17 World Hockey Challenge. Oaten was originally selected by Lethbridge in the third round (58th overall) of the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft. He is eligible for the 2028 NHL Draft.

In his second season with the Chiefs, Esler went 24-18-1-0 with a 2.80 goals-against average, .903 save percentage and five shutouts in 44 appearances. Internationally, he most recently helped Canada to a bronze medal at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He was named a finalist for the WHL’s Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy, which is presented annually to the WHL’s Humanitarian of the Year. Esler is eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft.

Lin enjoyed a second consecutive campaign with 50+ points on the Giants blueline, registering 57 points (14G-43A) in 53 games. He represented Team CHL at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge and was also named to the roster for Team West at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass, but was unable to compete due to injury. Internationally, Lin most recently helped Canada claim bronze at the 20225 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He was also a member of Canada’s gold-medal winning team at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship. Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, Lin is listed 13th among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

In his second season with the Wheat Kings, Pantelas posted career highs in goals (6), assists (31), and points (37), while taking to the ice for 68 regular season games. He represented Team CHL at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge and also competed for Team East at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass. Internationally, Pantelas most recently represented Canada at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, helping his nation to a bronze medal. Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, Pantelas is listed 58th among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

Preston registered 44 points (18G-26A) in 46 games split between the Giants and Spokane Chiefs this past season. He represented Team CHL at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge and was named to the roster for Team West at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass, but was unable to compete due to injury. Preston was a member of Canada’s bronze-medal squad at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, he is listed 24th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

Lansard tallied 56 points (24G-32A) in 68 games in his second season with the Pats. He represented Team East at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass. He has yet to represent Canada on the international stage. Originally selected by the Pats in the fourth round (78th overall) of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, Lansard is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft and is listed 72nd among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

England impressed in his WHL rookie campaign, posting 51 points (21G-30A) in 64 games with the Thunderbirds. Internationally, he helped Canada Red claim gold at the 2025 U17 World Hockey Challenge. Originally selected by the Thunderbirds in the first round (11th overall) of the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft, England is considered a top prospect eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft.

In his second WHL season, Jacobson excelled with the Wheat Kings, posting 85 points (25G-60A) in 63 games, earning a place on the WHL’s Eastern Conference Second All-Star Team. Internationally, Jacobson earned a silver medal with Canada Red at the 2024 U17 World Hockey Challenge. Originally selected by the Wheat Kings in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, Jacobson is considered a top prospect eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft.

Recently named captain of the Rebels, Hamilton emerged with 62 points (24G-38A) in 67 games this past season. He represented Team East at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass. Originally selected by the Rebels in the first round (18th overall) of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, Hamilton is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, listed 75th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings. He has yet to represent Canada on the international stage.

Verhoeff spent the 2025-26 campaign with the University of North Dakota following 75 games over two seasons with the Victoria Royals. From 2023-24 through 2024-25, the 6-foot-4, 212-pound right-shot defenceman tallied 47 points (21G-26A) as a member of the Royals. Most recently, he patrolled the blueline for Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, bringing home a bronze medal. Verhoeff is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, listed second among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

Canada’s National Men’s U-18 Team will play two pre-tournament games, taking on Sweden at Ondrej Nepala Arena in Bratislava on April 17 and Czechia at the Pavol Demitra Ice Hockey Arena in Trencin on April 19. The 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship begins April 22, with Canada taking on Slovakia, Latvia, Norway, and Finland in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with medal games May 2.

For more information on the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship, please visit IIHF.com.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s U-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca.

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.