Eight WHL players named to Canada’s roster for start of 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship

Calgary, Alta. – Eight Western Hockey League players have been named to the roster for Canada’s National Men’s U18 Team to start the 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship, Hockey Canada announced Tuesday.

The WHL will be represented by one goaltender, three defencemen, and four forwards on Canada’s roster to start the tournament. In total, Hockey Canada named three goaltenders, eight defencemen, and 14 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 Vancouver Giants boasting two players. Also represented are the Calgary Hitmen, Red Deer Rebels, Regina Pats, Saskatoon Blades, Spokane Chiefs, and Victoria Royals

Canada’s National Men’s U-18 Team – WHL Players

Last Name	First Name	WHL Club	Hometown	Ht	Wt	Pos
Esler	Carter	Spokane Chiefs	Okotoks, Alta.	5-11	165	G
Lin	Ryan	Vancouver Giants	Richmond, B.C.	5-11	176	D
Verhoeff	Keaton	Victoria Royals (2024-25)	Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.	6-4	212	D
MacBeath	Ben	Calgary Hitmen	Calgary, Alta.	6-2	181	D
Olsen	Zach	Saskatoon Blades	Calgary, Alta.	6-1	196	F
Preston	Mathis	Vancouver Giants	Penticton, B.C.	5-11	176	F
Jacobson	Jaxon	Brandon Wheat Kings	Brandon, Man.	5-10	183	F
Hamilton	Beckett	Red Deer Rebels	Saskatoon, Sask.	5-11	172	F

 

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 16th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings.

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 fourth among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings.

With 51 points (7G-44A) in 67 games, MacBeath finished second in scoring among rookie blueliners this past season. The Hitmen rearguard represented Team East at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass. Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, he is listed 22nd among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings.

Olsen posted a career-high 34 points (18G-16A) in 57 games with the Blades this season. The right winger represented Team East at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass. Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, Olsen is listed 36th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final 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 32nd among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings.

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 33rd among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings. He has yet to represent Canada on the international stage.

The 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship begins Wednesday, April 22, with Canada taking on Slovakia at 9 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. MT. Canada will also play 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.