Eleven WHL players to represent Canada at 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship

Frisco, Texas.- Eleven Western Hockey League Players have been selected to represent Canada at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship in Frisco and Allen, Texas.

Notably, the WHL contingent will make up five of the eight defencemen chosen by Hockey Canada, in addition to one goaltender and five forwards.

WHL Rookie of the Year Landon DuPont was invited, but is unable to participate.

A total of 17 WHL players will take part in the tournament, representing Canada, Czechia, the United States and Germany.

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

Last Name	First Name	Team	Hometown	Height	Weight	Position
Hood	Burke	Vancouver	Brandon, Man.	6’3	192	G
Smith	Jackson	Tri-City	Calgary, Alta.	6’3	194	D
Lin	Ryan	Vancouver	Richmond, B.C.	5’11	170	D
Carels	Carson	Prince George	Cypress River, Man.	6’1	189	D
Verhoeff	Keaton	Victoria	Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.	6’4	212	D
Rudolph	Daxon	Prince Albert	Lacombe, Alta.	6’1	194	D
Reschny	Cole	Victoria	Macklin, Sask.	5’10	187	F
Sawchyn	Lukas	Edmonton	Grande Prairie, Alta.	5’10	170	F
Schmidt	Cameron	Vancouver	Prince George, B.C.	5’7	160	F
Cootes	Braeden	Seattle	Sherwood Park, Alta.	5’11	183	F
Gard	Matthew	Red Deer	Winnipeg, Man.	6’4	192	F

Seven WHL skaters are considered top prospects ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft, according to NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings of North American skaters:

D- Jackson Smith (NHL CSS: 13)

F- Braeden Cootes (NHL CSS: 20)

F- Cole Reschny (NHL CSS: 25)

F- Matthew Gard (NHL CSS: 37)

F- Cameron Schmidt (NHL CSS: 43)

F- Lukas Sawchyn (NHL CSS: 69)

G- Burke Hood (NHL CSS: 15)

Smith, Cootes, Reschny and Schmidt all helped Canada claim gold at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton, Alta., while Ryan Lin, Keaton Verhoeff and Daxon Rudolph all won gold with Canada White at the 2024 World U17 Challenge.

In addition, Sawchyn, Rudolph,  and Verhoeff were all finalists for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy for WHL Rookie of the Year.

Lin joined Landon DuPont as the first defenceman aged 16 or younger to surpass 50 points in their rookie season since Hockey Hall-of-Famer and Kamloops Blazers legend Scott Niedermayer in the 1989-90 season.

Sawchyn, Gard and Hood are making their Program of Excellence debut at the tournament.

Kamloops Blazers Goaltending Coach Dan De Palma will reprise his role as a goaltending consultant for Canada. Terence Robertson (Red Deer Rebels) has joined the squad as an athletic therapist and Dr. Nolan Rau (Kelowna Rockets) will serve as Canada’s team physician.

Edmonton Oil Kings standout defenceman Blake Fiddler (NHL CSS: 26) will compete for the United States with the tournament taking place in his hometown of Frisco, Texas.

The WHL’s projected top 2025 NHL Draft pick, towering Seattle Thunderbirds defenceman Radim Mrtka (NHL CSS: 5), headlines a group of four WHLers competing for Czechia, including forwards Vit Zahejsky (Kamloops Blazers), Dominik Pavlick (Moose Jaw Warriors), Matej Pekar (Seattle Thunderbirds, NHL CSS: 179).

Saskatoon Blades forward David Lewandowski (NHL CSS: 51) will represent Germany,

Canada will kick off the tournament against Slovakia in Allen on April 24, 2025, and will go on to face Latvia, Finland and Norway in the preliminary round before the medal round begins on May 3, 2025.

Canada is coming off a gold medal performance in 2024 that saw the canucks pot three goals on a single powerplay for a comeback 6-4 win against the United States in the title match.

Medicine Hat Tigers star Gavin McKenna also set a new record for points by a Canadian at the tournament with 10 goals and 10 assists in seven games.