Seven WHL players to represent Hockey Canada at 2024 U18 IIHF World Championship
Calgary, Alta. – A total of seven Western Hockey League players have been selected to represent Canada at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship in Espoo and Vantaa, Finland.
Hockey Canada announced the National Men’s Under-18 Team Tuesday morning.
Five WHL Clubs will be represented on the 2024 Canadian National Men’s Under-18 Team. The Brandon Wheat Kings and Calgary Hitmen boast two players each, while the Kamloops Blazers, Medicine Hat Tigers and Prince Albert Raiders are also represented.
The 2024 IIHF World U18 Championship is scheduled to be played from Thursday, April 25 through Sunday, May 5 in Espoo and Vantaa, Finland.
Canada’s Men’s National Under-18 Team – WHL Players
Last Name | First Name | Team | Hometown | Ht | Wt | Pos |
Brunicke | Harrison | Kamloops Blazers | Calgary, Alta. | 6’3” | 187 | D |
Hamilton | Reese | Calgary Hitmen | Whitewood, Sask. | 6’0” | 170 | D |
Elick | Charlie | Brandon Wheat Kings | Calgary, Alta. | 6’3” | 199 | D |
McKenna | Gavin | Medicine Hat Tigers | Whitehorse, Yukon | 6’0” | 183 | F |
McQueen | Roger | Brandon Wheat Kings | Saskatoon, Sask. | 6’5” | 190 | F |
Ritchie | Ryder | Prince Albert Raiders | Kelowna, B.C. | 6’0” | 173 | F |
Wetsch | Carson | Calgary Hitmen | North Vancouver, B.C. | 6’2” | 187 | F |
Invited to the roster but unable to participate are forwards Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs / Saskatoon, Sask.) and Cayden Lindstrom (Medicine Hat Tigers / Chetwynd, B.C.).
The roster was selected by Hockey Canada head scout Byron Bonora (Brooks, Alta.) and Benoit Roy (Sudbury, Ont.), senior manager of hockey operations. The evaluation process included input from goaltending consultant Justin Pogge (Penticton, B.C.) and analytics consultant Gianfranco Giuliano (Toronto, Ont.), in addition to the entire scouting staff.
Four WHL players – Elick, McQueen, Ritchie, and Wetsch – return to Canada’s U18 team after helping their nation capture gold at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Canada’s coaching staff features assistant coach Ryan Smith (Spokane Chiefs / Headingley, Man.) and goaltending coach Dan De Palma (Kamloops Blazers / Kamloops, B.C.). The support staff includes athletic therapist Jimmy McKnight (Edmonton Oil Kings / Barrie, Ont.) and Dr. Michael Conrad (Victoria Royals / Vancouver, B.C.).
“We are excited to bring this calibre of young athletes together to begin working with our coaching staff,” Roy said. “Having players who already know how to compete in a short-term tournament will also bring valuable experience and leadership to our team in our quest for a gold medal.”
Prior to the start of the tournament, Canada will play two pre-tournament games against Finland on Saturday, April 20 and Norway on Tuesday, April 23. Tournament play begins Thursday, April 25 at 10 a.m. MT when Canada faces Sweden. Canada will take on Czechia on Friday, April 26, Switzerland on Sunday, April 28, and Kazakhstan on Tuesday, April 30 to close out preliminary-round action. The semifinals are set for Saturday, May 4, with the tournament and medal games concluding Sunday, May 5.
TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broad cast partners, will air select games, including all Team Canada games and all playoff-round games. Check your local listings for details.
Since 2002, Canada has won four gold medals as the IIHF U18 World Championship (2003, 2008, 2013, 2021), in addition to one silver (2005) and four bronze (2012, 2014, 2015, 2023).
For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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 offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 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 close to 60 years. The WHL is also a 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.