Macklin Celebrini, expected to be the No. 1 pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, is one of 30 players that will take part in Hockey Canada's final evaluation camp for the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The camp will be held at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex in Oakville, Ontario, from Dec. 10-13 and will help set the 25-player roster for Canada at the WJC, which will be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, from Dec. 26-Jan. 5.
Celebrini, a freshman at Boston University, is third among NCAA players with 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 15 games. The 17-year-old received an A rating from NHL Central Scouting in its preliminary players to watch list.
"I see Macklin as a playmaker first," David Gregory of Central Scouting said. "He can shoot the puck and he can finish, but he's going to create a lot of opportunities, draw attention to himself, and find his teammates in a good position to be the finishers. But when it's time for him to finish, he'll finish as well."
Among those invited to the camp is Anaheim Ducks defenseman Tristan Luneau, who has three points (one goal, two assists) and is averaging 16:50 of ice time in five games.
Montreal Canadiens forward prospect Owen Beck is the only returning player from the team that won the gold medal at the 2023 WJC in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Beck had one assist in three games after being added to the roster as an injury replacement for Colton Dach (Chicago Blackhawks) ahead of the quarterfinals.
Also attending camp will be six players picked in the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft: forwards Nate Danielson (No. 9, Detroit Red Wings), Brayden Yager (No. 14, Pittsburgh Penguins), Matthew Wood (No. 15, Nashville Predators) and Easton Cowan (No. 28, Toronto Maple Leafs), and defensemen Oliver Bonk (No. 22, Philadelphia Flyers) and Tanner Molendyk (No. 24, Nashville Predators)
"We are excited to name the 30 players who will embark on the journey through camp and eventually on to the World Juniors," said Peter Anholt, head of the Canada WJC management group. "Canada has an incredible talent pool of players, and there are always difficult decisions to narrow it down. We are expecting a highly competitive camp, and we look forward to naming our final roster that will wear the Maple Leaf with pride starting on Boxing Day."
Alan Letang, coach of Sarnia of the Ontario Hockey League, will coach Canada at the World Juniors. Canada is looking to become the first team to win three straight championships since Canada won five in a row from 2005-09.
Canada will play its first preliminary-round game against Finland on Dec. 26. Those two teams, along with Sweden, Germany and Latvia will be in Group A. Czechia, the United States, Slovakia, Switzerland and Norway will be in Group B.
Preliminary round play runs through Dec. 31, with the quarterfinals on Jan. 2, the semifinals Jan. 4, and the gold- and bronze-medal games on Jan. 5.
The U.S. announced 29 players that will take part in its final WJC evaluation camp on Monday.
HOCKEY CANADA WJC EVALUATION CAMP ROSTER
GOALIES: Domenic DiVincentiis, North Bay, OHL (Winnipeg Jets); Scott Ratzlaff, Seattle, WHL (Buffalo Sabres); Mathis Rousseau, Halifax, QMJHL (2024 draft eligible); Samuel St-Hilaire, Sherbrooke, QMJHL (2024 draft eligible)
DEFENSEMEN: Oliver Bonk, London, OHL (Philadelphia Flyers); Michael Buchinger, Guelph, OHL (St. Louis Blues); Jorian Donovan, Brantford, OHL (Ottawa Senators); Jake Furlong, Halifax, QMJHL (San Jose Sharks); Maveric Lamoureux, Drummondville, QMJHL (Arizona Coyotes); Tristan Luneau, Anaheim Ducks; Denton Mateychuk, Moose Jaw, WHL (Columbus Blue Jackets); Tanner Molendyk, Saskatoon, WHL (Nashville Predators); Ty Nelson, North Bay, OHL (Seattle Kraken); Noah Warren, Victoriaville, QMJHL (Anaheim Ducks)
FORWARDS: Owen Allard, Sault Ste. Marie, OHL (2024 draft eligible); Denver Barkey, London, OHL (Philadelphia Flyers); Owen Beck, Peterborough, OHL (Montreal Canadiens); Macklin Celebrini, Boston University, NCAA (2024 draft eligible); Easton Cowan, London, OHL (Toronto Maple Leafs); Nate Danielson, Brandon, WHL (Detroit Red Wings); Jordan Dumais, Halifax, QMJHL (Columbus Blue Jackets); Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw, WHL (Seattle Kraken); Conor Geekie, Wenatchee, WHL (Arizona Coyotes); Paul Ludwinski, Kingston, OHL (Chicago Blackhawks); Fraser Minten, Saskatoon, WHL (Toronto Maple Leafs); Carson Rehkopf, Kitchener, OHL (Seattle Kraken); Matt Savoie, Wenatchee, WHL (Buffalo Sabres); Markus Vidicek, Halifax, QMJHL (2024 draft eligible); Matthew Wood, Connecticut, NCAA (Nashville Predators); Brayden Yager, Moose Jaw, WHL (Pittsburgh Penguins)
