Bourque, 19, and Stankoven, 18, are two of 14 forwards named to the roster in addition to eight defensemen and three goaltenders.
"We are excited to unveil the 25 players who have earned the opportunity to represent Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship, as we believe this group will give us the best chance to win a gold medal on home ice," Hockey Canada's director of player personnel Alan Millar said in a statement. "We were impressed with the level of competition at camp, and we knew we were going to have to make difficult decisions when it came time to name a final roster. Our players and staff look forward the opportunity to compete in front of Canadian fans again, and we know this team will embrace the opportunity of wearing the Maple Leaf as we continue to build towards our goal of winning gold."
Bourque was selected in the first round (30th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft. He made his professional debut during the 2020-21 season with Texas (AHL), recording five points (one goal, four assists) in six games. The Plessisville, Quebec native has 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 10 games with Shawinigan (QMJHL) this season. In 151 career games with the Cataractes, Bourque has recorded 78 goals and 188 points.
Stankoven was chosen in the second round (47th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft. The 5-foot-7, 170-pound forward leads Kamloops and ranks tied for ninth overall in the WHL in scoring with 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 22 games. The Kamloops, British Columbia native has amassed 91 points (49 goals, 42 assists) in 95 games over parts of four seasons with the Blazers. On the international stage, Stankoven registered eight points (four goals, four assists) in seven games at the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championship, helping Team Canada capture the gold medal. Among all tournament players, Stankoven ranked first with a +14 rating.
The 2022 World Juniors is set to be the first IIHF event hosted by Hockey Canada that will feature fans since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. (The 2021 tournament was held in Edmonton and Calgary without fans in a bubble environment).
The 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship begins on Christmas Eve with Canada opening its tournament against the Czech Republic (6 p.m. CT). In addition to its opening-night contest, Team Canada will also play Austria on Dec. 28, Germany on Dec. 29 and Finland on Dec. 31 to conclude preliminary-round action. (All Team Canada games will be played at 6 p.m. CT). The World Juniors will be broadcast on NHL Network in the United States and TSN in Canada.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Kyle Shohara is the Digital Manager for DallasStars.com and writes about the Stars/NHL. Follow him on Twitter @kyleshohara.
