Jr. A World Challenge This Week in Quebec Features Top North American & Swedish Jr. Players
By Scott Lowe - MYHockeyRankings.com
Team USA’s defense of its 2024 Junior A World Challenge championship got off to a rocky start Dec. 7 in Trois-Riviéres, Quebec, as the Americans fell to Canada East, 4-1, despite piling up a 53-29 shots-on-goal advantage. This year’s 10-game event is being played at Colisée Vidéotron from Dec. 7-13, featuring the U.S., Canada East, Canada West and Sweden.
Sweden knocked off Canada West, 6-2, in the other opening-day matchup.
The 2024 Junior A World Challenge took place from in Camrose, Alberta from December 9-15, 2024. Team USA won the championship, defeating Sweden in the gold-medal game to finish with a record of 4-0-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L).
Since the inaugural event in 2006, Team USA has captured 10 tournament championships (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2024) along with a single second-place finish and five third-place finishes. Canada West has won the gold medal six times, while Canada East has advanced to the championship game eight times without ever winning gold. Of the 17 gold-medal games contested to date, 13 featured at least one Canadian team.
The two Canadian sides have met with gold on the line four times, and Canada East lost in the finals to the U.S. three times and Russia once. Russia, which has not been invited to compete in recent years, defeated Canada East for the gold medal in 2019 and earned silver in 2018, 2015 and 2013. Sweden turned in its lone silver-medal showing last year and captured the bronze in 2022.
Coming off Sunday’s resounding 6-2 victory against Canada West, it appears as though this might be the year that the Swedes break through. Swedish net minder Viggo Tamm made 29 saves in that victory, while Alexander Command and Nils Bartholdsson each scored twice. Will Lutic recorded two points for Canada West.
“We haven’t seen Sweden yet,” Team USA Head Coach Andy Brandt, who guides the Madison Capitols of the United States Hockey League, said before the tournament. “We do know that they have some potential first-round [NHL Draft] talent on that roster. Overall, the competitiveness, the compete level, the pace of the tournament will be extremely high.”
CLICK HERE for the Sweden roster.
Colin Frank’s goal at 15:50 of the second period pulled the U.S. into a 1-1 tie with Canada East Sunday, but Alex Hendry potted the eventual game-winner 5:39 into the final frame before Max Anderson scored into an open net in the final minute and Tate Vader tallied in the waning seconds. Goalie Kale Osipenko was the hero for Canada East, stopping 52 of the 53 shots he faced, and Peter Legostaev scored the first Canada East goal.
Sweden and Team USA face off Dec. 8 at 3 p.m. EST, followed by a game between the two Canadian teams at 7 p.m.
CLICK HERE for access to all Junior A World Challenge livestreams.
The 2025 U.S. Junior Select Team roster boasts six players selected in the 2025 NHL Draft, including Calgary Flames third-round selection Mace’o Phillips, Detroit Red Wings fourth-round pick Brett Solomon, Buffalo Sabres sixth-round selection Ashton Schultz and Tampa Bay Lightning seventh-round pick Caleb Hall from Minnesota. Texas-native Jackson Crowder was chosen by the Washington Capitals in the fifth round, while South Dakota’s Carter Sanderson was picked by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the sixth round.
The team is comprised solely of players who compete in the USHL, the only USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier 1 tuition-free junior league. There are 13 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders on the roster, which includes 10 players from Minnesota; two from California and New Jersey; and one from Alaska, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Texas.
CLICK HERE for the Team USA roster.
The U.S. beat Canada west, 5-2, Dec. 5 in a pre-tournament exhibition.
“I think our goaltending is extremely strong,” Brandt said following that game. “We have a good blend of puck-moving [defensemen] as well as guys who have some offensive creativity. And up front, our depth is good. We have guys who can put the puck in the back of the net, and we also have a blend of guys who play direct north.”
Team USA General Manager Marc Boxer expects similar results to what the team has achieved in the past.
“All of these guys are the best players on their teams, he said. “They all have to buy in. We expect you to play for the crest on the front. We understand they’re teenagers, young men having to accept a role, but when they do, really good things happen.”
Team Canada announced the 44 Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) players who would compete at this year’s tournament Nov. 25.
The 22 players representing Canada East were selected from the CJHL’s five eastern leagues: the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL), Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), Ligue de hockey junior AAA du Québec (LHJAAAQ) and Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL).
The Canada East roster features two of the OJHL’s top offensive producers in Will Hughes and Tate Collins. Hughes entered the tournament tied for fourth in the league with 47 points in 30 games, while Collins had totaled 45 points. Forward Mavrick Brunet was leading the CCHL with 57 points, while Brant Romaniuk had scored 46 points for Timmins Rock of the NOJHL.
On the Canada East blue line, Joshua Brady led the OJHL in scoring by defensemen with 28 points, and Luke Howard ranked seventh with 21 points. Defenseman Nolan Turnbull is the lone returning player from the 2024 team.
Canada West’s 22 players come from the CJHL’s four western leagues: the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL).
Grant Reid, Max Leduc and Lutic each came to Quebec having scored 28 points in the AJHL. Ben Deacon was leading all AJHL rookies with 14 goals and ranked second with 23 points. Brody Green ranked ninth in the in the MJHL with 29 points.
Three of the AJHL’s top five scoring defensemen, Taunton Lavender, Esteban Cinq-Mars and Sullivan Humeniuk, also are suiting up for Canada West. Fellow blue-liner Jaxon Herchak was a member of last year’s team. Rookie netminder Luke McKechnie ranked among AJHL leaders in goals-against average (2.59) and save percentage (.905).
Players from the Major Junior Canadian Hockey League do not participate.
CLICK HERE for the Canada East roster.
CLICK HERE for the Canada West roster.
World Junior A Challenge Remaining Schedule
Monday, December 8
3:00 p.m. EST - Sweden vs. USA
7:00 p.m. EST - Canada East vs. Canada West
Wednesday, December 10
3:00 p.m. EST - Canada East vs. Sweden
7:00 p.m. EST - Canada West vs. USA
Friday, December 12
3:00 p.m. EST - Semifinal TBD
7:00 p.m. EST - Semifinal TBD
Saturday, December 13
3:00 p.m. EST - Bronze Medal Game TBD
7:00 p.m. EST - Gold Medal Game TBD
CLICK HERE for Junior A World Challenge player stats.
CLICK HERE for Junior A World Challenge team stats.
CLICK HERE for Junior A World Challenge standings.
