There are a couple of Saskatchewan connections from the players and staff named to Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 team for this year’s IIHF U18 World Championship, which begins next Thursday in Switzerland. The Head Coach is Jeff Truitt of Rosetown and also Head Coach of the Prince Albert Raiders.

The roster includes three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 12 forwards. Forward Tanner Howe of Prince Albert, who plays for Regina is on the team. A couple of players are originally from Saskatoon. Forward Berkly Catton plays for Spokane and Caden Price on defence, plays for Kelowna. Click here for the complete team list.

Below is the news release from Hockey Canada:

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada has announced the 22 players who will wear the Maple Leaf with Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship, April 20-30 in Basel and Porrentruy, Switzerland.

The roster, which includes three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 12 forwards, was selected by Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.), director of player personnel, and Benoit Roy (Sudbury, Ont.), senior manager of hockey operations, with support from Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of hockey operations. Head coach Jeff Truitt (Rosetown, Sask./Prince Albert, WHL) and assistant coaches John Dean (Don Mills, Ont./Sault Ste. Marie, OHL) and Bruce Richardson (Montréal, Que./Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL), as well as goaltending consultant Justin Pogge (Penticton, B.C./Wolfsburg, DEL), also provided input.

Among the 22 players are eight who won a gold medal with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (Allen, Barlow, Bjarnason, Cristall, Howe, Price, Ritchie, Wood) and three players who suited up for Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2022 IIHF U18 World Championship (Dragicevic, Howe, Wood). The roster also includes four players who played at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (Catton, Celebrini, D’Aigle, Martone).

“We are excited to unveil the 22 players who will wear the Maple Leaf at the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship, as we believe this group brings a lot of talent and experience from the Canadian Hockey League and international competition,” Millar said. “We know this group is excited for the opportunity to compete for a gold medal represent Canada with pride in Switzerland.”

Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team will practice at the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich, Switzerland, April 12-16, prior to the start of the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship. It will also face off against Finland on April 16 at the Sportzentrum Heuried in Zurich and Switzerland on April 17 at St. Jakob Arena in Basel as part of its pre-tournament schedule.

Canada opens the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship against Sweden on April 20 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT. It will also take on Germany on April 21, Slovakia on April 23 and Czechia on April 24 to round out the preliminary round before the tournament wraps up with the bronze and gold medal games on April 30. TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners, will broadcast select tournament games, including all Team Canada games.

Since 2002, Canada has won four gold medals at the IIHF U18 World Championship (2003, 2008, 2013, 2021), in addition to one silver (2005) and three bronze (2012, 2014, 2015).

For more information on the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship, please visit the official tournament website at 2023.U18worlds.hockey.