WINDSOR, ONT. – Jack Ivankovic is poised to become only the second goalie to play in three World Juniors for Team Canada and the first to do it since Trevor Kidd in the early 1990s.
“We kind of joke around about it, that it’s his fifth World Juniors or something like that,” said smiling defenceman Carson Carels, who was teammates with Ivankovic at the World Juniors last year. “He’s just overall amazing.”
Ivankovic served as the backup to Carter George in 2025 when Canada fell in the quarterfinals in Ottawa before grabbing the starting job in the knockout stage last year in Minnesota. Ivankovic took the loss in the semifinal against Czechia as Canada settled for a bronze medal at the event.
“That’s never the medal you want to win,” Ivankovic said. “I’ve got the chance to win a few gold medals and that feeling is like no other.”
Ivankovic has won it all four times with Canada – under-17s (2023), under-18s (2024, 2025) and at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup (2024) – but the World Junior gold has proven elusive.
This time around the Michigan Wolverines star is the undisputed No. 1 guy for Team Canada. In fact, Ivankovic’s spot is so assured that he’s not even playing any games this week at the World Junior Summer Showcase. Instead, Ivankovic has been supporting the other three goalies at Canada’s camp (Lucas Beckman, William Lacelle and Samuel Meloche) while dressing as the backup goalie in all three games.
“We expect Jack to carry the ball for our team,” confirmed Hockey Canada general manager Alan Millar. “He brings a lot of intangibles to our group including leadership and character. He’ll be a key guy for us not only on the ice, but he’s a glue guy in the room.”
Ivankovic doesn’t just have previous experience at the World Juniors. The Nashville Predators prospect also has experience at the senior men’s Worlds after being invited to serve as Canada’s third goalie in Switzerland in May.
“I got the call and they were like, ‘Hey, you want to come?’ I was like, ‘Pfft, of course,’” Ivankovic recalled with a grin.
A few days later, Sidney Crosby decided to join Team Canada after his Pittsburgh Penguins bowed out in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“Honestly, we didn’t know if he was going to come or not and then he got added to the group chat and I was kind of in shock,” Ivankovic said. “I actually had him on my mask so that was a little funny when I showed it to him.”
After Crosby arrived, he did a solo session to get up to speed and Ivankovic joined him on the ice.
“Just being there and taking shots from him was probably the coolest thing I’ve ever done,” the 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont. said.
Ivankovic feels he fared “pretty good, actually” against Crosby.
“I’ve never seen a backhand like that in my life,” he admitted. “Learning how to read his release was a little tricky at first, but I think I got the hang of it by the end. You just never know when he’s going to shoot it. He’s so deceptive and so smart where he places the puck. He uses a pretty straight blade and that was something different than I’ve ever seen.”
Crosby’s arrival came after 20-year-old Macklin Celebrini had already been named captain of the team and the San Jose Sharks sensation retained the role for the tournament.
“He’s unbelievable,” Ivankovic gushed. “I actually hung out with him a lot. We both didn’t have our families there so we’d go for lunch probably every day. We’re both still kids playing the PS5 a little bit.”
Ivankovic had heard stories about how incredible Celebrini is from Michigan teammates Michael Hage and Jayden Perron, who played with him on the Chicago Steel in the USHL.
“To finally be on the ice and see what he’s all about was pretty cool,” he said. “He’s awesome. He’s such a good player. You see what he did this year and you see the contract he just signed, I mean, he deserves it. A great player, great person, that’s why he wore the ‘C’ there.”
Former NHL captains John Tavares and Ryan O’Reilly were also on Team Canada and the pair of veterans always stayed out late after practice.
“It was like 45 minutes after and we did tips and little breakaway drills in front of the net,” Ivankovic said. “You got the best in the world doing those little tip drills on you, it makes you better.”
So did spending time with Canadian starter Jet Greaves of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Ivankovic, who stands 5-foot-11, considers the 6-foot Greaves to be a role model. The pair roomed together during Canada’s training camp in Paris.
“We actually took a four-hour bike ride around Paris seeing everything,” said Ivankovic. “He’s a guy who isn’t the biggest guy, but plays big and is probably one of the best skaters in the whole NHL and that’s something I take pride in.”
When Greaves signed a three-year, $15 million contract extension last week, Ivankovic was quick to send a congratulatory text.
“He loves the game,” Ivankovic said. “He loves stopping the puck and I’m super pumped for him that he just signed this new deal. He’s just a good guy and a good player and I’m excited to play against him hopefully one day.”
That will come in time, but for now Ivankovic is focused on the upcoming season at Michigan and helping Canada snap a three-year gold medal drought at the World Juniors. He’s entering the year with a little extra pep in his step thanks to the time spent around NHL stars.
“It gives me that little boost that, you know what, I’m able to play at that NHL level right now and just confident about everything,” Ivankovic said.
He’s staying grounded as well. Ivankovic realizes how rare it is to get a third chance at the World Juniors.
“I do,” he said with a smile. “I’m super grateful I’ve had the opportunity to play at the two past World Juniors, but we didn’t really do anything. You learn from those, but you forget them. I’m coming into this year and I want to make this team. I still gotta prove that I’m the guy.”
