Canada opens WJC title defence Boxing Day on TSN
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Team Canada goes for gold when the 2024 World Junior Championship tournament begins on Boxing Day from Gothenburg, Sweden as Canada looks for a third straight gold medal for the first time since they won five in a row from 2005-2009.
Canada has had to take home the gold in dramatic fashion the past two years, needing an overtime hero to push them over the top.
In the 2022 summer edition of the tournament in Edmonton, Finland rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period to send the game to overtime before Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson sent Canada into a frenzy with the golden goal.
Last year in Halifax, Canada saw Czechia rally from another two-goal deficit in the third period to push for another dramatic finish. Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Guenther gave Canada back-to-back gold medals when he scored 6:22 into overtime to give Canada a 4-3 victory.
Canada will be a part of Group A in this year's tournament, which also includes host Sweden, Finland, Germany, and Latvia.
Group B consists of the United States, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Norway.
Beck, Celebrini lead the way
Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck is the lone returning player from last year's tournament and is expected to be a key member of the team's leadership group.
Last year, Beck came into the tournament as the 13th forward and recorded an assist in three games.
After the tournament, Beck was traded from the OHL's Mississauga Steelheads to the Peterborough Petes where he finished off the CHL regular season with seven goals and 25 points in 30 games. He added eight goals and 16 points in 22 playoff games to help lead the Petes to a J. Ross Robertson Cup and a spot in last year's Memorial Cup tournament.
This season, Beck is second on the Petes in scoring with 16 goals and 30 points in 25 games.
Macklin Celebrini, a top prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft, is expected to be a key cog up the middle for this year's edition of Team Canada.
Celebrini, 17, leads the NCAA's Boston University with 10 goals and 25 points in 15 games leading up to the World Junior tournament this season.
The 6-foot forward also helped Canada to a bronze medal at the 2023 World Under-18 Championship in April, recording six goals and 15 points in seven games.
Celebrini was ranked No. 1 on TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button's draft list in November and TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie ranked him first in his pre-season draft rankings in September.
Canada's Schedule
Pre-Tournament Games:
December 22: Canada vs. Switzerland - 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT on TSN1/4
December 23: Canada vs. United States - Noon ET/9 a.m. PT on TSN1/4
Tournament Schedule:
December 26: Finland vs. Canada - 8 a.m. ET/5 a.m. PT on TSN1/3/4
December 27: Latvia vs. Canada - 1 p.m. ET/ 10 a.m. PT on TSN1/3/4
December 29: Canada vs. Sweden - 1:30 p.m. ET/ 10:30 a.m. PT on TSN1/3/4
December 31: Canada vs. Germany - 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT on TSN1/3/4
The knockout stage of the tournament begins on Jan 2 with the quarter-finals.
Click here for TSN's full broadcast schedule of the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship