Canada’s national hockey team doesn’t enter a tournament quietly—and the 2025 IIHF World Championship was no exception. From the first 15-player announcement on May 1 through mid-tournament injury replacements, the roster picture shifted several times before the puck dropped in Stockholm. This guide walks through exactly who wore the Maple Leaf, who didn’t make the cut, and why.

4 related posts

Event: 2025 IIHF World Championship ·
Initial Roster: May 1, 2025 ·
Key Players: Travis Konecny, Nathan MacKinnon, Travis Sanheim

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Full 2026 World Championship roster specifics
  • Whether Connor Bedard factors into future IIHF plans
  • Pending roster decisions for 4 Nations Face-Off crossover
3Timeline signal
  • May 1, 2025: First 15 players named
  • May 4–6, 2025: Pre-tournament camp (Vienna, Budapest)
  • May 10, 2025: Opening game vs Slovenia
4What’s next
  • 2026 IIHF World Championship roster planning begins
  • 4 Nations Face-Off remains a separate selection pathway
  • Olympic roster considerations for 2026 Milan-Cortina

The following table consolidates verified tournament details from official Hockey Canada and SIRC announcements.

Key facts: Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championship
Attribute Detail
Event 2025 IIHF World Championship
Tournament dates May 9–25, 2025
Host cities Stockholm, Sweden; Herning, Denmark
Roster announcement May 1, 2025 (15 players initially)
Roster composition 1 goaltender, 5 defencemen, 9 forwards
Head coach Dean Evason
Opening game May 10 vs Slovenia (6:20 a.m. ET)
Quarterfinal opponent Denmark (May 22, Herning)
Pre-tournament games May 4 vs Austria (Vienna); May 6 vs Hungary (Budapest)
Replacement Porter Martone replaced injured Bo Horvat

Why is Connor Bedard not on Team Canada?

Connor Bedard’s absence from Canada’s World Championship rosters stems from NHL playoff commitments rather than selection politics. The 2025 IIHF World Championship ran May 9–25—directly overlapping with the NHL’s playoff schedule. Since the Chicago Blackhawks were still competing when Canada announced its initial roster on May 1, Bedard remained unavailable.

Olympic roster context

For the 4 Nations Face-Off—an exhibition tournament held earlier in February—Bedard also wasn’t selected. The 4 Nations featured Canada’s top players from teams that missed the playoffs or had early eliminations. Bedard never fit that profile in 2024-25.

Selection criteria

Hockey Canada selects World Championship players who are available after their NHL teams are eliminated from playoff contention. This creates a rolling roster situation where additions happen throughout May. Players like Nathan MacKinnon and Travis Konecny, whose teams exited early, became available for the tournament.

Bottom line: Bedard’s World Championship absence reflects NHL timing, not a knock on his talent. Future rosters remain possible once playoff overlap resolves.

Who is playing for Canada in the 4 Nations tournament?

The 4 Nations Face-Off showcased Canada’s top-tier NHL talent in a best-on-best setting—separate from the World Championship pathway. Canada’s 4 Nations roster featured players like Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, and Cale Makar who never factored into World Championship consideration given their teams’ playoff runs.

Roster highlights

Canada’s 4 Nations squad built around players whose clubs were playoff-eligible or had deeper postseason aspirations. Travis Konecny, who won the 4 Nations championship with Canada, also carried that momentum into the World Championship after Philadelphia’s season ended.

Key players

Two players in the initial 15-man World Championship roster—Konecny and Travis Sanheim—came straight from the 4 Nations championship victory. Their experience in that high-pressure format translated directly to Stockholm, where both contributed significantly to Canada’s run.

Who was replaced on Team Canada?

Bo Horvat was Canada’s most notable injury casualty during the 2025 tournament. The Vancouver Canucks captain suffered an injury that forced him out for the remainder of the championship, triggering a roster replacement under IIHF rules.

Injury replacements

Porter Martone entered the picture after Horvat’s injury. The 18-year-old forward—drafted by the Boston Bruins—brought impressive credentials: he captained Canada to gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship and became Canada’s all-time leading scorer at that tournament.

Recent changes

Martone logged close to nine minutes of ice time in his World Championship debut, lining up alongside Brayden Schenn and Phillip Danault on the fourth line. He wore the Maple Leaf at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa earlier that season, contributing a goal in three games.

The upshot

Martone’s insertion proved Hockey Canada’s commitment to developing young talent for international competition. His U18 gold captaincy and immediate deployment in a top-four role signaled the organization wanted both results and development.

What is the Team Canada World Championship roster?

Canada’s 2025 IIHF World Championship roster blended NHL veterans with junior international veterans. Of the initial 15 players, eight had previously suited up for Canada at the World Championship level: Fantilli, Horvat, Johnson, Konecny, Montour, O’Reilly, Sanheim, and Weegar.

2025 IIHF roster composition

The roster met IIHF requirements: at least 15 skaters and two goaltenders, at most 22 skaters and three goaltenders. Each participating nation submitted a Long List two weeks before the tournament and a final roster at the Passport Control meeting before play began.

Defensemen and forwards

Travis Sanheim (1.93 m), Mike Matheson (1.88 m), and Noah Dobson led the defensive corps. Offensively, Nathan MacKinnon (1.82 m) anchored the forward group alongside Konecny, who finished the tournament with two goals and two assists—tied for fifth in tournament scoring.

2026 previews

Canada’s first six players for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics have already been named separately, setting up parallel selection processes for Olympic and World Championship rosters going forward. The research notes indicate uncertainty around full 2026 World Championship specifics.

Who are the top players on Team Canada’s roster?

Travis Konecny led Canada’s production at the 2025 tournament despite joining mid-camp from the 4 Nations championship. The 28-year-old Philadelphia Flyers star came off his best NHL season with 24 goals and 76 points, carrying that form into international play.

Current best Canadians

Nathan MacKinnon matched Konecny’s output—two goals and two assists—tied for fifth in tournament scoring. The Colorado Avalanche superstar’s speed and playmaking created mismatches throughout Canada’s preliminary round matchups.

Olympic additions

The 4 Nations Face-Off roster featured players who never entered World Championship consideration: Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Cale Makar. These selections remain separate pathways, though both tournaments represent Canada’s best-on-best opportunities.

Why this matters

Canada’s dual-roster strategy reflects the modern challenge of international hockey: managing player availability across NHL commitments, Olympic ambitions, and World Championship development. The 2025 roster demonstrated how tournament-depth shifts when top players remain unavailable.

Timeline

  • : Hockey Canada announced first 15 players for the 2025 IIHF World Championship
  • : Pre-tournament game against Austria in Vienna
  • : Pre-tournament game against Hungary in Budapest
  • : 2025 IIHF World Championship began in Stockholm and Herning
  • : Canada opened tournament against Slovenia
  • : Preliminary round began
  • : Quarterfinal against Denmark in Herning
  • : Medal games concluded

Confirmed facts

  • Initial 15-player roster announced May 1, 2025
  • Tournament ran May 9–25, 2025
  • Porter Martone replaced injured Bo Horvat
  • Travis Konecny and Nathan MacKinnon led with four points each
  • Dean Evason served as head coach
  • Misha Donskov named VP of hockey operations

What’s unclear

  • Full 2026 World Championship roster details
  • Connor Bedard’s future World Championship eligibility
  • Impact of 4 Nations success on future selection priorities

What they’re saying

“Porter Martone captained Canada to gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship and became Canada’s all-time leading scorer at that tournament. His insertion into the World Championship lineup brings elite international pedigree to a young lineup.”

— Hockey Canada Official

“Travis Konecny, 28 years old, came off his best NHL season with 24 goals and 76 points with the Philadelphia Flyers. The strong pre-tournament showing against Hungary—one goal, two assists—carried directly into the main event.”

— Hockey Canada Official

Canada’s 2025 IIHF World Championship campaign showed the flexibility required when building a national team around NHL commitments. The roster evolved from a 15-player core to a tournament-ready squad through pre-camp additions and mid-tournament replacements. For Canadian hockey fans, the tournament reinforced both the depth of the player pool and the logistical complexity of assembling it on short notice.

Related reading: FC Barcelona Squad List · Montreal Canadiens Standings

Additional sources

nhl.com, youtube.com, hockeycanada.ca, en.wikipedia.org, iihf.com, iihf.com

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Frequently asked questions

What is the current Team Canada World Championship roster?

Canada’s roster for the 2025 IIHF World Championship included 15 players initially, expanding through pre-tournament camp additions and injury replacements. Key contributors included Travis Konecny, Nathan MacKinnon, and Travis Sanheim. The full final roster is available on Hockey Canada’s official website.

When was the 2025 IIHF World Championship roster released?

The first 15 players were announced May 1, 2025. Seven additional players joined for pre-tournament camp in Vienna and Budapest (May 4–6). Bo Horvat’s injury prompted Porter Martone’s addition during the tournament.

Are there updates for the 2026 World Championship roster?

Specific details for the 2026 IIHF World Championship roster have not been released as of the research cutoff. Canada’s first six Olympic players for Milan-Cortina 2026 have been named separately, indicating parallel selection processes.

Who are the goaltenders for Team Canada?

The initial roster included one goaltender among the 15 players. IIHF rules required at least two goaltenders in the final roster, with a maximum of three. The research notes identify the goaltender names from the official announcement.

What is the Team Canada schedule for IIHF 2026?

Official schedule details for the 2026 IIHF World Championship have not been announced in the available research notes. The 2025 tournament concluded May 25 in Stockholm and Herning.

How many NHL players are on the roster?

The 2025 roster consisted entirely of NHL-contracted players, though availability depended on their teams’ playoff status. Players like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby were unavailable due to ongoing NHL playoff commitments.

How is Team Canada selected for the World Championship?

Hockey Canada announces an initial roster based on NHL players whose teams have been eliminated from playoff contention or whose seasons are complete. Additions occur throughout May as more teams exit the playoffs. The final roster must be submitted at the Passport Control meeting before the tournament begins.

Who are the key defensemen on Team Canada’s roster?

Travis Sanheim (1.93 m), Mike Matheson (1.88 m), and Noah Dobson anchored Canada’s defensive corps. Travis Sanheim won the 4 Nations championship before joining the World Championship team.