Canada Opens World Junior Championship With High-Scoring Win

Canada’s National Junior Team opened its campaign at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship with a 7–5 victory over Czechia on December 26, 2025, marking a strong but eventful start to the annual under-20 tournament.

The championship is being held in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, with games played at 3M Arena at Mariucci and Xcel Energy Center. The tournament runs from December 26 through January 5 and features the top junior players from around the world.

Canada struck first late in the opening period and remained aggressive throughout, but the game was tightly contested. The teams exchanged goals across all three periods, with Canada pulling away by scoring four times in the third. Despite surrendering five goals, Canada’s offense and depth proved decisive.

Canada finished with seven goals on balanced scoring, with multiple players contributing points. Czechia pushed back repeatedly, keeping the game close until late in regulation. Canada’s goaltender made several key saves down the stretch to preserve the win.

The victory was notable given Canada’s recent struggles against Czechia at the World Juniors, having been eliminated by them in consecutive quarterfinals in prior tournaments.

Canada is the most successful nation in World Junior Championship history, with 20 gold medals since the tournament became official in 1977. However, recent years have been uneven.

The last time Canada won gold was 2023, when they defeated Czechia in overtime in the championship final. Since then, Canada failed to medal in both the 2024 and 2025 tournaments, exiting in the quarterfinals each time. Those setbacks increased pressure entering the 2026 event.

Canada’s next preliminary-round game is against Latvia, scheduled for December 27. Canada is competing in Group B, which includes Czechia, Latvia, Denmark, and Finland. The top teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals.

Latvia is generally considered one of the weaker teams in the group, but the World Juniors have a history of surprises, and Canada will be expected to maintain discipline after a high-event opener.

Entering the tournament, Canada was listed as the betting favorite to win gold. Current odds place Canada slightly ahead of the United States, with Sweden and Finland trailing as secondary contenders.

Based on market projections, Canada’s implied chance of winning the tournament sits in the 40 to 50 percent range, reflecting both roster depth and historical performance. The United States is viewed as the primary challenger after winning the last two championships.

Canada’s opening win showed offensive strength and resilience but also highlighted defensive issues that will need tightening as the competition stiffens. With a favorable group and high expectations, Canada’s path to the medal round is clear—but far from guaranteed—at a tournament known for volatility and pressure.