CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced Canada’s men’s hockey team selected to compete at the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games. Four Greater Toronto Hockey League players are featured on the roster:

• Zach Nyman (Vaughan Kings)
• Alessandro Di Iorio (Vaughan Kings)
• Adam Valentini (Toronto Marlboros)
• Braidy Wassilyn (Markham Majors)

The complete Team Canada men’s hockey team for the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games includes:

• Goaltenders Mateo Beites (Sudbury, ON/Barrie, OMHA-U16), Colin Ellsworth (Aurora, ON/York Simcoe, OMHA-U16) and Carter Esler (Okotoks, AB/Okotoks, AEHL-U18)

• Defencemen Cameron Chartrand (Saint-Lazare, QC/Bishop Kearney Selects, USHS), Callum Croskery (Oakville, ON/Oakville, OMHA-U16), Ryan Lin (Richmond, BC/Delta Hockey Academy, CSSHL-U18), Zach Nyman (Toronto, ON/Vaughan, GTHL-U16), Daxon Rudolph (Lacombe, AB/Northern Alberta, CSSHL-U18) and Keaton Verhoeff (Fort Saskatchewan, AB/RHA Kelowna, CSSHL-U18)

• Forwards Alessandro Di Iorio (Vaughan, ON/Vaughan, GTHL-U16), Beckham Edwards (London, ON/Detroit Little Caesars, US15U), Tynan Lawrence (Fredericton, NB/Shattuck-St. Mary’s, USHS), Aiden O’Donnell (Cole Harbour, NS/Dartmouth, NSU18MHL), Mathis Preston (Penticton, BC/Okanagan Hockey Academy, CSSHL-U18), Liam Ruck (Osoyoos, BC/Okanagan Hockey Academy, CSSHL-U18), Markus Ruck (Osoyoos, BC/Okanagan Hockey Academy, CSSHL-U18), Adam Valentini (Toronto, ON/Toronto Marlboros, GTHL-U16) and Braidy Wassilyn (Puslinch, ON/Markham, GTHL-U16)

“Congratulations to the tremendous athletes, coaches and staff who have been selected to represent Canada in men’s hockey at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games,” said Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada and co-chair of Canada’s Winter Caucus of Sport. “Wearing the Maple Leaf at the Games is an incredible honour and we know fans across our country will be cheering on this group and the rest of Team Canada on as it goes for gold.”

The roster was selected by Byron Bonora (Brooks, AB), Hockey Canada’s U17 head scout, and Kurt Keats (Winnipeg, MB), manager of hockey operations. A long list of players was shared by Hockey Canada’s 13 Members in the summer, with regional scouts Pierre Cholette (Quebec), Rob Simpson (Ontario), Darren Sutherland (Atlantic) and Darrell Woodley (Ontario) also providing input.

Of the 18 players, eight are from the Ontario Hockey Federation, four are from BC Hockey, three are from Hockey Alberta, and Hockey New Brunswick, Hockey Nova Scotia and Hockey Québec are represented by one player each.

“We are thrilled to announce the 18 players from six Members who will have the unique opportunity of representing Canada for the first time at the Winter Youth Olympic Games,” said Benoit Roy (Sudbury, ON), senior manager of hockey operations. “This event gives us an opportunity to introduce players to Hockey Canada while providing athletes with the chance to develop the skills and experience needed in international competition, all while competing for a gold medal and taking in an experience of a lifetime in Gangwon.”

Team Canada has participated in the men’s hockey tournament at each Winter Youth Olympic Games to date, winning the bronze medal at Innsbruck 2012 and Lausanne 2020, and the silver medal at Lillehammer 2016.

Men’s hockey will take place Jan. 27-31 (Days 8-12) at the Gangneung Hockey Centre. Team Canada opens the Youth Olympic tournament against host South Korea on Jan. 27 at 6 a.m. ET/3 a.m. PT and will play Finland on Jan. 29 at 6 a.m. ET/3 a.m. PT. Semifinals will be played on Jan. 30, with the medal games set for Jan. 31.

“Congratulations to the athletes named to Canada’s men’s hockey team,” said Lisa Weagle, Team Canada’s Gangwon 2024 chef de mission. “These young athletes are the future of Canadian hockey and represent the skill, sportsmanship and excellence that define our nation’s passion for the sport. As chef de mission for Team Canada, my message to each of the athletes is to play with heart, seize the moment and represent Canada with pride.”

The Team Canada coaches and support staff for the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games are:

• Head coach Ryan Smith (Headingley, MB/Spokane, WHL)
• Assistant coach Travis Crickard (St. John’s, NL/Saint John, QMJHL)
• Assistant coach Bruce Richardson (Montréal, QC)
• Equipment manager AJ Murley (St. John’s, NL)
• Athletic therapist Kevin Elliott (Charlottetown, PE)

The Youth Olympic Games are the world’s largest multi-sport event for high-performance young athletes aged 15–18. Gangwon 2024 will run from Jan. 19-Feb. 1, and will feature 1,900 athletes. It will be the fourth edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games and the first in Asia, and will have a fully gender-balanced sporting program with seven sports, 15 disciplines and a total of 81 events.

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all national sport organizations.

The latest Team Canada Gangwon 2024 roster can be found here, and additional press resources can be found here.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games, please visit HockeyCanada.ca.