Canada Men's National Under-18 Ice Hockey Team

The Canadian men's national under 18 ice hockey team is part of a three-stage Program of Excellence beginning with the Under-17 regional teams and ending with the National Junior Team. The primary objectives of the Under-18 program are to identify, evaluate, and condition players to the rigors of international competition by giving first exposure to off-shore officiating, ice-surfaces, and travel.

The Under-18 squad traditionally competes in the month of August, during the off season, to allow players to further develop skills with their respective junior teams in the winter following a week-long camp. A 22-player roster is chosen by scouts and coaches from Hockey Canada to represent Canada on the international stage.

The first National Men's Under-18 Team was created in 1981 with the development of the Program of Excellence and has since competed in many international competitions. For the first 10 years of the program, the National Men's Under-18 Team participated in exchange camps with the United States to provide both countries the opportunity to refine the skills of their most gifted young players against top caliber international competition. It was not until the Japanese Ice Hockey Federation introduced the Phoenix Cup, a four-nation tournament designed to improve Japan's international hockey program, in 1991 that Canada took part in an international tournament.

The Phoenix Cup (later the Pacific Cup and La Copa Mexico) was a single round robin competition between the national under-18 teams of Canada, Russia, Japan, and the United States. It was competed for between 1991 and 1996, with tournaments in Japan, Mexico City, and Nelson, B.C. In its six-year history, Canada took home three gold medals, two silver and one bronze.

In 1997, the National Men's Under-18 Team competed against Slovakia and the Czech Republic in a three-nation tournament in the Czech Republic. Canada captured gold and repeated their performance the following year in Slovakia against Belarus, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.

Since 2002, Canada's National Men's Under-18 Team has taken part in the IIHF World Under-18 Championship, winning four gold medals (2003, 2008, 2013 and 2021), one silver medal (2005), and three bronze medals (2012, 2014, and 2015).

Roster

IIHF U18 World Championships roster

Roster for the 2025 IIHF World U18 Championships.

Head coach: Cory Stillman

Hlinka Gretzky Cup roster

Roster for the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Head coach: Kris Mallette

International competitions

IIHF World U18 Championships

*1999: Did not compete
*2000: Did not compete
*2001: Did not compete
*2002: 6th place
*2003: Gold
*2004: 4th place
*2005: Silver
*2006: 4th place
*2007: 4th place
*2008: Gold
*2009: 4th place
*2010: 7th place
*2011: 4th place

*2012: Bronze
*2013: Gold
*2014: Bronze
*2015: Bronze
*2016: 4th place
*2017: 5th place
*2018: 5th place
*2019: 4th place
*2020:Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
*2021: Gold
*2022: 5th place
*2023: Bronze
*2024: Gold
*2025: Gold

Hlinka Gretzky Cup

*1991: Silver
*1992: Gold
*1993: Bronze
*1994: Gold
*1995: Silver
*1996: Gold
*1997: Gold
*1998: Gold
*1999: Gold
*2000: Gold
*2001: Gold
*2002: Gold
*2003: 4th place
*2004: Gold
*2005: Gold
*2006: Gold

*2007: 4th place
*2008: Gold
*2009: Gold
*2010: Gold
*2011: Gold
*2012: Gold
*2013: Gold
*2014: Gold
*2015: Gold
*2016: 5th place
*2017: Gold
*2018: Gold
*2019: Silver
*2021: Did not compete
*2022: Gold
*2023: Gold
*2024: Gold

References

External links

Team Canada all time scoring leaders in IIHF U18 World Championships

Hockey Canada U18 home page

{{Men's national under-18 ice hockey teams

National under-18 ice hockey teams
Youth ice hockey in Canada
Ice
National sports teams of Canada