Greyhounds' Allard named to Canada's world junior squad

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TORONTO –A member of the Soo Greyhounds has been named to Canada's World Junior Team that will play in the World Junior Hockey Championships from Boxing Day through the first week of the New Year in Sweden.

Forward Owen Allard is one of 20 players announced tonight by the Canadian Hockey League.

Allard will wear the Maple Leaf with Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, scheduled to take place Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

"Just so proud," Greyhounds coach John Dean said when asked about Allard's inclusion. "Watching the guys watch him play on the big screen here while we were eating lunch; listening to the cheer when Ally called  and let them know he made the team. You could hear the whole group explode with excitement."

"I'm so happy for him and his family," Dean added.

In total, there are eight players from the Western Hockey League (WHL), seven from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and five from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) who will represent Team Canada in their effort to win three straight gold medals for the first time since they won five in a row from 2005-09, the CHL announced in a news release.

Owen Beck (Peterborough Petes / OHL) is the lone player to be returning from last year’s Canada squad that won gold at the 2023 World Juniors.

Among some of the CHL forwards selected are the CHL’s leading scorer Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener Rangers / OHL), the 2022-23 QMJHL scoring champion Jordan Dumais (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL), and Matthew Savoie (Wenatchee Wild / WHL), who’s 2.18 points per game average this season ranks second in the CHL behind only Dumais (2.24).

On the backend, there are four NHL first-round picks in Oliver Bonk (London Knights / OHL), Maveric Lamoureux (Drummondville Voltigeurs / QMJHL), Tanner Molendyk (Saskatoon Blades / WHL) and Denton Mateychuk (Moose Jaw Warriors / WHL), who started this season with a 23-game point streak, the second-longest streak of its kind by a WHL defenseman since 2009.

In net, Canada will be led by Scott Ratzlaff (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL), Samuel St-Hilaire (Sherbrooke Phoenix / QMJHL), and Mathis Rousseau (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL), who’s .934 save percentage this season ranks second in the CHL. 

Team Canada also features four CHL players who have played NHL games in Tristan Luneau (Gatineau Olympiques / QMJHL), Fraser Minten (Saskatoon Blades / WHL), Savoie and Beck.

Of the 20 CHL players chosen, Allard (Soo Greyhounds / OHL), St-Hilaire, and Rousseau are the only three undrafted players and they are all eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft. 

After helping Canada win gold at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship as an assistant coach, Alan Letang (Sarnia Sting / OHL) is the head coach for this year’s squad. He is joined on the bench by assistant coaches Gilles Bouchard (Sherbrooke Phoenix / QMJHL), Shaun Clouston (Kamloops Blazers / WHL) and Scott Walker (Guelph Storm / OHL).

As part of its preparations, Canada will open its pre-tournament schedule against a U25 team from Denmark on Dec. 19 before facing Switzerland on Dec. 22 and the U.S. on Dec. 23.

The 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship begins on Boxing Day (Dec. 26) when Canada takes on Finland at 8:30 a.m. ET.

In addition to broadcasting Canada’s pre-tournament games against Switzerland and the U.S., TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will provide extensive coverage of the event, broadcasting all 31 tournament games. TSN Radio will also provide comprehensive tournament coverage.

20 CHL players named to Canada's 2024 National Junior Team

Goaltenders (3)
Scott Ratzlaff (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL)
Mathis Rousseau (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL)
Samuel St-Hilaire (Sherbrooke Phoenix / QMJHL)

Defencemen (7)
Oliver Bonk (London Knights / OHL)
Jake Furlong (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL)
Maveric Lamoureux (Drummondville Voltigeurs / QMJHL)
Tristan Luneau (Gatineau Olympiques / QMJHL)
Denton Mateychuk (Moose Jaw Warriors / WHL)
Tanner Molendyk (Saskatoon Blades / WHL)
Noah Warren (Victoriaville Tigres / QMJHL)

Forwards (10)
Owen Allard (Soo Greyhounds / OHL)
Owen Beck (Peterborough Petes / OHL)*
Easton Cowan (London Knights / OHL)
Nate Danielson (Brandon Wheat Kings / WHL)
Jordan Dumais (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL)
Conor Geekie (Wenatchee Wild / WHL)
Fraser Minten (Saskatoon Blades / WHL)
Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener Rangers / OHL)
Matthew Savoie (Wenatchee Wild / WHL)
Brayden Yager (Moose Jaw Warriors / WHL)

Coaching Staff
Head Coach – Alan Letang (Sarnia Sting / OHL)*
Assistant Coach – Gilles Bouchard (Sherbrooke Phoenix / QMJHL)
Assistant Coach – Shaun Clouston (Kamloops Blazers / WHL)
Assistant Coach – Scott Walker (Guelph Storm / OHL)

* – earned gold at the 2023 World Juniors in Halifax and Moncton