Team Canada holds back key decision before Czechia matchup tonight!

Team Canada is playing it coy ahead of tonight’s preliminary-round matchup against Czechia at the 2026 World Junior Championship.

Head coach Dale Hunter declined to name a starting goaltender on Friday, opting instead to keep his decision under wraps until puck drop.

Still, there may be clues hiding in plain sight. According to TSN’s Mark Masters, Carter George was the first goalie off the ice at morning skate, often a subtle hint, though far from confirmation.

Hunter did however confirm that Carter Bear and Keaton Verhoeff open the tournament as healthy scratches today.

For the past two years, Czechia has been Canada’s undoing at the World Junior Championship, knocking them out in the quarterfinal round in back-to-back tournaments. Those losses remain fresh.

Tonight’s game may be “just” a preliminary-round contest, but the stakes feel heavier. Czechia has proven they can rise to the moment against Canada, and any hint of uncertainty, especially in net, is bound to make fans uneasy.

Hunter’s silence might be just strategic gamesmanship. Or it could reflect a genuine decision still being weighed. Either way, the message is clear: nothing is being taken lightly.

Canada doesn’t just need a win: it needs confidence against an opponent that has turned into an uncomfortable recurring problem.

The tournament opens tonight and Team Canada will get a chance to exact revenge on Czechia.