World Championship hockey is finally back.

After the 2020 World Men’s Hockey Championship was cancelled due to COVID-19, the 2021 Worlds get underway on Friday with Team Canada opening things up in Riga against host-nation Latvia.

Catch Team Canada’s first game at 1pm ET/10am PT on TSN1, TSN3, TSN.ca and TSN Direct.

Canada took home silver in 2019 and has made the podium in four of the last five tournaments, but has not won gold since defeating Finland in the 2016 final. Former Vegas Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant is making his Canada debut behind the bench. His team will compete with the United States, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Norway, Italy and Kazakhstan in Group B.

Projected No. 1 2021 NHL Draft pick Owen Power was among 22 skaters and three goaltenders named to Canada’s roster last week. However, Canada is starting off a bit short-handed as Calgary Flames forward Dillon Dube will miss the tournament due to a concussion he sustained during Wednesday’s season-finale against the Vancouver Canucks.

Anaheim Ducks forward Adam Henrique, who played for Canada in the last World Championship, will serve as team captain with Ottawa Senators forward Connor Brown and Buffalo Sabres defenceman Colin Miller designated as alternates.

“As a country, we take so much pride in not just playing for our country but honouring everyone that has played for it in the past and everyone that’s grown up playing for it. When you play for Canada, you’re playing for the players that you play against and that you play with because every Canadian would give everything to have a chance to play for their country,” assistant general manager Shane Doan told the team when announcing Henrique as captain.

Winnipeg Jets prospect Cole Perfetti, who had six points in seven games for Canada at the 2021 World Junior Championship, is also with the team in Latvia. He had nine goals and 17 assists in 32 games with the AHL's Manitoba Moose this season. Other Canadian team NHL skaters active for Canada at the Worlds include Jacob Bernard-Docker, Andrew Mangiapane and Nick Paul.

“It should be fun. I think it’s an honour to be putting on the Team Canada jersey. I’ve never done anything like that before,” Mangiapane said last week of his selection to Team Canada.

In the crease, Canada will be going with Darcy Kuemper, Adin Hill and Michael DiPietro. Click here to see the full Team Canada roster.

Prior to Canada’s game against Latvia on Friday, the tournament gets underway with a pair of games beginning at 9am ET/6am PT. Watch Russia battle the Czech Republic on TSN1 while Germany goes head to head with Italy on TSN3. Team USA will open their tournament schedule against Finland on Saturday morning.

TSN is Canada’s home for exclusive live coverage of all 64 games of the 2021 IIHF World Championship as the puck drops from May 21 to June 6 in Riga, Latvia. For more information on TSN’s coverage of the tournament, click here.