Canada set for WJC tune-up vs. Switzerland on TSN

Team Canada begins preparation for the 2023 World Juniors on Monday when they take on Switzerland in pre-tournament play.

You can watch the game LIVE on TSN4, TSN5, TSN.ca and the TSN App with coverage starting at 6pm et/3pm pt. from Avenir Centre in Moncton, N.B.

Having won gold for the 19th time in tournament history in the delayed 2022 world juniors, Canada brings an experienced roster to Moncton in their quest to repeat as champions. 

There are eight returning players from the summer World Juniors for Canada and an additional two players - Shane Wright and Dylan Guenther - who played in the tournament last December before it was cancelled.

Wright, who was selected fourth overall by the Seattle Kraken in this year's NHL Draft, was named Canada's captain on Sunday. 

"I just said, 'We have a lot of guys on this team that are leaders and could be a captain so it's an honour to be the one selected,'" Wright said of what he told the team after it was announced. "I just said, 'I really believe in this group.' It's a tight group. We really bonded over the last couple weeks here. That was the main message." 

Wright has one goal and one assist in eight games with the Kraken this season and scored four goals in five games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds during a conditioning stint in the American Hockey League. He's set to centre Canada's top line between projected 2023 No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard and 2021 first-round pick Brennan Othmann.

Seattle's Thomas Milic will start in net against Switzerland, leaving Sarnia's Ben Gaudreau to start against Slovakia in Canada's second and final pre-tournament game on Wednesday.

The Swiss went 1-3 in the group round of the summer tournament and lost 6-3 to Canada in the quarter-finals.

Team Canada's Lines vs. Switzerland

(Based off Monday's gameday skate)

Othmann - Wright - Bedard
Fantilli - Stankoven - Guenther
Dean - Gaucher - Roy
Schaefer - Bankier - Ostapchuk
Dach

Del Mastro - Zellweger
Allan - Clarke
Korchinski - Matier
Hinds

Milic
Gaudreau