Hockey players from Brantford and Kitchener may represent home countries at World Juniors

Several international OHL players are heading to World Juniors training camps. CTV’s Colton Wiens takes a look at the players taking their shot.

Fans of the Kitchener Rangers and Brantford Bulldogs may get to see some of their favourite players hit the ice at the 2026 International Ice Hockey Federation U20 World Junior Championship in Minnesota later this month.

On Monday, Team Canada announced the players who were invited to show their stuff at a training camp. But our homegrown talent aren’t the only ones getting recognition.

Kitchener Rangers goalie Christian Kirsch finally received the call he’s been expecting when he was invited to Switzerland’s training camp.

“I was hoping it would happen,” he told CTV News. “I was with the team since 15. I was there every year. I was at the U18s. I played for the Swiss team every year, so I kind of did [expect the call]. I played well this year too.”

International attention is nothing new for the 19-year-old netminder, who was also between the pipes at last year’s World Juniors in Ottawa.

“It’s just fun wearing your logo every year,” Kirsch said. “It’s also going to be my last year with the U20s. I was extremely happy when [the invitation] finally came out.”

The San Jose Sharks draft pick started the majority of Switzerland’s games last year, but he still needs to earn a spot on this year’s team at training camp.

“There are two other really good goalies too. I just got to show in practice how good I am to show the coaches, gain their trust, gain the trust from my team players as well. And then, just play well,” Kirsch said.

Switzerland had a tough tournament last year, only winning one of their five games. But Kirsch is confident in this year’s group.

“We have a great team this year. I think the [2006]s have always been really good. I have high hopes with this team.”

While Kirsch is excited to potentially represent his home country again, he said, right now, he’s focused on the Rangers’ next games.

“We have three games in a row now, which are the most important thing for me at the moment. Then, after that, I’ll be thinking about the World Juniors.”

Fellow Ranger Jakub Chromiak represented Slovakia at the 2025 championship in Ottawa, but he’s too old to play in the tournament now. He remembers the honour, and the responsibility, he felt every time he laced up.

“Great feeling, but also it’s a responsibility because, especially Slovakian people, there’s lot of people watching,” Chromiak said. “There’s lot of hockey fans and you don’t want to make them sad or anything. It’s a responsibility, but yeah, I was proud when I was wearing that jersey.”

The Brantford Bulldogs are sending a contingent of Canadians to training camp, but a trio of their players are also heading to Czechia’s camp. Vladamir Dravecky and Adam Jiricek, defencemen, and forward Adam Benak.

Jiricek, a St Louis Blues draft pick, has been to the past two tournaments with Czechia, winning bronze both times. He heads to training camp with 26 points in 23 OHL games this season.

Benak is second in scoring in the OHL, and has represented Czechia at each of the U16, U17 and U18 levels, but 2026 would be his first time at the World Junior Championship.

Dravecky is also expected to be playing in his first World Junior Championship in 2026, but carries a strong international resume, winning silver at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2024. Dravecky has also played professional hockey in Slovakia and Sweden before coming to the OHL.

While each team still needs to finalize their rosters, Chromiak said it’s the mix of talents ever year that make the tournament so exciting.

“I think any anybody can beat anybody. That’s why it’s really interesting,” Chromiak said.

The World Juniors get underway on Boxing Day in Minnesota. TSN will be broadcasting the games.