The roster for the Canadian national junior team’s entry at the upcoming 2026 World Junior Championship tournament isn’t set in stone yet, friends, but it sure does seem like a pair of prominent Calgary Flames prospects will be donning the maple leaf this winter.

Hockey Canada announced a trio of cuts to their training camp roster on Thursday morning, sending Marek Vanacker (Chicago Blackhawks/Brantford Bulldogs, OHL), Jake O’Brien (Seattle Kraken/Brantford, OHL) and Jackson Smith (Columbus Blue Jackets/Penn State University, NCAA) back to their club teams. The roster moves have reduced the Canadian camp roster to 25 players: three goaltenders, eight defencemen and 14 forwards.

Notably not among that list of cuts were Flames properties Zayne Parekh and Cole Reschny.

As noted by Daily Faceoff’s prospect expert Steven Ellis, Canada doesn’t need to cut any more skaters unless they receive more loans from NHL clubs – such as San Jose’s Sam Dickinson (a blueliner) or Seattle’s Berkly Catton (a forward).

But it’s probably not unreasonable to surmise that, given their prominence in Canada’s 2-1 pre-tournament win on Wednesday over Sweden, it would be Parekh or Reschny losing their roster spots if either (or both) players are loaned to Team Canada. Parekh played on Canada’s top defensive pairing, alongside Ethan MacKenzie, and quarterbacked Canada’s power play. Reschny, meanwhile, served as second-line centre between Carter Bear and Braeden Cootes, and was on both the first unit power play and penalty killing units.

In other words, barring anything unforeseen unfolding, Flames fans will have two of the organization’s most exciting young players to follow during the holiday break.

Parekh, 19, was selected ninth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft and put up frankly ridiculous offensive statistics with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit – he was the first OHL blueliner since 2010-11 to amass 100 points in a season and the first since Bobby Orr with back-to-back 30-goal campaigns. He’s been playing with the Flames in the NHL this season and his game has been a work in progress as he learned the ins and outs of pro hockey at its very highest level.

Reschny, 18, was selected 18th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft after a superb season with the Western Hockey League’s Victoria Royals. He made the jump to the NCAA this past fall, joining the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks. So far, he’s found his stride in the NCAA, emerging as a top all-situations forward for one of college hockey’s best programs.

We’ll see if Parekh and Reschny can translate their past junior success to the World Junior environment, and if Parekh can utilize it as a springboard for a strong second half to his rookie NHL season with the Flames.

The 2026 World Juniors run Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.

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