Blades star Zach Olsen, Saskatoon’s Beckett Hamilton crack U18 World Championship roster

Fresh off a run to the second round of Western Hockey League playoffs, Saskatoon Blades forward Zach Olsen is set to sport the maple leaf for the first time in his career.

Olsen was among 25 players named to Team Canada’s tournament roster on Tuesday for the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Hockey Championship in Bratislava and Trencin, Slovakia.

Read more:

• Saskatoon Blades looking to the future following second-round playoff elimination
• Regina Pat Canadians back in the Telus Cup, looking to defend title
• Regina Pats’ Zach Lansard to represent Canada at U18 World Championships

Transforming into a top-six power forward in his sophomore season in Saskatoon, Olsen set new career-highs offensively with 18 goals and 34 points in 57 regular season games with the Blades.

Olsen continued to produce in the playoffs, netting six points in 10 games for the Blades while becoming an impact piece physically for the team.

The Calgary, Alta. product is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft this June and is Saskatoon’s highest-ranked player by NHL Central Scouting at 36th overall among North American skaters.

He’ll be joined on Canada’s roster by another international rookie in Saskatoon product Beckett Hamilton.

The 18-year-old exploded in his second season with the Red Deer Rebels to lead the team with 24 goals and 62 points in 67 games, while he added another five points during Red Deer’s first round series loss to the Prince Albert Raiders.

Named Red Deer’s captain for the 2026-27 WHL season, Hamilton played his final years of minor hockey with the Warman U18 AAA Wildcats in 2023-24 where he tied for the team’s scoring lead with 21 goals and 54 points in 44 games.

Hamilton is listed three spots ahead of Olsen in NHL Central Scouting’s final draft rankings at 33rd among North American skaters.

Regina Pats forward Zach Lansard, meanwhile, will not play for Canada at the U18 Men’s World Championship. He was one of six final cuts made by Hockey Canada.

Lansard was originally named to Canada’s pre-tournament roster after posting a 56-point regular season for the Pats with another three goals scored in the playoffs.

Team Canada will open the U18 Men’s World Hockey Championship on Wednesday at 10 a.m. CST against the host Slovaks.