Sarnia Sting captain Alessandro Di Iorio is one of 23 players named to Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team pre-tournament camp roster ahead of the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship
It will take place in Bratislava and Trencin, Slovakia later this month.
Di Iorio is one of three returning players who helped Canada capture a gold medal at the 2025 event.
He was also part of Canada's bronze medal winning team at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and won a silver at the U17 World Challenge in 2024 in Sarnia.
"We are pleased to announce the roster that will participate in the pre-tournament camp in Slovakia," said General Manager Alan Millar. “Our group will continue to monitor the Canadian Hockey League playoffs, and we expect to add players prior to the start of the world championship. At this time, we are pleased with the level of talent and international experience we have on our projected roster and are excited to gather in Slovakia in preparation to defend our gold medal."
Roster additions will be announced in the coming weeks following the conclusion of the second round of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) playoffs.
The full roster can be found on the Hockey Canada website.
Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team will play two pre-tournament games, taking on Sweden at Ondrej Nepala Arena in Bratislava on April 17 and Czechia at the Pavol Demitra Ice Hockey Arena in Trencin on April 19.
The 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship kicks off on April 22, with Canada taking on Slovakia, Latvia, Norway and Finland in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 2.
