Minten named Canada's captain for 2024 WJHC

Fraser Minten was named Canada's captain Sunday ahead of the 2024 World Junior Championship.

Minten dons the "C" as he makes his Hockey Canada debut. The 2022 second-round pick played four games in the NHL after making the Toronto Maple Leafs out of camp before returning to the WHL in November. The Vancouver native has five goals and 15 points in 13 games this season with the Kamloops Blazers and Saskatoon Blades.

Maple Leafs captain John Tavares FaceTimed Team Canada to make the announcement, according to TSN's Mark Masters. Tavares won two gold medals at the world juniors with Canada in 2008 and 2009, acting as an alternate captain in his second tournament. Minten lived with the Tavares family during the early part of this season.

"He comes to the rink, and he's focused," Canada head coach Alan Letang said of Minten, per Masters. "'What do we have to do today? What's needed? Is there anything I can do to help? What's the message?' And that's John Tavares, too. ... He's probably learning from the best."

Matt Poitras, Matt Savoie, Owen Beck, and Maveric Lamoureux were named Canada's alternate captains.

Poitras arrives with Team Canada on loan from the Boston Bruins. The Ajax, Ontario, native has 13 points in 27 NHL games this season as a rookie.

Savoie has split the campaign with the Buffalo Sabres, the AHL's Rochester Americans, and the WHL's Wenatchee Wild. The native of St. Albert, Alberta, was drafted ninth overall in 2022.

Beck is the lone returnee from Canada's gold-medal-winning squad last year. The Montreal Canadiens prospect has 30 points in 25 OHL contests with the Peterborough Petes.

Lamoureux is the only defenseman who's part of Canada's leadership group. The 6-foot-7 blue-liner was drafted 29th overall by the Arizona Coyotes in 2022.

Canada faces Finland on Dec. 26 to open both teams' tournaments.