Colts’ Beaudoin, former Steelheads captain Martone named to Canada’s leadership group for 2026 World Juniors
MINNEAPOLIS, MN. – Hockey Canada has announced its leadership group for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, with Barrie Colts forward Cole Beaudoin named an assistant captain for Canada’s National Junior Team.
Beaudoin is joined on the leadership group by captain Porter Martone, who developed in the Ontario Hockey League with the Brampton Steelheads, along with defenceman Harrison Brunicke.
Canada’s 2026 World Junior leadership group
C: Porter Martone
A: Cole Beaudoin
A: Harrison Brunicke
Currently in his fourth OHL season, Beaudoin has been one of the league’s most productive forwards, sitting top five in the OHL in points per game with 41 points including 14 goals in 25 games. The Kanata, Ont. native was selected in the first round of both the OHL and NHL drafts, going 10th overall to Barrie in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection and 24th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft to the Utah Mammoth.
Internationally, Beaudoin returns to the World Juniors after representing Canada at the tournament last season. He also brings a strong winning background with Hockey Canada, having captured gold medals at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship.
Beaudoin’s leadership role with Canada mirrors his responsibilities at the club level. Prior to the season, the Barrie Colts named Beaudoin a co-captain for the 2025-26 OHL campaign, sharing the role alongside defenceman Kashawn Aitcheson. Beaudoin has earned that trust through his daily habits, consistency, and two-way play, becoming a central voice in Barrie’s locker room while helping guide the Colts to first place in the OHL’s Central Division at the holiday break with 19 wins and 43 points.
Martone, named captain, spent three seasons in the OHL with the Brampton Steelheads, where he established himself as a leader and consistent scorer at the junior level before earning the opportunity to wear the C for Canada. Brunicke rounds out the leadership group, bringing experience from Canada’s Program of Excellence, the Kamloops Blazers and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship runs from December 26 to January 5 in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.
As the official Canadian broadcast partners of the IIHF World Junior Championship, TSN and RDS will air select games featuring international teams. Viewers are encouraged to check their local listings for full broadcast details.
For more information on the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit hockeycanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
