Dylan Garand is heading back to the international stage 鈥� and for the Langford-born goaltender, there鈥檚 no jersey quite like the one with the Maple Leaf on the front.
The 22-year-old has been named to Team Canada for the 2025 IIHF Men鈥檚 World Championship, a 16-day tournament that runs May 10鈥�25 in Stockholm and Herning, Sweden.
Canada opens the tournament against Slovenia and will also face Latvia, France, Austria, Slovakia, Finland, and host Sweden in the preliminary round, with medal games wrapping up on May 25.
A product of the Juan de Fuca Minor Hockey Association, Garand has long been on Hockey Canada鈥檚 radar. He previously backstopped Canada at the 2021 and 2022 World Junior Championships, and played for Canada Red at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
Now, he鈥檚 set to take the next step 鈥� this time with the senior national team.
鈥淲e are excited to unveil the first 15 players who will wear the Maple Leaf at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, as this is a very competitive and talented group that provides a strong foundation of NHL and international experience and success,鈥� Team Canada general manager Kyle Dubas said.
As of Friday, Garand is the lone goaltender named to the roster, though more names are expected as NHL teams are eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs.
鈥淲e know these 15 players will give our team a chance to compete for a gold medal as they represent Canada with pride in Stockholm and Herning,鈥� Dubas added. 鈥淲e look forward to continuing to build our roster following the conclusion of round one of the playoffs.鈥�
Garand鈥檚 path to the national stage began humbly on Vancouver Island. His first taste of junior hockey came with the Campbell River Storm of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League, where he made four playoff appearances during the 2017鈥�18 season. He posted a 3-1-0 record and a stingy 2.01 goals-against average, helping the Storm in their pursuit of the Brent Patterson Memorial Trophy.
From there, he became a cornerstone in the crease for the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
In five WHL seasons, Garand suited up for 135 games, compiling an 89-31-7 record with a 2.34 goals-against average, .918 save percentage, and 12 shutouts 鈥� numbers that place him among the franchise鈥檚 all-time greats between the pipes.
His final junior campaign, 2021鈥�22, was a crowning moment: he was named WHL Goaltender of the Year and took home honours as the Canadian Hockey League鈥檚 top netminder.
Drafted in the fourth round by the New York Rangers in 2020, Garand has spent the past four seasons developing in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
His 2024鈥�25 season was his most complete yet. In 39 games, he went 20-10-9 and earned a spot in the AHL All-Star Game, representing the Atlantic Division.
Now, he鈥檚 knocking on the NHL鈥檚 door.
That road isn鈥檛 easy 鈥� especially in New York, where Igor Shesterkin has locked down the starter鈥檚 role and veteran Jonathan Quick provides stability as backup. But Garand continues to do what he always has: build his case, brick by brick, with quiet consistency.
He also brings championship experience to the Canadian dressing room. Along with his World Junior appearances, Garand owns three international medals 鈥� gold in 2022, silver in 2018 and 2021 鈥� from his time in Hockey Canada鈥檚 national program.
That pedigree could prove vital for a Canadian squad looking to rebound from last year鈥檚 fourth-place finish, where they fell short in the bronze medal game against Sweden.
Garand won鈥檛 be the only B.C. connection on the team. Vancouver鈥檚 Macklin Celebrini, the 2024 NHL Draft first overall pick, is set to make his senior national team debut. Former Canucks captain Bo Horvat and Port Moody鈥檚 Kent Johnson 鈥� a former BCHL standout 鈥� are also on the initial roster.
The tournament is also a proving ground for players hoping to land a spot on Canada鈥檚 2026 Olympic roster for the Milano-Cortina Games.
Since the championship鈥檚 inception in 1931, Canada has claimed 28 gold medals, 16 silver, and seven bronze.
