World Juniors 2021: Canada scores, schedule, how to live stream

After much uncertainty, the puck is set to drop on the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship — and all eyes will be on Canada.

Serving as the host country, the Canadians are aiming for back-to-back titles for the first time since the country won four straight from 2005 to 2009. The one difference this year: They won't have the backing of the hometown crowd in person as fans will not be allowed into Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alta.

Regardless, head coach Andre Tourigny, who was an assistant coach on last year's gold medal-winning squad, has a plethora of talent with a roster jam-packed with some of the top U20 talent in the world. While there is no Alexis Lafreniere — and now, no Kirby Dach — it should not impact the roster when you run down the names that will wear the Maple Leaf, including two members of the Flames organization (Jakob Pelletier, Connor Zary) who will be spending the next two weeks in the Oilers locker room.

Canada is in the Oilers locker room for #worldjuniors. Players asked by @markhmasters what they think.

Dylan Holloway (EDM): "It's massive...lounge looks like a hotel lobby."

Jakob Pelletier (CGY): "Fun to be in that room even though in 2 or 3 years I'm going to hate it."

— Jackie Spiegel (@jackiespiegel93) December 19, 2020

It's been a long road to the tournament for the 24 players and the staff as the team opened up camp in November and underwent not one but two quarantines — 14-days in Red Deer, Alta., after positive tests were found among the players and staff and four full days upon arrival in Edmonton. But now, that's all in the past and it's game on for the tournament's odds-on favorites.

Here's everything to know about the tournament, including how to watch live games in Canada, and a complete schedule with updated scores and standings.

Team Canada's schedule, results at World Juniors

The format for the 2021 World Junior Championship consists of two groups of five teams playing a preliminary round-robin to determine seeding, followed by a single-elimination tournament. As the defending champs, Canada drew Group A, which also includes Finland, Switzerland, Slovakia and Germany.

(All times Eastern)

How to watch Canada games live online

All of Canada's games will be played at Edmonton's Rogers Place. TSN owns exclusive broadcast rights for the World Junior Championship in Canada and will show every game live during the tournament across its various television channels. Canadian viewers can find a live stream for games online at TSN.ca or through the TSN app and TSN Direct. 

Team Canada's 2021 World Juniors roster

As usual, Canada's roster consists of some of the top players in hockey under age 20. Six players return from 2020's gold medal-winning team: Quinton Byfield, Bowen Byram, Dylan Cozens, Jamie Drysdale, Connor McMichael and Dawson Mercer. The roster originally boasted 20 first-round draft picks, including 2019 third-overall draftee, and team captain, Kirby Dach. However, Dach injured his right hand in Canada's lone exhibition game and will now miss the tournament. It's a big loss but this team is so deep it should not make a dent in its gold-medal chances.

Before the team's first game on Boxing Day, Hockey Canada announced that Bowen Byram and Dylan Cozens will split wearing the "C" for games as IIHF rules dictate there must be a designated captain. Connor McMichael was elevated to assistant captain.

WORLD JUNIORS: Full breakdown of Canada's roster

Here's the roster that will go for back-to-back golds for Canada.

World Juniors 2021: Latest news

Tournament

• Time, TV channel, live stream, where, when, schedule
• How has COVID-19 impacted the tournament?
• Rosters, NHL draft status, jersey numbers for all 10 teams 
• Breakdown of every NHL teams' prospects
• Predictions: Hockey experts pick who will win gold
• It's gold or bust': NHL players look back on World Junior Championship memories
• A team-by-team guide to the under-20 championship
• Dach, Caufield and the top four storylines
• Oilers' Philip Broberg impresses with three assists for Sweden
• Senators' Tim Stuetzle scores two goals in Germany's overtime win
• Predictions, odds, X-factors, breakdowns for quarterfinal matchups
• Leafs prospect Roni Hirvonen sends Finland to semis with late goal

USA

• Scores, schedule, how to watch every USA Hockey game
• NHL Network's Dave Starman on Canada, the U.S. and why Cole Caufield will steal the show
• Americans mount comeback but fall in opener to rival Russia
• USA bounces back with dominating 11-0 win
• Americans erupt for seven goals, guarantee QF spot at World Juniors
• Americans take top spot in Group B with shutout win
• USA gets a scare but hold on for semifinal berth
• Arthur Kaliyev's goal with 76 seconds left lifts US to gold-medal showdown with Canada

Canada

• Which players are on Canada's final roster? 
• Canada favorite to win second straight gold medal
• Kirby Dach out of tournament with wrist injury
• Scores, schedule, how to watch every Hockey Canada game
• Canada opens WJC with 16-2 blowout of Germany
• Braden Schneider handed one-game suspension
• Birthday boy Devon Levi, Canadians hold on to beat Slovakia
• Six points by Quinton Byfield powers Canadians to 10-0 win
• Canadians claim top spot in Group A with wire-to-wire win
• Alex Newhook, Devon Levi have Canada going for gold

2021 World Junior Championship standings

GROUP A

GROUP B

Wins in regulation = 3 points
Overtime win = 2 points
Overtime loss = 1 point

Full 2021 World Junior Championship schedule

(All times Eastern)