Martone named to Team Canada
Spring tournament is being held in Finland from April 25 to May 5
Peterborough’s Porter Martone has once again been named to Canada’s national men’s under-18 team for the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship.
On Tuesday, Hockey Canada announced the 19 players on the team, including Martone, a six-footthree, 196-pound forward, who currently plays for the Mississauga Steelheads.
Martone was the assistant captain when the team won gold during last summer’s 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He was with nine other players that are on the team again this year.
He was also on the team when Canada captured bronze during the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship.
Martone joins a solid roster of players selected by head scout Byron Bonora (Brooks, Alta.) and senior manager of hockey operations Benoit Roy (Sudbury, Ont.). The evaluation process included input from goaltending consultant Justin Pogge (Penticton, B.C.) and analytics consultant Gianfranco Giuliano (Toronto), in addition to the entire scouting staff.
“We are excited to bring this calibre of young athletes together to begin working with our coaching staff,” said Roy, in a news release. “Having players who already know how to compete in a short-term tournament will also bring valuable experience and leadership to our team in our quest for a gold medal.”
Hockey Canada announced the coaching staff for the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship last Thursday, with head coach Gardiner MacDougall (Bedeque, P.E.I./ University of New Brunswick, Atlantic University Sport) joined by assistant coaches Travis Crickard (St. John’s, NL/Saint John, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League), Bruce Richardson (Montreal, Que.) and Ryan Smith (Headingley, Man./Spokane, Western Hockey League).
Prior to the start of the tourney, Canada will play a pair of games against Finland, on Saturday, and Norway next Tuesday.
The quest for a gold medal begins April 25 at noon against Sweden. Canada will also face Czechia on April 26, Switzerland on April 28 and Kazakhstan on April 30 to close out preliminary-round action.
The semifinals are set for May 4 before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 5.
TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners, will air select games, including all Team Canada games and all playoffround games. Check your local listings for details.
Since 2002, Canada has won four gold medals at the U18 world championship (2003, ’08, ’13 and ’21), in addition to one silver (2005) and four bronze (2012, ’14, ’15 and ’23).
Martone was the assistant captain when the team won gold during last summer’s 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup