Three players have been removed from Canada’s squad as they gear up for the upcoming world junior hockey championship. Hockey Canada disclosed on Thursday that forwards Marek Vanacker and Jake O’Brien, along with defenseman Jackson Smith, have been sent back to their respective club teams. These decisions followed Canada’s triumph over Sweden with a score of 2-1 in a preliminary game held in Kitchener, Ontario. Vanacker, who joined the camp later, and O’Brien will resume playing for the Brantford Bulldogs in the Ontario Hockey League, while Smith is set to rejoin Pennsylvania State in the NCAA. With these cuts, Canada’s roster now stands at 25 players comprising 22 skaters and three goaltenders, adhering to International Ice Hockey Federation regulations. The Canadian team will kick off the under-20 tournament against the Czech Republic on December 26 in Minneapolis.