Dec. 8—GRAND FORKS — It’s been 43 years since UND has had multiple players on Canada’s World Junior Championship roster.We’re on the verge of it happening again.Three players with UND ties have been selected to Hockey Canada’s preliminary roster — freshman forward Cole Reschny, freshman defenseman Keaton Verhoeff and 2026 defenseman recruit Ethan MacKenzie.Hockey Canada is expected to make two roster cuts — one forward, one defenseman — before heading to Minneapolis/St. Paul for the 2026 World Junior Championship.The tournament, which features the top under-20 players in the world, will be held from Dec. 26-Jan. 5.Canada’s camp begins Saturday in Niagara, Ont., which means Reschny and Verhoeff are expected to miss this weekend’s National Collegiate Hockey Conference series against Omaha. If they make the final roster, they also will miss a nonconference series against Mercyhurst on Jan. 2-3.UND has never had three representatives on the Canadian World Junior roster.It had two representatives twice — 1982 (James Patrick, Troy Murray) and 1983 (Patrick, Gord Sherven).Reschny, 18, has been one of UND’s top two centers all season as a freshman.The Macklin, Sask., product leads the team in scoring with 18 points in 16 games, while winning 55.3% of his faceoffs. Reschny has tallied at least a point in eight of the last nine games, accumulating 14 during that stretch.Reschny was the No. 18 overall pick by the Calgary Flames in the 2025 NHL Draft.Verhoeff, 17, is the second-youngest player in college hockey this season.The Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., product has four goals and 11 points in 16 games, while registering a plus-5 and logging 19 minutes, 16 seconds per night.Verhoeff is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.He is one of just two 2008-born players on Canada’s preliminary roster. The other is defenseman Carson Carels, who is four days younger than Verhoeff.MacKenzie, 19, is perhaps Hockey Canada’s most intriguing pick.The Peachland, B.C., product went undrafted last summer, but is putting together a massive year in the Western Hockey League. He has 10 goals and 31 points in 30 games.MacKenzie has signed to play for UND beginning next fall. He is the only undrafted player to make Canada’s roster. He is eligible again for the draft in 2026.UND sophomore defenseman E.J. Emery and 2026 goalie commit Caleb Heil are onTeam USA’s preliminary World Junior roster.2020 — Jacob Bernard-Docker (gold)2017 — Tyson Jost (silver)2007 — Jonathan Toews (gold)2006 — Jonathan Toews (gold)1992 — Brad Bombardir1991 — Greg Johnson (gold)1990 — Jason Herter (gold)1989 — Geoff Smith1985 — Brad Berry (gold)1983 — James Patrick and Gord Sherven (bronze)1982 — James Patrick and Troy Murray (gold)