By Joe Coopersmith
MAY 8, 2025
Blue Jackets to represent Canada, Slovakia and the United States in tournament held from May 9-25 in Sweden and Denmark
COLUMBUS, OHIO – The 2025 IIHF World Championships get underway in Stockholm, Sweden and Herning, Denmark on Friday, May 9 with six members of the Columbus Blue Jackets organization set to participate in the tournament. Head coach Dean Evason and assistant coach Steve McCarthy, alongside forwards Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson, will represent Canada. Defenseman Zach Werenski will suit up for the United States and prospect Samuel Knazko will represent Slovakia.
Evason is Canada’s head coach at the 2025 edition of the IIHF World Championships after serving as an assistant coach at the 2024 tournament. The native of Flin Flon, Manitoba also appeared in numerous events for the country as a player. He captained Canada to a gold medal at the 1997 IIHF World Championship after skating in 56 contests during the 1996-97 season. Additionally, he wore the Maple Leaf at the 1984 IIHF World Junior Championships. Evason completed his first season as head coach of the Blue Jackets in 2024-25 and led the club to a 40-33-9 record. He has compiled a 187-110-36 record in 333 career games as an NHL head coach with the Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild.
McCarthy is making his international coaching debut with Canada by serving as an assistant on Evason’s staff. The Trail, British Columbia native won two bronze medals as a player at the 2000 and 2001 IIHF World Junior Championships with Canada, serving as captain in 2001. He has served as an assistant coach for the Blue Jackets for the past four campaigns after joining the coaching staff on Sept. 13, 2021.
Fantilli, 20, is skating for Canada in his second IIHF World Championships after earning a gold medal in 2023. The Toronto, Ontario native also won gold at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championships. The 6-2, 198-pound center posted single-season career highs with 31-23-54 and 191 shots on goal, while averaging 17:29 TOI in 82 contests this past season to lead the team in goals (tied) and rank fifth in points. He has registered 43-38-81 in 131 career NHL games since being selected by Columbus in the first-round, third overall, at the 2023 NHL Draft.
Johnson, 22, is set to play in his second IIHF World Championships for Canada after earning a silver medal in 2022. The 6-0, 180-pound forward also represented the country at the 2022 Olympic Games and 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships (gold). A native of Port Moody, British Columbia, Johnson ranked third on the Blue Jackets in goals and points (tied) and fourth points in 2024-25 with 24-33-57 in 68 contests. Selected by Columbus in the first-round, fifth overall, at the 2021 NHL Draft, he has tallied 46-70-116 in 198 career NHL games.
Werenski, 27, will skate for the United States in his third IIHF World Championships after competing in the 2019 and 2024 tournaments. The 6-2, 211-pound Grosse Pointe, Michigan native also competed for Team USA earlier this year at the 4 Nations Face-Off from February 12-20, leading the tournament in assists and points after collecting 0-6-6 in four games. He previously captained the United States to a bronze medal at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships and was named the tournament’s best defenseman. A finalist for the 2024-25 Norris Trophy, Werenski led league blueliners in shots on goal and even-strength goals and set franchise records among defensemen in goals, assists and points with 23-59-82 and 17 even-strength goals in 81 contests. He has collected 113-271-384 in 567 career NHL games with Columbus after being selected in the first-round, eighth overall, at the 2015 NHL Draft.
Knazko, 22, has represented Slovakia at numerous international tournaments, including two previous IIHF World Championships (2021 and 2023). He also helped the country win a bronze medal at the 2022 Olympic Games and skated in two IIHF World Junior Championships (2020 and 2021). The native of Trencin, Slovakia made his NHL debut at the end of the 2022-23 season, skating in two contests with the Blue Jackets. He has totaled 7-42-49 in 149 career American Hockey League contests with the Cleveland Monsters from 2022-25, including 4-12-16 in 55 appearances with the club in 2024-25. The 6-1, 196-pound defenseman was selected by Columbus in the third-round, 78th overall, at the 2020 NHL Draft.
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