List of IIHF World Under - 20 Championship players for Canada Canada has participated in all 34 World Under - 20 Championships , an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation ( IIHF ) . The first World Under - 20 Championship was held in 1974 , although the IIHF considers the first three years to be unofficial invitational tournaments . In 1977 , the Ice Hockey World Championships became an " open competition " which allowed all players , professional and amateur , to participate . With National Hockey League ( NHL ) players participating in the tournament , IIHF officials began to fear that true amateurs and young players were losing their places . As a result , full world championship status was given to the World Under - 20 Championship . Colloquially known as the World Junior Hockey Championship , the event was structured after the World Championships , but limited to players under the age of 20 . During the first years of the tournament , Canada did not have a national team , instead choosing to send a club team , typically the Memorial Cup winner . In 1978 , an all - star team was sent . The first national junior team participated in the 1982 tournament , and became the first Canadian team to win a gold medal . Canada has won more gold medals than any other nation and has had two five - year gold medal winning streaks , during 1993 – 1997 and 2005 – 2009 . The Canadian team is usually composed mostly of players from the Canadian Hockey League , a major junior umbrella organization that consists of the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League . One of the most infamous incidents in tournament history occurred in 1987 in Piestany , Czechoslovakia , where a massive brawl involving all players on both teams occurred between Canada and the Soviet Union . It began when Pavel Kostichkin took a two - handed slash at Theoren Fleury and the Soviet Union ' s Evgeny Davydov came off the bench , eventually leading to most of the players from both teams joining the brawl . The officials , unable to break up the fight , walked off the ice and eventually tried shutting off the arena lights , but the brawl lasted for 20 minutes before the game was declared null and void . An emergency IIHF meeting resulted in the delegates voting 7 – 1 to disqualify both teams from the tournament . While the Soviets were out of medal contention , Canada was playing for the gold medal , and were leading 4 – 2 at the time of the brawl . The gold medal ultimately went to Finland , hosts Czechoslovakia took the silver and Sweden , who had been eliminated from medal contention , was awarded the bronze . The IIHF voted to suspend all players involved from competing in international events for 18 months , and all coaches for three years . Player suspensions were later cut to six months , which allowed eligible players such as Fleury to participate in the 1988 tournament . The brawl helped raise the profile of the tournament in Canada , where the tournament now ranks as one of the most important hockey events . Since 1977 , Canada has participated in every tournament , sending 56 goaltender s and 530 skaters ( forward s and defencemen ) . During this period , Canadian teams have won 26 medals : 15 gold , 7 silver and 4 bronze . Canadian cities have hosted the tournament a combined nine times , more than any other nation . Because of the age restrictions , the majority of players have participated in only one tournament . However , 120 players ( 112 skaters , eight goaltenders ) have played in two tournaments . Six players — Jason Botterill , Jay Bouwmeester , Trevor Kidd , Martin Lapointe , Eric Lindros and Jason Spezza — have played in three tournaments . As of 2010 , 455 players ( 411 skaters and 44 goaltenders ) , or 77 . 6 % of players , have won at least one medal . Of that number , 276 ( 27 goaltenders and 249 skaters ) , or 47 . 1 % , have won at least one gold medal . Forty - four players ( 41 skaters and 3 goaltenders ) , or 7 . 5 % , have won two or more gold medals . Jason Botterill is the only Canadian player to win three gold medals ( 1994 – 1996 ) , while Jason Spezza and Jay Bouwmeester ( both 2000 – 2002 ) have also won three medals ( two bronze , one silver ) . Eric Lindros , who scored 12 goals and 19 assists for a total of 31 points over three tournaments ( 1990 – 1992 ) , is Canada ' s all - time assists and points leader in the tournament . Jordan Eberle , who played in the 2009 and 2010 tournaments , is Canada ' s all - time leading goal scorer , with 14 goals . _ _ ToC _ _ Notes . Note 1 — Canada ' s seventh game in the 1987 World Championships against the Soviet Union was not completed and declared null and void because of a bench - clearing brawl between the two teams . Canada had been winning 4 – 2 , but the statistics of that game are not included here .