Sophomore defenseman Jackson Smith and incoming freshman forward Shea Busch have been invited to the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase by Hockey Canada, the first step in the selection process for Canada’s 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship team.
Smith, a Calgary, Alberta, native, and Busch, a North Vancouver, British Columbia, native, will participate in practices and exhibition games against the United States, Sweden, and Finland. They’ll then return to Penn State for the upcoming season and hope to be invited to the final selection camp in December.
Smith is familiar with representing Canada in international tournaments, as he played a key role in winning gold at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship. Busch, however, has yet to be a part of Canada’s World Junior pipeline.
Rising sophomore defenseman and 2025 @BlueJacketsNHL First Round pick, Jackson Smith, has been invited to participate in the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase for @hockeycanada!! 🏒🇨🇦
Congrats, Smitty!! 👏 #WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/h7zIQZM6y5
— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) July 24, 2026
After being selected No. 14 overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, becoming Penn State’s first ever first-round draft pick, Smith had a phenomenal freshman campaign.
He solidified himself as one of the nation’s best offensive defenseman, notching 26 points, 11 goals, and 15 assists. Following the season, he was honored with accolades such as All-Big Ten Second Team and Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
Busch, who was selected in the fourth round of that same draft to the Florida Panthers, had just as impressive a season for the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League.
Incoming freshman and 2025 @FlaPanthers fourth round pick, Shea Busch, has been invited to participate in the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase for @HockeyCanada!! 🏒🇨🇦
Congrats, Shea!! 👏 #WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/BvDAMLRGEp
— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) July 24, 2026
Although he suffered an upper-body injury that kept him out for several months of the season, he still played a major role in the Silvertips’ first WHL championship in franchise history. He scored 7 goals and 6 assists in 16 postseason games.
Now, Smith and Busch will showcase their talents in front of Hockey Canada’s national team staff, NHL scouts, and representatives from their respective NHL teams as they compete for a spot on one of the most prestigious international hockey teams in the world.
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