Dan De Palma (second face from the right) with the rest of Team Canada after winning gold at the U18 Worlds in Texas. (Image Credit: Hockey Canada)

By Victor Kaisar

U18 Worlds

Blazers’ De Palma wins consecutive U18 gold medals with Team Canada

May 4, 2025 | 7:24 AM

FRISCO, TX — Dan De Palma will be coming back to Kamloops with another Under-18 world men’s hockey championship gold medal.

The Kamloops Blazers goaltending coach was part of Canada’s coaching staff at the U-18 World Hockey Championships in Texas. Canada won back-to-back gold medals at the tournament for the first time after they whipped Sweden 7-0 in Saturday’s (May 3) final at Comerica Center.

Team Canada was backstopped by Jack Ivankovic, who went 144 minutes and 53 seconds without allowing a goal and finished with back-to-back shutouts.

Ivankovic, who plays for the Brampton Steelheads in the OHL, was named the top goaltender at the tournament as he led all netminders in goals-against average (1.05), save percentage (.960), and shutouts (2).

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The 17-year-old was also named to the Media All-Star Team. Like De Palma, Ivankovic also won a gold medal at the 2024 tournament, though he served as the backup goaltender.

Blazers defenceman Harrison Brunicke also won gold at the 2024 tournament in Finland.

It’s the latest international medal for De Palma, who also won gold at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and a silver at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He also served as goaltending coach for the 2025 World Juniors team.