Windsor, Ontario — Eighteen-year-old goaltender William Lacelle is using a lifelong hearing challenge as an edge as he tries to earn a place with Canada at the World Junior Summer Showcase, a key step toward the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Adapting to Challenges
Lacelle, a left-catching goalie who will play next season at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, has adapted his game since childhood. Diagnosed at age 3, he is completely deaf in his left ear and has partial hearing in his right. Instead of relying on sound, he leans on vision, touch, and anticipation. He studies body language, tracking hips, shoulders, and eyes, and coordinates with defensemen through signals, eye contact, and stick taps. That communication work has continued smoothly with the new group at this camp.
There is familiarity in the crease, too. Lacelle has known fellow Canadian goalie candidates Lucas Beckman (Ottawa Senators) and Samuel Meloche (Buffalo Sabres) since their youth hockey days in Quebec, and he has crossed paths with Jack Ivankovic (Nashville Predators) at previous Hockey Canada camps.
Canada goaltending coach Dan De Palma considers Lacelle a serious contender. The staff has evaluated him strictly on performance, and his showing at camp has reinforced their view of his quickness, hockey sense, ability to read plays, and strong footwork — a well-rounded profile for the position.
Recent draft disappointment has added motivation. Despite finishing No. 7 among North American goalies on NHL Central Scouting’s final list, Lacelle was not selected at the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo as all 224 picks were announced. He has treated the snub as incentive to keep pushing.
Lacelle’s recent results back up his case. He went 27-17-0 with a 2.49 goals-against average, a .917 save percentage, and seven shutouts in 45 games during the 2025-26 season with Blainville-Boisbriand and Rimouski in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. On Jan. 5, he was traded to the Armada from Rimouski in a deal that sent forward Rafael Cloutier, first-round picks in the 2027 and 2028 QMJHL drafts, and a 2026 fifth-round pick the other way.
Lacelle frames his bid around compete level and consistency. He views himself as a calm, reliable presence and a quiet leader who prefers to let hard work set the tone. His determination to overcome obstacles and achieve his goals makes him a player to watch in the upcoming junior championships.