The Canadian national team will feature eight changes in its squad for the second week of the group stage of the Volleyball Nations League, which begins on Wednesday in the Slovenian capital.Two of Canada's most experienced and prolific volleyball players "," outside hittersEric LoeppkyandStephen Maar, as well as middle blockerDanny Demyanenko, will not take part in the second tournament of the group stage of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2026. The three are out of the group that will play in Ljubljana, Slovenia, from June 24 to 28.
The absence of this trio is particularly significant, as they are key figures in the national team. Loeppky was among Canada's top scorers during the first week in Ottawa, while Maar is a long-standing leader and one of the recognizable faces of the program in recent years. Demyanenko completes the list of those missing in the middle of the net.
These are not the only changes. Compared to the squad with which Canada played at home in Ottawa (June 10014), the team makes a total of eight changes for Ljubljana. In addition to Loeppky, Maar, and Demyanenko, Pearson Eshenko, Mason Greves, Zachary Hollands, Eric Siiksna, Arthur Szwarc, and Sharone Vernon-Evans will also not travel to Slovenia. Head coach Dan Lewis remains at the helm of the team, having warned after Ottawa that changes in players and roles were imminent for the away trip.
Canada's 14-player squad for Ljubljana
Here is the full list of the 14 volleyball players who will represent Canada in the second tournament of the group stage:
| No. | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daynan (Koffi) Gyimah | middle blocker |
| 2 | Luke Herr | setter |
| 3 | Jesse Elser | outside hitter |
| 5 | Brody Hofer | outside hitter |
| 7 | Jackson Howe | middle blocker |
| 11 | Xander Kettrzynski | opposite hitter |
| 13 | Max Elgert | setter |
| 15 | Jackson Young | outside hitter |
| 16 | Jordan Schnitzer | middle blocker |
| 18 | Justin Lui | libero |
| 20 | Jordan Canham | opposite hitter |
| 22 | Isaac Heslinga | outside hitter |
| 97 | Landon Currie | libero |
| 99 | Skyler Varga | outside hitter |
Substitute:#33 Finn McCarthy (middle blocker).
In Ljubljana, Canada is in a group with hosts Slovenia, as well as Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Brazil. The Canadians' first match is against Slovenia on Wednesday, June 24. The 'Maple Leafs' play against Bulgaria on June 27.
