Former Minnesota Twins star and Canadian baseball great Justin Morneau made a public appearance during the MLB offseason by attending Canada’s World Junior Hockey Team morning skate. Morneau watched the session, received a Team Canada jersey, and briefly addressed the players.

Currently a TV analyst for the Twins on FanDuel Sports Network North, the visit came during a break in Morneau’s offseason schedule and coincided with preparations for the World Junior Championship.

Morneau, a native of New Westminster, British Columbia, has maintained ties to Canadian athletics since his playing career ended. A former hockey player in his youth, he attended the World Junior team’s skate as part of a scheduled visit.

Following the practice, Morneau addressed the group and was presented with a Team Canada jersey by team representatives. 

“I told the guys in the room, I used to set my alarm and we used to get together when the tournaments were overseas and watch them at 3 a.m. on the West Coast,” Morneau told TSN Canada. “It’s something that’s somewhat surreal. I’ve got to do a lot of really cool things in the course of my life, but being around this team and being around something that means so much to Canadians, it’s pretty special.”

Addressing the players, Morneau shared a simple message ahead of Team Canada’s game against Denmark at the 2026 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship.

“Everyone plays on their first line wherever they come from so just sort of understanding that playing for the country, playing for each other, no matter who gets the success, as long as the success is there, that’s all that really matters,” Morneau said.

Canada followed through with a 9-1 win over Denmark on Monday, securing all three points and maintaining a narrow lead atop the Group B standings.

Morneau was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the third round of the 1999 MLB Draft and made his Major League debut on June 10, 2003. He spent 11 seasons with Minnesota, forming the core of the franchise’s offense during the mid-to-late 2000s and establishing himself as one of the most productive hitters in team history.

Morneau’s defining season came in 2006, when he won the American League Most Valuable Player Award, becoming the first Canadian to earn AL MVP honors. That year, he hit .321 with 34 home runs and 130 RBIs, leading the majors in batting average and tying a Canadian single-season RBI record.

He was selected to the MLB All-Star Game four straight times (2007–2010) and earned two Silver Slugger Awards (2006, 2008). In 2008, Morneau also became the only Canadian player to win the MLB Home Run Derby.

Across his 14-season MLB career, which also included stints with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, and Chicago White Sox, Morneau finished with 1,603 hits, 247 home runs, 985 RBIs, and a .281 career batting average in 1,545 games. His impact with Minnesota led to his induction into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame, and he is also a member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.