After taking place in the hot state of Texas for the second time in six years, this year’s IIHF U18 Worlds tournament will return to a more traditional hockey market, splitting venues between the Slovakian capital of Bratislava and the oh so hockey crazy town of Trencin. It is in the former that Group B action will take place, although you have to wonder if tournament organizers aren’t missing out on an opportunity here seeing as how Group B once again features Czechia, the border of which is but a half hour drive away from Trencin. All the better for the other four teams as the Czechs may not have as much of a home team advantage as anticipated.
We do expect Group B action to provide its fair share of skills and thrills, much to the delight of the swarm of NHL scouts that’ll be watching from above. In addition to what could be a chief attendance driver in Czechia, the group features reigning silver medalist Sweden, which will be keen on washing away the memories of the 7-0 gold medal game thrashing at the hands of Team Canada, and bronze medalist USA, which itself was just one goal away from making the gold medal game last spring. Rounding out things will be Germany, which bowed out in a tight 3-2 loss to Slovakia in last year’s quarterfinals as well as newbie Denmark, which will do all it can to avoid the relegation fate its U20 brethren experienced at this past winter’s WJC. At least the northern neighbor to Germany won’t have to wait until a possible relegation round appearance to get its shot at program vengeance.
Interestingly, the group is exactly the same as last spring, save for Denmark, which ultimately replaces Switzerland after the alpine hockey nation was somewhat surprisingly sent packing by Norway in a game that required a shootout. Not a pleasant way to exit the top division. Sweden is once again expected to contend for gold, even if there are some surprising roster omissions, with Viggo Björck’s absence greatly saddening to no less than the scouting community. Likewise, Team USA should be hard to keep out of a top two spot in the group, especially with the USNTDP welcoming a few very capable additions from the outside. Like Sweden, and maybe even more so, the Czech squad is heading into action sans several players felt to be among the finest the nation could have put on the ice this spring, highly touted 2026 draft eligible Adam Novotny chief among them.
Germany and Denmark are bringing along the best they have to offer, and both programs have “retaining the class” as their chief goal. One will do so by the end of the preliminary round. Considering that the driving forces behind Germany’s team this year are 2009-born players, the federation has plenty of incentive to retain the class for what could be a very promising 2027 tournament.
Here’s what to expect from each of the Group B contestants from April 22nd through May 2nd.
Czechia
We’ve gotten used to Czech teams at both the U20 and U18 levels being a regular contender at tournaments in recent years and last spring in Texas was no different, even if a medal wasn’t in play. The Czechs bowed out to Canada in the quarterfinals, but that 3-2 Canadian victory required overtime and proved to be a far cry from Canada’s 7-0 whipping of Sweden in the gold medal game. Essentially, the Czechs were the biggest stone on Canada’s gold medal path.
As competitive as Czechia has been as a team and program, Czech players have become a fairly scarce first round topic at the NHL draft, with only 5 having been selected in the first round since 2022. And that’s after none were taken in Round 1 of either the 2021 or 2020 drafts. An almost mindboggling fact. For this summer’s draft, the top Czech name of interest is without a doubt that of Peterborough Petes forward Adam Novotny. Despite being eligible for the worlds, he is not nominated. We’re also staring at the notable absence of center Filip Novak and OHL forward Simon Belohorsky as well as OHL RHD Ben Reisnecker, all of whom were noticeable contributors at last summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Still, coach Tomajko’s team will feature a strength in net, with two CHL goaltenders coming off strong seasons for their club teams. Jan Larys and Marek Sklenicka are so efficient that a preliminary round platoon at the tournament is thoroughly possible. How much help they’ll get from their rather pedestrian blueline is a question worth asking, even if we’re very excited about seeing 6-foot-3 16-year-old Matyas Michalek strut his stuff. Up front, we expect the forward group to sorely miss Novotny’s skill and ability to take control of play. Now that burden will fall on several different shoulders, most of which have spent their winters in Czechia’s U20 circuit. Simon Katolicky and 2027 super prospect Petr Tomek will have to lead the charge.
All that said, we’d be surprised if the Czechs end up anywhere but third in Group B action. The team can surely upset Sweden or USA, but both may be asking too much. Likewise, Germany has been known to give the Czechs headaches, so they certainly can’t take a day off against their neighbor to the west. Once the quarterfinals begin, anything is possible, especially with solid goaltending.
Players to watch
Dominik Byrtus – D
An underager who was born in the USA, Byrtus is coming off almost an entire season of pro play in the Czech Republic, even if the majority of it was in the country’s second pro division (2 points in 22 games). Turning 17 one day before tournament begins, Byrtus has been turning heads as a two-way defenseman with a strong understanding of the game and a high level of coachability. At the nation’s U20 level, his play belied his age as he collected four goals, 19 points, and a +21 rating over 33 games, a better performance than many of his blueline colleagues on this team. You can expect him to have a top six role in the bag seeing as how he was one of the top scoring defenseman with the program all winter long (6 points in 15 games).
Vojtech Hora - D
A defensive defenseman with strong game-reading skills and a willingness to adeptly block shots and passes, the 6-foot-4, 187-pound defender is coming in with a full year of Finnish U20 league play under his belt. He plays a safe game in all three zones and clearly understands the KISS principle while not fooling around with the puck whenever he has the opportunity to just make the safe play. This could be of golden value for the Czechs who’ll hope he can be leaned on in most all-important situations. He’s one of the few players here who has represented the Czech Republic all winter long. Even if his numbers in the U20 league and internationally were very pedestrian, he wrapped up the season with nine points in nine U18 league playoff games.
Simon Katolicky - F
With Novotny out of the picture, 6-foot-4, 194-pound Katolicky will be looked at as a go-to piece up front. All of 17 right on up until after the draft, Katolicky came into the season looking like one of the hottest prospects his country had to offer. Alas, an injury cost him a month of play between November and December, and his stats in Finland’s U20 league never popped. He also failed to make Czechia’s WJC squad, perhaps primarily due to the injury and uncertainty of his condition, but between his absence there, no Hlinka Gretzky Cup action, and a mere 23 points in 42 games this winter, we’re wondering just how effective he is as a scorer, especially when he’s a go-to guy. What’s clear is that this tournament could have a heavy impact not only on where he’s selected, but whether he’s drafted whatsoever.
Jan Larys - G
The 6-foot-3 goaltender is coming off a 26-10-2 performance for Drummondville of the QMJHL. His 2.86 GAA and .908 save percentage are top values in the Q. His 1-4 record as part of the team’s first round ousting will be seen as little more than a steppingstone along the way. What’s clear is that he’s heading to Bratislava as one of the top goaltending options in the tournament and no matter how he’s made use of, Larys could easily contend for the top goaltending honors here. With the firepower up front looking limited, both he and Marek Sklenica look like the key decision makers for this Czech team, especially once the playoffs roll around.
Marek Sklenicka - G
Having spent the entire season as the 1a for the Seattle Thunderbirds, Sklenicka is - along with Larys - one of the most accomplished goaltenders in this tournament. Very athletic and quick in net despite his 6-foot-4 frame, Sklenicka brings everything necessary to go for gold here in Bratislava. We don’t know how much he’ll play, if he’ll be the starter, or if coach Tomajko will platoon his goaltenders, but Sklenicka would be the starter for a number of the teams in this tournament. Like with Larys, his performance could easily be decisive.
Petr Tomek - F
You want excitement? Here’s the Czech forward to watch closely. Although of a slighter build, to put it nicely, Tomek is 17 and a 2027 draft eligible. He’s also coming off a full season of top league pro play in Czechia, where he displayed youthful exuberance all season long while collecting 16 goals and 29 points over 64 games, nine of which came in 13 playoff games. In other words, he’s been all the rage back home. Now coach Tomajko will have to hope he’s ready to perhaps be Czechia’s top offensive weapon at this tournament. It would have been nice to see him getting more help from some of the established talents left off the roster, but we can’t wait to see what he’ll be able to do here, one way or another.
Matej Tomanek - C
For the first time in years, we won’t be seeing and talking about Adam Benak in this rubric. Tomanek is about the same size as Benak and as fate would have it, he’s as close to a go-to playmaker as the Czechs will have with Novotny and Novak out of the picture. Basically, the top 17-year-old in Czechia’s U20 league, Tomanek went 19-29-48 in 47 total games for his Plzen club and has shown well in international friendlies, even if usually in a lower line capacity. Now, he should be a cog on the power play.
Jakub Vanecek - D
Having just wrapped up the season with the Tri-City Americans of the WHL, the 6-foot-2, 194-pound Vanecek has all the makings of being Czechia’s powerplay quarterback at this tournament. Playing for a team that lacked offense, Vanecek nonetheless pumped in 14 goals and 35 points this season and is viewed as a very likely top 75 pick this summer. For the Czech Republic, we’re expecting him to wear a letter and take on many of the most important assignments. He can be a cool customer but isn’t without his defensive weaknesses.
Denmark
The winter and spring of the 24-25 season were absolutely magical for the Danske Ishockey Union, seeing not only their U20 and U18 teams gain promotion from their respective D1B groupings but their women’s team moved up as well and the Men’s WC team, which hosted a magical leg of the spring tournament, brought things to a new height with a 1-0 quarterfinal win over a stacked Team Canada.
Alas, not all stories continue to lead to happy endings and after the U20 squad was promptly relegated at this past WJC, Coach Flemming Green now has a huge task at hand to keep Denmark among the world’s elite, something being made difficult by the fact that most of last spring’s dominating players have aged out, most prominently NHL draft pick Max Klyvo.
That’s nothing new for a contestant like Denmark, which will look to archrival Norway for a bit of inspiration in the matter, knowing fully well that it may just have to face Norway in the relegation round to achieve its goal of class retention. As usual, Denmark’s team will lean heavily on a mix of players playing abroad, mostly in Sweden, and those back home who at least got a lick of pro experience this past season in one of the nation’s two top divisions. The team is lacking any notable stars though, something that its closest competitors like Germany and Norway will be icing.
Emil Saaby Jakobsen - D
Already as an underager, Saaby Jakobsen was a key defensemen for the Danes while gaining promotion. He’s a slick puckhandler who can hop on horse to push the play forward. Impressive, considering he’s already 6-foot-3. He’s been in Sweden for the past two seasons and got into two pro contests for an ambitious club in the nation’s 3rd circuit but was primarily more than adequate with five goals and 21 points in 32 U20 league games, strong stats for a 17-year-old. Interestingly, he killed it in the U18 circuit with 15(!) goals and 23 points in just 15 games. He’ll be Denmark’s go-to blueliner and is probably the most interesting player on the team from a scouting perspective. A candidate to be North American juniors next winter.
James Bigum Johansen - D
He’s 6-foot-6 and 205 pounds. He has a righty shot. He’s now got an entire season of pro play in Denmark under his belt, splitting duties between the top league (25 games) and the nation’s second tier (14 games). In between, he played 16 U18 league games, scoring 12 goals and 20 points along the way. The most fascinating part of all this is that it has taken place as a 16-year-old. Indeed, Bigum Johansen will first turn 17 during the tournament and we’re going to find out if his impressive feats to date are simply a result of lower levels of play or if there’s something truly special here that requires higher level attention. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Andreas Klove Morgensen - F
He’s 5-foot-11 and little more than a spit in the bucket at 160 pounds but Klove Morgensen has spent this winter being Denmark’s most noticeable forward internationally (7 points in 5 games) and had a fascinating club season in his native Denmark. In addition to 24 goals in 22 U18 games, he played the entire second pro league season and went 21-24-45 in 30 games, which are unusually good number for a 17-year-old. He then concluded the season with six games in the top league, where he’ll surely be next season if he remains in Denmark. We’ll now get to see what all that means while facing the big boys in his age group.
Martinus Schioldan - W
Likely to be the biggest minute-muncher up front, the 6-foot-1, 194-pound Schioldan is coming off his second full season of play in Swedish juniors, having suited up for 32 U20 league games for HV71 and another 17 at the U18 level. Not much of a scorer in either, Schioldan has been molding himself into an amicable two-way player with complimentary player qualities. We saw him at the WJC, where he had a middle six role and collected two assists along the way. In light of all this, he’ll be expected to carry a lot of the weight for this club, being one of the few returnees from the team that gained promotion last spring. His biggest impact may be as a wrecking ball up front.
Germany
As much as we like teams who are here to win everything, we can appreciate when a federation is realistic and lets it be known that maintaining the class is the goal at hand, and anything above and beyond that is a cherry on top. For first-time coach Andreas Becherer, achieving that goal is his first major hurdle in his tenure with this team.
Germany achieved that goal last spring while featuring players such as Carlos Händel, David Lewandowski, and Maxim Schäfer, all of whom were drafted last summer, and their waterbug dynamo Dustin Willhöft (Saskatoon Blades). Alas, these go-to players have moved on to being keys to the nation’s U20 team and now the bulk of the responsibility is being passed along to a small group of underagers, with 16-year-old Max Calce (formerly Max Penkin) being chief among them. He’s not only someone to build on moving forward but is a returnee from last spring and already the biggest name Germany will be presenting. Had he not sustained an injury last December, he’d have been at the WJC in Minnesota as well. A veteran of 14 DEL games, he’s the most important player for Germany since, well, Tim Stützle. Yes, you read right.
As usual, the team will be showing up with a bunch of players the general fan will understand as no-names, the bulk of which have done little more than play in Germany’s top U20 league, which pales in comparison to those of most of the hockey world’s powers. Nonetheless, one defenseman will be coming straight over from the WHL, three players are heading down from Nordic country junior circuits, and four others are joining from Salzburg’s famed RB Juniors club, including two of the three goalies. Furthermore, three of the key players for this team are defensemen who are eligible for this summer’s draft while arguably the four most important forwards are first eligible in 2027. Two underage defensemen could also easily be among the top players for Germany, with 6-foot-2, 207-pound Liron Pellizzari having already suited up for seven DEL games.
To avoid beating around the bush, we can say the first game of the tournament will be little more than a warm-up match against Sweden. Not much is expected and Becherer can concentrate on systems and messages. But Game 2 will be against newbie Denmark, and this is by far the most vital game of the tournament. Win that and class retention is all but assured. A loss there will change the entire outlook, giving the games against the Czech Republic and USA a whole new meaning. Germany is not going to want to have to deal with that.
Beat Denmark and then the rest of the preliminary round is simply about preparing for the playoffs. That’s the driver’s seat Germany will be aiming for. Showing up in the relegation round would likely mean facing off against Norway or Latvia, and that hasn’t gone well for Germany in tournaments past.
Players to watch
Bastian Bauer - G
Germany is taking three internationally raw goaltenders to the worlds. Not a one of the three stood in goal for even five of the U18 team’s friendlies this winter and two of them are with the RB juniors program in Salzburg, neither of whom played with the men’s team there in the AlpsHL. Niclas Wolters was the starter for Berlin’s U20 outfit and played more this season than his colleagues, so he should be looking at the starter’s job. But 6-foot-2 Bastian Bauer, who only turned 17 one month ago, must be mentioned here because he’s coming off a season where he went 14-1 for the Red Bull program’s U18 team, following that up with a 5-0 record in the playoffs. His 0.80 GAA and .960 save percentage in the regular season are not something you see every day. It would be something if all that was the mark of a player who could turn heads at this tournament.
Nikita Bloch - F
An underager who just turned 17 three weeks ago, Bloch is one of the players who most impressed us this past season, especially considering how much his play and progress came out of the blue. To be clear, we enjoy the RB Juniors project going on in Salzburg because of how well players 16-21 years of age are able to play against lower tier pro men. They have many hurdles to climb, and Bloch got into 33 games, putting up three goals and seven points while mastering that. He exhibited no fear in his approach and put a dastardly solid wrist shot on regular display, most often playing on a line with other U19 players. That he was called up into the pro team was well-earned considering he had 17 goals in 18 U20 league games - as a 16-year-old. Now he’ll be a go-to offensive player here who is shaping up to be one to follow for the 2027 draft.
Max Calce - F
After gaining “exceptional status” to play in Germany’s top U20 league (DNL) as a 15-year-old in 24-25, Calce certainly took the bigger step this past season by not only making a 14-game debut with the Adler Mannheim of the DEL but scoring his first two pro goals in the process. It sounds pretty good - if not plain historic - for the 180-pounder who won’t be 17 until June, but this season has been otherwise a mix of bland, unfortunate, and surprising. He only got into 26 DNL junior games and his 33 points were good, but nothing particularly special. A game misconduct in the DNL championship series saw him miss the final game of the team’s sweep and meant he had just one point in three-game final series. His injury around the holidays cost him WJC participation and he (and his younger brother Danny) changed their name from Penkin to Calce a few months ago, the name of his DNL coach. Now Max is expected to be the ne plus ultra leader of this U18 team, which would mean he’ll certainly be expected to top the three points he had in Texas last spring. Alas, he’s entering the tournament having only played 10 contests whatsoever in 2026. What form will he be in?
Tobias Krämer - D
Fresh off a DNL championship with Mannheim (6-19-25 in 46 games), Krämer is pretty much our favorite prospect out of Germany this season. And he arrived out of basically nowhere to boot. Originally from the Czech Republic, his eligibility to play for Germany didn’t even become an IIHF certainty until about midseason, but it couldn’t have come at a better time for the DEB. He spent this past winter as one of the top overall junior defensemen in the country and combines snarl, uncompromising physical play, strong mobility, and an increasingly accurate and powerful shot, all in a 6-foot-6, 209-pound body. Watching him in Germany’s U20 is like being a kid in a candy shop, because there’s so little opponents can do to slow him down or get past him. Now comes the real test as aside from seven friendlies, this is the first time we really get to see what he can do against the creme-de-la-creme of his age group. There should be some initial issues with pace, but if he ultimately brings it, he could go from suspiciously impressive find to a hot topic for the scouting community in no time flat. The size/tools package is just too enticing. Bonus: he’s a righty shot to boot!
Darian Rolsing - D
At the conclusion of last season, we saw 6-foot-6 RHD Darian Rolsing looking like Germany’s top prospect for this year’s draft. He had not only spent the better part of two seasons playing Finnish juniors but entered the U18 Worlds in Texas as the #7 defenseman only to wind up as the team’s #3 by the time the playoffs rolled around. We knew he’d get USHL and maybe CHL attention and that took place, thus he spent this season gaining valuable experience for Wenatchee of the WHL. A defensive defenseman through and through, it’s been a season of learning, but one where he was in the line-up right from the get-go. Now he’ll be Germany’s de facto top pairing blueliner, out there for all major defensive duties. There are others here who can move with the puck, so his role will be clear. Whether he’s drafted or not this summer is looking uncertain. It’d have to be an outstanding tournament for him to sneak into a later round at this point but there’s pro potential here for down the road.
Jonas Schwarz - W
Get ready for a player who can jump out at you for all the right - or wrong - reasons. He’s a bit of a thoroughbred who needs to be reeled in at times and whether it’s snarky bite or an unchecked attitude, one can’t claim he’s emotionless, to put it nicely. What we can say is that he has some fantastic tools. Both his skating and stickhandling are things we don’t see coming out of Germany often, and he applies his hips in an excellent fashion in both maintaining balance and gaining better positioning. He knows where his colleagues are out on the ice as well. And like several others here, he’s first eligible for the 2027 draft. We suspect he’ll get a look on the line with Calce after putting up 58 points in 47 games for Lukko’s U18 squad, with another nine points in 13 U20 games when called upon. The program almost brought him along to Texas last spring but expect him to be getting top six minutes and responsibility as long as he stays focused.
Photo: Joel Marklund / BILDBYRÅN
Sweden
So close, and yet so far. Once again. Sweden has some silver medals to flash in recent years, but that gold medal back in 2022 is beginning to feel like it was a really long time ago. Fortunately, the team has as good a shot at gold this spring as anybody, save for maybe Canada. And therein lies the problem, because the groupings at this tournament are mighty similar to last year and chances are, any path to gold will likely require the Tre Kronor to face off against a squad it got whooped by 7-0 a year ago (had we mentioned that already?).
Making things even more challenging is the fact megastar Viggo Björck, an SHL player who already helped carry Team Sweden to gold at this winter’s WJC, will not be along for the ride. Yep, some crazy stuff, seeing as how it all has to do with his own decision to continue playing for Djurgarden’s U20 team in the J20 league playoffs. Apparently, that’s a problem, although everyone is holding out hope that fences will be mended in time for him to head on down before too long. If not, a great deal of responsibility spreads onto a number of other shoulders and chances are, most of these players spent all season thinking their go-to cog would be with them in Bratislava. Time to think in different constellations, just in case.
The good news is that there are a good number of shoulders here for that responsibility to be spread upon. Goaltending has something to prove, but the nation is bringing no less than two of its best U20 goaltenders down with them and all three nominees are coming off a full winter of action. The blueline features its usual mixture of draft candidates and those still hoping to become ones. Up front, the Swedes will be featuring one of the best groups at the tournament and all the scouts will be in the house to see the big names like Alexander Command and Marcus Nordmark as well as the more mysterious talents such as Wiggo Sörensson and Vilgot Liden.
One thing is for sure: defenseman Malte Gustafsson has the wares and a prime opportunity to be the tournament’s top defenseman. For him, his performance here could be the difference between being selected inside or outside of the top 10 this summer.
Players to watch
Adam Andersson - C
If you fancy lunch pail players who are just good at everything and can play the game any way it comes, even if their stats don’t jump out at you, then Andersson is the Swedish forward you’re going to want to keep your eye on here. As well-rounded as it comes at this age, Andersson will likely be out there for PK duty and any time the going gets rough. He’s got the mind and hands to move the puck, and when it’s time to sprint, he’ll be getting from point A to B faster than most.
Viggo Björck - C/W
We’re holding out hope that the aforementioned discrepancies between Björck and the federation will take care of themselves by next week. He’s clearly the star of the team, was already a key component of the gold-medal-winning WJC team and is slotted to be a top 15 pick this summer. In fact, if he were six inches taller, he’d likely be a top three pick. Everything he does is that of a winner and it’s been that way for two years now. By the end of the season, he was taking a regular shift in the SHL. Should he show up in Trencin, there’s really going to be little opposition defenses can do to prevent him from heavily impacting every game. He’d have to be an odds-on favorite to lead the tournament in scoring. But will we see him there?
Alexander Command - F
Clearly inspired by the English language meaning of his last name, Command likes to take just that when playing, accustomed to having the puck on his stick and creating danger as both a shooter and playmaker. As wonderful as his season was, and coming from the same organization as Leo Carlsson, Command will be representing his country for the first time at a major tournament, and despite six scoreless SHL appearances, we can only really point towards his 12 points in 13 international U18 friendlies this winter as a sign of what to expect from him in Slovakia. Expect him to be a top six center who’ll look to use this tournament to solidify a spot in the latter half of the first round this summer.
Elton Hermansson - W
The 6-foot-1 winger is coming into this tournament as one of the most pro-mature players we’ll see. He’s coming off an entire season of HockeyAllsvenskan play with MoDo, a big name in the Swedish hockey world, where he put up 12 goals and 22 points while getting a good bit of playoff experience, recently bowing out in Game 7 of the semi-finals. He can play a rough ‘n tumble game and has absolute sniping abilities. Furthermore, his play against his peers in Slovakia could go a long way in deciding just how high he’s drafted this summer. We’ll be curious to see how he makes the transition from being the little fella in a veteran locker room to a go-to contributor with leadership expectations. We don’t think it’ll be a problem.
Malte Gustafsson - D
Pokechecks, use of space, reads, mobility, timing, an understanding of not only where the game is, but where it’s going… Yep, the hockey world didn’t really see it coming, but Gustafsson wowed this winter with his innate hockey sense and simple ability to play in all three zones against professional athletes. Already 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, he makes a surprisingly coordinated impression, even if quite lanky, but he can handle the rough stuff and always takes the body when the situation demands it. He got into 31 SHL games this year and even if the production to date has never really seen any popping at any level, he’s a defensemen’s defenseman who can do a bit of everything and has the natural abilities to indicate there’s far more to come down the line. For now, Sweden will be happy with him just doing his thing until the end of April because it’s hard to imagine that all too many opponents at this tournament will be able to do anything but fail against his wingspan and overall shutdown skills.
Bosse Meijer - F
Meijer is for this year’s Team Sweden what Viggo Björck was for last year’s. He’s perhaps one of the top two Swedes for the 2027 draft and we’re now going to get a glimpse of that promising future, because as soon as the hockey world found out that Björck would not be joining the national team (we’re still in shock), Meijer’s immediate importance to this team skyrocketed. Of similar size to Björck, and having just turned 17 in December, Meijer spent the whole season in Sweden’s U20 circuit, ultimately contributing 23 goals and 62 points over 44 games, including 25 points in 13 playoff games. He was an offensive beast. He’s so far along that perennial contender Frölunda gave him a two-game SHL introduction. He’s got the goods to be a top six contributor at this tournament.
Marcus Nordmark - F
It’s a veritable given that the Djurgarden organization will be producing 1-2 first round talents just about every summer now. It certainly has felt like that in recent years and together with Björck, Nordmark is expected to keep that trend going. We’re also expecting him to become a full-time SHL player next year that we saw the Eklunds and Frondells be this year, even if his draft year star hasn’t been quite as bright as those of the aforementioned organizational teammates. Alas, the 6-foot-2 winger who got into eight SHL games this season was the U20 team’s scorer du jour with 38 points in 25 games and has since been killing it in the playoffs with 23 points in 11 games. He can move, he can run a power play, he can dish it, and he understands the generating offense off the rush. Sweden is bound to lean heavily on him up front in this tournament.
Ole Palme - D
Probably the one Swedish player on this list you may not have heard of yet, Palme has many of the tools you want a depth defenseman in your organization to have. He’s 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, and has solid four-way mobility. He was very noticeable at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer with his three points and +5 rating. He parlayed that into steady and improving performances for the Växjö organization at primarily the U20 level (6 goals, 22 points in 25 games), but especially for the U18 squad (3-14-17 in 15 games), crowned by a 5-game stint in the SHL. He turned 18 two months ago and is right where you want him in his development. He should be an essential component of any success this Swedish team enjoys, especially when it comes to ensuring solid, teamwide puck management.
Wiggo Sörensson - F
Sörensson is one of the biggest mysteries at the tournament. This will be the opportunity to really see just what this young man has to offer and if it compares with those of his age group who have been playing in a more competitive environment. That’s because Sörensson played for a program off the beaten path and blew away the competition, both at the U20 level (56 points in 13 games) and with the 4th division men’s team (48 points in 37 games). By the time he was loaned out to the formidable Växjö organization, he added 12 points in 7 U18 games and scored a goal in his one U20 appearance. For all intents and purposes, he looks uniquely talented with a great deal of creativity and a strong understanding of generating offense. Having turned 18 not even a week ago, this will be the highest level he’s played at this year.
USA
The years in which the US entered this tournament as the clear-cut favorite for gold are felt to be a thing of the past, even if those days weren’t all that long ago. Already last spring in Texas, there was concern that the team might have trouble playing for a medal. It ended up playing a fine tournament and going home with bronze, having lost the semi-final to Sweden by a tight score of 4-3 beforehand. But with the tides of junior hockey having changed so heavily thanks to the newfound NCAA eligibility for CHL players, the USNTDP no longer has recruiting power for a US player market it once dominated.
This winter has shown us already what that heavy shift in recruiting dynamics can mean as there were some less than spectacular games along the way and a lack of star power. It immediately cost them a topflight forward in J.P. Hurlbert, who took his act to the WHL. More will choose that route moving forward. This tournament will also not see OHL 97-point performer Nikita Klepov, who was fantastic for the US at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, as his camp seems to be wanting to leave the door open for him to one day represent Russia in international play.
Nonetheless, the US is coming to Slovakia with a good 10-13 players expected to be drafted this summer and several more who are hot topics for the 2027 NHL draft. There’s plenty of depth and opportunity for a number of skaters to be heroes over the next few weeks. We’d even go so far as to say we’re not homing in specifically on names like Danny Beuker, Mikey Berchild, Sammy Nelson, or Victor Plante to be the top guys to keep an eye on, but any one of them could end up being a difference maker.
Also, of advantage for Team USA is that the preliminary round will look a lot like it did last year, just this time Switzerland is out and Denmark is in. Considering the Danes often present a team much like Norway’s, and the US toppled the Norwegians 10-0 in a recent test game, we see little stopping the US from finishing top three in the group and more likely among the top two. The key tests will be the initial match-up against a Czech team that might draw what’ll more or less be a hometown crowd and then the third match-up against a loaded Swedish side. The US beat Sweden 6-3 in the preliminary round last year, but the Swedes obviously got their revenge in the playoffs.
As opposed to last year, the program doesn’t have to be too worried about goaltending and the attack features a number of options, even if we find ourselves wondering who will be this year’s L.J. Mooney. There are some really big boys in the forward attack and that should be an advantage when the going gets tough or in general against teams with physical limitations.
What we don’t know is how solid the blueline will prove itself to be. It’s anything but star-studded but has come through as a suffocating unit at various junctures of the season, even at times when few goals were produced up front. Our concern here is when it may come down to one important game in the quarterfinals, the day when four teams are sent home packing. We’d have to think it’d behoove this team to not have to face, for example, Slovakia in Bratislava for such a decisive outing. On paper though, this team should be playing for a medal.
Players to Watch
Wyatt Cullen - C
The son of former NHLer and Stanley Cup winner Matt Cullen, Wyatt is a prospect currently very much on the rise. Setbacks in the fall and December kept him to a modest start into the season, but he’s been moving up the charts through the back half of the campaign and comes into this tournament as one of the players with the most to gain from a draft position perspective. In Slovakia, he’ll be a key contributor on the powerplay and in generating the kind of offensive opportunities that keep opponents guessing all game long. A future Golden Gopher, we see Cullen serving the role for this team at this tournament that players such as Jack Hughes, Logan Cooley, and James Hagens have for The Program in the past without wanting to lean too far out the window in making any direct comparisons. This is the level of relevance he should have for this team nonetheless.
Jamie Glance - W
With a September 23rd birthday, Glance just misses the cut for this year’s draft and is first eligible in 2027. However, with 33 goals and 72 points in 80 games this winter, he’s one of this squad’s absolute go-to guys and will now participate in the only U18 Worlds he’s still eligible for. Neither particularly large nor overly speedy, Glance displays a wonderful understanding of creating offense off the rush and finding ways to present himself for a pass, which is a good thing as his one-timer is among his most proficient weapons. There’s tenacity here too. Capable of making the sneaky slick pass, Glance can go under the radar for periods at a time before making a decisive play. A gamer and someone who can be the hero in overtime, we expect Glance to be in the thick of any success the team will have.
Diego Gutierrez - D
A righty shot defenseman with impressive size (6-foot-2, 187 pounds), Gutierrez hails from McAllen, Texas, and is coming in as a 16-year-old underager. A fairly hot topic for the 2027 draft at this point, we’ve liked that Gutierrez has shown a knack for making the sweet pass here and there and can break out the puck, sometimes by threading the puck over several zones. He’s still raw and has shown growing pains against bigger competition this winter, but there’s an opportunity at this tournament for him to surpass other defensemen on the totem pole and add considerable experience for the future, as he could be the program’s #1 defenseman next season.
Levi Harper - D
Certainly not the biggest defenseman in the world at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, Harper is coming in from the Saginaw Spirit and is your classic righty shot power play quarterback who is used to playing and gelling with star forwards. As such, he’s exactly what the doctor ordered for a team that never saw anyone within the program step up to the plate in this capacity this season. Smart with the puck and capable of unloading various forms of shots that forwards can make good use of in front of the net, Harper had 12 goals and 57 points in 68 OHL contests. The slick passer won’t turn 18 until October, meaning he’s first eligible for the 2027 draft. At this tournament, we’re expecting him to already be the US’ ne plus ultra on the blueline for all major offensive duties. Defensively, he’s very much a work in progress, so we’re looking at a true specialist weapon who could be a huge difference maker.
Brady Knowling - G
Already a member of the WJC squad this past winter, Knowling is thought of as one of the top three North American goaltenders in this draft, if not the best. That has much more to do with his athleticism, anticipation, strong east-west crease movements, and lightning quick reflexes, all packaged in a 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame. Alas, you wouldn’t know how highly touted he is by looking at stats alone, as the technical numbers against older competition do little to explain how he’s accumulated a 20-15-1 record. But now is the time where all that takes a back seat. Truth is, Knowling could easily will this team to a medal of some sort and has as good a shot at doing that as any goaltender in this tournament. He’ll face some pressure from the stronger teams, so we’ll get to see what he’s really capable of with the chips on the line.
Carter Meyer - F
Another underager draftwise, Meyer turned 17 just a week before the tournament but was already the program’s top scorer in the USHL leg of their season, putting up 37 points in 42 games. Son of former NHL defenseman Freddy Meyer, Carter has been the key offensive driver for the program’s U17 team and, in total, has suited up for 109 games this winter - an attest to his fitness and perseverance. The owner of a deadly wrist shot, he can control a power play from the right faceoff circle and sticks out as a deadly playmaker around and from behind the net. Considering some bigger names and outside additions may mean he takes a lower line assignment, just that may free him up to be quite the weapon against weaker competition.
Casey Mutryn - F
The one-year younger brother of San Jose Sharks prospect Teddy Mutryn, the Boston College commit came into the season as one of the most anticipated US players in the draft. He’s still expected to be one of the first 15 names off the board on Day 2, but this season has had its fair share of ups and downs. A righty shot with some moves and swagger, Casey is an absolute handful along the boards and in the slot. There’s plenty of bite to his game and he’s no stranger to the penalty box, as his 113 PMs this winter attest. Nonetheless, his 53 points in 80 games this winter have left viewers wanting more. All in all, we have little doubt that he’ll make his mark in pro hockey as a power forward with intangibles, but we’re really hoping he’ll use this tournament to give teams a good reason to perhaps select him at the tail end of the first round. We’re certain that some opponents here are going to have their hands full with him.
Brooks Rogowski - C
Rogowski won’t be 18 until several days before this summer’s NHL draft, but the 6-foot-6, 230-pound center is already an absolute truck of physical specimen. Joining the US from the Oshawa Generals, Rogowski was held to just 46 contests this season (42 points) as he missed a good month of play between early November and the holidays but left little doubt this season about his ability to move, dish the puck, and crash the net. That means he’s going to be able to add exactly what this spring’s Team USA is really in need of in Slovakia, coming in as perhaps the tournament’s biggest player. A Michigan State commit as of the 27-28 season, we’re thinking he’ll be adding a very difficult element for opponents to face and perhaps a powerplay presence that’ll give this team a major advantage. Like others on Team USA, this tournament could do a good bit in fortifying a spot as a first round draft pick.
Luke Schairer - D
In a year where the USNTDP has fewer draft eligible defenseman of note than usual, Schairer continues to look like the best of the bunch. His 27 points in 80 games were definitely nothing to write home about, especially considering he has played the point on the power play, but the offensive side of his game not only has room to grow, it’s a plus when we take the combination of mobility and size (6-foot-3 200 pounds) into account. He lacks a full level of smoothness in his turns, but he competes and rarely gives up on a play. There are times he can suffocate the opposition along the boards, and he makes strong use of his long reach. Coming into the season, there might have been more expectations of him, but this tournament will be one last prime opportunity to show what he can chip in for a successful team and is one to build on in the future.