In part two of our U18 post tournament coverage, our scouts submitted their surprises and disappointments from their regions.
SURPRISES
Jere Somervuori
Somervuori came to the IIHF U18 World Championships having a bit of an up and down season. He started the season strong, producing at a point per game pace in the first half of the season but struggling in the second half. However, he was a leader offensively for Finland as he ended the tournament first in points for Finland with six points (2 goals and 4 assists). He was one of the most used forwards for his team and he was able to showcase his high compete level in every game. Somervuori’s effectiveness and tenacity on the forecheck combined with his speed and his ability to play at a high pace are qualities that should make him attractive in the middle rounds. (Jérémy Rivet, Finnish Regional Scout)
Filip Ekberg
Ekberg was a driving force for Sweden at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship, leading the tournament in scoring with 18 points in seven games. His blend of skill, hockey sense, and goal-scoring touch made him a constant threat and a key reason behind Sweden’s silver medal finish. Ekberg’s ability to create offense in transition and from set plays stood out, and he was recognized as the tournament’s MVP and Top Forward. The performance not only highlighted his upside but also reinforced his status as a top prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft. (Viktor Åhlund, Swedish Regional Scout)
Cole Reschny
Cole Reschny concluded his second-half surge with an exclamation point at his final event of the season, establishing himself as the biggest riser among WHL skaters. Reschny joined the team midway through the tournament and finished with five goals and three assists in five games, including a clutch overtime winner against Czechia in the quarterfinals. In addition to his cerebral playmaking, Reschny showcased a complete two-way game and a high compete level. He was a regular contributor on the PK and was aggressive in puck pursuits and forechecking sequences. An overall performance that makes him a strong candidate to go in round one. (Kyle Dalla Zanna, Western Canada Regional Scout)
Tinus Luc Koblar
Norway’s Tinus Luc Koblar deserves a huge shout out for his key role in staving off elimination. Koblar was an all-situations center, matching up against the stars of the tournament at even strength as well as seeing time on both special team units. He provided a ton of puck insulation for some of Norway’s smaller players by winning board battles all over the ice and flashed some nifty playmaking moments. Koblar could be a late riser on draft boards thanks to his strong effort this tournament and he’s a strong candidate to be picked in the later rounds. (Felix Robbins, Swedish Regional Scout)
Matúš Lisý
Lisý is an interesting case, he’s a balanced two-way defenseman with average size (6-foot-0 to 6-foot-1) who skates well and could be a late round pick. I’ve seen him play some of his best hockey at the tournament - he was confident with the puck, joining the rush, creating chances and also winning battles in his own end. One thing that concerns me is his decision making - he seemed to make too many mistakes to my liking. Still, he’s a two-way defenseman with a decent toolkit who could make his way into the bottom rounds. (Matej Deraj, Central Europe Regional Scout)
Jakob Ihs-Wozniak
Jakob's never going to drive play like an Ivar Stenberg who does it at an elite level, but instead Jakob is good at finding open space both in the offensive zone while his team has possession or being able to make plays at fast speeds during the rush. Jakob is an incredible finisher and added up five goals throughout the tournament, ending up with seven points in seven games. While he wasn't Sweden's most trusted offensive forward (only receiving 14:24 average ice-time), he was still able to produce. Thanks to his play this tournament, an NHL team could very much be interested in taking him in the first round as the top six potential has become more evident. (Simon Johansson, European Video Scout)
Jack Ivankovic
Jack Ivankovic's talent and ability have always been prevalent throughout the season. Unfortunately, however, his performance has always fluctuated heavily, with his playoff series against Oshawa being a big test to see if the regular season inconsistencies were behind him. Unfortunately, that series did not go as planned, and Ivankovic ended his OHL year in a rut. The U18 world championship acted as the last chance for Ivankovic to generate momentum and prove that he can step up where every game matters. He did just that, only allowing six goals in six games. He looked very in control of the play, and even though his team was dominant, he was able to snuff out any comeback attempts, dominating the play himself and making some big saves while the results were still up in the air. (Liam Crouse, Goaltending Scout)
L. J. Mooney
Although Mooney was the smallest player on team USA, listed at 5-foot-7, he was by far their most consistent and reliable producer throughout the tournament. Not only did he lead the Americans in scoring with 11 points, but he was also their most consistent play driver and physical presence. Money was noticeable in all three zones and did not shy away along the wall and in the high danger areas. His relentless motor helped spark the U.S. squad at times when they needed a boost. This performance should definitely bump his draft stock. (Mark Dube, U.S. Regional Scout)
Cullen Potter
Besides L.J. Mooney, who was the most surprising standout on the USA team, Potter looked far and away the best player for almost every game in the tournament. He only played middle six minutes (technically 3rd line) but over the course of the tournament was continuously adjusting and improving. He seemed to benefit from having Moore and Horcoff on his line, both of whom are very talented in their own respects, and he used his supporting teammates during play more than we’ve seen with ASU throughout the season. Overall, a very strong showing for Potter. There were times when he touched the puck that he looked like an NHL player playing against 17-year-olds. (Sean Boyd, U.S. Regional Scout)
Lev Katzin
I did expect a 5-foot-8 speedster to be a big contributor offensively for Canada…but I didn’t expect it to be Guelph forward Lev Katzin. The Penn St commit had 48 points in 44 OHL games this year but established himself as a key top six forward in this U18 tournament and finished third on team scoring with 10 points. A draft afterthought during the season, I think his play this tournament secured him a later round selection. (Jamison Derksen, North American Video Scout)
Florian Schenk
Coming off a rather disappointing four-point, minus-eight season in the QMJHL, it was uncertain how much of a factor the 6-foot-4, 209-pound winger would be in Texas. Despite Switzerland getting relegated and not winning a game from the test-game phase to the shootout loss to Norway, Schenk showed a lot of spunk and was mighty aggressive in trying to prevent the team’s unfortunate fate. He pumped in four goals and racked up seven minor penalties, mostly because he ran around like a bull in a china shop. It hurt the team at times, but he sure stuck out in what was generally a potpourri of blandness. (Chapin Landvogt, Central Europe Regional Scout)
Elias Schneider
Put your hand up if you knew who Schneider was coming into this year’s U18 Worlds? Well, it sure wasn’t certain where exactly Schneider would wind up in the line-up, but he ended up anchoring the first line and becoming the team’s top scorer with six points. He regularly displayed a heavy shot (hitting a number of solid posts and crossbars along the way) while also collecting several lovely assists (and setting up plays that his teammates didn’t make use of). Sure, he’s not the finest skater and he tried pushing a number of plays that weren’t there, but he was one of the surprises of the tournament, not just this team. We’d sure love to see him in Canadian juniors next season. (Chapin Landvogt, Central Europe Regional Scout)
DISAPPOINTMENTS
Atte Joki
Joki was a bit of a disappointment for Finland offensively for Finland. He ended the tournament with zero points in five games even if he was the most used forward for Finland. Especially in high scoring games where Finland rolled over Norway (7-1) and Latvia (10-2), we could have expected more from him. He was still able to showcase his effectiveness on the forecheck, backcheck, and his play around the net, but his lack of finishing touch, could make his draft stock fall a bit. However, the number of minutes he played demonstrated that he is a player that can be trusted in different situations. (Jérémy Rivet, Finnish Regional Scout)
Karl Annborn
Karl Annborn’s performance at the 2025 U18 World Championship fell short of my expectations, particularly on the offensive side. Despite playing in all seven games, he failed to register a single point and had minimal impact in Sweden’s transition game or offensive zone play. In a tournament that highlighted the value of mobile, puck-moving defensemen, Annborn contributed little in terms of creativity or offensive pressure. While defensively reliable, his lack of production limited his overall influence. His showing reflected a more conservative role rather than one of a dynamic two-way contributor. (Viktor Åhlund, Swedish Regional Scout)
Cameron Schmidt
Cameron Schmidt’s play left much to be desired. Known for his breakneck skating ability and ability to execute skilled plays with high-end speed, the diminutive winger struggled to create offence and displayed concerns around his hockey sense and lack of defensive engagement. He disappeared for long stretches, and showed individualistic habits on the attack, skating into pressure and passing up playmaking opportunities for low-percentage shots far too often. Schmidt’s dynamic abilities and goal-scoring upside bring optimism for his NHL projection when he’s on his game, but at this point, he’s going to hear his name called on day two. (Kyle Dalla Zanna, Western Canada Regional Scout)
Eddie Genborg
Eddie Genborg was a player I wanted more from all tournament long. Outside of a couple big hits, Genborg was outshined and out-gritted by his checking linemates Torkel Jennersjo and Morgan Anderberg. While he isn’t exactly known for his scoring ability, he was a net negative on the puck and seemed to be constantly chasing play. He’s billed as a straightforward, playable depth piece, but there were moments he didn’t look all that playable for Sweden. This performance shouldn’t overshadow the excellent year he’s had in the J20 with Linköping, but the likelihood of Genborg going in the top two rounds may be in jeopardy. (Felix Robbins, Swedish Regional Scout)
Michal Oršulák
Goaltending was the main issue for Czechia throughout the whole tournament. Due to Ondřej Štěbeták’s absence, Oršulák was tasked with being the goalie no. 1, but eventually lost his job to underager František Polatín. Oršulák often looked nervous and disengaged in net. He was solid in his first game, although he did let in a sloppy goal, but held Czechia throughout the match. The next performances were much worse. He has great size at 6-foot-4 and displays solid athleticism, but his performance at the tournament certainly didn’t help his draft stock. (Matej Deraj, Central Europe Regional Scout)
Anton Frondell
Frondell's performance in the U18 tournament was a bit of a letdown. He joined the team mid-tournament and there are arguments for him being tired because of his play in the Hockeyallsvenskan. However, I would say that excuse doesn't suffice as he didn't play much at all through the latter parts of the Hockeyallsvenskan playoffs. Being talked about as a top 10 pick in this draft, you expect more from him. His flashes are good, making solid reads defensively and displaying his hockey IQ by finding teammates in good scoring areas. But overall, he was quite invisible and was lacking as a difference maker, which could drive his stock down in the upcoming draft. (Simon Johansson, European Video Scout)
Michal Orsulak
The U18 world championship is the ideal venue for goalies outside of the well-covered North America to make a name for themselves with a strong performance, leading to the draft. Orsulak was a goalie whose stats in Czechia U20 did not stand out, and relied upon his visual skillset to generate attention, but needed a strong performance at the tournament to assert that he is a legit prospect. Unfortunately, his weaknesses got exposed, allowing several weak goals from clean shots that could’ve been prevented with active hands and better positioning. Each goal seemed to negatively affect Orsulak and linger throughout the tournament, as he didn’t appear to be the same competitive, athletic goalie that was shown in the regular season. (Liam Crouse, Goaltending Scout)
Jack Murtagh
As the highest ranked U18 NTDP prospect here at McKeen’s, there were some expectations from Murtagh coming into this tournament. He’s known for his goal scoring abilities and only ended up with two goals and six points in seven games for team USA. Murtagh seemed to lack that confidence with the puck he often possessed throughout the season. He didn’t drive the net with much authority and seemed hesitant to shoot at times when a play was available to him. One tournament doesn’t define a season, but it would have been nice to see more from Murtagh in Texas. (Mark Dube, U.S. Regional Scout)
Charlie Trethewey
After a very strong season with the U17 team, he started slow this season and then really started heating up his play towards the end of the season, but he really fell flat this tournament. The offensive upside and overall shine to his game seemed suppressed and his highlights were overshadowed by mishandling under pressure and defensive lapses. Posting one assist in seven games after 10 points in seven games at the U17s last season, it seemed like there was still a lot of work to be done with Trethewey. Time in the NCAA with Boston University next season could iron out issues and bring back his A-game. (Sean Boyd, U.S. Regional Scout)
Jackson Smith
Jackson Smith was expected to be one of the best defensemen in the tournament and a key player for Canada. He was good, and did end up scoring four goals, but he didn’t really stand out or take over games the way I thought he might. No new red flags or anything, it just was a bit of a letdown for the number two defenceman on the draft board. (Jamison Derksen, North American Video Scout)
Matia Nico Birchler
Of all the goaltenders who stood in net for at least three games, Birchler’s numbers were the worst. He came in felt to be good enough to back the team into the quarterfinals but ended up being a difference maker from a negative standpoint. A 7.79 GAA and .810 save percentage were actually quite indicative of what we saw along the way and there were some goals against of the backbreaking variety in each contest. The 6-foot-5 netminder has some tools, so this was a bad time not to be able to apply them. (Chapin Landvogt, Central Europe Regional Scout)
David Lewandowski
The right wing on upstart Germany’s top offensive unit, Lewandowski underwhelmed his way to three points in the first three games before falling off the planet. In fact, he wrapped things up as more of a detriment to the team than the difference maker they desperately needed him to be. Possessing immense stickhandling and physical tools, not to mention a 41-point WHL season under his belt, he did far too little for a team that was otherwise busy overachieving. With several players having put up a +4, his -6 was the worst on the team. His shanking of a shot on as wide open a net as you’ll ever see was poignantly descriptive of his overall performance. (Chapin Landvogt, Central Europe Regional Scout)