Ivar Stenberg – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT: IMMEDIATE FANTASY IMPACT – Prospects who can make a difference in the next couple of seasons

Peter Harling — Mon, 04 May 2026 14:32:59 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 24: Washington Capitals defenseman Cole Hutson (44) as seen during an NHL game between the Washington Capitals and the St. Louis Blues on March 24, 2026, at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire)

Aside from winning your fantasy league, one of the best feelings is identifying the next big thing. Having the rookie of the year is a boastful achievement you can hold over your league mates. An impactful rookie that scores 40 goals as Auston Matthews did in 2016-17, or Mathew Barzal and his 85-point rookie campaign on your team can take your team from a contender, to a Championship.

Here are the top prospects coming to the NHL that can have an immediate impact on your fantasy team.

Gavin McKenna, LW - 2026 Draft

McKenna has been forecast as the top prospect for the 2026 Draft for years. He dominated the WHL with 244 points in 133 career games. With the NCAA opening its doors to CHL players, McKenna seized the opportunity to move to Penn State to play against much more challenging competition. The transition was challenging at first, but after a strong performance at the WJC with Canada posting 14 points in seven games, he returned to the NCAA with some swagger. McKenna scored 25 points in the next 12 games, including dropping 10 points in one weekend vs Ohio State. True, his production has dipped at the NCAA level compared to his lofty WHL production. And while he is used to playing older competition, that may be a concern for some. Don’t be fooled, the NCAA is a very high level of hockey that will only better prepare McKenna for hockey at the NHL level. Look for McKenna to break out into the NHL and have an immediate impact as a contender for the Calder Trophy.

Cole Hutson, D - Washington Capitals

Older brother Lane Hutson is the reigning Calder winner, and it is very reasonable to expect Cole to push for his own Calder Trophy season when he signs with the Capitals. Comparing their career stats, Cole is right on pace with his older brother's production and trajectory. Both are undersized, dynamic offensive defenders that have followed identical paths. Given the success his brother has enjoyed, the slightly bigger and drafted slightly higher Cole Hutson should take the NHL by storm like Lane did once he makes the jump to the NHL.

Ivar Stenberg, LW - 2026 Draft

Don’t look now, but the Swedish winger is the number one ranked prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft by several prominent scouting sources. Regardless of where he ends up being drafted, Stenberg has a very NHL ready profile that he brings and should be able to step into an NHL roster in his first training camp. He has good size, plays a complete all-around game and has tremendous offensive upside. Having played prime minutes in a prominent role at the SHL level as an 18-year-old and producing 33 points in 43 games, including 10 points at the WJC, he will be an impact player right out of the gate.

Anton Frondell, C/LW - Chicago Blackhawks

Another Swede playing a prominent role in the SHL as an 18-year-old is Frondell. The 2025 third overall selection scored 28 points in 43 games for Djurgardens. Frondell also played a key role winning the Gold for Sweden at the WJC scoring eight points. The heavy shooting winger has offensive upside, size, and an NHL-ready game. He signed his ELC and was loaned to the SHL for the current season, expect his NHL debut soon and his rookie season to be impactful.

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 09: Anton Frondell #16 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates after scoring during the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes on April 9, 2026 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire)

Porter Martone, RW - Philadelphia Flyers

Martone continues to trend quickly towards being an impactful offensive player in the NHL. The Flyers' sixth overall selection from the 2025 NHL Draft dominated the OHL in his draft year, scoring 98 points in 57 games. Like McKenna, he was ready for NCAA competition to challenge his development. The 6-foot-3 winger has proven to be up to the task as he has scored 25 goals and 50 points through the first 28 games with 78 PIM to boot. Martone was a force for Canada as well at the WJC with six goals and nine points in seven games. Still only 19-years-old, it would not be unreasonable for him to play his sophomore season at Michigan State, but he signed his ELC and made an impact in his first seven games in the NHL with three goals and four assists. The big winger will be a fan favorite in Philly for a very long time.

James Hagens, C - Boston Bruins

Drafted seventh overall by the Bruins after he had been ranked as the top prospect in the 2025 Draft heading into his draft season, is going to look like a steal for the Bruins. Since Hagens fell into the Bruins' lap, he has had a brilliant season with Boston College, racking up 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points. He had two points in the Bean Pot Championship victory and scored seven for USA at the WJC. Hagens has only been held off the score sheet five times this season and is a consistent producer as well as a reliable two-way player. The Bruins signed him after his junior season ended with the Eagles, and Hagens quickly secured a top role in Providence with potential to have an impact with the NHL team next season.

Zayne Parekh, D - Calgary Flames

His first year at the pro-level has had some ups and downs. Injuries have limited his games played, but with only four games at the AHL level the rookie defender posted two goals and five points. He was loaned to Canada for the WJC where he dominated with 13 points in seven games. The Flames trade of Rasmus Andersson secures Parekh's role as the team's undisputed top offensive defender and his role with the big team moving forward. Parekh will have played more than 25 games in the 2025-26 season, making him ineligible for the Calder in the coming season. That said, look for Parekh to have a breakout season in the coming year as he finds his footing in the NHL and on the Flames.

Tij Iginla, LW - Utah Mammoth

After climbing the draft rankings to sixth overall in 2024, injuries limited him to just 21 games in his D+1 season, where he still managed to post 32 points. As a senior in the WHL, Iginla delivered a 90-point campaign in just 48 games and is leading the WHL in points per game with a 1.88 PPG pace. Iginla was also one of Canada’s top players at the WJC with eight points. He is the son of Hall of Famer Legend Jarome Iginla, but there is no nepotism here; Tij is legit and could win the Calder in his NHL rookie season.

SAN JOSE, CA - DECEMBER 31: San Jose Sharks left wing Igor Chernyshov (92) skates with the puck during the NHL game between the Minnesota Wild and the San Jose Sharks on December 31, 2025 at SAP Center in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Scott Dinn/Icon Sportswire)

Igor Chernyshov, LW - San Jose Sharks

The Russian power forward may be under the radar in a few fantasy leagues. He was a second-round pick by the Sharks in 2024 from Russia, and his D+1 season was delayed due to injury. He made his North American debut late in the OHL season, playing in the final 23 games for Saginaw, where he posted 19 goals and 55 points. This year, he is making his pro debut and has appeared in at least 25 NHL games, notching 16 points, alongside the young Shark superstars and producing. He has spent a lot of the current season in the AHL, where he scored 33 points in 41 games. The big winger has size and skill and will be a big part of the Sharks' rebuild.

Ilya Protas, LW - Washington Capitals

After being selected in the third round from the USHL by the Washington Capitals in 2024,

Protas has seen his stock skyrocket. His D+1 season was spent in the OHL with the Windsor Spitfires, where he posted eye-popping stats to the tune of 50 goals and 124 points through 61 games. After dominating the OHL, he moved up to the AHL as a 19-year-old rookie and produced 28 goals, 62 points in 66 games with the Hershey Bears before making an immediate impression, scoring four points in two games. At 6-foot-5, he is a commanding physical presence, but he could use his size in a more aggressive way. It’s just a matter of time before he joins his big brother Alexei in the NHL, and Ilya could have more offensive upside.

2026 NHL DRAFT: TOP 32 PRIOR TO THE 2026 IIHF U18 MEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Brock Otten — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 18:03:12 +0000

Caleb Malhotra

It’s time for the McKeen’s Hockey scouting team to update their rankings for the 2026 NHL Draft. Many junior leagues around the globe are in the thick of the playoffs and we have the IIHF U18’s upcoming. This top 100 will serve as our final ranking before our Draft Guide release, which expands us to a top 300.

Gavin McKenna is holding firm on his first overall ranking on our board thanks to some adjustments and strong play post world juniors with Penn State. We’re hoping that he gets the nod to represent Canada at the IIHF World Championships, which would be a terrific measuring stick for him.

Pushing up our list are Brantford Bulldogs center Caleb Malhotra and Swedish defender Malte Gustafsson. Malhotra has shown terrific progression over the course of the OHL season and has been outstanding through the first two rounds of the OHL playoffs. Meanwhile Gustafsson has shown remarkable poise across various levels in Sweden and offers great athletic tools and two-way upside.

Other significant “risers” from our previous list include Quebec forward Maddox Dagenais, North Bay center Ryder Cali, Moncton defender Tommy Bleyl, Slovak defender Adam Goljer, and Russian netminder Dmitri Borichev. All have played significantly well in the second half of their respective seasons and have pushed up our boards due to the upside that they possess. Dagenais brings elite athletic tools and a heavy shot to the table and has shown considerable improvement in the second half from a consistency perspective. Cali is one of the draft’s youngest players and has found confidence in his on-puck play, causing us to re-evaluate his upside. Bleyl is one of the draft’s most dynamic offensive defenders and his strong play has given us no choice but to adjust our ranking of him accordingly. Goljer is an athletic two-way defender who has played well against men in the Slovak pro league this year, but he’s shown offensive upside when playing against his peers. Borichev is the draft’s netminding crown jewel with a great frame, elite athleticism, and improving technical abilities.

Fresh off the release of our annual three part look at the top “re-entry” candidates available, several have made the cut in our top 100. Edmonton defender Ethan MacKenzie, Prince Albert netminder Michal Orsulak, Czech defender Tomas Galvas, Victoria defender Timofei Runtso, Chicoutimi forward Liam Lefebvre, and Sioux Falls defender Matthew Grimes. You can find more info about each player in the aforementioned three-part series.

We’re very excited to see what the end of the season has in store and how that impacts our final ranking. As usual, you can expect our annual draft guide to be released in early June.

RK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1	Gavin McKenna	LW	Penn State (NCAA)	5-11/170	20-Dec-07	35	15	36	51	36
2	Ivar Stenberg	LW	Frolunda (SHL)	5-11/185	30-Sep-07	43	11	22	33	6
3	Chase Reid	D	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-2/185	30-Dec-07	45	18	30	48	30
4	Caleb Malhotra	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-0/170	2-Jun-08	67	29	55	84	51
5	Carson Carels	D	Prince George (WHL)	6-2/195	23-Jun-08	58	20	53	73	66
6	Keaton Verhoeff	D	North Dakota (NCAA)	6-4/210	19-Jun-08	36	6	14	20	29
7	Alberts Smits	D	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/205	2-Dec-07	38	6	7	13	20
8	Viggo Bjorck	C	Djurgardens (SHL)	5-9/175	12-Mar-08	42	6	9	15	12
9	Malte Gustafsson	D	HV 71 (SHL)	6-4/200	11-Jun-08	27	0	3	3	4
10	Daxon Rudolph	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-2/205	6-Mar-08	68	28	50	78	75
11	Oscar Hemming	LW	Boston College (NCAA)	6-4/195	13-Aug-08	19	1	7	8	18
12	Tynan Lawrence	C	Boston University (NCAA)	6-0/185	3-Aug-08	18	2	5	7	2
13	Ethan Belchetz	LW	Windsor (OHL)	6-5/225	30-Mar-08	57	34	25	59	45
14	Adam Novotny	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/205	13-Nov-07	58	34	31	65	22
15	Elton Hermansson	RW	MoDo Hockey (Allsvenskan)	6-1/180	5-Feb-08	38	11	10	21	22
16	Maddox Dagenais	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/195	27-Mar-08	62	30	32	62	31
17	Oliver Suvanto	C	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/210	3-Sep-08	48	2	9	11	16
18	Ryan Lin	D	Vancouver (WHL)	5-11/175	18-Apr-08	53	14	43	57	35
19	Wyatt Cullen	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/175	8-Sep-08	34	12	22	34	37
20	Xavier Villeneuve	D	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	5-11/160	29-Sep-07	37	6	32	38	35
21	Nikita Klepov	RW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/180	27-Jun-08	67	37	60	97	43
22	Ilia Morozov	C	Miami (NCAA)	6-3/195	3-Aug-08	36	8	12	20	27
23	Alexander Command	C	Orebro (Swe J20)	6-1/185	16-Jun-08	30	17	27	44	61
24	Mathis Preston	RW	Spo-Van (WHL)	5-11/175	21-Jul-08	46	18	26	44	34
25	Tommy Bleyl	D	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-0/160	1-Dec-07	63	13	68	81	33
26	JP Hurlbert	LW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-0/185	11-Apr-08	68	42	55	97	45
27	Juho Piiparinen	D	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-2/200	10-Aug-08	29	0	3	3	8
28	Adam Goljer	D	HK Dukla Trencin (Slovakia)	6-3/195	7-Jun-08	43	4	7	11	40
29	Jaxon Cover	LW	London (OHL)	6-2/175	13-Feb-08	67	20	32	52	48
30	Gleb Pugachyov	C	Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (MHL)	6-3/200	25-Mar-08	33	10	14	24	36
31	Ryder Cali	C	North Bay (OHL)	6-1/210	6-Sep-08	47	16	20	36	24
32	Dmitri Borichev	G	Loko-76 Yaroslavl (MHL)	6-3/200	19-Jun-08	24	12	8	2.25	0.929

2026 NHL DRAFT: TOP 100 PRIOR TO THE 2026 IIHF U18 MEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Brock Otten — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 17:58:39 +0000

Caleb Malhotra

We’re very excited to see what the end of the season has in store and how that impacts our final ranking. As usual, you can expect our annual draft guide to be released in early June.

RK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1	Gavin McKenna	LW	Penn State (NCAA)	5-11/170	20-Dec-07	35	15	36	51	36
2	Ivar Stenberg	LW	Frolunda (SHL)	5-11/185	30-Sep-07	43	11	22	33	6
3	Chase Reid	D	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-2/185	30-Dec-07	45	18	30	48	30
4	Caleb Malhotra	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-0/170	2-Jun-08	67	29	55	84	51
5	Carson Carels	D	Prince George (WHL)	6-2/195	23-Jun-08	58	20	53	73	66
6	Keaton Verhoeff	D	North Dakota (NCAA)	6-4/210	19-Jun-08	36	6	14	20	29
7	Alberts Smits	D	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/205	2-Dec-07	38	6	7	13	20
8	Viggo Bjorck	C	Djurgardens (SHL)	5-9/175	12-Mar-08	42	6	9	15	12
9	Malte Gustafsson	D	HV 71 (SHL)	6-4/200	11-Jun-08	27	0	3	3	4
10	Daxon Rudolph	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-2/205	6-Mar-08	68	28	50	78	75
11	Oscar Hemming	LW	Boston College (NCAA)	6-4/195	13-Aug-08	19	1	7	8	18
12	Tynan Lawrence	C	Boston University (NCAA)	6-0/185	3-Aug-08	18	2	5	7	2
13	Ethan Belchetz	LW	Windsor (OHL)	6-5/225	30-Mar-08	57	34	25	59	45
14	Adam Novotny	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/205	13-Nov-07	58	34	31	65	22
15	Elton Hermansson	RW	MoDo Hockey (Allsvenskan)	6-1/180	5-Feb-08	38	11	10	21	22
16	Maddox Dagenais	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/195	27-Mar-08	62	30	32	62	31
17	Oliver Suvanto	C	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/210	3-Sep-08	48	2	9	11	16
18	Ryan Lin	D	Vancouver (WHL)	5-11/175	18-Apr-08	53	14	43	57	35
19	Wyatt Cullen	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/175	8-Sep-08	34	12	22	34	37
20	Xavier Villeneuve	D	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	5-11/160	29-Sep-07	37	6	32	38	35
21	Nikita Klepov	RW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/180	27-Jun-08	67	37	60	97	43
22	Ilia Morozov	C	Miami (NCAA)	6-3/195	3-Aug-08	36	8	12	20	27
23	Alexander Command	C	Orebro (Swe J20)	6-1/185	16-Jun-08	30	17	27	44	61
24	Mathis Preston	RW	Spo-Van (WHL)	5-11/175	21-Jul-08	46	18	26	44	34
25	Tommy Bleyl	D	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-0/160	1-Dec-07	63	13	68	81	33
26	JP Hurlbert	LW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-0/185	11-Apr-08	68	42	55	97	45
27	Juho Piiparinen	D	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-2/200	10-Aug-08	29	0	3	3	8
28	Adam Goljer	D	HK Dukla Trencin (Slovakia)	6-3/195	7-Jun-08	43	4	7	11	40
29	Jaxon Cover	LW	London (OHL)	6-2/175	13-Feb-08	67	20	32	52	48
30	Gleb Pugachyov	C	Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (MHL)	6-3/200	25-Mar-08	33	10	14	24	36
31	Ryder Cali	C	North Bay (OHL)	6-1/210	6-Sep-08	47	16	20	36	24
32	Dmitri Borichev	G	Loko-76 Yaroslavl (MHL)	6-3/200	19-Jun-08	24	12	8	2.25	0.929
33	Jack Hextall	C	Youngstown (USHL)	6-0/190	23-Mar-08	59	20	38	58	28
34	William Hakansson	D	Lulea (SHL)	6-4/205	8-Oct-07	22	0	2	2	8
35	Marcus Nordmark	LW	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	6-1/180	4-May-08	25	14	24	38	48
36	Tobias Trejbal	G	Youngstown (USHL)	6-4/190	9-Nov-07	42	30	9	2.12	0.916
37	Brooks Rogowski	C	Oshawa (OHL)	6-6/225	28-Jun-08	46	15	27	42	17
38	Ben MacBeath	D	Calgary (WHL)	6-2/185	4-Mar-08	67	7	44	51	16
39	Alexander Bilecki	D	Kitchener (OHL)	6-1/180	9-May-08	66	9	20	29	43
40	Egor Shilov	C	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	6-1/180	30-Apr-08	63	32	50	82	29
41	Niklas Aaram Olsen	RW	Orebro (Swe J20)	6-0/185	19-Apr-08	29	20	20	40	22
42	Tomas Chrenko	C	HK Nitra (Slovakia)	5-11/170	2-Nov-07	44	9	22	31	10
43	Samu Alalauri	D	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	6-2/200	31-May-08	40	6	19	25	4
44	Jakub Vanecek	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-1/190	25-Feb-08	59	14	21	35	20
45	Thomas Vandenberg	C	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/180	8-Sep-08	59	25	25	50	20
46	Liam Ruck	RW	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-0/175	21-Feb-08	68	45	59	104	36
47	Alessandro Di Iorio	RW	Sarnia (OHL)	6-0/190	17-Mar-08	45	12	19	31	16
48	Adam Andersson	C	Leksands (Swe J20)	6-3/200	2-Jul-08	30	3	14	17	24
49	Ryan Roobroeck	C	Niagara (OHL)	6-3/215	25-Sep-07	49	30	28	58	26
50	Pierce Mbuyi	LW	Owen Sound (OHL)	5-10/160	17-Apr-08	68	32	43	75	85
51	Ethan MacKenzie	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-0/170	2-Sep-06	59	22	36	58	42
52	Filip Ruzicka	G	Brandon (WHL)	6-7/230	24-Mar-08	42	26	14	3.19	0.906
53	Maksim Sokolovskii	D	London (OHL)	6-8/235	12-Jul-08	44	2	6	8	49
54	Markus Ruck	C	Medicine Hat (WHL)	5-11/170	21-Feb-08	68	21	87	108	28
55	Simas Ignatavicius	C	Geneva-Servette (Sui-NL)	6-3/195	22-Oct-07	52	7	6	13	43
56	Beckham Edwards	C	Sarnia (OHL)	6-1/180	6-Jan-08	64	19	26	45	14
57	Giorgos Pantelas	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/215	24-Apr-08	68	6	31	37	50
58	Charlie Morrison	D	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/195	12-Oct-07	41	4	9	13	58
59	Adam Nemec	LW	Sudbury (OHL)	6-1/175	18-Oct-07	31	14	21	35	15
60	Tobias Tvrznik	G	Wenatchee (WHL)	6-4/180	29-Jul-07	39	16	18	3.1	0.913
61	Casey Mutryn	RW	USN U18 (USDP)	6-3/200	5-Jul-08	55	14	23	37	87
62	Michal Orsulak	G	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-4/225	26-Aug-07	36	28	4	2.22	0.907
63	Axel Elofsson	D	Orebro (Swe J20)	5-10/165	3-Jun-08	32	9	32	41	20
64	Nikita Scherbakov	D	Toros Neftekamsk (VHL)	6-5/190	23-Oct-07	35	4	6	10	24
65	Jonas Lagerberg Hoen	RW	Leksands (Swe J20)	6-2/175	24-Oct-07	9	9	7	16	33
66	Landon Nycz	D	Massachusetts (NCAA)	6-2/200	4-Oct-07	35	1	2	3	2
67	Adam Valentini	LW	Michigan (NCAA)	5-11/185	11-Apr-08	40	11	16	27	46
68	Viktor Fyodorov	C	Torpedo-Gorky NN (VHL)	5-10/175	21-Feb-08	32	2	6	8	8
69	Mans Gudmundsson	D	Farjestads (Swe J20)	6-2/170	9-Jun-08	35	1	24	25	10
70	Casper Juustovaara Karlsson	LW	Lulea (SHL)	5-9/170	25-Oct-07	31	4	2	6	6
71	Tomas Galvas	D	Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia)	5-10/155	11-Feb-06	32	8	16	24	10
72	Jonah Sivertson	RW	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-3/195	27-Aug-08	66	24	29	53	41
73	Landon Amrhein	LW	Calgary (WHL)	6-4/190	6-Apr-08	64	10	21	31	12
74	Timofei Runtso	D	Victoria (WHL)	6-2/185	6-Jul-07	68	11	33	44	28
75	Liam Lefebvre	C	Rim-Chi (QMJHL)	6-3/205	15-May-07	59	32	27	59	86
76	Vladimir Dravecky	D	Brantford (OHL)	6-0/185	19-Dec-07	58	9	19	28	24
77	Beckett Hamilton	RW	Red Deer (WHL)	5-11/175	28-Mar-08	67	24	38	62	14
78	Wiggo Sorensson	C	Boro/Vetlanda HC (Swe Division 2)	5-11/180	15-Apr-08	29	20	18	38	14
79	Jakub Frolo	C	Ilves (Fin-U20)	6-1/195	5-Dec-07	37	10	30	40	103
80	Landon Hafele	C	Green Bay (USHL)	6-0/185	18-Sep-07	52	15	27	42	69
81	Brady Knowling	G	USN U18 (USDP)	6-5/200	9-Mar-08	28	12	10	3.73	0.88
82	Zach Olsen	RW	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-1/200	16-Mar-08	57	18	16	34	79
83	Matthew Grimes	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-1/185	19-May-07	60	9	26	35	54
84	Chase Harrington	LW	Spokane (WHL)	6-0/195	30-Oct-07	61	28	29	57	105
85	Jakub Floris	D	Lukko (Fin-U20)	6-3/190	19-Feb-08	38	10	8	18	10
86	Noel Pakarinen	LW	Kiekko-Espoo (Fin-U20)	6-2/200	9-Jul-08	31	13	17	30	30
87	Malcom Gastrin	C	MoDo Hockey (Swe J20)	6-0/155	19-Aug-08	24	9	16	25	8
88	Nils Bartholdsson	RW	Rogle (Swe J20)	5-10/175	25-Apr-08	32	23	19	42	20
89	Elisei Ryabkin	D	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	6-1/180	8-Jul-08	48	3	16	19	25
90	Spencer Bowes	C	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/175	19-Sep-07	67	23	19	42	28
91	Victor Plante	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-9/165	10-Mar-08	50	19	21	40	65
92	Vertti Svensk	D	SaiPa (Fin-U20)	6-0/165	9-Nov-07	33	3	28	31	80
93	Jean-Cristoph Lemieux	C	Wsr-Sby (OHL)	6-0/185	19-Jun-08	56	20	23	43	28
94	Vilho Vanhatalo	RW	Tappara (Fin-U20)	6-4/195	18-Jan-08	38	10	9	19	43
95	Brian McFadden	D	Thayer Academy (USHS-MA)	6-5/180	8-Jan-08	29	2	15	17
96	Lars Steiner	RW	Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)	5-10/175	12-Nov-07	44	30	25	55	44
97	Luke Schairer	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-3/195	30-Jan-08	55	1	16	17	67
98	KJ Sauer	C	Andover High (USHS-MN)	6-3/200	24-Oct-07	15	8	17	25	42
99	Filip Novak	LW	Sparta Praha (Czechia U20)	6-1/195	7-Mar-08	28	11	24	35	60
100	Rian Chudzinski	RW	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-1/190	30-Dec-07	54	21	17	38	71
HM	Joe Erickson	C	Blake School (USHS-MN)	6-4/200	21-Apr-08	28	32	32	64	4
HM	Alan Shaikhlislamov	RW	Tolpar Ufa (MHL)	6-1/185	4-Sep-08	31	18	17	35	15
HM	Dmitri Kubantsev	RW	Vernon (BCHL)	6-1/195	28-May-08	47	15	38	53	52
HM	Yaroslav Fedoseyev	D	Chelmet Chelyabinsk (VHL)	6-1/180	5-Nov-07	25	1	5	6	25
HM	Cole Zurawski	RW	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-1/190	6-Feb-08	63	24	22	46	34
HM	Yegor Rybkin	G	Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (MHL)	6-7/205	3-Dec-07	11	5	2	2.56	0.915
HM	Zach Lansard	RW	Regina (WHL)	6-0/175	29-Jul-08	68	24	32	56	33
HM	Harrison Boettiger	G	Kelowna (WHL)	6-2/190	11-Dec-07	41	25	10	2.83	0.911
HM	Luka Arkko	LW	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	6-3/210	14-Jan-08	42	11	14	25	10
HM	Evan Jardine	LW	Youngstown (USHL)	6-0/180	23-Oct-07	53	27	34	61	70
HM	Cole Tuminaro	D	Chicago (USHL)	6-3/220	24-Jan-07	54	5	11	16	148
HM	Romain L'Italien	C	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-1/195	7-Apr-08	52	17	30	47	33
HM	Xavier Wendt	G	Tri-City (WHL)	6-1/165	24-Jan-08	43	18	20	3.25	0.905
HM	Caelan Joudrey	C	Wenatchee (WHL)	6-4/180	17-Jan-08	67	19	10	29	56
HM	Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen	D	Michigan (NCAA)	6-0/180	18-Dec-06	40	4	14	18	20

2026 NHL DRAFT: DETAILED SCOUTING REPORT – Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frolunda (SHL)

Felix Robbins — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 17:06:18 +0000

Frölundas Ivar Stenberg Photo: Michael Erichsen / BILDBYRÅN

Ivar Stenberg

LW #41 Frolunda (SHL)

6-foot-0 181 pounds, Shoots: L

Birth Date: 30/07/2007

Stenberg had a D-1 season for the ages. Absolutely dominated the U20 level with point per game production and making it look easy. Made his SHL debut with Frölunda and was a key player during their SHL playoff run. Heading into the 2026 NHL draft season, many scouts had already penciled him into their top 3. Somehow, Stenberg’s draft eligible season is even more impressive. He’s the leading scorer on a wagon of a Frölunda squad. He’s shattering all sorts of SHL rookie points records and, with 32 points in 36 games and showing no sign of slowing down, Stenberg’s final statline could put him on par with NHL legends such as the Sedins, Marcus Näslund, etc. If that wasn’t enough, Stenberg led Sweden to their 1st gold medal at the WJC in 14 years (only their 3rd in WJC history), playing better and better as the tournament went on. Suffice to say, Stenberg’s body of work so far has been that of a top draft eligible prospect. That golden cherry on top has pushed him into the top spot on some scouts’ draft boards.

At first glance, Stenberg might not look like a top offensive winger prospect. He’s got average size at 6-foot-0, 175 pounds, and doesn’t have the prototypical high-end skating you’d come to expect from someone torching a pro league. Once you see him get involved in play, the many layers of his excellence become obvious. More often than not, Stenberg is the smartest player on the ice at a given moment. To make up for a lack of dynamic skating and flashy hands, his offence is primarily driven by his vision, play reading, and exquisite timing. Every puck touch is efficient and well thought out. His puck handling and protection helps him fend off puck-hungry opponents both in open ice and in tight. While he still needs to bulk up, Stenberg can withstand and make plays through hard contact at the pro level. Even from unfavourable positions, such as along the wall and behind the net, he can make a quick pass to the middle of the ice. With these things in mind, Stenberg is as projectable of a playmaker as you’re gonna find in the draft class. Coupled with a strong, accurate wrist shot that he can pick the corners with; Stenberg is a dual threat on offence.

Separating Stenberg’s tools from production has been the challenge for scouts so far. Without the high-end skating, the dazzling puck-on-a-string skill, or bone-crunching physicality, his overall NHL impact could be limited. Elite hockey sense and practical, projectable playmaking alone don’t typically make for an exciting, franchise-altering 1st overall pick, however translatable those skills are. However, it’s hard to argue that you aren’t getting a solid top 6 NHLer. Even if you factor in his early 2007 birthday into his development, Stenberg is a fairly risk-free bet. Considering the top end of this 2026 draft class, that may be the most attractive option for the GMs of bottom-feeding teams. If your 1st overall pick doesn’t hit, you might be out of a job.

For most prospects, a 1st half like Stenberg’s would almost be enough to coast off until the draft. However, Stenberg is now in the 1st overall conversation. He can’t afford to get lazy. Frölunda has been giving him more minutes and more responsibility at even strength lately. Seeing him handle the toughest matchups that the SHL has to offer is going to test his mettle, especially come the playoffs. The hope is that he’ll be able to keep playing his game the way he has been, maybe score a few more goals here and there, and even start to really dominate his shifts.

Skating

RelatIve to his other tools, Stenberg’s skating is his biggest detriment. He’s a quick, light skater in a straight line and fairly agile. He’s already added some quickness to his forward stride since last year. Stenberg isn’t a prospect who is constantly moving his feet, though he does have a decent motor. He’s more of a cerebral player, valuing patience and control, especially with the puck. While forward-stride dominant, he mixes in glides to his patterns and gets low on his inside edges to protect the puck in the offensive zone. You’d wish he was more dynamic and shifty from his edges, more explosive in his first few steps, especially with a profile like his. There’s some push-pull to his game, but he’s better at slowing the game down than speeding it up.

As a result, Stenberg is more of a pass target on the offensive blueline than someone who can carry the puck in transition. He is adept at reading the ice, so he finds lanes to get past neutral zone defenders occasionally. His excellent hockey sense allows him to stay ahead of the play positionally and make perfectly timed cuts and runs to the net to make up for his relative lack of speed. His skating holds him back from being a truly dynamic offensive line driver and rush attacker. Stenberg struggles to push defenders back on their heels or escape defensive pressure. If he can drastically improve his explosiveness, there is a chance his skating could be an asset for him at the NHL level. Conservatively, though, Stenberg’s skating will likely only be a touch above NHL average at most.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1-SKATING-Stenberg-nice-carry-great-lane-recognition-and-slick-drop-pass.mp4

Here is Stenberg (#41 Red) with a good head of steam in transition, skating from end to end and breaking through a few lines of defence en route. Nothing wrong with his mechanics, but it’s his ability to quickly identify skating lanes and punish flat-footed defenders that lets him get these kinds of carries in the SHL.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2-SKATING-Stenberg-skating-transition-runway.mp4

Stenberg (#41 white) building up a lot of speed from the defensive zone and supporting this transition play right up the middle. His excellent timing allows him to arrive in the slot to get a stick on the pass even with a defender hooking him all the way.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/3-SKATING-Stenberg-good-head-of-steam-and-zone-entry.mp4

Another example of Stenberg (#41 Red) having to build up a lot of speed inside his own end before getting the puck in transition. He’s shifty and deceptive, mixing glides and strides to deceive defenders and get around them. It’s great work, but you can see that he relies on that initial build up of speed to make plays like this happen.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/4-SKATING-Stenberg-getting-taken-to-the-boards-due-to-lack-of-high-end-quickness.mp4

Here we see what happens when Stenberg (#41 White) doesn’t have that runway to work with. He doesn’t quite have the speed advantage to push the opposing defenceman back on his heels or the high end agility to turn his feet. As a result, he’s gapped up, pushed to the outside, and gets taken to the boards.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/5-SKATING-Stenberg-cant-stay-with-puck-carrier-but-works-out.mp4

Stenberg (#41 White) having a bit of trouble keeping up with puck carriers in the offensive zone. This is outside his comfort zone, but he isn’t moving his feet and is mostly reaching with his hands and stick. Everything works out and he’s able to get control of the puck in the end, but similar plays from similar players can sometimes become stick infraction penalties.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/6-SKATING-Stenberg-cant-win-footrace-to-puck.mp4

Stenberg (#41 White) pokes a puck free from an opponent and there’s a race to the loose puck, but he doesn’t have the high-end speed or explosiveness to get there first for a clean scoring chance. He does end up drawing a penalty on the play, so the outcome is good.

Grade: 52.5

Shot

Stenberg is a playmaker, through and through. However, the threat of his shot is nothing to sneeze at. He may not have a ton of goals this year, but lets not forget this is a player who scored nearly a goal per game at the U20 level and the international level last year. He’s got a solid wrist shot that he can put on net from a distance, though most of his shots come from inside or around the slot. He connects with his one-timer consistently on the powerplay, as evident by his goals at the U20 WJC. His most typical way to score is by being in the right place at the right time and tapping them in. Very dependent on his hockey sense rather than the quality of his shot, yes, but that is a skill that should translate well to the NHL.

Stenberg isn’t a heavy shooter, but when he gets an opportunity to shoot he doesn’t waste it.

He tends to place his shots quite low, but in shooters’ locations like above the pad and below the glove/blocker. Stenberg doesn’t shoot high very often, which is something he will need to do more of to score goals in the NHL, let alone the SHL. Goalies are bigger, quicker and more athletic in the NHL and maneuver in the butterfly with ease. He flashes some pre-shot movement and deception at the junior level, but hasn’t been able to implement it at the SHL level yet. Stenberg has a bit to work on before anyone should consider him a high end NHL goalscorer, but the potential is there. I’d say a 15-20 goal estimate is likely, once he develops fully.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1-SHOT-Stenberg-Shot-typical-finish.mp4

Here is your typical Ivar Stenberg (#15 Yellow) finish. Right on the doorstep, usually preceded by a tactical pass such as this nice give ‘n go play here.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2-SHOT-Stenberg-sneaking-to-his-spot-and-scoring.mp4

Another typical Stenberg (#41 White) finish. He sneaks undetected to his spot, usually right on the doorstep, and buries a backdoor pass or rebound.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/3-SHOT-Stenberg-great-shot-through-traffic.mp4

Here’s a great shot by Stenberg (#15 Yellow) through traffic from above the circles. He uses the bodies in front, as well as a deceptive stance, to make it very difficult for the goalie to track the puck.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/4-SHOT-Stenberg-getting-open-look-from-low-slot.mp4

Nice finish by Stenberg (#41 White) on the power play, stepping into tons of prime real estate and firing a quality wrister.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/5-SHOT-Stenberg-shot-off-of-carry.mp4

This is about as far inside as Stenberg (#41 Red) tends to get looks from at the SHL level. He may not have had a ton of options here, but this was not a threatening chance at all.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/6-SHOT-Stenberg-wish-to-see-more-of-this.mp4

From one of his more recent SHL games. This is a goalscorer’s goal. Stenberg (#41 White) gets on his edges, has the puck in a deceptive position, and lifts it up and over the goalie. Beautiful finish that we need to see more of.

Grade: 52.5

Skills

Stenberg exudes exceptional skill with the puck at the pro level. He’s one of the most efficient players per puck touch in the draft and his playmaking game may be one of the most projectable out of the top offensive wingers in the class. Stenberg can control possession in the offensive zone like a veteran. He is a tactician, surveying the ice and using quick passing plays to break down opposing defensive structures and to create lanes to the net. He can keep offensive cycles going thanks to his strong puck protection skills from his edges, making quick dangles and cutbacks to keep the puck out of the reach of defenders and attacking their heels. Stenberg has fairly quick hands, but his patience, timing and deception is what makes his puckhandling so strong.

Stenberg’s vision and passing touch are among the top in the draft class as well. He can see passing lanes and make difficult cross seam passes that others could only dream of. This is also true in unfavourable situations such as behind the net or along the wall. Stenberg isn’t the biggest or strongest prospect, but he can still find ways to get pucks to teammates in the slot even when he’s pinned against the boards. His ability to command the chaos of the pro game and high-stakes matches (like the most recent WJC) should serve him well in the NHL.

When he has time and space to work with, like on the PP, Stenberg is in his comfort zone. He can easily run a PP at the NHL level. However, if there is one criticism to levy against Stenberg, it is that he lives on the perimeter a lot at even strength. He’s not a speedster, not really a dangler, nor a power forward who can crash the net. He relies on his play reading and timing to attack the net, which is fine, but he struggles to get inside consistently. Perhaps he’ll figure something out when he bulks up or works on his skating, but it could hold him back from being a truly elite offensive producer at the NHL level. He may be closer to a 60 point guy, but I don’t think any NHL GMs will be unhappy with that.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1-SKILLS-Stenberg-playmaking-working-off-of-his-linemates.mp4

An example of Stenberg (#15 Yellow) working off of his linemates showing off some tactical passing and playmaking. Not many players can make that one-touch behind the back pass with a defender all over him. Great space creation in tight near the blueline as well. The sequence almost ends in a goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2-SKILLS-Stenberg-beautiful-touch.mp4

Stenberg (#41 red) with great vision and a feather light touch on this pass, eluding defenders and perfectly timed to arrive on his teammates stick for the finish.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/3-SKILLS-Stenberg-patience-and-deception-assist.mp4

The level of offensive zone control that Stenberg (#41 Red) has is at such a high level, even at the pro level. He routinely positions himself strongly to support play and exudes such good patience on the puck. He rarely ever squanders a puck touch by forcing a play. This sequence is a good example of that.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/4-SKILLS-Stenberg-o-zone-control-PP.mp4

Again, Stenberg (#15 Yellow) controlling play in the offensive zone, this time on the PP. Here we see a bit more flash and pizzazz than we normally do, as he puts the Finnish defender in the spin cycle and kicks off a couple plays leading to shots.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/5-SKILLS-Stenberg-excellent-play-tracking-and-o-zone-control.mp4

Another one. Stenberg (#41 White) shows off his puck protection and play tracking, skating all the way around the zone before dropping a pass to the slot. He’s the only one who can track the puck through the chaos and recovers it, resetting the offensive sequence.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/6-SKILLS-Stenberg-puck-protection-and-net-drive.mp4

This is a rare net drive by Stenberg (#41 Red). He sees a lane to the net and uses his strong puck protection ability to power his way across the crease, but doesn’t score. Still, the idea was great. The tools might not lend themselves to getting inside consistently, but Stenberg certainly isn’t one to pass up an opportunity if he sees one.

Grade: 60

Smarts

This is the aspect of Stenberg’s game that truly sets him apart from his peers and has allowed him to continually improve and elevate his game to higher levels with ease throughout his career. Stenberg’s hockey IQ is safely among the smartest of the draft class, and perhaps even the smartest in the NHL.

As soon as he touches the ice, Stenberg is locked in on where the play is going and where he needs to be no matter the situation. He’s got an excellent feel for the game, and the awareness he plays with reflects that. Seeing him out of position or make a mistake is rare, even at the SHL level. His hockey sense is what allows him to make up for his average skating and stay several moves ahead of play. He makes himself an easy pass target along the offensive blue line in transition. On the rush, he varies his speed towards the net and perfectly times his drives to give himself the best opportunity to score.

Stenberg’s pre-scanning and information retention allow him to have all of his passing and escape options in mind before he even touches the puck. Whether he’s being pressured hard and fast or has time and space to work with, he’s got a play already made up in his mind. While his passing and playmaking ideas typically have a lot of forethought behind them, Stenberg is very adaptable and has backup plan upon backup plan if his initial option is no longer viable.

Although he’s far from a two-way winger, Stenberg is able to make an impact in the defensive zone by occupying space, getting his body and sticks in lanes, and pressuring puck carriers along the perimeter with well timed stick checks. He sees deployment in defensive zone situations in the SHL, even with his sheltered minutes.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1-SMARTS-Stenberg-excellent-stick-and-play-reading.mp4

While his hockey sense tends to manifest itself in all aspects of his play, it’s very easy to show it in clips like this. Stenberg (#15 Yellow) easily reads and intercepts this breakout attempt and instantly turns it into a counterattack.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2-SMARTS-Stenberg-awareness-and-breakout-defence-leads-to-grade-a-chance.mp4

Here is another example from the November U20 5 nations tournament. He reads the play expertly and gets to the exact place he needs to be at exactly the right time to steal the puck and generate a grade A scoring chance. No idea how that puck stayed out.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/3-SMARTS-Stenberg-vision-and-smarts.mp4

ThIs pass from behind the net had everyone including the camera man fooled. Stenberg (#41 White) knew what he wanted to do before he touched this puck and made a great slot pass to a streaking teammate. Another play that should have ended in a goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/4-SMARTS-Stenberg-transition-defence-leads-to-countrerattack.mp4

More transition defence from Stenberg (#41 White), this time at the SHL level. His timing and positioning is as good here as it is in all the other clips in this report.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/5-SMARTS-Stenberg-ambitious-straight-line-attack.mp4

This is a rare ill-advised play by Stenberg (#15 Yellow) causing an offside. He ambitiously takes on two defenders in a straight line trying to split them, but overestimates his speed advantage and loses the puck. He tries to recover the puck, but he’s offside. Even the elite of the elite make mistakes or get overconfident.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/6-SMARTS-Stenberg-rush-defence-as-last-man-back.mp4

Stenberg (#41 Red) getting the play starting from his own end, but an errant pass takes play the other way and he ends up as the last man back. He isn’t known as a two-way winger, but he gaps up his man and drives him to the outside better than some defenders I’ve seen in the draft class.

Grade: 60

Physicality/Compete

It isn’t just his production that’s keeping Stenberg in an everyday SHL role. His physical resilience and compete level is strong for a winger with his profile. Stenberg is able to deal with the physicality of a pro league by outsmarting his opponents. He’s not a hard forechecker, but he’s extremely vigilant. He pressures puck carriers by keeping an active stick while closing them out, often catching opponents by surprise with a well-timed poke check. Additionally, Stenberg’s motor is decent for a soft skill player. He might not be constantly moving his feet, but he never looks disengaged from play.

Stenberg may not play with a heavy physical edge, but he knows how to win battles along the wall. For Stenberg, it's about working hard and working smart. Just like how he protects the puck in open ice, Stenberg can establish body positioning and wall off opponents from the puck with his hips and play keep away in tight with his stickhandling. He comes up with the puck and is able to make plays from the boards to the middle more often than you’d think. He plays the netfront every so often, but that is really not his game. Stenberg just goes where he needs to do and does what needs to be done - a coach’s dream.

At just 18 years old, Stenberg already looks and acts like a consummate pro. Coaches and teammates alike rave about his character. His work rate on and off the ice reflect his drive to improve his game, even with his wild success at the pro level. He also just seems to have that innate ability to raise his game to the next level, to find that 2nd gear when it matters most… as evident by his massive role in securing Sweden’s 2026 WJC gold medal. He stepped up in the medal rounds and played better against better teams. That can’t be taught. If you want a gamer and a great teammate, Stenberg is your guy.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1-PHYSICAL-Stenberg-smarts-on-the-forecheck.mp4

Like shown in the “Smarts” section, Stenberg (#41 Red) isn’t a winger just going through the motions on the forecheck. He’s coming at you with the intent of stripping you of the puck and creating a turnover.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2-PHYSICAL-Stenberg-retrieval-board-battle-moment.mp4

Here we see Stenberg (#41 Red) engaging in a board battle along the wall. He establishes body position initially, then fends off two defenders by protecting the puck with good stickwork in tight. He eventually directs the puck to the point, and it’s sent back in deep.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/3-PHYSICAL-Stenberg-forechecking-pressure-but-not-hard-hit.mp4

Stenberg (#41 Red) isn’t a physical player, but he tried to enter this duel with some force. The effort and energy is there, but the muscle is not.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/4-PHYSICAL-Stenberg-chipping-in-on-defence-and-taking-play-other-way.mp4

As mentioned previously, Stenberg (#41 White) is not a two-way winger, However, he chips in where he can. Here he is harassing an opposing puck carrier in the D zone and showcasing a good stick to poke the puck free and get play going the other way.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/5-PHYSICAL-Stenberg-puck-protection-and-battling.mp4

Stenberg (#15 Yellow) showing off some physical resilience and hard work behind the net. He protects the puck with his stick and body, doing everything he can to keep the puck on his stick and even tries to get it to the slot.

Grade: 55

OFP: 55.875

A note on the 20-80 scale used above. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.

2026 NHL DRAFT – MID-SEASON RANKING – TOP 64 with Honourable Mentions – Closing gap between top prospects

Brock Otten — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 18:59:16 +0000

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 4: Sweden's Ivar Stenberg #15 looks on during a stoppage in play against Finland during Semifinal Round action at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at Grand Casino Arena on January 4, 2026 in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. (Photo by Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF)

With the World Juniors firmly in the rear-view mirror and many “junior” leagues past the halfway point of their seasons, it is time to update and expand the McKeen’s Hockey 2026 draft rankings. This time around we are bringing you a top 64, in addition to several honourable mentions.

While many in the industry seem to be wavering on the concept of Gavin McKenna being the top player available, he remains at the top of our list. We understand the apprehensiveness, but we also believe that McKenna still possesses the highest upside of any player available this year; plus, his performance in the NCAA has ticked up post WJC’s. However, we also believe that the gap is razor thin at this point between McKenna and several of the players we have ranked behind him. In particular, Ivar Stenberg received a fair amount of support from our team to be ranked ahead of McKenna.

While the race for first overall will be fascinating as June approaches, the debate over the top defenseman available will rage even more intensely. Verhoeff remains ranked first in this grouping, but there are arguments to be made that any of Reid, Smits, or Carels could be or should be the top defenseman selected. One thing is for certain; it is a good year to be drafting in the top five if your organization needs a quality young defender.

Caleb Malhotra, Oscar Hemming, Alexander Command, Wyatt Cullen, and Maddox Dagenais are among our highest climbers compared to the previous ranking. Malhotra suddenly finds himself competing for an OHL scoring title, showing tremendous improvement as an offensive play driver over the course of the last few months. The Oscar Hemming saga finally reached a conclusion after he joined Boston College at the end of December. While the offensive production has been only mediocre, his impact on the ice has been incredibly impressive as a freshman power forward; it’s cliche but he’s passing the eye test on a consistent basis. Command has been terrific for both Sweden internationally and in the J20 league, and he plays a competitive and fast paced game from the center position. Wyatt Cullen hasn’t played a lot this year, but when he has, he’s been outstanding for the NTDP. Lastly, Dagenais is finally putting everything together for the Quebec Remparts, as the former first overall pick in the QMJHL draft is becoming more confident in being able to utilize his physical gifts.

Our largest “fallers” were Xavier Villeneuve, Mathis Preston, Ryan Roobroeck, and Beckham Edwards. While we respect Villeneuve’s offensive upside as one of the draft’s most dynamic playmakers, we also wonder how much his game has truly grown in the last calendar year as one of this draft’s oldest first time eligible players. The offensive production just hasn’t been at an elite level the last few months. Can a trade to Vancouver (WHL) help Mathis Preston find more consistency and urgency in his game? Roobroeck’s offensive production has definitely improved over the last few months, but like Villeneuve, we wonder how much his game has truly improved this year as a third year junior player. Lastly, Beckham Edwards is a power skating forward with a goal scorer’s touch, but, the offensive consistency has been majorly lacking this year and it brings to light concerns over his projection and ceiling.

What about the goalies? Initially, our team wasn’t enamored with the talent level for the position this year, however, some performances over the last few months have helped to change our mind. We have three goaltenders ranked inside of our top 64, with Tobias Trejbal of Youngstown (USHL) sitting at the top of that list. Trejbal has been outstanding in the USHL this year and the UMass commit has the size and athleticism combination to make him a potential NHL starting netminder.

You can expect our next update towards the end of March as we expand to a top 100 ranking.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1	Gavin McKenna	LW	Penn State (NCAA)	5-11/170	12/20/2007	22	10	19	29	19
2	Ivar Stenberg	LW	Frolunda (SHL)	5-11/185	9/30/2007	29	7	21	28	6
3	Keaton Verhoeff	D	North Dakota (NCAA)	6-4/210	6/19/2008	22	6	11	17	23
4	Chase Reid	D	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-2/185	12/30/2007	39	18	27	45	30
5	Alberts Smits	D	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/205	12/2/2007	34	6	7	13	12
6	Carson Carels	D	Prince George (WHL)	6-2/195	6/23/2008	37	12	28	40	42
7	Tynan Lawrence	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-0/185	8/3/2008	13	10	7	17	6
8	Viggo Bjorck	C	Djurgardens (SHL)	5-9/175	3/12/2008	29	4	4	8	10
9	Caleb Malhotra	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-0/170	6/2/2008	45	23	38	61	37
10	Ethan Belchetz	LW	Windsor (OHL)	6-5/225	3/30/2008	43	29	16	45	35
11	Oscar Hemming	LW	Boston College (NCAA)	6-4/195	8/13/2008	6	0	3	3	8
12	Adam Novotny	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/205	11/13/2007	37	22	21	43	8
13	Ryan Lin	D	Vancouver (WHL)	5-11/175	4/18/2008	42	11	39	50	33
14	Daxon Rudolph	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-2/205	3/6/2008	45	21	33	54	42
15	Oliver Suvanto	C	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/210	9/3/2008	34	2	5	7	14
16	Elton Hermansson	RW	MoDo Hockey (Allsvenskan)	6-1/180	2/5/2008	29	9	7	16	14
17	Ilia Morozov	C	Miami (NCAA)	6-3/195	8/3/2008	24	7	7	14	25
18	Xavier Villeneuve	D	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	5-11/160	9/29/2007	35	6	30	36	35
19	Malte Gustafsson	D	HV 71 (SHL)	6-4/200	6/11/2008	16	0	3	3	2
20	Juho Piiparinen	D	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-2/200	8/10/2008	28	0	3	3	8
21	Alexander Command	C	Orebro (Swe U20)	6-1/185	6/16/2008	24	13	22	35	30
22	Wyatt Cullen	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/175	9/8/2008	17	3	11	14	2
23	JP Hurlbert	LW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-0/185	4/11/2008	45	31	41	72	26
24	Nikita Klepov	RW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/180	6/27/2008	45	28	32	60	27
25	Mathis Preston	RW	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/175	7/21/2008	36	14	18	32	32
26	Jaxon Cover	LW	London (OHL)	6-2/175	2/13/2008	45	14	20	34	40
27	William Hakansson	D	Lulea (SHL)	6-4/205	10/8/2007	22	0	2	2	8
28	Giorgos Pantelas	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/215	4/24/2008	45	2	18	20	30
29	Brooks Rogowski	C	Oshawa (OHL)	6-6/225	6/28/2008	31	7	18	25	10
30	Maddox Dagenais	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/195	3/27/2008	43	20	17	37	23
31	Tomas Chrenko	C	HK Nitra (Slovakia)	5-11/170	11/2/2007	33	6	16	22	6
32	Marcus Nordmark	LW	Djurgardens (Swe U20)	6-1/180	5/4/2008	21	10	20	30	42
33	Egor Shilov	C	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	6-1/180	4/30/2008	42	22	37	59	23
34	Ryan Roobroeck	C	Niagara (OHL)	6-3/215	9/25/2007	45	27	26	53	26
35	Jakub Vanecek	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-1/190	2/25/2008	36	10	15	25	16
36	Pierce Mbuyi	LW	Owen Sound (OHL)	5-10/160	4/17/2008	45	23	27	50	65
37	Jack Hextall	C	Youngstown (USHL)	6-0/190	3/23/2008	38	12	25	37	22
38	Thomas Vandenberg	C	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/180	9/8/2008	37	17	17	34	14
39	Vladimir Dravecky	D	Brantford (OHL)	6-0/185	12/19/2007	37	7	16	23	20
40	Alessandro Di Iorio	RW	Sarnia (OHL)	6-0/190	3/17/2008	28	10	9	19	8
41	Vilho Vanhatalo	RW	Tappara (Fin-U20)	6-4/195	1/18/2008	29	10	8	18	14
42	Ryder Cali	C	North Bay (OHL)	6-1/210	9/6/2008	24	11	5	16	4
43	Tommy Bleyl	D	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-0/160	12/1/2007	42	7	44	51	22
44	Tobias Trejbal	G	Youngstown (USHL)	6-4/190	11/9/2007	27	20	5	2.04	0.924
45	Charlie Morrison	D	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/195	10/12/2007	24	2	4	6	23
46	Oscar Holmertz	C	Linkopings (Swe U20)	6-0/190	3/21/2008	25	7	14	21	2
47	Nikita Scherbakov	D	Salavat Yulayev Ufa (KHL)	6-5/190	10/23/2007	7	0	0	0	4
48	Victor Plante	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-9/165	3/10/2008	34	16	13	29	55
49	Adam Goljer	D	HK Dukla Trencin (Slovakia)	6-3/195	6/7/2008	33	4	6	10	26
50	Luke Schairer	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-3/195	1/30/2008	36	0	9	9	55
51	Niklas Aaram-Olsen	RW	Orebro (Swe U20)	6-0/185	4/19/2008	22	17	15	32	12
52	Gleb Pugachyov	C	Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (MHL)	6-3/200	3/25/2008	27	8	13	21	20
53	Simas Ignatavicius	C	Geneva-Servette (Sui-NL)	6-3/195	10/22/2007	44	5	6	11	41
54	Lars Steiner	RW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	5-10/175	11/12/2007	24	12	12	24	26
55	Dmitri Borichev	G	Loko-76 Yaroslavl (MHL)	6-3/200	6/19/2008	17	8	6	1.79	0.942
56	Adam Andersson	C	Leksands (Swe U20)	6-3/200	7/2/2008	23	2	13	15	22
57	Alexander Bilecki	D	Kitchener (OHL)	6-1/180	5/9/2008	44	7	15	22	24
58	Axel Elofsson	D	Orebro (Swe U20)	5-10/165	6/3/2008	26	7	24	31	18
59	Xavier Wendt	G	Tri-City (WHL)	6-1/165	1/24/2008	28	17	9	2.42	0.929
60	Adam Valentini	LW	Michigan (NCAA)	5-11/185	4/11/2008	24	6	13	19	40
61	Beckham Edwards	C	Sarnia (OHL)	6-1/180	1/6/2008	45	14	17	31	14
62	Samu Alalauri	D	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	6-2/200	5/31/2008	32	6	17	23	4
63	Ben MacBeath	D	Calgary (WHL)	6-2/185	3/4/2008	43	6	27	33	12
64	Liam Ruck	RW	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-0/175	2/21/2008	46	27	37	64	26
HM	Simon Katolicky	LW	Tappara (Fin-U20)	6-4/195	7/24/2008	24	5	9	14	16
HM	Timofei Runtso	D	Victoria (WHL)	6-2/185	7/6/2007	45	7	26	33	22
HM	Layne Gallacher	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-1/180	2/16/2008	21	5	7	12	2
HM	Landon Amrhein	LW	Calgary (WHL)	6-4/190	4/6/2008	39	7	16	23	6
HM	Filip Ruzicka	G	Brandon (WHL)	6-7/230	3/24/2008	27	19	7	2.97	0.908
HM	Wiggo Sorensson	C	Boro/Vetlanda (Swe Div 2)	5-11/180	4/15/2008	24	13	16	29	2
HM	Viktor Fyodorov	C	Torpedo-Gorky NN (VHL)	5-10/175	2/21/2008	27	2	5	7	6
HM	Landon Nycz	D	Massachusetts (NCAA)	6-2/200	10/4/2007	24	1	1	2	0
HM	Brady Knowling	G	USN U18 (USDP)	6-5/200	3/9/2008	17	6	8	3.60	0.880
HM	Casey Mutryn	RW	USN U18 (USDP)	6-3/200	7/5/2008	36	7	18	25	32
HM	Tobias Tvrznik	G	Wenatchee (WHL)	6-4/180	7/29/2007	31	13	15	2.89	0.919
HM	Jonas Lagerberg Hoen	RW	Leksands (Swe U20)	6-2/175	10/24/2007	9	9	7	16	33
HM	Olivers Murnieks	C	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/190	7/31/2008	29	6	12	18	14
HM	Colin Fitzgerald	C	Pbo-Soo (OHL)	6-2/210	4/1/2008	44	13	12	25	48
HM	Adam Nemec	LW	Sudbury (OHL)	6-1/175	10/18/2007	8	4	6	10	0
HM	Chase Harrington	LW	Spokane (WHL)	6-0/195	10/30/2007	44	17	23	40	73

2026 NHL DRAFT – MID-SEASON RANKING – TOP 32 – Closing gap between top prospects

Brock Otten — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 18:56:46 +0000

You can expect our next update towards the end of March as we expand to a top 100 ranking.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1	Gavin McKenna	LW	Penn State (NCAA)	5-11/170	12/20/2007	22	10	19	29	19
2	Ivar Stenberg	LW	Frolunda (SHL)	5-11/185	9/30/2007	29	7	21	28	6
3	Keaton Verhoeff	D	North Dakota (NCAA)	6-4/210	6/19/2008	22	6	11	17	23
4	Chase Reid	D	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-2/185	12/30/2007	39	18	27	45	30
5	Alberts Smits	D	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/205	12/2/2007	34	6	7	13	12
6	Carson Carels	D	Prince George (WHL)	6-2/195	6/23/2008	37	12	28	40	42
7	Tynan Lawrence	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-0/185	8/3/2008	13	10	7	17	6
8	Viggo Bjorck	C	Djurgardens (SHL)	5-9/175	3/12/2008	29	4	4	8	10
9	Caleb Malhotra	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-0/170	6/2/2008	45	23	38	61	37
10	Ethan Belchetz	LW	Windsor (OHL)	6-5/225	3/30/2008	43	29	16	45	35
11	Oscar Hemming	LW	Boston College (NCAA)	6-4/195	8/13/2008	6	0	3	3	8
12	Adam Novotny	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/205	11/13/2007	37	22	21	43	8
13	Ryan Lin	D	Vancouver (WHL)	5-11/175	4/18/2008	42	11	39	50	33
14	Daxon Rudolph	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-2/205	3/6/2008	45	21	33	54	42
15	Oliver Suvanto	C	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/210	9/3/2008	34	2	5	7	14
16	Elton Hermansson	RW	MoDo Hockey (Allsvenskan)	6-1/180	2/5/2008	29	9	7	16	14
17	Ilia Morozov	C	Miami (NCAA)	6-3/195	8/3/2008	24	7	7	14	25
18	Xavier Villeneuve	D	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	5-11/160	9/29/2007	35	6	30	36	35
19	Malte Gustafsson	D	HV 71 (SHL)	6-4/200	6/11/2008	16	0	3	3	2
20	Juho Piiparinen	D	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-2/200	8/10/2008	28	0	3	3	8
21	Alexander Command	C	Orebro (Swe U20)	6-1/185	6/16/2008	24	13	22	35	30
22	Wyatt Cullen	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/175	9/8/2008	17	3	11	14	2
23	JP Hurlbert	LW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-0/185	4/11/2008	45	31	41	72	26
24	Nikita Klepov	RW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/180	6/27/2008	45	28	32	60	27
25	Mathis Preston	RW	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/175	7/21/2008	36	14	18	32	32
26	Jaxon Cover	LW	London (OHL)	6-2/175	2/13/2008	45	14	20	34	40
27	William Hakansson	D	Lulea (SHL)	6-4/205	10/8/2007	22	0	2	2	8
28	Giorgos Pantelas	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/215	4/24/2008	45	2	18	20	30
29	Brooks Rogowski	C	Oshawa (OHL)	6-6/225	6/28/2008	31	7	18	25	10
30	Maddox Dagenais	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/195	3/27/2008	43	20	17	37	23
31	Tomas Chrenko	C	HK Nitra (Slovakia)	5-11/170	11/2/2007	33	6	16	22	6
32	Marcus Nordmark	LW	Djurgardens (Swe U20)	6-1/180	5/4/2008	21	10	20	30	42

2026 WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Daily Recap- January 5th, 2026 – Game Summaries – Standout Performances – Notable Draft Eligible Prospects

Kyle Pereira and Linc Zdancewicz — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 20:28:36 +0000

Viggo Björck of Sweden celebrates after winning the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship final game between Sweden and Czech Republic on January 5, 2026 in Saint Paul.
Photo: Joel Marklund / BILDBYRÅN

CANADA V FINLAND

On the final day of the World Juniors 2026 tournament, we get started with the Bronze Medal game between Team Canada and Team Finland. Coming into this game, Finland had taken Sweden all the way to an eight round shootout before falling in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Canada would lose for the third consecutive tournament to the Czechs, ending in a one-goal loss.

The Canadians would get things rolling early, as just over a minute into the contest, Michael Hage would have a burst of speed through the neutral zone, flying up ice and creating a 2-on-1. He would make an excellent move around a sprawling Finnish defender before sliding the puck across to Sam O’Reilly, who scores the opener. Just a few minutes later, Canada would continue a tough trend of allowing quick responses, as Arttu Valila scored off a drop pass from Heikki Ruohonen on the rush, knotting the game at one. Braeden Cootes would score about a minute later, as this game began to look similar to their group stage shoot-out, after Keaton Verhoeff found him at the high slot, where he whipped a shot past Petteri Rimpinen to take the lead right back. Halfway through the first, after things settled down, Zayne Parekh would take a holding penalty, resulting in the Finns taking the man advantage. On that powerplay, the Finns would even the score once again, as Julius Miettinen would fire a heavy shot past Carter George. It all started with Joona Saarelainen holding the zone on an attempted clearance, allowing the Finns to get set-up, with Lasse Boelius setting up Miettinen for the goal. Late in the first, Boelius would take a penalty for cross-checking, giving the Canadians a powerplay. They would not disappoint, as they showcased some outstanding puck movement, resulting in Parekh scoring in what has been a remarkable tournament for the Calgary Flames defender.

Heading into the second period with the lead, Canada would get started early, applying pressure immediately on the Finns. With the Finns getting tired, Parekh would pinch down on a clearance attempt, easily knocking the puck down to Tij Iginla, who would drive towards the net before setting up Porter Martone, who would give Canada the two-goal lead. Finland would make another costly mistake, with Ruohonen taking a slashing penalty and giving the Canadians another man advantage opportunity. Once again, they would exhibit outstanding passing ability, with Gavin McKenna threading the needle on a shot-pass to O’Reilly on the back door for his second of the game. Canada would then transition into a pure shut-down style, not really pushing the pace and instead keeping plays out wide and chipping pucks up and out consistently. The Finns would receive a positive break late in the period, when a Leo Tuuva takeaway led to a breakout, where he set up Ruohonen for the entry, and he walks in and fires it right past George, getting within two ahead of the third.

In the third period, Finland would control much of the play, but couldn’t quite get the dangerous looks they needed. When they did get quality chances, however, George was up for the task and shut the Finns out. But the Finns made one mistake, turning the puck over in their offensive end, leading to a McKenna rush up ice. They would get multiple dangerous looks, completely shut down by Rimpinen, before the puck found McKenna on the doorstep, with Rimpinen scrambling, and he did not miss. Finland once again would keep pushing, but George and the Canadians did not let them get one through, and Canada would be crowned this year's Bronze Medal winners.

MVPs:

Canada: Michael Hage, Gavin McKenna, Zayne Parekh

Finland: Heikki Ruohonen, Julius Miettinen, Joona Saarelainen

SWEDEN V CZECHIA

The first all-European Gold Medal Game since 2016 promised to bring a level of high intensity as both teams looked very heavy in their semifinal matchups from the day prior. The game got underway slowly, both teams defending the other’s chances quite well. No one quite looked offensively dominant but they both have tended to score greasy goals during this tournament. Czechia looked to get the upperhand in terms of advantage, getting two power plays in five minutes during the middle of the period. However, Jack Berglund would pick the puck up on a broken power play and drive the net, almost score, keep the play going and shoved it to Casper Justovaara who tapped it in for the Swedish lead on a shorthanded goal. The remainder of the period went back to the fundamentals for both teams, which consisted of shutting eachother down and using the body heavily.

The second period started with much of the same, but Sweden was playing to their strengths way more. The young guns Viggo Bjorck and Ivar Stenberg were playing excellent, driving play, establishing possession in the offensive zone and even showing up defensively. The Czechs were really showing that their match against Canada was wearing on them, just then, Vojtech Cihar cross-checked Ivar Stenberg in the back to put Sweden up on the powerplay. After some close bending, Victor Eklund finally broke the Czech penalty kill on a clean up goal dished to him by Jack Berglund.

The Swedes fully took control in the possession game from then on, absolutely shutting the door on the Czechs in the second period. Even when Czechia was on a PP, Sweden was shutting everything down. The second period wound down quietly with Sweden looking dominant, with just one period to go before winning their first gold since 2012. The third period started again with the Swedes bringing the pressure heavy, resulting in a quick Ivar Stenberg zone entry that kept going until he set up Sascha Boumedienne for an earth shattering clap bomb from the wall to give the Swedes a 3-0 lead in the third. Time continued to tick down on the Czechs chances but none were converting. Michal Orsulak was pulled with over three minutes remaining and off that 6v5, Adam Jiricek found the back of the net for the first time in this game. The netminder stayed out of the net and the Czechs continued to go to work in their offensive zone, until Matej Kubiesa found a lane to make it 3-2 Sweden with under 24 seconds to go. Some maybe thought Czechia had a slim chance to maybe tie, going back into the offensive zone yet again, but after a blocked shot, Ivar Stenberg rushed to the puck and buried the empty netter to seal the Swedish victory up in a bow. The Swedes finally break their curse and win their first gold medal since 2012, grabbing yet another gold from this 2006 birth year that has been so successful for Sweden.

MVP’s

Sweden: Viggo Bjorck, Jack Berglund, Ivar Stenberg

Czechia: Michal Orsulak, Adam Jiricek, Adam Novotny

INDIVIDUAL REPORTS

Heikki Ruohonen (FIN) (1G 1A)

After being nails all tournament, Ruohonen showed his more crafty side against Canada when on offense. His usual game was evident throughout the match, throwing the body around and causing general disruption for the Canadians in all three zones, he already looks like a Flyer. Ruohonen shone just as brightly on offense, showing how deadly he can be on rushes, carrying the puck up ice, dropping it to Arttu Valila and screening his shot to help tie the Canadians early in the bronze medal game. Later on, he showed another great rush play, escaping pressure with the puck, getting a ton of space and scoring a tricky goal to shorten the Canadian lead in the second period. Ruohonen has shown a ton of translatable two-way traits in his time at this tournament, his ability to be everywhere in the defensive and neutral zones are fantastic and offensively he had a solid tournament, setting up a great many quality chances that didn’t show up on the stat sheet.

Jack Berglund (SWE) (2A)

Berglund, the Philadelphia Flyers second round selection in the 2024 draft and captain of Team Sweden, had one last year of eligibility left to play in the U20s. Boy did he ever make a statement with it. He battled for the entire tournament, playing physical, going into board battles hard and winning pucks more often than not. He also chipped in plenty of offense, with 10 points in those seven games, including two in the one that mattered most. He was noticeable every single game because of his work ethic and sheer will to lead his team. Berglund did so many of the little things right, and this tournament showed that he can play amongst the best young players in the world, a key step towards his NHL dreams. He looks like the kind of player an NHL team would love to have, but hate to play against, especially come playoff time. The Flyers look to have a very good player for their future in the young leader and, now Gold Medal winner.

DRAFT ELIGIBLES

Gavin McKenna (CAN) (1G 3A)

Gavin McKenna finished his tournament with 14 points, adding four in the bronze medal game. His offensive zone mastery is the biggest takeaway I had from his entire tournament, he was so crafty with his passes, seeing lanes that you couldn’t even imagine if you had a bird’s eye view. His first two assists were secondary, feeding Michael Hage who’s chemistry with McKenna was crucial for Canada’s offense the entire tournament. His forechecking, though not as consistent against Czechia, was evident against the Finns albeit not as strong as his QF and Group stage games, it was still a strong trait that will give him a great leg up in Penn State when he goes back for his second semester. McKenna’s biggest highlight was his shot pass to Sam O’Reilly to put Canada up 5-2 on the power play. He wired the puck the second he got it to fool the entire Finnish defense, it was truly special, just another crazy pass in his repertoire. His goal later on to even further the lead, started from a great feed through traffic to Michael Hage, whos subsequent shot led to a rebound coming right to him to clean up. McKenna’s tournament, if nothing else, has established him as an insanely talented passer and deadly forward in the offensive zone, something that was already known but emphasized from the past two weeks. However, what was truly refreshing was to see McKenna routinely become a surprising disruptor from time to time, being fully on opponents on the forecheck during spurts of the tournament. If shown just a bit more consistently from this point forward, he will absolutely lock down #1 for himself.

Viggo Bjorck (SWE) (2A)

Bjorck, a projected early selection in the 2026 NHL draft, came into this tournament with minimal expectations in comparison to his teammate and other 2026 eligible, Ivar Stenberg. Yet, it feels no one did more in this tournament to raise their stock than Bjorck, who was active all over the ice, consistently. He officially finished with seven points in six games, including two assists in the most important game to clinch Gold. He dominated in his minutes, easily finishing as one of the best chance generators on the Swedish squad, and in the whole tournament, which is mighty impressive considering just how much talent is on Sweden. That came from his ability to use his strong skating to beat defenders wide, then use his lower center of gravity and lower-body strength to drive hard towards the net. He also showcased his incredible off-puck ability, consistently getting to the net front and finding open ice in dangerous areas all tournament long. Bjorck was also one of the best faceoff takers in the tournament, leading all Swedes with a 57% faceoff win percentage, allowing Sweden opportunities to control pucks in key spots. Not only was he key at driving offense and generating opportunities for possession off draws, but he was a key penalty killer in the gold medal game. His edge work, smarts, strong active stick and motor all shone bright in those spots, as he was able to clog up passing lanes incredibly well, and applied a ton of pressure on puck carriers who came into his area. He was outstanding all tournament long in so many different ways for Sweden. Bjorck certainly created a ton of buzz around his name, as he looks to earn a top-10 bid on draft day. One last note that deserves mention is Bjorck’s incredible character. He was absolutely wonderful to talk to after games and was noticeably loved by his teammates in the room. He’s a young kid that an NHL team surely would love to have.

2026 WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Daily Recap- January 2nd, 2026 – Game Summaries – Standout Performances – Notable Draft Eligible Prospects

Kyle Pereira and Linc Zdancewicz — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 16:32:53 +0000

RELEGATION

Germany and Denmark geared up for the right to stay up in the top division early on Friday morning, with the Germans suiting up for their third straight relegation round. The game commenced with a consistent attack from Germany, who struck early on from a David Lewandowski snipe to go up 1-0. Ferocity didn’t dissipate from there on, as both teams were called for different high-sticking calls. Germany killed their penalty, however, Denmark was unable to, with Maxim Schafer jamming the puck home to take a 2-0 lead. Later on, Denmark went back on the power play, where Mads Klyvo would get open to successfully convert this time for the Danes. The first period ended shortly after with a slight German advantage at 2-1.

At the outset of the second, Germany jumped on the puck early, getting possession and scoring quickly; Manuel Schams fired a shot that hit a Danish defender’s skate to go up 3-1 in the middle period. Less than two minutes later, Germany added to their lead from a beautiful Simon Seidl wrister, putting themselves fully in the driver's seat of this relegation game. However, the Danes didn’t stay down for long. On the power play, Mads Klyvo found a lane yet again to cut the lead to two, and just four minutes later, William Bundgaard maneuvered behind the net, finding Oliver Green to cut the lead to one going into the final period. However, in that fateful third period, the Danes would take consecutive penalties to give the Germans a two-man advantage early in the period, in which they would score from Dustin Wilhoft, who weaved his way to sneak the puck backhand to tuck his second of the tournament.

The third drew down with both teams scoring again, with Manuel Schams scoring for the Germans and Anton Linde for Denmark. Another penalty for Denmark gave Germany an even larger margin of victory on the stick of Lenny Boos. Finally, late Tobias Schwarz would pot an empty netter to ensure an even more dominant German victory. The Danes officially will be relegated next year, with the Norwegians coming back up into the Top division in Edmonton and Red Deer.

Ivar Stenberg of Sweden and Krists Retenais of Latvia during the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship quarterfinal game between Sweden and Latvia on January 2, 2026 in Saint Paul.
Photo: Joel Marklund / BILDBYRÅN

SWEDEN v LATVIA

The first quarterfinals matchup of the day, it would be the winner of Group A, Sweden, taking on Latvia. Sweden got off to a very quick start, wasting absolutely no time on a bad Latvian turnover on a defensive retrieval. It was Anton Frondell who struck first, about 10 seconds in, after he got a piece of the shot from Leo Sahlin Wallenius from the point. After as bad a start as they could have, the Latvians would find some momentum. Early, they were not exposing a weakness that the Swedes had shown previously; their defensemen struggled with breakouts when under pressure. But Latvia would put the pressure on and start getting some looks. It led to back-to-back power plays, and on the second opportunity, Kristers Ansons would fire a beautiful shot past Love Harenstam to tie the game up at one. But just as quickly as it seemed the Latvians found their stride, they would resort to a chess match with Sweden. While they did a good job forcing dump-ins and preventing the Swedes from consistently getting to the slot, Lucas Pettersson would work his way down low with the puck as Jack Berglund drove the slot, and Pettersson would put the puck exactly where it needed to be, and Berglund put it home.

Again, in the second period, Latvia would resort to a chess match. They weren’t pressuring the Swedish defenders, instead resorting to a sort of neutral zone trap. While it forced the Swedes to dump pucks in instead of enter the offensive zone with possession, and keep them to the perimeter for the most part, they were not skilled enough nor fast enough to hold Sweden’s stars off for long. Sascha Boumedienne would put home a nice set up from Alfons Freij while Berglund blinded Nils Maurins with his screen in front. Ivar Stenberg dominated possession for much of that offensive zone time as well, helping create the opening for the goal. Less than two minutes later, Felix Carrell would score as he stepped down from the point and took a smart feed from Victor Eklund to blast home, quickly turning what was a one-goal lead into a three goal lead.

In the third period, things started very chippy, with Alberts Smits throwing a late hit after the whistle on Linus Eriksson, who retaliated, creating a big scrum. But despite Smits trying to ignite his team, it would not matter, as Frondell would score his second of the game on an excellent shot to put his team up 5-1. Latvia would not go down without a fight, as Karlis Flugins would fire home a brilliant shot to cut the deficit to three, giving them a glimmer of hope. But after some more back and forth, with neither team willing to make a mistake, it would once again be the more skilled team who drew blood. This time, it was Leo Sahlin Wallenius who beat Maurins with a seeing eye shot from the point to re-claim the four-goal lead. However, Alfons Freij took a bad delay of game penalty, and Latvia would take advantage very quickly, as Olivers Murnieks would score just 12 seconds in on the man-advantage, cutting the deficit back down to three. But that would be all she wrote, as Sweden would send Latvia packing, while they punched their ticket to the semi-finals and a guaranteed shot at a medal.

MVPs:

Sweden: Jack Berglund, Anton Frondell, Ivar Stenberg

Latvia: Olivers Murnieks, Nils Maurins, Krisjanis Sarts

CZECHIA v SWITZERLAND

Czechia and Switzerland has been an anticipated one for the quarter finals because both teams have seriously pressured the top dogs in this tournament. The Swiss got to their game early in this one, shutting down the Czech pressure and adding pressure of their own to boot. Shortly after not scoring on their first power play, Leon Muggli launched one that squeaked under Marik to give the Swiss a 1-0 lead. From there the Swiss were still shutting down their opponents and overall giving more effort in the first, though the Czechs started to break through towards the intermission.

Czechia came out hot for the second, Tomas Galvas grabbed their first goal on some incredible edge work and a tricky shot, tying the Swiss a minute in. The game truly stayed close as both were vying for possession aggressively. Radim Mrtka’s stick was too aggressive as he was taken to the box for high-sticking, that penalty resulted in a Jamiro Reber goal from an impressive Jonah Neuenschwander feed to go up by one once again. The Czechs still played it close and Samuel Drancak finally broke through, willing his way past several Swiss defenders to bury his chance under Kirsch to tie it up.

Shortly after the equalizer, an awkward broken play off the faceoff lead to Adam Jiricek finding a loose puck by the boards and firing it into an open net, Kirsch did not see the shot and the Czechs grabbed their first lead of the game 3-2. Czechia seemed to grab control of the game from there, putting way more quality chances on net, scoring another one off the stick of Petr Sikora to put them ahead by two, a lead they would take into the third period at 4-2.

That domination would continue to start the third, controlling possession once again. Jiri Klima put the game officially out of reach at even strength, with the Czechs leading 5-2. As the desperation of the Swiss continued to mount, Ludvig Johnson took a boarding penalty that gave the opportunistic Czechs another great chance to extend their lead, and extend they would with Jakub Fibigr netting his first of the tournament. The period would shortly draw to an end after that, with the Czechs looking more than dominant after a slow start to this game, they move on to the Semis.

MVP’s

Czechia: Tomas Galvas, Petr Sikora, Samuel Drancak

Switzerland: Leon Muggli, Mike Aeschliman, Jamiro Reber.

USA v FINLAND

After a disappointing loss for both teams in their final group stage matchups, both USA and Finland are looking to bounce back. The first period would see both teams playing two totally different styles, with a lot of give and take. The US were flying up ice and moving the puck very quickly around the offensive zone, and it led to some excellent looks, especially on their power play opportunity. But Petteri Rimpinen was up to the task, and Finland’s defensive structure was still sound despite the US getting some good looks. Meanwhile, the Finns were playing composed, patient, and advantageous hockey. The US would turn the puck over multiple times in key spots, leading to several golden opportunities. This time, it was Nick Kempf who stood tall, matching Rimpinen’s start.

In the second period, the US would get off to a much faster start, killing off the rest of their penalty at the end of the first, then immediately finding the back of the net. Cole Hutson would announce his return in style with a great shot after a great rush and set up by LJ Mooney, who is finding a groove over these last few games. But the Finns would get things under control, scoring a goal of their own, with Heikki Ruohonen putting it home. Ruohonen won a battle in the corner off the dump and chase, with Max Westergard working along the wall before spinning back low and putting the puck on a platter for Ruohonen. About five minutes after evening the score, the Finns would make a crucial mistake and take a too many men penalty, giving the US another power play. This time, Cole Eiserman would not be denied, as Hutson yet again makes a great play, setting up a one-timer for Eiserman by threading the needle.

In the third period, it would be more and more of that same game. Just a masterclass of skill and smarts from both teams, waiting for the right opportunity. Finland, late in the game, found the back of the net, with a ridiculous pass from Aron Kiviharju to Leo Tuuva to tie the game. Then five seconds later, yes, literally five seconds later, Finland’s Joona Saarelainen would give them their first lead of the game, off another ridiculous pass from Tuuva this time. The US would pull their goalie, and as soon as the extra attacker hit the ice, Ryker Lee would finish off a brilliant pass from James Hagens in tight to beat Rimpinen in the slot, and the game was tied. It felt like the building was shaking, the energy was fully awakened in this building. And to overtime we went!

The Finns would establish possession and hold onto it for much of the OT period, outside of one good look for Teddy Stiga. That would pay dividends, as Finland’s Matias Vanhanen would play the puck to the bottom of the right circle, where Arttu Valila would beat Kempf on the blocker side, sending the USA’s hopes for a three-peat out the window, while they join their rivals Sweden and Czechia, while they await the outcome of Canada and Slovakia for the final semi-final spot.

MVPs:

USA: Cole Hutson, Ryker Lee, Cole Eiserman

Finland: Daniel Nieminen, Joona Saarelainen, Heikki Ruohonen

CANADA v SLOVAKIA

The final quarter-final matchup seemed to be the most predictable prior to the game but Slovakia came to play in the early part of the first. Both teams had their chances early, with Slovakia matching Canada physically. After several more close chances, Keaton Verhoeff fired a shot on net that was finished by his North Dakota teammate Cole Reschny to give Canada the lead with around six to go in the period. Just a minute later, Tij Iginla came streaking down the perimeter and released a tight shot that bounced right out the back of the net, putting Canada up 2-0.

The Canadians kept the pressure on tight, dominating chances with Michael Misa scoring an incredible goal by himself to further the blowout. After letting in his third goal on 12 shots, Michal Pradel was pulled in favor of Alan Lendak. On the very next shot, Carson Carels launched a blocked shot on net that got cleaned up by Sam O’Reilly to further beat up on the Slovaks. Tomas Pobezal took a costly penalty to put Canada on their dangerous power play, where Gavin McKenna passed a magical feed to Brady Martin to bury it for the 5-0 lead to end the first.

The second continued to be a dominant one for Canada, but the scoring didn’t appear until almost ten minutes in, when Porter Martone netted his fourth of the tournament, and shortly after, Cole Beaudoin got another in his belt when he lifted one past Lendak to put Canada up 7-0 midway through the second. As the period wound down, the Slovaks found themselves in an interesting chance in their offensive zone, and they converted off the stick of Jan Chovan, who found a lane through traffic to give the Slovaks a point just before the second intermission.

MVPsCanada: Michael Misa, Michael Hage, Keaton VerhoeffSlovakia: Tobias Pitka, Alan Lendak, Jan Chovan

INDIVIDUAL REPORTS

Leon Muggli (SWI) 1G

It seems that Washington has an abundance of riches in their prospect core, just look at the performance of Muggli from today. The entire tournament, he has been Switzerland’s best puck mover and finished tied as the leading scorer. Muggli’s skating and edgework along the blueline have been both excellent and not overly flashy. He is the perfect combination of aggressive and stable when running at the top of the offensive zone, and that was exemplified with his goal to take the early lead in this one. Muggli’s retrievals have also been a strong point as he has been able to get it out for the Swiss at those high-danger moments against both strong and weak opponents. His gap control in this game was very solid despite finishing as a -1 on the day. Muggli’s main strength comes from that composure in the neutral zone, going both ways. It’s just another feather in the cap of the Capitals for grabbing this kid when they did in 2024.

Michael Misa (CAN) 1G 1A

By far, Michael Misa’s best performance of the tournament, as he came out of the gate flying and looking like he was about to score 134 points again. His rushes were elite, and teammates Tij Iginla and Porter Martone were given chance after chance repeatedly in the first. Misa buried his first goal to put Canada up by three while he was doing what he does best, finding open ice without the puck. Misa’s knack for finding chances to score is impeccable, and it’s why he’s been one of the guys Canada leans on in these games. His assist came from the other really strong point of his game, on the rush to Porter Martone. Misa has thrived in making chaos on the neutral ice, making a lot of great pushes through the Slovak line to wear them out early. Lastly, Misa was showing a bit of spite and physicality in his game, something that was new to this quarterfinal matchup. If he continues to get involved physically, being unafraid to run into a defenseman in the middle of the offensive zone, then he will add another level of danger in open ice.

Anton Frondell (SWE) 2G

The Chicago Blackhawks 3rd overall selection last year, Frondell had as good a game as Sweden could have asked from him. He got the game started with a goal 10 seconds in, driving towards the net as the point shot came in, getting the deflection and beating the Latvian netminder. Then, with a strong lead already, Frondell really added salt to the Latvians wounds with a phenomenal shot. When Frondell is on, he is hard to slow down. He can shoot, he can dish out passes, and he’s a big, strong forward who can win battles all over the ice when necessary. If the Swedes want to strike gold at this tournament, he will be one of their biggest keys to success.

Joona Saarelainen (FIN) 1G 1A

The Tampa Bay Lightning 5th round draft choice had his best game of the tournament thus far. Against the US, it was clear early on which team was faster and playing with more pace. The US were generating chances left and right early in this game, using their speed and skill to try and overwhelm the Finns. Saarelainen stood out because of that, as he was one of the faster paced Finns out on the ice against the Americans. He was moving his feet all game long, and was noticeably quick in this contest, giving the Finns a different element when he was on the ice. While it took some time to manifest into points, it was Saarelainen and his linemates who played the heroes. In one shift, just five seconds apart, Saarelainen would get an assist on the game-tying goal and score the go-ahead goal with less than seven minutes remaining in regulation. While the US would force overtime, the Finns would still take it home. But it’s fair to wonder, if not for Saarelainen and his linemates, would the Finns have gone home instead? Going into a matchup with the very fast and skilled Swedes, who out-classed the Americans previously, they’re again going to need Saarelainen to stand out in his depth role to win his matchups and create offense.

DRAFT ELIGIBLES

Gavin McKenna (CAN) (1A)

McKenna kept his points streak alive against Slovakia but more than that, his more well-rounded game was on display for all to see early on. His passing prowess was on display for all to see once again on the power play, showing off how elite his skills were on multiple chances, finally converting off a feed to Brady Martin. What was even more exciting was the effort on display in the neutral and defensive zone that many pundits critiqued him for. Behind the net, on loose pucks, along the boards, we have seen a new energy from McKenna in this tournament when approaching his two-way game and scouts are taking notice. He has been key to Canada coming out energetic and keeping the foot on the gas pedal with his play. Lastly his knack for converting plays in the neutral zone has been excellent. Where other big teams have been exposed in the neutral zone on rushes, McKenna has made sure to turn many of Canada’s transitions into offensive zone possessions; he knows how to find those lanes quickly. McKenna’s instincts have been great, and he has made his first overall case stronger than ever through his first five games.

Ivar Stenberg (SWE) 1A

Stenberg, who is trying to add as much as he can to his case for being the first pick off the board in 2026, stood out in a big way against Latvia. This wasn’t the cleanest game for Sweden, nor was it for Stenberg, yet they still outclassed a weaker Latvian team. It comes down to just how much raw skill Stenberg has, which has allowed him to really shine at times here at this tournament and back with his club in the SHL. In fact, Stenberg had his best individual moment of this tournament on the powerplay in the second period. Late in the powerplay, Stenberg showed off how elite his ability is to control and protect the puck when it’s on his stick, holding off defenders and looking to set up his teammates. As the powerplay expired, he would continue playing a bit of keep-away with the Latvian defenders, before setting up what ended up being the crucial third goal of the game for Sweden.

2026 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP GUIDE – TEAM MCKEEN’S PREDICTIONS – Final Medal Standings, Tournament MVP, Top Forward, Top Defense, Top Goaltender, Best 2026 Draft Eligibles and Biggest Surprises

Team McKeens — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 13:31:31 +0000

USA Celebrating 2025 World Juniors win

The 2026 World Junior Championships are set to kick off on Boxing Day (December 26), with Minnesota and the United States hosting. Can Canada get back on track after two disappointing quarterfinal losses? Can the United States win their first gold on home soil and three-peat? Members of the McKeen’s team have come together to bring you our predictions for the tournament.

Final Medal Standings Predictions

GOLD

Canada - 19

USA - 3

Sweden - 2

SILVER

Sweden - 11

USA - 7

Czechia - 3

Canada - 3

BRONZE

Sweden - 8

Czechia - 7

USA - 6

Canada - 2

Finland - 1

Who Wins Tournament MVP?

Michael Misa - 8 votes

Gavin McKenna - 5 votes

Porter Martone - 3 votes

Anton Frondell - 2 votes

James Hagens - 2 votes

Also receiving votes (1): Max Plante, Carter George, Cole Hutson, Ivar Stenberg

Who Wins Best Forward?

Michael Misa - 7

Gavin McKenna - 5

Porter Martone - 4

Ivar Stenberg - 3

James Hagens - 2

Anton Frondell - 2

Also receiving votes (1): Victor Eklund

Who Wins Best Defender?

Cole Hutson - 10

Zayne Parekh - 5

Radim Mrtka - 2

Adam Jiricek - 2

Also receiving votes (1): Leo Sahlin Wallenius, Harrison Brunicke, Carson Carels, Chase Reid, Kashawn Aitcheson

Who Wins Best Goaltender?

Carter George - 12

Jack Ivankovic - 4

Petteri Rimpinen - 4

Joshua Ravensbergen - 2

Also receiving votes (1): Michal Pradel, Kim Saarinen

Which 2026 NHL Draft Eligible Prospect Has the Best Tournament?

KANATA, ONTARIO - JANUARY 2: Canada's Gavin McKenna #9 shoots the puck during warm-up prior to Quarterfinal Round action against Czechia at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship at Canadian Tire Centre on January 2, 2025 in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andr Ringuette/IIHF)

Gavin McKenna

“He feels the need to prove that he's the best player when it comes back to U20 hockey.” - Chase Rochon

“He has been receiving big minutes in practice and the preliminary game against Sweden. I project he will be their top line left wing and that his game will carry over extremely well to this tournament's fast paced style of play.” - Linc Zdancewicz

“McKenna is a generational offensive talent with elite hockey IQ and creativity. He already has high scoring totals in junior leagues and dominated at the U18 level. With Canada’s top offensive role likely entrusted to him, he has the best combination of opportunity and skill to post standout numbers and influence medal outcomes. He plays with a level of confidence and pace rarely seen at his age, allowing him to consistently drive possession and dictate offensive flow. His skating acceleration and ability to separate from defenders should translate extremely well on the bigger WJC stage. He also thrives in clutch situations, often elevating his game late in tight matches. With strong linemates and heavy power-play usage, his points should come both at even strength and on special teams. Altogether, his skill set and expected role make him the clear favorite to be the standout draft-eligible player of the tournament.” - Marek Novotny

“I think this tournament will be a perfect chance for McKenna to show the doubters that he is still the top prospect for this draft. I think he’ll be able to hone his skill and put up big numbers and potentially be the top player of the tournament.” - Mika Burns

“His transition from the WHL to the NCAA hasn't been smooth or easy, but he still possesses all-world talent, he's proven himself to be a big-game performer in the past, and he'll be extra motivated to silence some of the recent criticism of him that has popped up in the public.” - Derek Neumeier

“After being underutilized last year, McKenna returns to the tournament with lofty expectations to lead Canada to gold as Bedard and Lafreniere did before in their draft years. The Wizard from Whitehorse is going to show everyone how dominant he can be at his own age level after sharpening his tools in the NCAA. The line of McKenna-Misa-Martone will be the stuff of legends.” - Kyle Watson

“I think Gavin McKenna will rise to the occasion and explode offensively. He will get more offensive opportunity than last year, he will play with Martone to start which the two were an elite duo at the U18 level and also playing with Misa who has the skills to match his will help him a lot to produce. The experience playing against older guys in the NCAA and coming back playing against his age group will help him be more confident.” - Jeremy Rivet

“He'll be a premier offensive player for Canada and will have all the opportunity to give scouts reassurance of his status as the top prospect in the draft.” - Kyle Dalla Zanna

“Gavin McKenna should finally get to demonstrate at these World Juniors why he is the consensus number one pick for the 2026 NHL draft. Besides being on a stacked Canadian squad, he should be given every opportunity to showcase his skills against the best junior players in the world. The skill set is just too high for him not to succeed.” - Mark Dube

“After a frustrating year in the NCAA where McKenna has been largely smothered offensively and has been a liability in his own end, the stakes have never been higher to have an MVP performance. This is McKenna's opportunity to all but solidify himself as the 1st overall pick should he dominate as we've seen in his WHL days. On a stacked Canada team he finds himself in a position to succeed with nearly any line mates. The circumstances surrounding this tournament are too grand for McKenna to give anything but his absolute best performance and given the amount of skill he possesses, McKenna should be the best overall player in Minnesota.” - Kaeden Ireland

“Gavin shines when the pressure is on, especially when representing his country at International Tournaments. He knows the buzz surrounding his game & all eyes are on him but I predict he will excel at this year's tournament & be a dominant player for Team Canada.” - Liam Staples

FRISCO, TEXAS - APRIL 26: Sweden's Ivar Stenberg #15 skates to the bench with teammates after scoring a first period goal against USA during Preliminary Round - Group B action at the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Comerica Center on April 26, 2025 in Frisco, Texas, USA. (Photo by Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF)

Ivar Stenberg

“Not that it will do much to raise his stock but Ivar Stenberg. He’ll be one of the focal points on a dangerous Sweden team and should finish just behind Frondell in the tournament scoring race.” - Jamison Derksen

“Despite currently stringing together the best SHL draft season in history, Stenberg is relatively unknown to fans compared to McKenna, or even Verhoeff. I think he will put together the best performance of the draft eligibles and potentially lead the tournament in scoring. He will be a household name after the tournament.” - Ben Misfeldt

“He was lights out at the U18s, easily the standout for Sweden there. Now, playing against older competition but alongside some of the same teammates, I can see him having another electric tournament. He's also having an excellent season that could push his momentum towards the best tournament.” - Kyle Pereira

“Behind Frondell and Eklund gets to play against top team's 2nd/3rd lines and shine from there.” - Arttu Myllymäki

“Ivar Stenberg will have the best tournament of all players eligible for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. He is already playing at a record-breaking pace in the SHL and will demonstrate why he is in the conversation for the first overall pick in the upcoming draft. They know they have an elite player in Stenberg with what he has displayed this season so far. He surely will play a lot of minutes to give the best chances to team Sweden to win a medal.” - Jer Tremblay

“I fully believe Stenberg has the talent to be one of the most impactful players for Team Sweden. He’s having a great season in the Swedish top tier league, averaging nearly a point per game. He’s coming in great shape and should have an important role on a team which has the ambition to medal. I think Stenberg will continue in his SHL form and scores at a PPG rate at least.” - Matej Deraj

“Based on the season he’s having in the SHL, being a dominant force on the best team in the nation, and the fact that his form is at its peak just in time for WJC will result in him having the best tournament.” - Viktor Ahlund

Alberts Smits

“Looking from the outside in, the Latvian defenseman may log more minutes than just about any other 2026 draft eligible player in this tournament. His team will need to lean on him perhaps more than any other team will lean on a 2026-eligible player. His stats will likely not reflect how good/important his tournament is as his team is facing a considerable uphill battle against Canada, Czechia, and Finland. It is then damned to defeat Denmark. Surviving is naturally the central goal. He should be asked to be the key figure in this endeavor and that's what will concern the scouts when they're watching Latvia play. They'll want to see him embody the importance of his role in ensuring survival, and hopefully a nice little surprise here or there.” - Chapin Landvogt

Viggo Bjorck

“I can definitely see Viggo Björck driving much of the offense for Team Sweden and reestablishing himself near the top of the 2026 draft projections—though probably not in the top five, more likely in the 8–10 range.” - Joey Fortin Boulay

Carson Carels

“I think Carson Carels will have the best tournament among draft-eligible players. He might be a bit of an unknown commodity to some fans of the tournament, but he truly has been excellent in the WHL this year with the Prince George Cougars. He's incredibly difficult to play against, eats tough minutes against the best the league has to offer, and has a nice offensive touch to complement his rugged defensive game. The spotlight will be on Gavin McKenna and Keaton Verhoeff, but Carels has the ability to really impress quite quickly.” - Michael Moroz

“Carson Carels. If he gets the ice time, which I think he should, given how responsible he is while also being useful with the puck, his stock will rise a ton.” - Jeremi Plourde

“Carson Carels might not have the "best" tournament of any draft eligible, but he will open people's eyes to his reliable brand of hockey thanks to his high-end skating and puck moving.” - Felix Sicard

Adam Novotny

“There are so many top draft eligible prospects playing in this year’s tournament. However, I think that Novotny has a chance to be an offensive leader for the Czechs and help carry them to a medal. He’s been one of the better players in the OHL the last few months and he knows what it takes to perform well at this tournament after playing a support role on last year’s bronze medal winning Czech team. Don’t be surprised if he’s the highest scoring draft eligible player at the WJC’s.” - Brock Otten

What is the Biggest Surprise of the Tournament?

“Germany beats Slovakia in the round robin, sending them to the relegation round.” - Chase Rochon

“The Czechs beat Canada on Boxing Day. Canada usually starts the tournament with an easy matchup, but that’s not the case this year as the Czechs will have valuable contributors at each position. This Canadian team is under a ton of pressure and I think they start the tournament with some adversity.” - Jamison Derksen

“USA misses the semi-finals and finishes 5th. After back-to-back Golds, the USA doesn't look quite as strong this season. Their goaltending is a question mark, and the lack of draft pedigree on their roster compared to previous seasons is noticeable.” - Ben Misfeldt

“Julius Miettinen has been a favorite of mine since his draft year in 2024 and he is the first line center that no one is talking about. I predict he is going to be the engine for Finland's offense this tournament. His large frame, high hockey IQ, and grit will make him an unstoppable force.” - Linc Zdancewicz

“Czechia reaching the semifinals would be a major storyline, especially in a field dominated by traditional powerhouses like Canada, the United States, and Sweden, making it a huge achievement for a smaller hockey nation to push that far. In recent years Czechia has shown it can compete with the elite, earning strong finishes and proving its development system is moving forward, but the question remains whether they can repeat this success in 2026. In the past the team’s biggest weakness was defense, but this year the opposite could be true, as they appear to have their strongest blue-line group on paper in years. Many players also arrive with valuable World Junior and professional experience, providing maturity, structure, and stability throughout the lineup. With improved defensive responsibility, reliable puck movement, and goaltending depth behind them, Czechia has the foundation to stay in games against even the most explosive offenses. If their top forwards produce timely scoring and a solid preliminary round sets up a winnable quarterfinal, Czechia has a genuine chance to break into the top four and shock the field once again.” - Marek Novotny

“Jack Ivankovic- He steals the Canadian starting job and has a great end to the tournament. Proven track record at international tournaments and having an excellent season in Michigan, I see him surprising a lot of people, despite me having Canada at bronze.” - Kyle Pereira

“The biggest surprise for me will be the role that draft eligibles play on the top teams. Whether it be McKenna, Carels, McKenkzie on Canada or Stenberg, Björk on Sweden as well as Novotny on Czechia, I believe they will all have major roles on their team as well as some other who were not mentioned.” - Mika Burns

“I think that Harrison Brunicke is really going to open a lot of people's eyes. It's already well-known that he's one of the few prospects who is coming into this tournament with NHL experience, but he's not exactly a household name yet. I predict that he's really going to cement himself as one of the very best under-20 prospects in the world and get a lot of people excited about his future.” - Derek Neumeier

“Team USA missing the gold medal game after two gold medals in a row. I see that in these age groups Canada and Sweden have taken mental advantage from previous tournaments and overall have better players.” - Arttu Myllymäki

“Team Finland struggles to win and gets eliminated in the quarter-finals. The lack of elite players in their lineup will make matches against the best teams quite difficult. I see them struggling to win even in the preliminary round.” - Jer Tremblay

“Sascha Boumedienne bests Axel Sandin-Pelikka's totals of 10 PTS in 7 GP last tournament (most by a Swedish D this century).” - Kyle Watson

“With the desire of wanting to avoid placing an onus on this, this, or that player for this question, I'll be naming Team Switzerland as the tournament's surprise. The Swiss have very good odds of finishing 3rd in Group A play and this is a team built to give squads like Finland and Czechia real (quarterfinal) problems. It is loaded with players playing pro right now, especially on the blueline. It has 2 drafted go-to goalies having strong club seasons. And up front, there are plenty of tough-to-face grinders with a sprinkling of real skill in players like Reber, Steiner, and Neuenschwander. You can't take a day off against this year's edition but a team or two likely will.” - Chapin Landvogt

“I think Sweden being knocked out by Finland in the quarterfinal will be the biggest surprise. In group A, I see USA finishing 1st and Sweden finishing 2nd and in group B, I see Canada 1st, Czechia 2nd and Finland 3rd, which means a game between Sweden and Finland in quarterfinal. Finland learned that Helenius will not join them so it probably puts them out of contention for a gold or silver medal, but they have a lot of returnees with the gold medal game experience from last year. Finland is historically a well prepared team that follows their gameplan and that makes them hard to beat as a team. They have enough offensive threat to be able to score goals and after that they can defend very well. I think Sweden with a newer group with less experience at this tournament might hit a wall against a good defending team like Finland that also has the best goalie returning from last year with Rimpinen.” - Jeremy Rivet

“In general, the number of draft-eligible skaters is a surprise. Names like Casper Justovaara Karlsson and Carson Carels weren't projected to be in the running for their respective rosters at the beginning of the year. There are 30 draft-eligible skaters expected to take part in the WJC this tournament. The previous three WJCs had 20 or less.” - Kyle Dalla Zanna

“It’s hard to pinpoint just one major surprise, as there are several realistic possibilities. First, I wouldn’t be shocked if Team Latvia wins two games in the preliminary round and gives some of the stronger teams a real scare. I also think we’ll be pleasantly surprised by several 2026 NHL Draft eligible players making an impact—most notably Stenberg, Smits, Suvanto, Carels, and Novotny—and contributing significantly to their teams’ success. However, my biggest prediction is Jack Ivankovic winning the starting role (perhaps not on Day 1 of the preliminary round, but later on) and leading Team Canada all the way to the gold medal game.” - Joey Fortin Boulay

“Team Czechia - I think Czechs have one of the strongest teams and I won’t be surprised if they play for gold. They’ve earned a medal in all of the last three tournaments and now they’re bringing their arguably strongest team in recent history. They’ll miss Jakub Milota in net, but the defense is exceptional, and they also have a strong offensive group. Czech ambitions are reasonably high, especially since they beat Canada in quarterfinals in both 2024 and 2025 tournaments. I think Czechia makes the finals this year.” - Matej Deraj

“I think the Czechia team will be a big surprise at this tournament. They have a very deep squad, and their defensive core may be one of the best on paper. Also, most of their team already plays in North America so they are used to this style of play and should help them transition easily on Minnesota ice.” - Mark Dube

“As a whole, I think Czechia's roster is going to surprise some people with how well they are going to play. They don't have a Gavin McKenna or Cole Eiserman-level star, but they have a deep roster with lots of NHL draft picks and older bodies that can occupy depth roles. It will be a challenge for them to medal in this tournament, especially because they will have to predominantly compete with Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland, but they have the talent to surprise and I'm really excited to see how they play in Minnesota!” - Michael Moroz

“I think the USA's weaker recent classes will really be exposed. I think they will have a very underwhelming tournament, not looking too good up and down the lineup especially compared to Canada.” - Jeremi Plourde

“I would love to say Mads Kongsbakk Klyvo in Denmark, but as he hasn’t played many games this season so I will say Vladimir Dravecký (in terms of individual performances).” - Viktor Ahlund

“The biggest surprise of this year's World Juniors will be Latvia's performance against bracket mainstays like Czechia in the group stage and even Sweden in the playoff. This Latvian team has its most talented forward group in recent memory headlined by Bruno Osmanis. They also have potential top 10 pick Albert Smits who very well could finish as the most impressive 2026 eligible defenseman in the tournament. This group is no stranger to upsets and I think Latvia takes down Czechia and Denmark in pool play and gives my projected Group A 1 seed Sweden a run for their money in the QF.” - Kaeden Ireland

“The biggest surprise of the tournament will be that I do not think the Czechs or Fins will medal this year with the rosters & goaltending. The Czechs have reached the medal round in the last 4 tournaments while the Fins were the silver medalists a year ago even with the return of LA Kings prospect, Petteri Rimpinen who had a stellar tournament last year. The depth & experience that Canada-Sweden-USA possess throughout their lineups I just cannot see any other teams being able to knock them out until they play each other in the semis & final.” - Liam Staples

“Team USA medals in a supposed "down" year for the team. Their squad is still loaded with talent and there is always a sense that USA plays with an energy and grit that makes them greater than the sum of their parts.” - Felix Sicard

“I have a few surprises…I mean this tournament is always jam packed with them, so why limit it to just one! Firstly, I don’t think the U.S. medals on home soil. I’m just not confident in their goaltending being good enough to help them push through a deep field this year. Plus, the pressure of playing at home is very real, especially when you’re gunning for a third straight gold medal. Secondly, I think that Canada has a poor round robin and has to fight through a tougher route to get to the semifinals. Under Dale Hunter, I think that they will peak later in the tournament and still come home with a medal, despite a rough beginning. Thirdly, I see Switzerland as a team that could actually make the semifinals. In a QF matchup versus either Finland or Canada (if I see Czechia taking top spot in Group B and Switzerland finishing third in Group A), they could play the spoiler.” - Brock Otten

2026 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP GUIDE – SWEDEN– Team Preview, Key Players and Draft Eligible Profiles

Felix Robbins — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 21:31:33 +0000

Always strong on paper, but merely a paper tiger. That is the story of Sweden at the WJC. Last year, they went undefeated in the group stage and looked to be a lock for the finals. They ended up not even medaling. Sweden hasn’t won gold since 2011-2012 and has only won twice in the official 49-year history of the tournament. The goal (and expectation) for Sweden in Minneapolis–Saint Paul is simple: Win the gold.

This year’s squad was selected with pro experience and versatility in mind. Coach Magnus Hävelid and GM Anders Lundberg want a team that can match the speed and physical intensity of the “big brother” teams like Canada and USA without sacrificing the fine skill that Sweden is known for.

Everyone save for three players (Eric Nilson, Sascha Boumedienne, and Wilson Bjorck) are playing Swedish pro hockey. The names they’ve brought range from NHL stars-to-be like Frondell or Eklund to undrafted underdogs like Felix Carell and Felix Öhrqvist. Seattle prospect Loke Krantz is making his national team debut, so there is not shortage of storylines to keep an eye on.

The forward core is as solid as it comes from top to bottom. Equal parts grit and skill. The only question mark there is down the middle. Sweden doesn’t have a true 1C, but they do have three capable middle six centers as well as several versatile wingers with diverse skillsets. Finding the right mix in the top six is going to be the key for Sweden’s success.

Perhaps the most glaring question mark is the decision to only bring left-handed defencemen. The logic was to bring the best defencemen available, and it’s hard to argue with that. The decision surely speaks to the confidence they have in the guys who will be playing on their off-side. Goaltending is full of experienced national junior team players who are currently playing pro as well, so no question marks there.

Another strong roster on paper. Will it all come together when it counts? Will this finally be the year Sweden gets over the hump?

Key Players to Watch

FRISCO, TEXAS - MAY 2: Sweden's Anton Frondell #16 skates with the puck against USA’s Asher Barnett #13 in the first period during Semifinal Round action at the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Comerica Center on May 2, 2025 in Frisco, Texas, USA. (Photo by Tim Austen/IIHF)

Anton Frondell – C/W, Djurgardens IF (Chicago Blackhawks)

After a full offseason and preseason uninterrupted by injury, Frondell looks like he is thriving in the SHL. He leads all SHL players under the age of U21 in goal scoring and leads his team in +/-, all the while alternating from center to winger. Frondell is only 18 years old and still learning how to play down the middle at the pro level and he’s got the right mix of tools to handle the tough parts of the job. He’s competitive, intelligent, and plays a heavy game. He’s an excellent finisher with a powerful shot. The question marks about his speed/skill combo at C are still there, though his quickness has taken a step.

There’s no question that Frondell will be one of Sweden’s most used forwards and top offensive weapons at the WJC. Blackhawks fans are about to find out how close Frondell is to being able to fill a top six center role on the big stage. However, I maintain that Frondell is best suited to a physical finishing role on the wing to a speedier, more creative center. Based on what mix Magnus Hävelid decides to go with on a given night, we could see both over the course of the tournament.

Milton Gästrin – C, MoDo Hockey (Washington Capitals)

Gästrin has had a real statement year so far. His play at the HockeyAllsvenskan level has been nothing short of excellent. He’s become a key player for MoDo, playing in all situations and is second on the team in scoring. His on-ice work rate is infectious and his compete level is off the charts. He’s always moving his feet. His ability to push the pace and make passing plays at high-speed has taken yet another step. Gästrin has become a veritable two-way playmaking center with tangible NHL upside. He still has to put on some more pounds and get stronger, but he’s still a young ’07 – lots of time for that.

Gästrin’s role on Sweden’s WJC squad will have to be just as impactful as in the pros. He will most likely be an all-situations workhorse here as well, seeing deployment in all zones as well as on both the PP and PK. He should find himself centering the middle six, potentially even the second line. I wouldn’t be surprised if Gästrin wears a letter at the tournament as well, since he’s captained every level of international hockey he’s played at.

Lucas Pettersson – C/W, Brynäs IF (Anaheim Ducks)

Pettersson has been completely flying under the radar since his draft season, but this year seems to be the one he’s been waiting for. Learning from former NHL stars like Niklas Bäckström and Jakob Silferberg on a stacked Brynäs team is an ideal situation for a young prospect. His confidence in offensive situations and resilience at the pro level are encouraging signs that his development is back on track. It’s not impossible to believe he’s got a real path to a top nine role with the Anaheim Ducks in a couple of years.

At the U20 level, Pettersson is an elite offensive performer. He can be so dynamic and really push the pace when he’s on. Shift to shift consistency was the main question mark during his draft year, but his ability to drive play at the most recent U20 5-nations has been very encouraging. Pettersson’s speed, skill, and drive would make him the ideal 1C between players like Eddie Genborg or Anton Frondell. However, his inconsistent physical game and two-way impact would make that a tall order. He’ll most likely serve as a top six winger and play on the top powerplay unit.

Alfons Freij – LHD, Timra IK (Winnipeg Jets)

Freij finally made the WJC squad in his final year of eligibility. He has spent his D+2 on loan with Timrå in the SHL and has delivered mixed results thus far. The production is lacking and he’s still got work to do on the defensive side of the puck at the pro level, especially in physical battles. However, once he has the puck on his stick, he can navigate his way through multiple layers of neutral zone defenders with ease. The skating is borderline elite, and he can stretch the ice with his excellent passing and up ice vision.

For Freij truthers like myself, this a pivotal tournament. The tools are still excellent, but it’s time for them to come together in a big way. With Sweden only bringing left-handed defencemen to Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Freij will likely be playing on the right side in the top four. I expect him to control play from his backhand with efficiency and poise like he did during his draft year in Växjö. Freij has got the ability to activate below the blueline and make a play, as well as a lethal shot from the point. He’ll likely feature on Sweden’s powerplay as well.

Ivar Stenberg – LW, Frölunda HC (2026 NHL Draft)

Rarely do we see draft eligible players torch the SHL like Stenberg has thus far. His historic pace of production for a rookie puts him on the same list as legends like Markus Näslund, the Sedins, even Foppa (Patrick Forsberg). Going from the 3rd best pro league in the world to the U20 level is going to feel easier, international best-on-best or not.

The foundation of Stenberg’s game is his high-end hockey sense and his soft skill. He stays 2 or 3 steps ahead of play, on and off the puck. He’s got fantastic peripheral vision and can manipulate defenders to open up space and make passing plays only he can make.

Being used to the pro game means he’s no stranger to high speed and heavy physicality. However, he’ll need a little help in transition as he’s not the most fleet of foot. Still, Stenberg should be a lock for a top line spot and for the 1st Power Play unit.

Other Draft Eligible Players to Watch

FRISCO, TEXAS - MAY 3: Canada's Ryan Roobroeck #26 stick checks Sweden's Viggo Bjorck #21 in the first period during Gold Medal Game action at the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Comerica Center on May 3, 2025 in Frisco, Texas, USA. (Photo by Tim Austen/IIHF)

Viggo Björck – C/W, Djurgårdens IF (2026 NHL Draft)

For someone who was routinely in the top five conversation on pre-season draft boards, Björck has quickly become one of the most slept on prospect in the 2026 NHL draft. He’s still an everyday SHLer and producing at a solid clip for a draft eligible. Yet somehow, I see him tumbling down lists.

While his strengths are his hockey sense and puck skills, anyone questioning Björck’s compete is out to lunch. He battles hard at the pro level and his physical resilience has taken a huge leap. The only valid question mark about his game is his size/speed combo. It’s tough to picture him as an elite offensive NHL forward without the high-end skating typically associated with undersized forwards.

Björck should play a prominent role in Sweden’s top six and will most likely QB one of the power play units. A return to the U20 level should be in his favour. He’ll be looking to turn some heads and remind people why he was so highly touted coming into the draft year.

William Håkansson – LHD, Luleå HF (2026 NHL Draft)

With Håkansson being left off the 2025 U18s and ineligible for the 2026 U18s due to his October 2007 birthday, there was little expectation that he’d be given a look for the U20 WJC. However, his outstanding SHL play with Luleå, as well as his fine showing at the U20 5 nations has landed him a spot on Magnus Hävelid’s squad. A pleasant surprise for draft enthusiasts, indeed!

While you can never have enough size in your D core, focusing on that is selling Håkansson’s game short. Håkansson’s imposing physical presence should give Sweden some grit and sandpaper on the backend, yes, but he plays with the poise and intelligence of a seasoned veteran. He’s got excellent control of his frame and uses his reach to his advantage defensively.

I expect him to play in the bottom four, keeping it simple and killing plays. However, don’t be surprised if the big man jumps up on the rush or activates below the blueline every now and then. His strong four-way mobility and quickness for his size takes opponents by surprise. A strong showing here should solidify Håkansson’s reputation as a top draft eligible defenceman in the draft.

Casper Juustovaara Karlsson – LW, Luleå HF (2026 NHL Draft)

Easily the biggest surprise of the roster, although not without precedence. Juustovaara Karlsson is this years’ Isac Hedqvist. An undersized bulldog of a forward who won himself an SHL job and fights tooth and nail every night to keep it. He’s 5-foot-9 but hits like a truck. He flies around the ice and battles for pucks with reckless abandon. He is heart and hustle personified. He’s shown strong puck skills and playmaking ability at the U20 level, and his offence has picked up a little at the SHL level, too.

If CKJ gets into games, it’ll be during the group stage and he’ll most likely be used as a bottom 6 checking forward. Highlighting CJK for this article is a conscious choice. He’s a player I’ve really enjoyed watching so far this season. However, with an October 2007 birthday and a very limited path to the NHL based on his size and skill set, he’s unlikely to get drafted. That being said, a good showing here could be the difference between being completely overlooked for the draft and weaseling his way onto a few watchlists.