Lars Steiner – McKeen's Hockey

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 – 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- December 31st, 2025- Game Summaries – Standout Performances – Notable Draft Eligible Prospects

Kyle Pereira and Linc Zdancewicz — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 14:27:56 +0000

SLOVAKIA v SWITZERLAND

To open up this game, Switzerland was all over Slovakia. They kept them on their heels, giving them a lot of issues on the forecheck. Michal Pradel played well early, taking on the early pressure from the Swiss. At least, until Tobias Tomik took a very bad penalty, a double minor, that proved to be incredibly costly. Loris Wey opened the scoring on the power play, with Jamiro Reber and Ludvig Johnson getting the helpers. Then a little over a minute later, Mike Aeschlimann scored the second Swiss power play goal, with Daniil Ustinkov and Leon Muggli getting the assists.

The second period was more of a chess match than the first, trading some chances but mostly waiting for someone to make a mistake. It wasn’t until late that the Swiss struck the back of the net again. Kevin Haas was the goal scorer, with Koerbler getting his second point of the game on the assist, while Gian Meier grabbed the other assist.

The Slovaks would push back in the third, as they became more desperate to put one home in a crucial game. Adam Nemec would deflect a brilliant Tomas Chrenko shot-pass past Elijah Neuenschwander to cut the deficit to two. They pulled Pradel with about four minutes remaining, but the Swiss kept throwing themselves in front of shots and holding the Slovaks to the perimeter. With 10 seconds remaining, Luka Radivojevic fired a beautiful shot home off an offensive zone draw, set up by Nemec and Chrenko, but it was too little, too late for Slovakia.

MVPs

Slovakia: Jan Chovan, Adam Nemec, Tomas Chrenko

Switzerland: Leon Muggli, Loris Wey, Lars Steiner

CZECHIA v LATVIA

This crucial Group B matchup started quite even at the outset, seeing both the Czechs and Latvians play their own aggressive styles in the first five minutes. Adam Novotny’s high-sticking early gave Latvia the first advantage, and they made the most of it off a Bruno Osmanis feed to Kristers Ansons' power play goal to go up 1-0 on the Czechs. However, the trailing team gained its confidence shortly after. Tomas Poletin tied it up four minutes later through broken play started by Tomas Galvas, and then just a minute later, a penalty led the Czechs to swing momentum completely in their favor off the stick of, who else? Adam Jiricek. The Czechs would continue to offensively dominate, keeping the puck in their zone going into the second.

That possession battle was still going fully the way of Czechia for the beginning of the second, however, the Latvian’s kept getting in lanes and causing general disruption. Max Psenicka would find a way, though, bouncing one past Maurins off the skate of Harjis Cjunskis to put the Czechs up 3-1 all the way into the end of the second. The third started with the Latvians finding their groove defensively, halting a lot of the Czechs' momentum in the neutral zone. Their luck would continue as the Latvians converted on yet another power play, once again Osmanis with the feeder, this time to Markuss Sieradzkis, who beat Marik short side, cutting the score to 3-2. However, the chances and time all seemed to run out for Latvia as the Czechs walled their last power play and Vaclav Nestrasil shut the door with an empty netter. The Czechs have put themselves in a position to win Group B if Canada loses, a most desirable outcome for them.

Viggo Björck of Sweden and Chase Reid of USA during the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship game between USA and Sweden on December 31, 2025 in Saint Paul.
Photo: Joel Marklund / BILDBYRÅN

USA v SWEDEN

The most anticipated group stage game got underway in Grand Casino with aggressiveness from the United States, with Lee and Stiga creating some solid chances early. The chances went back and forth until Casper Justovaara opened up the scoring by banking a puck off of Logan Hensler’s skate to give the Swedes the lead. The game stayed relatively even for the entire rest of the first with the Swedes gaining momentum off repeated chances to end the period. The second period is where it all went downhill for the hosts. Ryker Lee tripped Harenstam in the crease, and shortly after, Eddie Genborg ripped a shot so hard that he didn’t see it go in initially. Adding to that lead just three minutes later was Lucas Pettersson off his own ripper, putting the Swedes up 3-0 early in the second and silencing the home crowd with the Cole Hutson “I can’t hear you” celly.

Looking for answers, the U.S. was granted a power play from an Eric Nilson tripping call that led to a Chase Reid get-back goal to finally get the Americans some life. The luck seemed to be going in the American direction after Harenstam was called for embellishment, giving the Americans another power play shortly after the Reid goal. However, Lucas Pettersson would score what ended up being the game-winner on another incredible shot off the rush while the Swedes were short-handed. Just minutes later, Eddie Genborg made it even worse, 5-1, as the Swedes, from the passing prowess of Viggo Bjorck, fired a pass to the aforementioned Genborg. Though they were down by four with the second winding down, Hagens, Ziemer, and then Will Zellers combined to create a seemingly hopeful goal for the Americans with Zellers potting his fifth of the tournament on the play to end the second.

The third period saw a change in net for the U.S., with Nick Kempf getting the remaining 20 minutes between the pipes. The chippiness and struggle continued to be as physical as it was petty, leading to a U.S. power play and goal from Teddy Stiga, who was fed by L.J. Mooney, who had by far his best game today. Just as the Americans seemed to have hope after that goal, they would be punished for their lack of discipline against the Swedes, who goaded them at every step, eventually giving their rivals a 5-on-3 advantage on the power play. Though Kempf initially made incredible save after incredible save to stave off most of the two-man advantage, Ivar Stenberg, who whiffed on three backdoor shots, did not miss his fourth shot to put Sweden back again by three, and they never relinquished that advantage. The clock ticked down as the Americans seemingly turned more desperate, but everyone in Grand Casino knew there was no coming back. In a complete reverse of the 2024 World Juniors Gold Medal game, Sweden took this matchup handily, winning 6-3 on their rivals' home ice.

CANADA v FINLAND

In a game of immense importance, with the winner taking on Slovakia and the loser having to face the USA in the Quarter finals, it got off to the most electric start of the tournament. Within the first six minutes of this game, the two teams combined for four goals. It started with Canada getting on the board first, with a goal from Zayne Parekh, who continued his hot tournament with a brilliant shot that beat Rimpinen. Less than three minutes later, Julius Miettinen would tie the game at one, as Matias Vanhanen springs him behind Parekh and Miettinen beats Carter George on the blocker side. About 30 seconds later, Canada would re-claim their lead, with Brady Martin finding the back of the net. It all started with Martin making a great flip pass up ice that Michael Hage skated into, followed up by Hage showing incredible poise with the puck to pull back, force the Finnish defender to skate past him, then setting Martin up on a tee to finish the play he started. Then, just over a minute later, Finland would once again tie the game up, with 2026 draft eligible Oliver Suvanto putting one home, finishing off Roope Vesterinen’s rebound on the back door.

The game would slow down a bit for some time, until a bad penalty was taken by Onni Kalto, with an ugly looking boarding call. The Canadian power play unit went to work very quickly, with Brady Martin putting home his second of the game. It was made possible because of solid initial movement at the point from Parekh and a very savvy play from Hage to throw the puck at Rimpinen for Martin to swat into the net off a rebound. But yet again, the Finns responded quickly, as Canada’s Ethan MacKenzie would take a penalty of his own for hooking two minutes after Canada took the lead. On the ensuing power play, Lasse Boelius would fire home a very well-placed shot from the point through traffic to beat George high. The first period would slow down again, as it became more of a chess match.

In the second period, Finland would take a couple penalties early, and on their second man advantage opportunity of the period, Canada’s power play would make them pay again. This time, it was Tij Iginla putting it home. Parekh would absolutely thread the needle on a beautiful stretch pass to spring Iginla on the breakaway, where he would make no mistake to beat Rimpinen in tight to give Canada their lead back again. That goal gave Canada plenty of momentum, as they really controlled the pace of play for much of that period. It wasn’t until the final few minutes of the period when Canada would take a two-goal lead, as Cole Beaudoin put home a chaotic scramble for the puck at the Finnish net front. Sam O’Reilly won a battle in the corner and sent the puck to the side of the net, where Caleb Desnoyers would drive hard, creating chaos and knocking the puck into space, and Beaudoin would put it away. But the Finns responded quickly yet again, cutting the Canadian lead back to one just 35 seconds later. Suvanto would force a turnover on the dump and chase, applying pressure and finishing a heavy hit in the corner, and Vesterinen would snag the loose puck before roofing it over the shoulder of George.

Going into the third period, it turned into a chess match again early, with both teams clamping down against rushes and preventing long offensive zone sequences. But Canada would strike first, as Beaudoin would score yet again off a beautiful feed from O’Reilly as he drove the net. Canada would completely lock it down after taking the two-goal lead, not allowing Finland to really have any sustained offense. O’Reilly would put the game away with a deserving goal, finding the Finns empty net, and punching their ticket to a date with Slovakia in the Quarter Finals.

MVPs:

Canada: Zayne Parekh, Brady Martin, Sam O’Reilly

Finland: Matias Vanhanen, Roope Vesterinen, Oliver Suvanto

INDIVIDUAL REPORTS

Sam O’Reilly (CAN) 1G 2A

O’Reilly had his best game of the tournament by far, in a crucial match up with a tough opponent. What makes Finland such a difficult team to play comes down to their details and ability to win physical battles along the boards. O’Reilly played to their strengths and won, time and time again. He was a key part of Canada’s win. It’s especially important to note due to the fact that he was not a popular choice to make the team when the rosters were initially announced, and he has done nothing but prove Team Canada right in their choice to bring him on. He caused issues for Finnish breakouts, forcing turnovers and creating scoring opportunities all game long, and he was rewarded for it on the scoresheet in the most important game of the tournament thus far for a star-studded Canadian team.

Jack Berglund (SWE) 3A

Sweden’s captain had his most important international performance on New Year's Eve. Berglund went to work early in the contest by matching the Americans’ aggression early, throwing his body around in neutral and defensive ice. There were a couple of great stops along the wall to limit the initial American attack, stepping up and showing why he will fit right in as a Philadelphia Flyer when he comes to North America. However, Berglund’s best period was the second alongside winger Lucas Pettersson. His mobility was crucial for both assists in the period, he did a great job of getting to the middle of the ice and in transition, cutting straight through the American defense. On the Pettersson shorthanded goal that put Sweden up 4-1, he put it all together, blocking the shot and supporting his linemate to become an option on the rush. Berglund finished his great night with some nice hands in tight to the net, feeding Stenberg on a rebound dish at the end of a long 5v3 power play. Berglund’s skill set is built for the NHL. Standing at 6-foot-4 and playing like it too, he will be a valuable middle six center for a team that has been desperate for some gritty center play for a long time.

DRAFT ELIGIBLES

Tomas Chrenko (SVK) 2A

In a disappointing loss for Slovakia, Chrenko continued to shine. He made an impact in all three zones in this game, showing off his relentless motor. He was able to make plays in the defensive end and transition up ice for some offensive looks against the Swiss. What makes that all the more impressive is the fact that the Swiss have done such an excellent job defending against rushes in this tournament with their structure, and Chrenko was still able to find those opportunities to make his impact felt. But it was in the offensive zone where Chrenko would truly stand out. He recorded assists on both goals, including one gorgeous power play set up to the back door on a shot-pass. But he was feeding chances to his teammates all game long but just didn’t convert into goals. He was excellent yet again, and his remarkable tournament continues into the quarterfinals, where he has truly become a core piece of the Slovak roster.

Viggo Bjorck (SWE) (2A)

Sweden’s best performing offensive player has been Viggo Bjorck so far, and the passing game has been the biggest key to that success. His creativity with his stick and space creation has been wonderful for the Swedes in the offensive zone. Bjorck truly came to play against the United States, fully coming alive in the second period, striking right away. His work to transition, enter the zone, and then draw two U.S. defensemen to him to open up space for Eddie Genborg was incredibly smart, a crucial decision to get Sweden up by two early in the second. After tons of other chances that didn’t convert, he showed off his flair by saucing a no-look pass to Genborg again on the power play. Though his size has been and will be a factor when he eventually gets drafted, his talents are evident every time he steps into the offensive zone, and the IQ with which he plays the game makes him more mature than many of his teammates in the neutral and offensive zones. Bjorck’s play against the U.S. last night truly shows the extent to which he has grown in the SHL and hopefully that confidence carries over to the rest of his season.

2026 WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Daily Recap- December 28th, 2025- Game Summaries – Standout Performances – Notable Draft Eligible Prospects

Kyle Pereira and Linc Zdancewicz — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:31:46 +0000

A lighter Day 3 schedule featured a powerhouse Swedish team taking on a tough out in Switzerland, while Finland took on Latvia in the late afternoon game.

SWEDEN v SWITZERLAND

Early, Switzerland gave Sweden some issues with their forecheck pressure and even got one dangerous look that rang off the post. But Sweden would strike first, as Leo Sahlin Wallenius made an excellent entry, then set up Eric Nilsson driving the net hard. The Swiss would go on to kill off two penalties with a very aggressive kill, before Beni Waidacher snuck a shot past Love Harenstam. While Leon Muggli and Daniil Ustinkov got the assists, the play was started Nathan Borradori, who forced a turnover along the wall, then came screaming down towards the net and getting an excellent look. The rebound eventually worked its way to Waidacher’s goal. The second period was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams getting power plays and both goalies standing tall when called upon. But before the period could end, Lars Steiner would fire a beautiful shot that was so well placed, play continued, thinking it went off the crossbar. The third period, however, the Swedes would find their groove. The youngster Viggo Bjorck would tie the game, with Alfons Freij and Anton Lundell grabbing the helpers less than a minute in. A few minutes later, they would take the lead off a goal from Lucas Pettersson. The Swiss pulled their goalie, and shortly after, Sweden would capitalize. Pettersson would snag his second of the game, with Ivar Stenberg getting the assist.

MVPs

Sweden: Anton Frondell, Lucas Pettersson, Linus Eriksson

Switzerland: Elijah Neuenschwander, Lars Steiner, Leon Muggli

FINLAND V LATVIA

Latvia came out much flatter today against Finland when Emil Hemming scored his first goal on the first shot of the day. Overall, the Finns controlled the Latvians very well from that point, generating excellent chance after chance 5v5 but not breaking through on the power play. They would tally two more goals on Mikus Vecvanags on goals from Jasper Kuhta and Max Westergard. Kuhta’s goal was one to forget for the Montreal drafted net-minder as he knocked the puck into his own net with the heel of his goal stick. The Finns would start the second period by finally breaking through on their third power play of the day on Emil Hemming’s second goal of the day. That offensive domination continued throughout the entire rest of the second, including a Joona Saarelainen goal that put the Finns up by five. The Finnish offensize zone cycle was absolutely deadly as they continued to skate literal circles around the Latvians in their own end, with a 15-1 shot advantage in the second alone. The dominance continued into the third as the Finns just continued to skate around every Latvian not named Alberts Smits. Roope Vesterainen, Heikki Ruohonen, and Lasse Boelius put up three more even strength goals early on as they just kept the foot fully on the pedal until the very end.

MVP’s

Finland: Emil Hemming, Niklas Nykyri, the entire defense legitimately.

Latvia: Alberts Smits, Bruno Osmanis, Roberts Naudins

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES

EMIL HEMMING (FIN) 2G

The Dallas Stars’ 2024 first rounder made his mark today for the Finns, giving them momentum on his very first shot. He found space under the legs of the Latvian netminder and picked him in style. Hemming’s impact on the game continued from there on out as he created chance after chance with his stick and his skating. His danger level jumped to deadly when on the power play getting several high-velocity shots off before finally finding space in the five hole once again on a high-powered clapper. The Finn has been under-utilizing his shot for the OHL’s Barrie Colts, tallying only 8 in the first half but he made the most of it today. Hemming’s offensive game has rounded out very well and he’ll continue to show it every time he gets the opportunity to this tournament. The real test will see how dangerous his shot can be against the bigger teams in this group, Canada and Czechia.

LINUS ERIKSSON (SWE)

Despite not recording any points, the Florida Panthers’ 2024 second round draft choice was one of the most noticeable players on the ice for the Swedes in what was initially a frustrating game. He was driving hard on forechecks, winning battles along the boards, and doing all of the little things so very well. Him and Milton Gastrin worked together in tight checking situations to extend offensive possessions and be a pain to the sides of Swiss defenders all game long. While things like that won’t show up on the score sheet, there was no doubt Eriksson made his presence felt when he was out on the ice.

DRAFT ELIGIBLES

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 27: Latvia's Alberts Smits #23 skates against Canada in the first period during Preliminary Round - Group B action at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at 3M Arena at Mariucci on December 27, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. (Photo by Tim Austen/IIHF)

ALBERTS SMITS (LAT) 0 points

The only bright side in the 8-0 drubbing the Latvians was the 18-year-old left defenseman, Alberts Smits. In a game where almost every skater on the Latvian roster was tired from the gauntlet of Canada from the day prior, Smits was unphased, going about his regular business defending the rush and being the only player to contribute to the counterattack. Smits’ frame combined with his speed and energy is a deadly force on defence, quelling the Finnish attack every second he was on the ice, finishing the day as one of the only Latvians registering a zero for his plus/minus, through two periods, and finishing the day with a -2 with over 22 minutes played. With three minutes left to go in the game, he was deep in the offensive zone, forechecking hard, trying desperately to create something, anything for Latvia to save some pride during this beating. That effort did not go unnoticed by anyone still left in the arena that late and certainly won’t go unnoticed when it’s draft day.

JUHO PIIPARINEN (FIN) 1A

On a day where Finland did very, very little wrong, Piiparinen was still a big stand-out on the day. Outside of this tournament, he is praised for his play in all three zones, but being more known as a conservative, defensively responsible kid. But against a weaker Latvian team, Piiparinen was moving the puck incredibly well through the neutral zone and the offensive zones. His confidence on the puck in the offensive end was something he put on full display against Latvia and made him an easy draft-eligible standout.

Interview with Juho Piiparinen

McKeens: How has your transition to Liiga helped grow your game and what have you learned playing with the older guys there in Finland?

JP: The compete level is up, really helps to develop my game every day. They’re bigger, faster guys, so I think it’s good that I’m there because it gives me a good challenge.

McKeens: On your game, when you’re looking to move the puck up ice and transition to offense, what is it that goes through your head? What is it that you are looking for out there?

JP: I’m just checking for where the forwards are looking to press me and where our own guys are going, where’s my D partner, the other forwards? Do I have space to skate in or do I just give an easy pass?

McKeens: When facing the rush and the opposition is skating down your side, what is it you look for and how do you prevent an entry?

JP: I’m just counting their men, where they are going. Am I in the right position? Where are my own guys, where is my D partner? Can I pinch or not? Those kinds of things.

McKeens: Back in the defensive zone, what is your focus to prevent scoring chances against?

JP: I’m just trying to stay close to my guy, box him out, or if he’s got the puck in the corner, I’d try to win the puck back and battle hard.

McKeens: You and Suvanto are both draft-eligible guys. What’s it like having him on the ice out there with you?

JP: Yeah, it’s helping. We are roommates, he’s a good friend of mine. He’s playing Tappara also. It’s great having a guy that’s the same age as me. It’s giving me, kind of, a great feeling to have him be there. Gives me confidence.

McKeens: This tournament is typically dominated by older players here, but for you as a young player, what can you learn from the older guys on the team here?

JP: Of course, you have to learn everything. They give you advice to defend, be yourself and the biggest tip from what I have gotten, they’re saying to just is enjoy it, play your style.

McKeens: Last question, it’s great to have a group that’s really close with each other, great friends. Can you take me through some of the guys behind the scenes who are funny and fun to be around? Good trash talkers or funny stories in the room?

JP: That’s a tough question. I think Suvanto is a pretty good trash talker on the ice. I think Kiviharju is good at pumping up the guys as the captain. Some guys, Leo Tuuva and Niklas Nykyri, they have fun stories in the locker room, and lots of them.

2026 WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Daily Recap- December 27th, 2025- Game Summaries – Standout Performances – Notable Draft Eligible Prospects

Kyle Pereira and Linc Zdancewicz — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 17:45:29 +0000

The second day of the 2026 World Juniors was another fun day here in Minnesota, with a loaded schedule.

SLOVAKIA v GERMANY

To kick off the day in Grand Casino Arena, Slovakia took on Germany as both teams look to bounce back from losses on day one. In the first period, Slovakia absolutely dominated. Tomas Chrenko opened the day with a seeing eye shot amidst chaos. Then, on their second power play of the day, Chrenko snagged another goal off a brilliant feed from Adam Nemec, who would record his second assist of the game. Going into the second, the Germans had an uphill battle to climb. They played much better, with Timo Kose standing out the most. However, Slovakia would get another powerplay off a really bad high stick, and Chrenko would strike yet again, recording a hat trick in his second career World Juniors game. Germany kept the momentum going into the third period, striking just past the halfway point. Dustin Willhoft, off an indirect feed, had a strong net drive that he put five hole on Michal Pradel. But Slovakia put the nail in the coffin, as Adam Belusko scored from deep in his own end on the empty net, short-handed.

MVP’s

GERMANY: Fabio Kose, Timo Kose, Carlos Handel

SLOVAKIA: Tomas Chrenko, Michal Pradel, Adam Belusko

LATVIA v CANADA

Day Two in Mariucci Arena began in a similar way to last year's matchup, and Latvia played their patented annoying and grinding style of play against the Canadians. Getting knees and sticks on lanes worked well for Latvia as they outshot the Canadians after period one as the score remained locked at zero. Canada got their first goal of the game soon after a five-minute major from Martins Klaucans, Cole Reschny converted off of a McKenna feed. The Canadians were only able to generate one goal on the five-minute advantage. As the second wound down the game went back and forth as both teams got quality chances on the rush. The Latvians and Czechs have seemed to expose a grave weakness of Canada’s on rushes as they have struggled to defend them in their first two games. The game stayed close to the wire until with just under two minutes, Rudolfs Berzkalns ties it late, bringing up bad memories for Canadians everywhere. However, crucially, the Canadians were bailed out by a delay of game penalty by Latvia’s, Roberts Naudins. The penalty carried over to OT, where McKenna found Michael Hage for the clincher. Latvia, for the second year in a row, took Canada to their absolute limit. However, the talent of the Canadians won the day in this nailbiter.

MVP’s

Canada: Michael Hage, Gavin McKenna, Porter Martone

Latvia: Nils Maurins, Rudolfs Berzkalns, Alberts Smits

USA v SWITZERLAND

The Swiss open their tournament against the back-to-back Gold medalists. Early on, Switzerland took it to the US, who were playing pretty sloppy. But when the US started getting their chances, especially on their powerplay, Christian Kirsch stood on his head. He stonewalled Cole Eiserman several times and made several stops in tight after the powerplay ended. Unfortunately for Switzerland, the US started the second with a bang, as Brodie Ziemer ripped one that was tipped off a Swiss defender and over the blocker. It was started by a great play along the boards by Will Horcoff, then a nifty drop pass by James Hagens. About halfway through the second, the US lost Cole Hutson to a scary injury, when he took a puck to the back of the neck and had to be stretchered off. Soon after, the Swiss would score off a beautiful point shot from Basile Sansonnens. A few minutes later, Will Zellers would roof a shot top corner on the short side, giving the US the lead back.

MVPs

USA: Chase Reid, Cole Eiserman, Teddy Stiga

Switzerland: Lars Steiner, Christian Krisch, Basile Sansonnens

DENMARK v CZECHIA

The final matchup on day two got underway with much fanfare at the beginning. The Czechs went up first off of a weird bounce off Vojtech Cihar’s stick. However, that momentum would be quashed after Tristan Petersen banged home a wild puck. That goal was the result of some dangerous Danish pressure that really challenged the Czechs for the majority of the first period. The Czechs would buck that early pressure by taking the lead on an amazing shot by Matej Kubiesa on a five-minute power play that was drawn by Denmark’s Jesper Olesen, who was ejected for a high hit. That Czech momentum would carry over to the second period as Vaclav Nestrasil sunk a pretty no-look snipe for the 3-1 lead on yet another power play. Though the Czechs were more talented throughout, the Danes played heavy and took advantage of many chances, creating breakaways, shutting down opposing offensive attacks. That opportunistic style of play came in handy when Oliver Larsen ripped home a quick snipe off a face off to bring the game within one score. The Czechs started to close the door at the end of the second, scoring two off the sticks off Adam Jiricek and Stepan Hoch, giving them a 5-2 lead. Starting in the third, the Czechs continued dominating with two more even strength goals from Tomas Galvas and Richard Zemlicka respectively. That was all she wrote as Czechia would fail to score on the two other power play chances given to them by Denmark, closing it out in dominant fashion, 7-2.

MVPS

Czechia: Vaclav Nestrasil, Matyas Marik, Adam Jiricek

Denmark: Oliver Green, Emil Jakobsen

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 27: Czechia's Vaclav Nestrasil #14 celebrates his second period goal against Denmark during Preliminary Round - Group B action at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at 3M Arena at Mariucci on December 27, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. (Photo by Tim Austen/IIHF)

VACLAV NESTRASIL (CZE) 1G 2A

Probably the most dangerous offensive threat for Czechia on a day where their entire offense was buzzing. I am routinely impressed with the swiftness and ease that Nestrasil can skate with the puck at his mammoth 6-foot-6 frame. His skating has been very solid and noticeably better from his draft year, that’s been evident throughout his first two games. Nestrasil was also able to showcase his blistering shot, wiring a no-look snipe past Denmark early in the second. Though both of his assists were secondary, they both showed off his adept ability to set up chances in the offensive zone and on the rush respectively. Away from the puck, Nestrasil displayed energy and truculence against a Danish team that was certainly giving it back to the Czechs earlier on. His efforts have not gone unnoticed as he now leads the Czech team in points. If he can carry over this monster start to this tournament to the rest of his season, he could be with the Blackhawks much sooner than previously thought.

CHRISTIAN KIRSCH (SUI) 0.900 SV%, 18/20

Kirsch was a massive reason behind just how close the Swiss came to winning this game. From the jump, he made several massive saves on breakaways, while also standing tall against several US powerplay attempts. While he did give up two goals in the end, if it wasn’t for Kirsch’s outstanding performance, especially in the first, the US could have pulled away fast.

COLE EISERMAN (USA)

Eiserman, while he was held off the score sheet, was one of the standouts in this game for the US. The Americans, like in their game against Germany, played sloppy, especially in the neutral zone. Eiserman was one of the few who were able to move the puck efficiently. Once in the offensive zone, especially on the powerplay, Eiserman was seemingly getting constant scoring chances. He could’ve had at least two goals in this game, if not for Kirsch.

DRAFT ELIGIBLES

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 27: Switzerland's Kimi Koerbler #89 and USAÕs Chase Reid #25 battle for the puck during Preliminary Round - Group A action at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at Grand Casino Arena on December 27, 2025 in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. (Photo by Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF)

CHASE REID (USA)

As he was a standout on day one, it was very difficult to not include him again on day two. He was arguably the best defenseman on the US blueline. He is so steady on the back end, getting in the right spots to prevent scoring chances against. When it comes to transporting the puck, Reid is one of the best in the tournament. He is so quick at reading the space and finding teammates moving up ice. He can connect consistently on some difficult stretch passes as well, that can really break open a shift. If he continues to stand out like this, he could really push his way into the top of the 2026 draft.

TOMAS CHRENKO (SVK) 3G

The speedy center came alive for the Slovaks on Day Two of this tournament, netting a hat trick in his second ever World Juniors game. Chrenko was a standout for the Slovaks due to his excellent play with HK Nitra so far this season. His first two goals were very crafty, greasy goals around the net as he showed that fight that has been so characteristic of his individual game and his national team's game. Though, Chrenko’s third goal was a lucky bounce off of a defender's stick, it was on track to hitting his fellow countryman Adam Nemec’s stick for a deflection. Chrenko has given Slovakia a serious boost in speed and energy throughout their two games this tournament. He was blazing past defenders in space against Germany today and was unrecoverable in the offensive zone.

Interview with Chase Reid

McKeens: Chase, you’re a draft-eligible of course, and these tournaments are usually dominated by older players. What is it like playing with these older guys and having such a big impact already?

CR: My teammates and coaches make it very easy to go out there and play my game every night, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have the opportunity to be here.

McKeens: What can you learn from these older guys at a tournament like this?

CR: Cole Hutson does some things with the puck that you’d want to do yourself, but I think just playing my game and making sure I’m making the easy plays that the other guys do and simplifying like they do.

McKeens: Going back a couple of years ago, you played with Waterloo in the USHL, things didn’t work out there and you moved to the NAHL. What’s changed from then to now, and what’s allowed you to be such an impact player?

CR: I’d say just my mindset going into everything. If you’re not first you’re last, so I think just going in with the mindset that I want to be the best in every situation I’m in, it all trends in the right direction from there.

McKeens: Going back to the tournament here, it’s important to have a tight group. Who are some of the guys in that locker room who keep everything light-hearted and fun behind the scenes?

CR: Yeah, Brodie Ziemer for sure. Hagens, Hutty [Hutson], Eiserman, everybody pulls their strings, and everybody does what they have to do to make sure the room’s an enjoyable place to come every day. I think we have a really tight group.

McKeens: Is there anyone who stands out as a trash-talker, on the ice to the other team or even behind the scenes?

CR: No, I wouldn’t say anyone chirps too much. Obviously, you give it to guys here and there but, nothing that overdoes it.

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

Chapin Landvogt — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 21:44:08 +0000

Back in 2020, the Swiss managed to wrap up the preliminary round in second place. Since then, their yearly task at this tournament has more or less been about avoiding the relegation round. In most cases, that has meant gaining a single victory in the preliminary round, and it’s a goal they’ve usually achieved. Heck, in 2023 they managed to gain three overtime victories in the preliminary round, but that was still only good enough for fourth place. Nonetheless, mission accomplished. Last winter, a 2-1 loss to Slovakia proved to be the biggest preliminary round disappointment but the team’s 3-1 victory over an eventually demoted Kazakhstan ended up being the key. It wasn’t easy for the “Eidgenossen” as the contest was tied at one right on up until likely returnee Robin Antenen’s 2-1 tally in the 38th minute of play.

Fast forward to this winter and the Swiss are coming in with all the makings of being this tournament’s upstart contestant. The goaltending is as solid as ever with experienced returnees Christian Kirsch (SJS) and Elijah Neuenschwander (ANA). Both stand huge in goal and could take the bull by the horns at any time. The blueline only features one North American legionary in Rouyn-Noranda’s Gus Van der Kaaij and one Swedish legionary in Frölunda’s Gian Meier, both undrafted, but also a vast array of NL- and SL-leaguers coming straight from the pro ranks, three of whom have been drafted, with Leon Muggli (WAS) already on his ELC. Up front, the team is perhaps lacking overall star power but in Lars Steiner (2026) and Jonah Neuenschwander (2027), it features two top prospects for the coming drafts as well as a whole bundle of players coming in with pro experience, with Jamiro Reber being a second year SHL regular and Paul Mottard having suited up in the Finnish Liiga.

If the Swiss manage to get over the preliminary humps that are archrival Germany and bogey team Slovakia, they could finish third in Group A action. And other than perhaps Canada, there’s not a Group B team this squad feels it can play its game against in the quarterfinals!

Key Players to watch

Joel Grossniklaus – Center (2026 Draft, third year eligible)

Yes, it’d be reasonable to expect the aforementioned RHD Gian Meier or QMJHL winger David Bosson to be a part of this list, but it’s hard to overlook how much the real Grossniklaus seems to finally be standing up this winter. Chipping in for Malmö at a PPG pace, his +18 rating leads the entire U20 circuit in Sweden and by all accounts, the midsized forward is a verifiable two-way forward who impacts the game in all three zones. Having signed a contract with NL power Bern for next season, this WJC is a good spot to have a coming out party in an international context. The Swiss have a number of pro-tested forwards with an understanding of lower line roles but few have the playmaking savvy the Swiss side will need him to bring to the table.

Ludvig Johnson of Switzerland looks dejected after 0-1 during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship game between Switzerland and Sweden on December 29, 2024 in Ottawa
Photo: Mathias Bergeld / BILDBYRÅN

Ludvig Johnson – Defense (Utah Mammoth)

Being drafted as an overager last summer, Johnson swapped powerhouse Zug for midweight Fribourg-Gotteron, a team ready to give him a legitimate top four opportunity. In one less game than last season, he already now has one more point and six more penalty minutes. His ice time tends to hover between 10-17 minutes per game. But aside from being a full-time pro in a top European league, he’s coming in as a WJC veteran and was one of Switzerland’s better defensemen last year. With old buddy Leon Muggli coming straight off an injury, Johnson should have plenty of responsibility on what is a fairly experienced blueline. Serious power play duty is his to lose at this tournament.

Goaltender Christian Kirsch of Switzerland during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship game between Switzerland and Slovakia on December 27, 2024 in Ottawa.
Photo: Mathias Bergeld / BILDBYRÅN

Christian Kirsch – Goaltender (San Jose Sharks)

In 6-foot-4, 195-pound Kirsch, we’re looking at the player who should steer Switzerland to third place in the group. He’s not only a WJC vet as a 1a/1b starter but has also been everything the Kitchener Rangers could have realistically hoped for in net pitching a 12-7-1 record with a 2.61 GAA and .901 SV%. All of those numbers are top 15 in the OHL this season. Once committed to UMASS, the San Jose draft pick is now open for NCAA destinations, and nothing would make him more attractive to a top-flight program (which UMASS certainly is!) than an outstanding WJC performance. He should certainly be seen as one of the goalies at this tourney who could guide his team to a medal.

Leon Muggli – Defense (Washington Capitals)

Already an assistant captain at his second WJC last winter, you can expect the Washington Capitals prospect to be the team’s captain. In the midst of the first year of his ELC, Muggli should be viewed as one of the most established defenseman at this tournament. The thing here is that he’s missed most of the season, having last played on October 19th, when he sustained an upper body injury. The Caps have nonetheless assigned him to the Swiss national team and until further notice, he is the chief of this blueline. Will he be up to speed?

Jamiro Reber - Wing (2026 Draft, third year of eligibility)

After a 19-point season in the SHL last year, the undrafted Reber is clearly the most established player in Switzerland’s attack, if not overall. Alas, his mere 3 points and -10 in 22 games this winter seem to have fewer people asking why he didn’t get drafted last summer. Moreover, despite several nominations, Reber hasn’t scored a goal for Switzerland (and only three assists over three tournaments) since he put up one at the U18 Worlds in 2023. That was over two years ago. If Switzerland is to make any noise at the upcoming tournament, it’s time for Reber to be one of the key factors. If he has any hope of being drafted in his 3rd go-around, he’s really going to need to have a doozy of a time in Minnesota. His motivation should be off the charts.

Other Draft eligible players to watch

Niklas Blessing – Defense (2026 Draft, third year of eligibility)

One of several overagers in this squad, Blessing is in the midst of his second pro season and has, well, really arrived on the scene. He’s not only been a regular on Biel-Bienne’s blueline but has had a top 4 role while putting up 10 points. Heck, in recent weeks, he’s garnered upwards of 18 minutes of TOI per game, breaking 22 minutes twice. In what seems to be a yearly occurrence for some young defenseman in the NL (The Moser Effect?), scouts will have to decide exactly what they think of him moving forward and as a possible option down the line in North America. Performing like this as a 19-year-old in the NL is usually a pretty good sign of things to come.

Jonah Neuenschwander – Wing (2027 Draft)

Only 16, the 6-foot-3 winger is preparing to appear in his second WJC. Yes, you read that correctly. The author of six points in 18 NL games this season, Neuenschwander has gained the type of high-end prospect status once held by players such as Nico Hischier and Kevin Fiala, even if the gleam of the 2026 draft has tamed the excitement shown for players beyond that (thus far). Will we see him in North America next season? The CHL would surely have loved to have gotten him over this season, but his hometown club of Biel-Bienne was clearly able to sell him on the prospects of playing NL hockey this season. Here’s hoping he’ll show us all why he’s so highly touted!

Lars Steiner – Wing (2026 Draft)

Expected to be a top 45 pick in next summer’s draft, the slightly undersized winger already put up 60 points in 57 QMJHL games in his DY-1 and is clipping at roughly a PPG pace this year as well, even if he’s only suited up for 15 games due to an October injury that has held him out since. Sans injury, we’d likely be raving about him as the most important player on this team, something he may yet prove to be. His offensive pedigree is the team’s most established, but he didn’t gain any points at last winter’s WJC, which was his first major tournament representing Switzerland. We’d love to see the kind of tourney that boosts his currently slipping draft position.

2025 WORLD JUNIORS: Team Preview – Team Switzerland

Chapin Landvogt — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:27:04 +0000

_{Leon Muggli}

After getting shut out by Slovakia and then blown away by the USA at the 2024 WJC, the Swiss were able to chalk up a clear 6-2 win over Norway and then duke things out evenly in a tight 4-2 loss to the Czech Republic before taking host Sweden all the way to overtime in a 3-2 loss in the 66th minute of play. All in all, it was exactly the type of tournament expected from last winter’s edition even if the 3-0 loss to Slovakia was clearly disappointing.

Regardless of what their competitors may think, the Swiss federation will enter this year’s tournament with some healthy expectations seeing as how the team can return 10 players while several of the new faces belong to the best prospects they’ve had in years, Lars Steiner being the most notable. With six participants currently in North America, 4 others in Sweden, and basically the rest of the team already playing pro hockey on at least a part-time basis, there’s reason to believe that they’ll be able to take on all comers - if they can adjust accordingly.

Perhaps the biggest question will be who is in net. Christian Kirsch was drafted last summer and is now in the USHL preparing for his NCAA career, but his numbers there have been average to date. Returnee Ewan Huet already has some serious WHL experience but has struggled mightily in 9 contests to date this season. At the same time, first-year draft-eligible Elijah Neuenschwander has looked very solid in 5 pro SL contests while being just about dominant in the nation’s U20 league. Enticing, but the other two already understand North American angles all too well. All three could end up being the go-to guy but one is going to have to take the bull by the horns if Switzerland is to achieve anything more than quarterfinal participation.

What we’re going to be interested in seeing is twofold. On the one hand, we’re extremely excited to see what Lars Steiner can do at this level considering he’s already clipping at over a PPG pace in the QMJHL, having long been one of the top 5 scorers in the league this season. He is not the fastest or flashiest of players, but his numbers to date can’t be ignored and the team will definitely need a player of this ilk to step up to the plate. On the other hand, there are going to be a good portion of players currently gathering NL experience. Young men such as Jan Dorthe, Rico Gredig, Robin Antenen, and Loris Wey up front as well as Nic Balestra, Tim Bünzli, and Nils Rhyn on the blueline are all guys we’d not highlight as keys to this team, but who are already gathering considerable experience at the NL level. Forward Matteo Wagner has suited up for games in the HockeyAllsvenskan while forwards Endo Meier and Kimo Gruber are already regular contributors at the SL level. There’s a potpourri of possibilities if this pro play ends up being that edge that gets the Swiss over the top.

Group B placement may end up being of good fortune for the Swiss. There are no North American teams involved, and Kazakhstan is not a team the Swiss are expected to have problems with. Sweden and the Czech Republic are the faves, but the Swiss have often put up good outings against both. Should the goal be finishing no lower than third in the group (and it very well should be), the game on December 27th against Slovakia will be the key. That one could go either way and will likely be a big boost on several fronts for the winner. Things will already get difficult for the Swiss in the quarterfinals as even a third-place Group B finish will likely mean a match-up against Canada or the USA.

Key Players

Leo Braillard, W

In the midst of his second CHL season - now strutting his stuff in the WHL as opposed to the QMJHL - Braillard is one of those players whose shot and creativity are not necessarily reflected in his numbers. There’s a whole lot of offensive gumption in this young man despite just 12 goals and 16 points for Lethbridge in 24 games played. For this Swiss squad, the WJC-returnee will need to assume a top 6 role and put his experience on North American ice to good use. There’ll be some space against a few opponents, and he should be able to make use of it. One way or another, Braillard will have to be a needle-mover if Switzerland is to achieve anything other than a quick quarterfinal appearance.

Alain Graf, C

What a pleasure Graf’s rise this season has been thus far. The 6’2”, 200-pound righty shot forward put up 7 points in two U20 league games before getting called up to the NL for a long stretch. A good block of 15 or so games saw him get in some solid 4th line minutes and since then, he’s been trekking it between the NL and SL, where he’s been logging 14+ minutes a night and has six points in seven games. Graf has not only shown that there’s some acute offensive acumen in his game, but that he’s embracing the defensive side of his position, something that has been key to getting a shot in the NL this year. For the WJC squad, it may be time for him to take on a top 6 job, the kind where he could set some talented wingers in motion while always being ready to act as a third defenseman.

Ludvig Johnson, D

The Swiss U20 league’s top offensive defenseman, the half-Swedish Johnson has gone from junior blueline all-rounder to starlet for EV Zug. Called up to the bigs on October 26th, he’s never looked back, going 1-2-3 with a +3 over 13 games. His body of work has been so impressive that he’s gotten over 15 minutes of ice time on four occasions and even logged nearly 19 minutes in his third contest. Just 6-foot, 180 pounds, Johnson is sneaky good with the stick and has the skating to be a plus factor, even against senior-level players. And he’s entering the WJC on a high. Will it solidify his spot on the team, much less make him a regular contributor? We can say that Johnson is still just 18 and will be until after next summer’s draft, although this is his DY+1. We’re hoping this young overager will be given the chance to use this tournament to permanently inscribe his name into the notebooks of many an NHL scout.

Andro Kaderli, F

Don’t feel bad if you’ve never heard of Kaderli, who has appeared for Switzerland in one quiet U18 Worlds. He’s only just now starting to raise a few eyebrows. A 6-foot, 185-pound forward who is currently enjoying his second year as part of Leksand’s organization, Kaderli should be nonetheless expected to be a player the Swiss leans on thanks to his impressive U20-league play in Sweden as well as the fact that he’s gotten into 11 SHL games this season, a rather unexpected achievement. Even though the offense has been decent in two seasons at the U20 level, it’s his maturity and readiness to do the job asked of him that has allowed coaches to entrust him with more opportunity than the average 19-year-old receives. Here’s hoping he shows us why in Ottawa.

Gian Meier, D

A somewhat scrawny 6’2”, Meier was one of those 2023 draft-eligibles who first really jumped onto the scene at the U18 Worlds, where he was arguably Switzerland’s top player. It didn’t suffice to get him drafted, but it did facilitate a jump to Frölunda’s U20 program and low & behold, he’s even worked himself into 3 SHL contests for the big club. With 12 points in 19 U20 league games, it’s understandable why this still 18-year-old has been given a look despite perhaps a somewhat unknown pedigree. As for the WJC, there’s no reason he shouldn’t already be a regular contributor on a blueline that is looking pretty doggone deep if you simply take pro experience into account. He might even be one of the Swiss’ better players when it comes to the transition game.

Rafael Meier, LW

The 6-foot 19-year-old finds himself in his DY+2 season after a strong, but hidden, draft year and then having missed the bulk of last season. When he did play last season, it was primarily at the pro level with 10 SL games and 6 NL games. Not much in the way of offense came of it and thus, he entered this season as the least of the “Meiers” in the prospect pecking order. That’s all in the past now as Meier comes to Ottawa as the team’s most established NL player, having gone 4-8-12 and +5 in 29 games for Kloten. That has him tied for 2nd among U21 scorers in the league, one point below Montreal Canadiens draft pick Vinzenz Rohrer. There’s a whole lot of jump and smarts in Meier’s game and he can play hard and rough when necessary. He’s good down low on the power play but has scored on nice wrist shots this season. He’s on his way to being a draftable player next summer. This tourney will be about adding to that value.

Leon Muggli, D

We talked about and reported on Muggli quite a bit last and all for good reason. He was on our charts heading in but made the NL roster right from Day 1 and never looked back. When all was said and done, he had 12 points and a +13 for EV Zug as primarily a 17-year-old and gathered gobs of experience at the WJC then eventually the U18 Worlds, where he unfortunately got injured in Game 3. This led to him being selected 52nd overall by the Washington Capitals and before everyone got their draft reviews in, he had signed his ELC. There’s been no step back this season, even if his team isn’t quite as strong as it was last year, and he’s already doubled his 23-24 penalty minutes in just 21 games. All indications are that he’ll be a key component to what’s become a very NL-rich blueline. We certainly can’t wait to see him holding the fort against the likes of Sweden and Czechia, two preliminary-round favorites with plenty of artists in their forward ranks.

Jamiro Reber, C

Despite a really nice outing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup a few years back, Reber was insanely quiet at both the WJC and U18 Worlds last season. And that simply be covered up by a fairly prolific year with HV71’s U20 team (39 points in 47 games). That was where he was expected to spend this season. But that expectation has long since become a thing of the past. No, instead he’s now vying for the SHL’s Rookie of the Year award, having become a 14-point regular in 25 games. We knew he had some serious skill, but his draft snubbing must have really flipped a switch because Reber is going on all gears and basically a lock to be selected as an overager next summer. No doubt he’d also like to finally make an impact for his nation over the holidays, so expect him to be the go-to guy when the chips are on the line.

Eric Schneller, D

The undrafted righty-shot Schneller is 19 and average in size at 5’11”, 190 pounds. However, he’s spent just about the whole season with Geneva serving as the team’s 7th defenseman, making appearances in 25 games to date. At times, he only sees 3-5 minutes of ice. At others, he’s clocking upwards of 15 minutes. It usually depends on the opponent. But after 3 full seasons in Rögle’s junior program and a fairly strong showing at the 2023 U18 Worlds, Schneller has headed back to Switzerland as a player clearly ready for the pro game. At this tournament, he’ll bring a world of international experience with him to the table and is probably eyeing a top 4 spot in the line-up. He’ll surely be extra pumped to put on a show when his team faces Sweden in the preliminary round, as he’s yet another defender on this team who is half-Swedish.

Lars Steiner, RW

Let’s face it, Steiner is the number one reason to spend your time watching Switzerland at this tournament. His arrival and performance in the QMJHL have been nothing short of fantastic for a player in his draft year, much less one in his DY-1. That’s right, the slightly built trickster won’t be eligible for the draft until 2026, so there are clearly thoughts of him following in the footsteps of players such as Timo Meier and Nico Hischier. And we’re here for it! The skillset is clearly above average for a Swiss prospect even though his effectiveness is best seen on the power play and when he has time to shoot. He doesn’t hesitate and if the shot isn’t going in, it creates rebounds for his peers. Don’t get us wrong - there’s a lot he’ll need to improve on. But he’s going to be a top 6 winger and 1st line PP player at this tournament. We’ll see how he does without the weight of the world on his shoulders - this time around.

Sleeper

Danil Ustinkov, D

We’re not even certain he’ll be anything more than the 7th defenseman, but it wasn’t too long ago that we viewed Ustinkov as a serious topic for the top two rounds of the 2023 draft. After all, he already had pro experience and a fantastic U18 Worlds under his belt at the age of 16. But he was very bland in his draft season and then topped that off with some rather unimpressive play internationally. Interestingly, it’s not as though he was doing much differently than before, but rather he wasn’t taking that next step. In fact, he just didn’t look like a player who’d project as a future NHLer. He’s now just 18 and will be until next June. Nonetheless, he’s an undrafted player who has sifted into a regular top 4 role on a 2nd league SL team in Switzerland. And there, he’s often gotten over 18 minutes a night while going 2-6-8 in 28 games. Is he ready to use this tournament to get his name back in the draft hat?

2024 HLINKA GRETZKY CUP: Three standout performances by country

Adam Tate — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 20:14:30 +0000

The unofficial start of the scouting season, the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup is a summer tournament that gives scouts and teams their first looks at the players to see how they’ve improved with a summer of training. This year’s tournament took place from August 5th to 10th in Edmonton, Alberta, and McKeen’s Hockey was there to take in the action and get some early impressions of the players.

The Hlinka Gretzky Cup is an international tournament for U-18 players looking to jump start their seasons, represent their countries, and show off their current level of play. Though not sanctioned by the IIHF, it’s still a prominent event for NHL clubs, and is well attended by scouts and team management. The participating players are generally in their draft eligible seasons. Some teams may bring 16-year-olds to the tournament if there is room on the roster and their play warrants inclusion.

This year’s tournament was won by Canada, with Czechia taking the silver medal. They were the two best teams of the tournament, with both squads going undefeated in the group stage. Sweden won the bronze medal game over the USA. Slovakia had a good tournament only losing to Canada and Sweden (in overtime). Finland posted a disappointing result, only winning their last game of the tournament. Germany only won one game as well, but it was against Finland, and the Germans seemed like they were on the cusp of better things. Finally, Switzerland struggled at the tournament and didn’t have the talent level to match the other teams, only scoring five goals in four games.

Here are our three Standouts from each team. Included with each is a video highlight from their play at the tournament.

Canada

This year’s squad from Canada was loaded with talent, as is usually the case. Led by Captain Matthew Schaefer, the team rarely struggled and deserved the Gold Medal. The team was loaded with upwards of six possible first round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft (not to mention Gavin McKenna, who’s only eligible to be drafted in 2026), was well balanced, and most players saw their fair share of ice in front of the scouts. It’s almost unfair to only pick three standouts.

Matthew Schaefer - Defense

Schaefer turned this tournament into his coming out party to the world. The smooth skating, two-way defender was everything for Canada. He played in all situations, frequently double shifted, and was one point off the team scoring lead. He was dynamic on the ice, using his skating to play in all parts of the offensive zone. He was a force defensively, showing some physicality to go along with excellent positioning and stick disruption. He may have played his way into a top three pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

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This clip shows a little of everything that makes Schaefer (#5 in red) so great. From helping win the faceoff in his own zone, to taking advantage of a mistake by his opponent to create a zone exit and leading the rush for Canada, to the nice drop pass in the offensive zone, to getting back into position to have an effective pinch to keep the puck in the offensive zone for longer. All while killing 20 seconds of a Czechia power play.

Gavin McKenna - Forward

By the already lofty standards that he’s set, McKenna had a good, but not great, tournament. He was tied for Canada’s goal scoring lead, and shared second place in the team’s points race with Schaefer. He was dynamic with the puck, often playing a game of keep away with his opponents. He used his skating and puck handling skills to circle the offensive zone, looking for weaknesses. His shot was hard and accurate, often picking top corners of the net. He flashed his next level talent, but didn’t dominate as perhaps expected, even as a 16-year-old.

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This is an otherworldly shot from McKenna on the power play for Canada. Picking the top short side top corner on a shot from that distance is not a skill that every player possesses.

Caleb Desnoyers - Forward

While not the most offensively talented forward on Team Canada, Desnoyers was relied upon in all situations, and was often used as its top Center. He was a jack of all trades for Canada, and it suited his skill set. That being said, he was still dangerous on the ice and produced at a point per game pace, with a goal and four assists. He was strong on the puck and hard to play against in all three zones. Desnoyers should hear his name called in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft and will likely be the first player from the QMJHL taken.

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This clip shows Desnoyers operating on the power play, taking the puck down below the goal line and then taking advantage of the defender’s opened up triangle.

Czechia

Team Czechia’s goal this year was to win the tournament, after coming in second place to Canada last summer. The players made it a point to let people know that they wanted “revenge” on Canada for last year’s loss. They brought a top-heavy roster loaded with offensive talent with the likes of Adam Benak, Vit Zahejsky, Adam Novotny (2026 draft eligible), and Tomas Poletin. Unfortunately, they were unable to win the big prize and settled for Silver for the second year in a row.

Adam Benak - Forward

Easily one of the most gifted offensive players in this year’s tournament, Benak led the Czechs in scoring and was second in overall tournament scoring. Benak’s footspeed and shot were outstanding in this tournament, and he was difficult to contain at all times. You could see the determination in his play every game, and he led the Czechs by example. Despite being a smaller player, it wouldn't surprise to see him selected in the first round of the 2025 Draft due to his offensive talent. He’s going to play in the USHL with Youngstown this year, and a good season will help his draft stock.

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Another player with a next level shot, this top corner short side goal by Benak is almost impossible to stop.

Radim Mrtka - Defense

The large (6’6” / 198 lbs) right-handed defenseman got better with every game and was a solid two-way defender. While he didn’t score much, his zone transition work with his skating and passing was really good. He was strong in his own end, using his positioning, size, and length to disrupt passing lanes. In the offensive zone, he activated from the blue line often and created chaos for opposing defenses. Already in consideration for a mid-round pick in the 2025 Draft, Mrtka may move into the first round if he continues to play this well in the regular season. Mrkta may also jump over to the WHL and join the Seattle Thunderbirds this season if he’s not playing in the men’s league in Czechia.

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This clip is from the first minute of the Gold Medal game against Canada. Mrtka (#5 in white) helps lead the rush, something he got more and more comfortable doing as the tournament went along, and then sets the tone by absolutely crushing a Canadian player in their own zone.

Vit Zahejsky - Forward

Another Czech player that improved during the tournament, Zahejsky was promoted to the top line after the group stage and posted 7 points (3g - 4a) in 5 games. A slick offensive player that was used on the power play and 4 on 4 situations, Zahejsky showed good offensive awareness with both his passing and his shooting. Another potential mid-round pick who could move up if this level of play continues, Zahejsky will play for Kamloops in the WHL this season. He should see plenty of ice time and opportunity there.

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Czechia’s power play was lethal in this tournament, and it’s goals like this one from Zahejsky that made it so.

Sweden

While it would be hard to call Sweden’s Bronze medal a disappointment, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if the team felt that way. It’s still a step in the right direction for a program that didn’t medal in last year’s tournament, but with talent up front and in goal, more could’ve been possible. Anton Frondell, Sweden’s best prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft, was unable to take part due to injury, and top prospects Sascha Boumedienne and Jakob Ihs-Wozniak had disappointing tournaments compared to what was expected of them. Despite all of that, Sweden only lost to Canada in the group stage and Czechia in the semi-final.

Viktor Klingsell - Forward

With Frondell unable to play, Klingsell took it upon himself to help lead the team, and was the top scoring forward in the tournament. His 12 points (4g - 8a) were one point better than Czechia’s Adam Benak. Klingsell was a constant at both even strength and on the power play, and had points in all but one of Sweden’s games. His game shined in the offensive zone where he was able to use his hockey sense to create for his teammates.

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Klingsell’s (#25 in yellow) vision and offensive awareness are the highlights in this clip as he makes a nice pass over to Ivar Stenberg for an easy goal.

Ivar Stenberg - Forward

Another consistently good offensive player for Sweden, Stenberg was tied for third in scoring for the tournament with Milton Gastrin. A late 2007 birthday, Stenberg isn’t eligible for the NHL Draft until 2026, but his age didn’t stop him from standing out on a line with Klingsell and Gastrin. Stenberg will likely start his regular season in Sweden’s J20 league and is expected to be a high level prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft.

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This is a really nice goal from Stenberg (#15 in yellow). He identifies time and space for himself in the offensive zone, and then loads up a hard and accurate wrist shot that goes into the top corner.

Milton Gastrin - Forward

The center of the line with Klingsell and Stenberg, Gastrin was still a factor despite being a bit less heralded than his linemates. He, perhaps more so than his linemates, took advantage of their big game versus Switzerland to add to his point total. That being said, he was still one of the team’s better playmakers in this tournament.

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This is a great pass from Gastrin (#22 in yellow) to a streaking Klingsell for a goal.

USA

Ending the tournament just outside of the medals, it’s hard to consider the result a failure by Team USA as they generally don’t bring their best prospects to this event. The USNTDP players don’t play here, so it can be hard for them to compete against nations that bring their best of the best, like Canada and Czechia. Despite that, they were still in a tier above nations like Slovakia and Finland.

Matthew Lansing - Forward

Lansing was USA’s top center and one of, if not their best, forwards. He was used in all situations by the coaching staff and was usually one of the first players over the boards for power plays and penalty kills. As good a playmaker as a goal scorer, he used his skating to slash into the offensive zone with the puck and get defenses to commit to him to open up passing lanes. He was equally as creative taking the puck to the net for his own scoring chances where he had a bit more success. Not considered a top draft prospect currently, this tournament along with a strong season in the USHL might make teams take more notice.

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Lansing’s (#22 in blue) display of deft pucking handling along with some good skating allow him to keep this puck all the way to Sweden’s goal where he takes advantage of their goaltender committing first.

Blake Fiddler - Defense

The Captain of this US team, Fiddler was asked to play a defensive defenseman role by the coaching staff, and he played the role very well. The right handed defender snuffed out plays with good gap control, stick work, and physicality throughout the tournament. He showed he’s capable of defending at a higher level than seen in his first season in the WHL, and it bodes well for his draft stock. He even found opportunities to rush the puck from his own end and scored a nice goal. There were rumblings from the media that this tournament may have raised his stock to the first round of the NHL Draft.

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The aforementioned nice goal. Fiddler (#3 in white) creates a zone exit and a zone entry with the puck on his stick, dangles a German defender, and then makes a power forward type move to the net to score.

Ben Kevan - Forward

This spot could’ve easily belonged to Sam Spehar or Alexander Donovan, but Ben Kevan’s consistently high compete level makes the selection easier. Kevan was used in all situations by the US coaching staff, and was noticeable every game they played. He played with pace and was always looking to be on the right side of the puck. His skating ability was one of his better traits. He had a couple of multi point games as well. Kevan is expected to be a mid-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, but a season where he plays like he did in this tournament might see his stock rise.

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This clip is a little longer but is a good example of Kevan’s (#7 in white) overall game. He was always looking to disrupt opposition puck carriers while getting himself into advantageous positions in the offensive zone.

Slovakia

Winners of the fifth place game in this year’s tournament, Slovakia didn’t have as many players with 2025 NHL Draft pedigree as the nations that finished ahead of it. That being said, they do have some standout players such as Jan Chovan, as well as some that could rise in the draft rankings over the course of the season such as Andreas Straka and Tobias Tomik. They have some dark horse players eligible for the draft as well that stood out in this tournament.

Jan Chovan - Forward

Easily Slovakia’s best forward in the tournament, and likely its best player, Chovan was their top line center and played in all situations. He had points in all of Slovakia’s games and used good footspeed to get up and down the ice. He possesses good size and skating ability. He showed good playmaking skills in the offensive zone, and some defensive play in the neutral and defensive zones where he got himself into passing lanes regularly. He plays in Finland during the regular season, and will either start his season with Tappara’s U20 team or join the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL. If he has a good season, it’s possible to see him picked in the second or third round of the 2025 Draft.

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This is a really nice pass from Chovan (#26 in blue) on Slovakia’s power play. It displays really nice vision and awareness on Chovan’s part. The goal scorer may never score an easier goal in his life.

Michal Svrcek - Forward

Playing on Jan Chovan’s wing, Svrcek was the recipient of much of Chovan’s playmaking, and scored goals in three of Slovakia’s four games. He scored the overtime game winner in the fifth place game. He has really nice puck skills and can get creative in the offensive zone. He’s played his regular season games in Sweden the last two years, moving up Brynas’s system, and he’ll likely start with their J20 team this year.

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This clip is a good example of Svrcek’s (#10 in blue) ability to score goals. Leading the rush and starting the give and go on a two on one is a good way to get the lone defender moving and the goaltender scrambling.

Michal Pradel - Goaltender

It might seem a bit unusual to list a fifth place team goaltender as a standout, but Pradel was really good for a Slovakian squad that was underwhelming defensively. He was very good in two of the three games he played in, but was pulled in the game against Canada. He battles hard, covers the bottom of the net well, and has good lateral movement. He has great size for a goaltender at 6’4” / 194 lbs. It will be interesting to see how he develops over the year in Europe and see if he can play his way into a mid to late round 2025 NHL Draft selection.

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This video of Pradel making some saves using good positioning only tells half the story here. With Sweden already up by a goal mid-way through the first period, Pradel needs to shut the door to keep Slovakia from falling too far behind in the game, and in this series of chances, he’s able to do that.

Germany

Starting the tournament with an overtime win over Finland, Germany must’ve been thrilled with the win knowing that they had to face Czechia and the USA in the group stage. The win got them into the fifth place game where they were downed by Slovakia, but it proved to be a worthwhile tournament for the Germans overall. Some of their more hyped prospects like David Lewandowski and Max Bleicher had decent tournaments, but the best Germans were some of their lesser regarded players. If they can continue to improve, this year’s class of German players could see a few more players picked in the NHL Draft.

Carlos Handel - Defense

Handel was Germany’s best two-way defender and his transition play from zone to zone either by carrying or passing the puck was a highlight for this year’s team. A good skater with and without the puck, he was able to activate offensively by using his speed. His puck skills are a plus as well. His defensive play will need to be an area of focus moving forward. Handel was drafted by Moncton of the QMJHL in this summer’s Import Draft, and it’s expected he will play there. A good season in the Q will help his draft stock.

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Perhaps the best play of Handel’s (#7 in black) tournament, his ability to transition the puck while leading the rush, is something scouts saw often from him. The goal at the end is really nice as well as he loads up a wrist shot to pick a top corner.

Dustin Willhoft - Forward

Willhoft was one of the smaller players at the tournament this year, but what he lacks in size, he makes up for in skill and desire. He skates very well and uses his foot speed and pace to slash into the offensive zone with the puck where he looks to make plays or take the puck to the net. He’s not a perimeter player and will go to the slot with and without the puck. His play in his own zone isn’t as polished as his offensive play and he struggles a bit with a lack of length due to his height. He’s a notable prospect for the Germans, but it would likely take a massive breakout season to put him on the NHL’s radar for the Draft.

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This is one of Willhoft’s nicer goals and he’s able to elevate the puck even with the Czech defender harassing him.

Gustavs & Rihards Griva - Forwards

Is it a cheat to include the twins together as one standout player? Yes, probably, but these two were attached at the hip and were tied for the scoring lead for Germany in the tournament. They finished with four points each (both had 2g - 2a) and they bookended Germany’s goal scoring with the first and last goals of the tournament. They also combined for the game winning goal against Finland, and in this case, that’s enough to be a combined standout for this squad. They will likely continue to play together in Germany this upcoming season as they try to raise their draft profiles.

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This play has Gustavs (#28 in white) using his hockey sense to steal the pass from the goaltender and get the puck to Rihards (#27) in the slot. Rihard’s shot is good and finds the top corner of the net. Any goal a twin scored, the other had an assist.

Finland

A bit of a disappointing tournament for Finland this year, only managing a seventh place finish. There was a lack of high end offense and star power on this year’s team and they averaged only a goal per game in the group stage of the tournament. They broke the seventh place game open, scoring five goals against Switzerland, but by then the tournament had gotten away from them. Jesper Kotajarvi, their best prospect heading into the tournament, struggled and wasn’t the effective mobile, puck moving defenseman that was expected for the most part.

Patrik Kerkola - Goaltender

Just on statistics alone, Kerkola was one of the better goaltenders of the tournament, despite his team’s record and overall play. He had the third best save % (.913) and third best goals against (2.31) of the goaltenders who started most of their team’s games. More so, behind a less than stellar Finnish defense, Kerkola’s steady play stood out and he gave his team a chance to win all of the games he started. The netminder has strong fundamentals and could start his season with Barrie in the OHL, who took him 75th in this summer’s CHL Import Draft.

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This is a good breakaway save by Kerkola, especially given that the puck was turned over in his zone, not giving him much time to prepare.

Max Westergard - Forward

One of the best Finnish skaters at this year’s tournament, Westergard led the team in goal scoring with three, scoring in all of their games but one. A strong skater with good pace, Westergard is able to get up and down the ice quickly with or without the puck. He’s skilled with the puck and can flash in the offensive zone when he has some room to make a play. He played in Sweden last year and was very good in their J18 league. With a birthday close to the cutoff for the 2025 NHL Draft, it’ll be interesting to see how he fairs if he continues to play with Frolunda’s J20 team.

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This is the easiest, but also nicest, goal Westergard scored in the tournament this year.

Lasse Boelius - Defense

The best overall defender for Finland in the tournament, Boelius was able to use his skating to be an effective transitional defenseman. He was noticeable for all the right reasons when bringing the puck out of his own end, either with his skating or passing. He was used on the power play and showed good passing touch. His play in his own zone needs improvement as he struggled with puck battles along the boards and wasn’t very physical anywhere in the zone.

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This is a good zone exit clip from Boelius (#9 in white). His patience, vision, and skating allow him to find space to skate the puck out of the defensive zone with ease.

Switzerland

The last place team in the tournament, Switzerland lacked the overall talent that the other teams had, and it showed. They gave Slovakia a scare before losing in overtime, this after losing to Canada and Sweden by 10+ goals in their games. Switzerland was another team that lacked 2025 NHL Draft pedigree, but a few of their players may have made an early impression on NHL scouts.

Mike Aeschlimann - Forward

Their leading scorer and goal scorer, Aeschlimann scored two of Switzerland’s five goals in the tournament. He scored both of his goals in the seventh place game against Finland and one was a very nice backhand shot that found the back of the net. A decent skater who flashed some offensive skill, Aeschlimann will return to Langnau’s U20 team this upcoming season.

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This is a great goal from Aeschlimann (#11 in white), from the steal at the defensive blue line to create his own breakaway to the backhand shot that finds the top of the net, it’s a high quality play at each step.

Florian Schenk - Forward

Their top center, Schenk was used in all situations by the Swiss coaching staff. He added a goal and an assist to Switzerland’s scoring totals in the tournament, but his real value was in being as good defensively as he was offensively. He had a good hit on Gavin McKenna early in the game against Canada, and he was committed to good two way play. Schenk will have an opportunity to improve this season as he has committed to the St. John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL, who selected him seventh overall in this summer’s CHL Import Draft.

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For a team that didn’t score very many goals, this is a pretty good one from Schenk (#21 in white). Good positioning in the middle of the neutral zone helps to force the Slovakian puck carrier to make a poor passing decision. From there Schenk goes to the net and scores off the rebound. Solid play in both zones from Schenk.

Lars Steiner - Forward

Steiner played with Schenk on Switzerland’s top line and contributed with a goal and an assist during the tournament, with both of his points coming in the game against Slovakia. His goal was a nice shot from the right wing that found the top corner of the net. Another Swiss player drafted to the QMJHL in the CHL Import Draft, Steiner will play for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies this upcoming season. A late 2007 birthday, Steiner is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.

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The aforementioned goal from Steiner (#15 in white). He starts the play by looking for an outlet to pass to but he decides to keep the puck and place a hard wrist shot into the back of the net.