Mathias Dehli – McKeen's Hockey

2024 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Biggest Risers for the 2024 NHL Draft

Brock Otten — Sun, 05 May 2024 22:15:31 +0000

ESPOO, FINLAND - MAY 5: Canada's Carter George #30 and USAÕs Kamil Bednarik #11 look on during Gold Medal Game action at the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Metro Arena on May 5, 2024 in Espoo, Finland. (Photo by Andr Ringuette/IIHF)

The 2024 IIHF World Under 18 Championships have concluded. What a wild ride it was! Canada/USA did not disappoint as a gold medal final, with Canada using a five-minute major to Trevor Connelly to springboard them to victory. Meanwhile, the Swedes recovered from a slow start to the tournament to capture Bronze, their sixth straight medal at the U18’s. Perhaps the biggest story of this event was how future NHL draft prospects and underage players took over the event. James Hagens broke the tournament scoring record. Porter Martone and Gavin McKenna starred for Canada. The pesky, young Slovaks surprised by making the bronze medal game. This was supposed to be a springboard for 2024 draft eligibles but ended up being one for 2025 and 2026 eligibles.

While it is important to not be hyper reactive to a single tournament as a scouting team, there were certainly some individual players whose performances helped to increase their draft stock as we commence the discussion of our final rankings and as the 2024 Draft in Vegas draws near. This is only one small piece of the puzzle; what players have done previous to this tournament is still important, however you cannot overlook the positive performances of some players against many of the best players in the age group. This article aims to highlight several players who elevated their draft stock with strong performances. It excludes players who entered the tournament already extremely highly regarded (such as Tij Iginla or Konsta Helenius), instead focusing on those who had room to “move up.”

Teddy Stiga - USA

Stiga’s rise this year has been fairly steady. He’s been improving month after month, and as such, so has his draft ranking. One of the U.S.’ most integral complementary scorers around James Hagens and Cole Eiserman, Stiga has been a model of consistency at the last few major tournaments. A lot of his success this year has come from improvements made to his skating ability. A high-end processor and playmaker, Stiga looks the part of a future NHL player. Even without some of those high-end physical tools, he has likely put himself in first round consideration after yet another strong performance.

Cole Hutson - USA

Evaluating Hutson in the second half of the year has been tough due to injury, so he really needed to come into this tournament and have a strong performance. He did just that, capturing the tournament’s top defender award. He oozed confidence with the puck in the offensive, consistently keeping plays alive with his feet and ability to escape pressure. Best of all, Hutson was more than adequate defensively too. I’m not sure that he’s a first-round pick given the strength of this defensive crop, but Hutson’s rebound from injury has to have cemented his status as a top 50 selection.

Brodie Ziemer - USA

We’ve been pretty lukewarm on Ziemer this year as a scouting agency. The captain of the US’s U18 team, Ziemer is unquestionably a solid player, but we struggled to see significant upside as an NHL player. However, Ziemer was absolutely fantastic at the U18’s, showing even more offensively than he had previously, playing with Hagens and Stiga. The attention to detail away from the puck and effort remained consistent, but he was much more of a factor on the puck, creating through the cycle and with speed through the neutral zone. This is a player NHL scouts are going to like earlier than the amateur scouting community.

Max Plante - USA

Max has been another team USA member that we’ve been a bit hesitant with so far this year. Similar to his brother Zam, we’ve struggled with the kind of role that he’d play at the NHL level. However, much like Ziemer, Plante impressed playing a scoring line role alongside Cole Eiserman at this event. He showed well because of an attacking mentality; consistently around the puck, working hard to earn touches. At this point, Max has to be a lock to be drafted ahead of his brother Zam (150th in 2022).

EJ Emery - USA

Emery has been a borderline first round prospect for us all year, but his play at this event may have cemented that status. I really liked Emery’s play with the puck at the U18’s; it was unquestionably the most confident that he has looked this season as an offensive player. Point production will never be his bread and butter; he’s a future defensive stalwart. However, it was great to see progress in areas of his game that were previously very inconsistent. Emerging as a two-way stud, and given his impressive athleticism, Emery should be a first-round selection in Vegas.

Heikki Ruohonen - Finland

Committed to Harvard for next year, Ruohonen is an athletic, power center who had a very impressive tournament for the hosts. With good size and skating ability, in combination with physicality and strong three zone awareness, Ruohonen has a solid projection as an NHL player in some capacity. As he showed in this tournament, his offensive skill set has improved a lot over the course of the year. He could be flying under the radar right now because he hasn’t played above the U20 level in order to keep his NCAA commitment.

Tuomas Suoniemi - Finland

After failing to appear on NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking for 2024, Suoniemi had a very strong tournament for Finland, oftentimes outperforming star Konsta Helenius as a play driver. Suoniemi’s league play this year has left a lot to be desired, but you cannot argue with his performances internationally. At the very least, he’s likely put himself on a similar level to a guy like Alex Zetterberg. They have parallels as undersized players without high end physical tools, however, they also have great offensive upside as they mature.

Mitja Jokinen - Finland

This was supposed to be the breakout tournament for Aron Kiviharju, after he returned from a lengthy injury. However, it was Jokinen who ended up being Finland’s most impressive defender. He showed a ton of poise with the puck and was confident jumping up in the rush to help create offense for the hosts. He’s not huge, but he was essentially what Kiviharju was supposed to be here.

Mathias Dehli - Norway

Dehli was outstanding for Norway in helping them remain competitive in the round robin, in addition to staving off relegation. He showed a really mature, complete game and drove pace from the middle of the ice. Coming into the U18’s, he was probably a long shot to be selected. After? He’s improved his odds considerably.

Jett Luchanko - Canada

How could you not be impressed by the Guelph Storm center? We’ve been telling you how good Luchanko is all season long, and his performance at this event should have cemented his status as a first-round pick. There’s so much to like about his game, but Luchanko’s vision and defensive play really stuck out at the U18’s. Lately, the media have been using Nick Suzuki as a comparable and I believe that Suzuki is a good representation of Luchanko’s high end upside.

Harrison Brunicke - Canada

The U18’s started off pretty rough for Brunicke. He struggled in the opening games with his puck management. However, it was important to remember that he was coming off of an injury and hadn’t played in a while. By the end of the tournament, Brunicke was one of Canada’s best defenders. His work on the penalty kill was phenomenal and integral to Canada’s success. Similar to a player like EJ Emery, Brunicke’s size and athleticism give him a ton of runway to improve.

Frankie Marrelli - Canada

Coming into the tournament, I wasn’t confident Marrelli would be drafted. I’ve always liked his play, but I’ve also struggled with his future role at the NHL level. While I do still see some projection issues, you’d be hard pressed to argue that Marrelli wasn’t impressive at the U18’s. He was a rock defensively, bringing physicality and strong rush defense to the table. Scouts will wish he were bigger given that he projects as more of a defensive type, but he has improved his draft odds considerably.

Cole Beaudoin - Canada

Don’t look at the stat sheet. Beaudoin’s value to Canada was enormous, even if he wasn’t among the team’s leading scorers. In the medal round he was among Canada’s ice time leaders and his attention to detail in the defensive end needs to be highlighted. It seemed like Beaudoin was always around the puck, generating or preventing chances. Yeah, his skating isn’t the prettiest. But, he’s a physical freak with a chance at a long NHL career.

Carter George - Canada

What else can you say about George, the tournament’s top netminder…other than he was outstanding. He was a model of consistency all tournament long and then he stood on his head to keep Canada in the gold medal game at a time when all hope looked lost. George may not have the ideal size of today’s NHL netminder, but he’s got everything else. He’s been our top ranked netminder all season long and nothing is going to change that now.

Gian Meier - Switzerland

This tournament was supposed to highlight the play of Leon Muggli and Daniil Ustinkov, two highly regarded Swiss defenders. Muggli ended up getting hurt and Ustinkov was only average, opening up the door for Meier to be a defensive leader for the Swiss. His size and mobility combination is impressive from the right side. He had some beautiful rushes in the tournament and really improved his chances of being selected in Vegas.

Linus Eriksson - Sweden

The captain for Sweden, Eriksson was the team’s most consistent forward, stepping up in key situations for them. He excelled on both sides of the puck and really drove play below the goal line. His vision and playmaking stood out positively and he has definitely helped his odds of becoming an NHL first round selection in June.

Alfons Freij - Sweden

I thought that it was a disastrous start for Freij at the event. Quite frankly, he was quite bad the first few games. However, he seemed to get better every game and he saved his best performances for the medal round. We’ve had Freij locked into our first round all season long and that’s not quite to change. However, after this tournament, I would guess many NHL scouting teams have moved Freij up their lists thanks to his ability to create chances in the offensive end.

Lucas Pettersson - Sweden

Sweden’s best player in the Bronze Medal game, Pettersson got better as the tournament went on. Once Alex Zetterberg went down to injury, I felt Pettersson really stepped up his game. His speed made him a very dangerous player in transition and he showed a great knack for finding soft spots in the offensive zone in order to use his big shot. Could be a coin flip as to whether Eriksson or Pettersson gets drafted first.

Leo Sahlin Wallenius - Sweden

One of the tournament leaders in ice time, Sahlin Wallenius was a rock for Sweden. He wasn’t as flashy or productive as Freij, but he was way more consistent at both ends. Previously, I’ve found Sahlin Wallenius’ off puck play and on puck decision making to be very inconsistent, but that wasn’t the case at this event. He was as steady as can be. I still prefer Freij’s upside, but I’m coming around on Sahlin Wallenius as a potential two-way NHL defender.

2024 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: GROUP A – Team Previews – Players to Watch

Steven Graves — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 14:14:23 +0000

Cole Eiserman. Photo courtesy of the USNTDP. Rena Laverty.

The annual U18 World Championship begins this year on April 25th, and it is to be hosted in Espoo and Vantaa, Finland. Group A is on the weaker side, with last year's gold medalist’s the United States and the host Finland as the favourite’s to top the group this time around.
The Americans and their NTDP roster as the odds-on favourites to take home gold. Unfortunately, the other three teams in the group don’t really have rosters to compete with the Americans and the Finns. Slovakia has the best chance at being a sleeper to maybe pull off an upset, but without a strong ‘06 class of players it’s going to be a tough ask. Norway and Latvia will fight for which team will play in relegation, but they will boast some young up-and-coming talents that will be great to see play in a tournament like this.

United States

The United States are coming into the U18’s with the expectations of a gold medal or bust. Last year's gold medalists in Basel, Switzerland are looking to repeat as winners for the first time since 2015. Ever since the implementation of the NTDP, the US have come into the U18’s as heavy favourites, this year is no different. With two years of chemistry under their belts, and a roster that is comprised of many promising talents, it’s easy to see why it’s expected year in and out that the nation brings home the gold medal at this event. This roster isn’t as potent offensively as last years but there are still many players to look out for when the puck drops against Slovakia.

Top Players to Watch

James Hagens - F

One of the few returning players for the American roster this year. After potting a goal and five points last year, Hagens is poised to build on that this year as “the guy” for this American squad. Hagens was undoubtedly the best player on the USNTDP this season, putting up an impressive 79 points in 50 games at the program. Hagens is a play driver through and through and if America wants to win gold, they’ll need Hagens at the top of his game. Hagens isn’t even NHL draft eligible until 2025, where he is the early favorite to go #1 overall. Doing well at this tournament will only solidify that notion.

Cole Eiserman - F

Although Eiserman had a very good year statistically, he has seen himself fall down draft boards throughout the year. Fair or not, Eiserman is undoubtedly the US squad’s best goal scorer, and the Americans will need the sharpshooter Eiserman to be firing on all cylinders throughout the entire tournament if the team plans to go far. His 118 goals in the past two seasons as a member of the NTDP is a testament to his goal scoring prowess. Eiserman ranks second all-time in the program's history, next to only Cole Caufield’s 126.

Logan Hensler - D

Hensler is the rock on this USA blueline, he is a defender that can log heavy minutes and impose himself offensively, defensively and physically. He is one of the more notable defensive prospects eligible for next year's NHL draft and a big tournament here in Finland can really go a long way in establishing that narrative in the eyes of scouts. The University of Wisconsin commit is currently seen as one of, if not the best defender in the 2025 NHL draft class. Expect a great tournament out of the big defender.

Trevor Connelly - F

Connelly just enjoyed a fantastic sophomore season in the USHL for Tri City as a draft eligible, where he put up 31 goals and 78 points in only 52 games. Connelly is going to provide that offense for this American team in this tournament on top of bringing a physical element in the top-6 that they desperately need. Expect him to slot in on the teams second line next to underage talent LJ Mooney and Teddy Stiga. Expect Connelly to come out swinging because he has the talent to be a top-10 selection in this draft, so playing and producing with and against the best of his peers at this tournament will be a big step to achieve that.

Cole Hutson - D

Cole Hutson, younger brother of Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson came into the year with a ton of hype behind him after a fantastic season with the U18 USNTDP as an underager, unfortunately it has been a year of ups and downs for Cole who has failed to replicate a fantastic U17 season. Hutson is one of three returning players from last year’s U18 team that won gold, in which he led the whole tournament in scoring from the blueline with 12 points in seven games. Hutson will be manning the first power play this year as well so expect similar offensive totals as last year for the blueliner.

Teddy Stiga - F

Stiga is undoubtedly the most improved player on this US roster from this time last year. Stiga, a Boston College commit, went from a bottom-6 energy role with the NTDP last year, putting up only 21 points in 49 games, to a guy that is relied upon to be a scorer in the top-6 this season. He has seen a 44-point increase from this season to last and has really rocketed up draft boards as a result. This tournament will be a big test for Stiga to really cement his place as a potential first round selection in the upcoming NHL draft.

LJ Mooney - F

The underage Mooney was a late addition to this U18 NTDP class. The undersized forward didn’t have a great offensive season with the U17 national team but after a late season call up to the U18 team, he really started to show off his offensive game after getting fed top-6 minutes. He is the only underager on the US roster. Although we have seen some impressive performances from underagers in the past for the US, don’t expect that to be the case this year, with only Mooney providing hope in that regard.

Finland

Finland come into this tournament as hosts of the event, and because of it, expectations are sky-high for this team. Up front, the roster will be led by top 2024 NHL draft prospect Konsta Helenius. He will be the heartbeat for this team. Helenius will be doing a lot of the heavy lifting on offense with help from potential first round pick Emil Hemming joining in on the fun as well. On defence, the long-awaited return of Aron Kiviharju will be the big talking point here - we finally get to see him in game speed after missing almost the entire year to injury. Veeti Väisänen should provide some solid two-way play on the blueline as well. A weak division means their only real challenger should be the United States, so anything less than second in the group will be seen as a disappointment.

Top Players to Watch

Konsta Helenius - F

After a monster season in Finland’s highest men's league with Jukurit, posting 36 points in 51 games in the regular season and another six in as many games in the playoffs - Helenius is looking to lead the Finns to a gold medal here on home ice. Although Helenius has seen his stock drop a bit since the middle part of the season, he is absolutely a player that can, and will carry his team to victory. He is Finlands best offensive weapon and will be deployed as such throughout the tournament. Helenius is a name many NHL clubs will have interest in, especially teams picking in the lottery, so eyes will be on him to perform on home ice.

Aron Kiviharju - D

After missing almost his entire draft season to injury, Kiviharju comes into the U18’s with one goal. Play as well as possible to salvage his draft stock. Scouts will be flocking to the games Kiviharju plays to get a good look at where he is at after his injury. This tournament is a massive test for Kiviharju who at one point in time was seen as one of the top talents for the 2024 draft. Although Kiviharju is small, he is one of the most electrifying offensive blueliners eligible for the 2024 draft. He will man the first power play for the Finns and will be a big reason as to why Finland will see success at this tournament.

Emil Hemming - F

Hemming is a power forward that is seen as a potential first round selection in the 2024 NHL draft. He played the entire year in the Liiga with TPS against men and is a guy Finland is really going to rely upon for offensive contribution throughout the tournament. Expect Finland to put him in a position to succeed, as Hemming has a fantastic release so expect the Finns to have him shooting as much as possible during the event.

Veeti Väisänen - D

Väisänen has a lot to prove at the U18’s this year, he is a guy who came into the year as a guy who could potentially see himself get first round consideration, but as the year progressed Väisänen saw himself slide down rankings as one question started to come up. “What can Väisänen be in the NHL?” Even though Väisänen spent the entire year playing in the Liiga, he still has major question marks to his talent level and potential. If he sees himself have a big tournament at both ends of the rink, he is a player that can absolutely shoot up draft rankings as a result.

Jonna Saarelainen - F

The 5’9” Saarelainen may not be a player many NHL teams will be interested in come draft time but he has been one of the best, and highest scoring players in this Finnish age group. Saarelainen is an excellent puck mover and can get the puck to teammates in the most difficult circumstances. He can help propel his linemates and set up shoot first players for excellent scoring opportunities. He should be a fun player to watch at this tournament.

Tuomas Suoniemi - F

Finland’s highest scoring player at the Hlinka Gretzky hopes to rebound here at the U18’s after a disappointing draft season. Suoniemi, who played the season in Espoo, for the teams U20 team only had 26 points in 29 games. Although Suoniemi has been seen as one of the top talents in his age group for Finland, it seems he may have stagnated in his growth. This tournament will provide an excellent opportunity to prove this narrative wrong.

Slovakia

Slovakia comes into the event with one of the weirdest rosters. While most teams are poised to be led by the 2006 age group - the Slovaks, after a weak 2006 born crop of players, are expected to see their best players come from their 2007 born age group. Up front, expect the offense to be led by Michal Svrcek, Tobias Tomik Jan Chovan and Tomas Popezal - all of which have impressed on the U18 national team at different points this season. Simon Nemec’s younger brother, Adam also made the roster this time around, too. On defense, expect Luka Radivojevic to lead the charge with fellow 2007 born Patryk Zubek and Samuel Kupec as names to keep an eye on as well. Overall, this is a really young roster - one that may not see a medal but one that is more developing and preparing for next season.

Top Players to Watch

Luka Radivojevic - D

Radivojevic comes into the tournament as one of the most promising Slovakian defenders in recent memory. He is a rare talent that played at the U20 WJC before the U18 World Championship. The 2007 born Radivojevic played the year in Sweden in Orebro’s program where he put up an impressive 33 points in 43 games in Sweden’s U20 league. He played so well in fact; he was able to get into six games in the SHL. One of only three U17 players to get that honor this season. Expect Radivojevic to be a big part of Slovakia's success at this tournament.

Michal Svrcek - F

Svrcek, another 2007 born has been one of Slovakia’s best players at the U18 level this season - putting up 19 points in 14 games throughout various tournaments for the age group. Svrcek plays his hockey in Sweden in Brynas’ program and has seen success in both the U18, and U20 leagues for the team this season. A promising talent for the 2025 NHL draft, expect Svrcek to be a focal point to this Slovakian offense.

Andreas Straka - F

Straka has seen quite the improvement over the course of the season and has put himself on the radars of NHL teams next season. The 6’1” centreman comes into this roster as an underage 2007 born talent, and one that has played incredibly well for the Slovakian U18 team in tournaments this year. He has even played a few games in both the first and second division Slovakian mens leagues. Straka is just another talented 2007 born player Slovakia has to offer.

Jan Chovan - F

The 6’2” Chovan came into the year with a good amount of hype and expectations around him - and although he didn’t reach those expectations, he is still a talent to look forward to watching at this event. The 2007 born Chovan has spent the past three seasons in Finland playing in Tappara’s development system, posting mixed results in the process. Chovan will provide scoring prowess for the Slovakian roster and will help contribute on the score sheet.

Tobias Tomik - F

Tomik is yet another 2007 born player that projects to be one of the roster’s best scorers. Tomik, unlike the rest of the roster has a December birthday, so he isn’t draft eligible until 2026. Tomik enjoyed a great season in Slovakia’s junior leagues but also got into a fair share of games against men this season, 23 in total. Tomik has a good history of producing as an underager for Slovakia and there are hopes he keeps up that trend here at the U18’s.

Tomas Pobezal - F

The 5’10” Pobezal is the lone 2006 born player on this list, and naturally he is a late birthday, so he isn’t draft eligible until next year in 2025, missing the cutoff date by three days. Pobezal has been a highly regarded prospect for quite some time, and while he hasn’t lived up to some early hype - he will still be a critical part to Slovakia’s offense at this tournament. Pobezal spent the entire season playing in Slovakia’s top mens league and although the results aren’t great, the experience against men should only help him in this tournament.

Latvia

Latvia is in a situation at the tournament where they have potential to provide an upset, but at the same time, a realistic expectation is that they’re going to be battling with Norway in which team gets to get pummeled in the semi-finals, while the other gets to play in relegation. Lucky for Latvia, on paper their roster has better depth than the Norwegians so the odds bode well for them. The big thing to look forward to from this Latvain roster is the trio of 2026 NHL draft prospects who look promising three years out from their draft, Karlis Flugins, Martins Klaucans and especially Olivers Murineks who is a kid that looks mature beyond his years even though he’s only 15 years old. On defense, you have Darels Uljanskis who looks to improve his draft stock at this event and a goalie who is looking to make his mark in Nils Roberts Maurins. Latvia may surprise some teams here in Finland.

Top Players to Watch

Olivers Murineks - F

Murineks projects to be one of the most promising Latvian talents to ever come out of the country. To make and project as a top-6 forward at this event for Latvia is a testament to that. As a 15-year-old he went nearly a point per game in Latvia’s top mens league, while also producing at a two point-per-game pace in Latvia’s second tier mens league - an incredible year for the very young centre. Murineks is a 2008 born that has the ability to take over games with his intelligence on the ice. He has a lot of work to do before his NHL draft date in 2026, but he is a kid I am personally exited to see play at the U18’s.

Darels Uljanskis - D

Uljanskis is the lone player on this Latvian roster ranked by NHL central scouting for the upcoming NHL draft, and rightfully so. The defender had a great year in Sweden’s U20 Junior league for AIK, putting up 29 points in 45 games. The 6’2” Uljanskis is going to log heavy minutes for this roster and will be a focal point on the team's offence and defence. He will run the first power play unit and be a very important puck mover for the nation. There will be a lot of pressure on Uljanskis at this event, as NHL teams will be watching him closely.

Nils Roberts Maurins - G

If Latvia wants to play upset at this tournament, they’re going to need a massive tournament out of their starting goaltender. That’s where Maurins comes into play. Maurins like Uljanskis, played the year in Sweden in their U20 junior league where he saw mixed results. The 6’4” goaltender has an outside chance at hearing his name called in the upcoming draft, NHL teams like big goaltenders after all. Although Maurins is rather raw, his measurables, paired with a massive showing for Latvia at this event could get one team to bite at some point in the upcoming draft.

Bruno Osmanis - F

Osmanis is probably the most promising player amount Latvia’s 2006 born crop of forwards if we’re talking about potential NHL draft selections. A December birthday, so not eligible until the 2025 NHL draft, Osmanis had a fantastic year in Sweden where he put up impressive totals in the U20 junior league and earned himself call ups to play for IF Björklöven’s mens team in the Allsvenskan for 15 games. Although only garnering one assist in those games, Osmanis definitely put himself on the radars of NHL teams with his performance this season.

Karlis Flugins - F

Flugins is a late 2007 birthday, and as such isn’t NHL draft eligible until 2026. Flugins like many of Latvia’s top talents decided to play his hockey in Sweden this past year for Oskarshamn. He was one of only a few imports to play in Sweden’s J20 league this season as a 2007 born player. Flugins is an extremely skilled forward that loves to challenge defenders one on one. He should be an extremely fun player to watch in this tournament for this Latvian squad.

Krists Retenais - D

One of only three returning players on this Latvian team from last year's U18 team, Retenais comes back this year as captain of this rendition of the Latvian squad. The 5’11” defender played for Riga’s hockey school this past year in Latvia’s top men's league, a team composed of some of the best young talent the country has to offer. Retenais was the highest scoring defender for this team and also served as the captain.

Norway

Norway is definitely the favourite to play for relegation in this group this year. They played in the relegation game last year but were able to fend off a weak German group to stay in the top division. The big game this year will be against the Latvians on April 29th, this will decide their fate in group A as whoever loses this game, likely plays for relegation. Up front, the team consists of returning players Elias Strame Vatne and Jorgen Nyhus Myhre who were two of Norway’s leading scorers at last year's event. Expect Mathias Dehli to also offer his contributions on offence, the centreman has Norway's best chance at getting drafted this yea,r so he hopes to improve his stock at this tournament. Niklas Aaram Olsen also looks to solidify his name as one to watch in 2026 also. The defensive core will live and die by how Ludvig Lafton plays also. There are pieces here to keep an eye on, but overall, this team will need a lot of luck to avoid the relegation game.

Top Players to Watch

Elias Straume Vatne - F

Unfortunately for Straume Vatne, he stands at only 5’8”. If he didn’t, he would undoubtedly be on NHL teams radars because he is one of the fastest and most skilled players Norway has ever produced. Norway’s highest scoring player from last year's tournament returns with similar expectations, to lead this squad offensively. Straume Vatne played in Farjestad, Sweden this past year in the teams U20 program and put up an impressive 32 points in 45 games. He is going to be Norway’s best player in this tournament and should generate most of Norway’s offense.

Mathias Dehli - F

The 6’2” Dehli has a big tournament ahead of him, he will undoubtedly be a focal point of Norway’s offense and he’s the most likely name to be called at the upcoming NHL draft out of anyone on this roster. Dehli spend his entire season playing alongside teammate Stian Solberg in Vålerenga, in Norway. The 18-year-old centerman enjoyed an impressive season, scoring eight points in 22 games in Norway’s top mens league. Dehli wants to have a great tournament here in Finland to continue his upward trajectory this season.

Ludvig Lafton - D

Norway’s lone returnee on the blueline is going to have to play insane minutes for this Norwegion team. Lafton is unequivocally the team's best defender as the blueline on this squad is unfortunately rather weak. Lafton is 6’2” and is best known for playing in his own zone, he can provide some offence and will likely run the first power play unit for this Norwegian team but that’s not the game he’s known for. Lafton has an outside chance at being drafted this year, and a strong showing at this event will bode well for that goal.

Niklas Aaram Olsen - F

Aaram Olsen is one of only four 2008 born players participating in this year’s U18 World Championship and Norway's line participant. Olsen is one of the most promising talents the nation has ever exported and after a very impressive season in Sweden for Orebro’s U18 team - Olsen has put himself on the map for NHL teams for 2026. The 6’0” Olsen doesn’t have to do much at this tournament for it to be a success for him, but if Norway wants to avoid relegation - Olsen will have to step up and show just why he is one to watch in 2026.

Mikkel Eriksen - F

After spending the first few months of the season in Sweden, posting impressive totals for Orebro’s U20 team - Eriksen went back to Norway to play in Vålerenga’s system, a program that is churning out the best of the nation's talent as of late. Eriksen should provide some very good secondary scoring for this Norwegian squad, and as a 2007 born center, isn’t eligible to be drafted until next season. He is definitely on the radar, of not only NHL, but also CHL teams and will be one of the more interesting underagers to watch at this tournament.

Jorgen Nyhus Myhre - F

Myhre is one of only four returning players on the Norwegian roster this season. Myhre, a late September 2006 birthday misses the 2024 NHL draft cutoff date by only seven days. Myhre is another kid that plays for Norway’s talent factor in Vålerenga and put up an eye popping 48 points in 31 games for the U20 team. Myhre projects to be an integral part to this team's top-6 this year.

Lukas Nikolaj Petterssen-Finckenhagen - F

One of the best names in the tournament, Pettersson-Finckenhagen provides size, and a net front presence for this Norwegian team. The 6’4” forward played the season in Sweden for Mora IK’s program and split the season between the U18, and U20 teams. At the U18 level, he enjoyed a goal-per-game statline after putting up 21 goals in 20 games. Because of his size and the power forward elements to his game, Petterssen-Finckenhagen could be a real interesting player to look forward to watching at this tournament and a kid that could put himself in NHL teams sightlines.