Wiggo Sörensson – McKeen's Hockey

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 NHL DRAFT: U18 5 NATIONS TOURNAMENT – Standout Performances in Ulricehamn, Sweden, November 2025

Viktor Åhlund and Felix Robbins — Sun, 30 Nov 2025 13:01:41 +0000

The 2025 November u18 5 Nations tournament saw a flurry of NHL scouts and international fans flock to Lassalyckans Ishall in Ulricehamn, Sweden. The rink that is used to HockeyTrean (Sweden’s 5th tier of men’s pro hockey) competition was suddenly the site of clashes between some of the best teenage hockey players on the planet and potential future NHL stars.

On paper, the tournament was 4 Davids versus 1 Goliath. Host nation Sweden were the heavy favourites and they did not disappoint, going undefeated despite some shaky moments late in games. Eternally underrated Czechia, the ever-hardworking Finnish team and weaker than usual USNTDP had some very strong team performances, all finishing with a 2-2 record. Only the Swiss team failed to secure a win, but that’s not for lack of trying. They took a few teams to the brink of defeat, but lacked the star power to break through and close out a victory.

Overall, the level of competition was not the strongest since some of the higher profile 2008-born skaters (Oliver Suvanto, Petr Tomek and Juho Piiparinen to name a few) were taken by the U20 squads for the 5 Nations tournament in Slovakia. In addition, the U.S. team that won gold at the Hlinka-Gretzky tournament was made up of non-USNTDP players. However, that left a lot of room for lesser-known prospects to step up and put on a show on the international stage. Viktor and Felix, our scouts in attendance, go over the ones that made a strong impression from each team.

SWITZERLAND

Fabrice Bouvard

“Looking good” is a relative term for a team that went winless, but Bouvard was a standout for the Swiss playing a top 6 role down the middle. The centerman from Zürich didn’t get on the scoresheet consistently, but his skill level and ability to read the game were noteworthy. Ditto his two-way play, primarily with crafty and well timed stick checks. He put on a real offensive show against Finland in the final match of the tournament, factoring in on all of Switzerland's goals in a 1G 2A performance. He did fade into the background a fair bit, though. He didn’t have the best motor, either. As far as draft eligible Swiss players at the tournament, Bouvard might have the best shot at getting picked thanks to his intriguing tools and offensive upside. - Robbins

CZECHIA

Filip Novák

Filip Novák was the player that stood out for the weaker-than-average Czech U18 team at the 5 Nations Tournament in Ulricehamn. What caught my attention was his blend of size, poise, and willingness to make plays. Novák consistently supported play on both sides of the puck, using his strong frame to win battles and protect possession. In the offensive zone he showed good touch and patience, often initiating controlled exits and entries rather than forcing plays. Although there were moments where his decision-making could improve, his overall reads were still dependable. Defensively, he demonstrated strong awareness, staying above the puck and reading developing threats with confidence. While he wasn’t the flashiest player on the ice, his shift-to-shift consistency made him one of Czechia’s most dependable contributors. Overall, Novák’s tournament reinforced his profile as a well-rounded forward with the tools to impact the game in multiple ways. - Åhlund

FINLAND

Max Laatikainen

Max Laatikainen put in a composed and reliable performance for Finland at the U18 5 Nations in Ulricehamn, having 2 assists in 4 games. Something I really enjoyed was Max skating, it was smooth and controlled, and he consistently managed his gap well, steering attackers out wide and limiting high danger chances. With the puck, he wasn’t flashy but made smart, safe passes to break out of the defensive zone. Defensively, he competed hard, using his positioning more than physicality. His performance in Ulricehamn strengthened the view of him as a dependable, structure-driven blueliner with room to expand his puck-moving influence as he progresses. - Åhlund

Eelis Uronen

Before ever taking the ice, Uronen stood out for being the twin brother of Anttoni, younger brother of VGK prospect Tuomas, and captain of the U18 squad. On the ice, he was a competitive and confident piece on the backend for Finland. He stepped up and made an impact all over the ice. He played a physical defensive game, broke the puck out with ease (as well as skated it from OZ to DZ a few times), and was a regular offensive contributor both from the point and below the blue line. Watching him made me believe Uronen is a big game player. Despite the excellent tournament, Uronen is still a longshot to be an NHLer. The ceiling isn’t very high and the skating is average at best. However, he might have played himself onto some teams’ watchlists with his performance.I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on him. - Robbins

USA

Casey Mutryn

Mutryn stood out in a big way at Ulricehamn, and I’m not just talking about his frame. The forward from Norwell, MA., wore the C for the NTDP and was an all-situations workhorse for the U.S. He played an important role in the top 6 as a two-way puck-insulator and net-front presence, as well as a surprisingly solid transition driver thanks to his strong skating. He displayed good pre-scanning and body positioning habits, which is always an encouraging sign for a player's hockey IQ. However, he was never the player pushing the envelope offensively. It’s not like plays died on his stick, but he lacks the dynamic skill and creativity that some of his NTDP teammates possess. Mutryn has all the tools a player needs to find success in today’s NHL, thought most likely in a complimentary role. - Robbins

Wyatt Cullen

Wyatt Cullen delivered a notable showing for the U.S. team at the tournament, recording 4 points (1 goal + 3 assists) in 3 games. In the opening match against Switzerland he logged both a goal and an assist, helping his team to a 5-2 victory. What impressed me most was his exceptional vision, he maintained constant awareness of his surroundings, keeping his head up and tracking the play without ever needing to look down at the puck. He brought pace to the game, and high level puck handling skills, Cullen repeatedly created dangerous scoring opportunities and used his mobility to tilt play in the U.S.’ favour.

While the U.S. team did not ultimately claim the top spot, Cullen’s contributions stood out among his teammates, showcasing his two-way awareness and offensive upside. His performance in Ulricehamn underlined his growing status as a key young forward within the national program. - Åhlund

Nick Bogas

Bogas was never the biggest blueliner on the ice in Ulricehamn, but there were many moments where he was the meanest. Based on his average size, I wouldn’t have expected him to be the NTDP’s most effective and physically imposing shutdown defenceman. It looked like Bogas relished in getting under the skin of his opponents, and somehow managing to stay out of the box while doing so. He even had some nice puck moving moments and had a pretty decent shot from the point. There may not be a high ceiling here, but Bogas showed enough grit and defensive prowess to make me pencil his name onto my watchlist. - Robbins

Mikey Berchild

Berchild was one of Team USA’s most effective forwards, finishing with an impressive 7 points (2 goals, 5 assists). Across all four games, he showed a level of polish and consistency that stood out even against strong international competition. Throughout the tournament, Berchild demonstrated elite puck handling, smart skating, and high level hockey sense. His refined stickhandling allowed him to maintain possession in tight spaces and under pressure, often turning contested situations into controlled offensive sequences. He consistently created high-danger scoring opportunities by slipping through traffic, making advanced reads, and delivering precise, dangerous passes to teammates. His skating was both smooth and intelligent, enabling him to evade defenders, attack with pace, and generate momentum off the rush. Across all four games, Berchild’s performance firmly placed him among the elite forwards at the Ulricehamn tournament. - Åhlund

SWEDEN

Alexander Command

Alexander Command was one of Sweden’s standout players during the 5 Nations Tournament in Ulricehamn 2025. With a total of seven points (3 goals and 4 assists), he shared the team lead in scoring and confirmed his status as one of the most promising players in his age group.

Command combined speed and physical strength with a powerful shot, making him a constant offensive threat. His ability to read the play and create opportunities for both himself and his linemates was crucial in several key games, particularly in the victory over the United States where he contributed to two goals. He impressed with his maturity and defensive responsibility, showing a complete, two-way game. Overall, the Ulricehamn tournament marked a clear breakthrough for Command on the international stage. - Åhlund

Wiggo Sörensson

Sörensson was my most anticipated prospect to watch at Ulricehamn given the fact that he’s almost exclusively faced 4th-tier Swedish pro competition since the 2024-2025 season. He was tasked with centering the 2nd line of one of the strongest Swedish u18 groups in a long time and he knocked it out of the park. He was routinely the fastest player on the ice and leveraged that high-end skating to make an impact all over the ice. I felt he outshined highly-toute linemates Elton Hermansson and Max Isaksson. The real travesty is that he’s returning to Boro/Vetlanda after the tournament and not a top flight Swedish hockey program, so getting a proper read on his NHL potential is still tricky. One can only hope he’ll be loaned to a HockeyAllsvenkan team in the new year to boost his draft stock. - Robbins

Axel Elofsson

Axel Elofsson delivered one of the most intriguing blue-line performances for Sweden in his hometown of Ulricehamn. The right-shooting defenseman produced 5 assists in 4 games, showing a consistent ability to drive play and create offense from the back end. His +7 rating further reflects his reliability and impact at both ends of the ice. It’s no secret that I'm a fan of Elofsson’s game as I had him as one of my early seasons favorites. He regularly used subtle feints, weight shifts and shot fakes to open passing lanes, often drawing pressure before slipping pucks into dangerous areas. With strong edge control and confidence under pressure, he acted as a primary puck-mover in transition, initiating controlled exits and leading several clean entries. Defensively, he played with good stick detail and anticipation, though he still benefits more from positioning and timing than physical strength. His frame and style may raise questions about translation to smaller rinks, but the offensive instincts are undeniable. - Åhlund

Marcus Nordmark

As always, Marcus Nordmark puts on the yellow jersey and gets it done. It was a vintage performance. High-end skill with the puck, a wicked shot, elusive cuts to open ice, and points galore. Lights out on the PP. I really admire his ability to send defenders into a tizzy with his off puck movement. It was also a vintage performance in the sense that he didn’t give close to 100% away from the puck, at least not every shift. All in all, it was a great performance from one of the best forward prospects available in the region, but I don’t feel like any of my concerns over his compete level went away. Maybe the relatively lower level of talent bored him, but I wish he’d give a complete effort from start to finish. Still a 1st round calibre talent in my books. - Robbins