2026 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship Recap
Another year, another brilliant tournament in the books. The 2026 instalment of the IIHF World Junior Championship might be looked back on as a classic tournament featuring a bundle of NHL-level talent that could have long, storied careers that to many had there start here in Minnesota. Over 30 players are eligible for the NHL Draft for the first time in 2026, which is quite unusual, but more unusual is that many of those 30 were among the key players for their teams, if not some of the most important players in the tournament. Latvia nearly shocked the Canadians again, the Czechs did shock the Canadians again, a talented USA team hit the notorious Finnish Wall, and many other teams did nothing but battle their way to the result they earned. Names like McKenna, Björck, Stenberg, Verhoeff, Reid and others made names for themselves with those who don’t follow the draft as much as us junkies, and the level of excitement for the upcoming event in June is absolutely starting to percolate. For whatever it’s worth, a huge thumbs up to every athlete, coach, organizer and manager involved in this event. The coverage in my country (TSN in Canada) was second to none, nearly every game was entertaining, and this tournament continues to be a treat during the holiday season. To the Swedes who pulled off their first medal since I was in University, a huge congratulations with an all-time high quality team that shook off perceived demons and marched their way to the championship. The Czechs came so, so close to making history after another incredible win over Canada, with arguably the best roster they’ve brought in a very, very long time. The Canadians fully deserved their bronze medal result with a commanding performance against Finland after falling just short of knocking off their Czech enemies in the semifinal. Finland had a championship quality team if you ask me, and going home with no hardware in a tournament this competitive is absolutely not a failure.
To recap, we’ll take a look at each individual team with some thoughts I came away with, and hand out my personal awards at the end! Thanks so much for stopping by, and catch us on YouTube for Scouching Live Mondays at 8pm and Thursdays at 2pm! If you’re able, consider subscribing to the site to get some cool perks and data you won’t get anywhere else.
Relegated - Denmark
MVP - Oliver Dejbjerg Larsen (F)
My #10 ranked team that was well behind anyone else this year unfortunately ended up relegated as expected. They made things interesting for a time in their relegation match against Germany before a 4-1 third period loss, but staying in the tournament was just not in the cards. Giving up 36 goals in 5 games while scoring a third of their goals in the relegation game is not a recipe for success. Anton Larsen stood tall in net, facing no fewer than 36 shots in a game, doing what he could to keep his team in contention, so we’ll have to see if his performance makes any waves with scouts going into his first year of NHL Draft eligibility. Other teams were just too physical, fast, skilled, and intense for the Danish to really push back over long terms, but there were stretches where they found ways to get through opponents and create offense, especially some big goals from my near-MVP of the team William Bundgaard. I’ve seen him play here and there over the last few years and his size, shooting ability and net-driven offense stood out, with slot passing under pressure and helping push the game in the right direction as best he could for his roster. Linemate Oliver Dejbjerg Larsen lands my MVP pick though, with a level of pace and skill that many teammates lacked that found him on the scoresheet more than anyone else. Impressively an even plus-minus on a team that was routinely blown out, Larsen drove play well and had strong inside playmaking that tried to generate some level of offense for his group. The Danes have a number of players eligible to return for next year’s Division 1A tournament, including Larsen and… Larsen… but the competition might be tough for them to return in 2028. It isn’t impossible, so we’ll have to wait and see, but the team that was likely to be sent back to Division 1A was sent back to Division 1A, and it wasn’t particularly close. The surprise berth last year is something to be proud of, and lining up against teams like Canada and Finland is no small feat.
Saved in Relegation - Germany
MVP - The Goaltenders
As expected in my preview post, this team was not necessarily gifted up front, scoring the fewest goals of anyone in the preliminary round before blowing out Denmark to stay in the top division, but their goaltending trio certainly helped them tread water including potential returnee Lukas Stuhrmann who faced a shot per minute in relief during an 8-1 drubbing against future champions Sweden. Just 11 players on the roster registered a point, but there were still some key contributors who led whatever pushback the Germans could muster. It was fun to see Dustin Willhöft back in the black and yellow, zipping and zooming around the ice, creating great chances with his high energy in a small form factor, and will likely be a key factor in the 2027 tournament after a 7 point performance in Minnesota. NHL Draft picks David Lewandowski, Carlos Händel, Maxim Schäfer all performed admirably too, Schäfer especially in my view. Big, strong, powerful skating with pro-style net-driven attitude certainly was a net benefit for his team and filled in a key gap and was part of a smart strategy to literally try to push back the opponents as best he could.
Picking a single person as MVP is too tricky so I went with the three goaltenders they brought. I’m surprised they rotated through all three, but they all showed exceptionally well, especially Lennart Neiße. Appearing in two games, facing the equivalent of just short of 50 shots a game, and still having a .900 save percentage is nothing short of miraculous and you wonder what sticking with him for the whole tournament might’ve led to, but right behind him was 2025 starter Linus Viellard with strong performances of his own, including landing the key win against Denmark in the relegation game. Germany wasn’t a particularly threatening quarterfinal team, but they were a class above the Danes, which is all they needed to stay up in the tournament. Four point performances from Willhöft and Lenny Boos catapulted them into next year’s tournament, but looking at their returnees and the future of German hockey at the junior level, we might be looking at a similar result in a year barring some heroic goaltending from Stuhrmann.
Quarterfinal Elimination - Latvia
MVP - Alberts Smits (D)
Once again one of the youngest teams in the tournament, the Latvians certainly had a tournament to remember on some level. A stunning late tying goal against the Canadians and holding them to a 2-1 win in overtime is something to hang your hat on. A victory over Denmark is all they needed to punch a ticket to the quarterfinals before being dispatched by the future Swedish champions in a 6-3 loss despite a strong third period effort. Goaltender Nils Roberts Maurins was strong at times but inconsistent, although all things considered, Latvia’s offense trailed everyone else in the group by at least half by the end of the preliminary round. It’s quite difficult to keep the goals against average under 2 when you’re facing nearly 40 shots a game in most competitive matches. Bruno Osmanis was certainly a key player with the trademark speed, skill and quick release from mid-range being a weapon for the Latvians as he continuously chipped away at teams one goal at a time here and there. 2026-eligible big centre Rudolfs Berzkalns picked the best possible time to land his only point of the tournament, tying Canada with under two minutes left in a 1-0 game, and other large names Kristers Ansons and Olivers Murnieks often found lumbering into traffic, attacking defenses and landing good scoring chances. The eyeballs were on none other than Alberts Smits, and in my books he did not disappoint at all with smart small-area passing work, strong rushes through the neutral zone, and trailing only Germany’s Carlos Handel in average ice time in the tournament. He was given a huge role and for a barely-18 year old defenseman on this team, he performed amicably. The skill, offensive zone attacking mentality, and calm presence were highly noticeable. As a group, the Latvians came together and fought to stick in games as a unit to mixed results. 2027 draft-eligible Roberts Naudins also flashed some strong moments of strength and power that caught attention here and there especially jumping from prep school hockey to this kind of a stage. Naudins, Murnieks, Berzkalns and Smits all are certain to return next year, and luckily those names were among their best. Will it be enough to win their first quarterfinal at this level? It may all come down to goaltending with untested Ivans Kufterins eligible to return but the intriguing Patriks Plumins poking around acting as Kufterins’ backup in the 2025 U18 World Championship.
Quarterfinal Elimination - Switzerland
MVP - Lars Steiner (RW)
I may need to learn to stop underestimating the Swiss in this tournament. They were surprisingly effective last year, but this year was a totally different level. There was a real thought in my mind that the Swiss might be able to knock the Czechs out of this tournament in the quarterfinals, and I might have taken things a little too far in that regard. While they were dispatched easily by the Czechs 6-2, the Swiss were a rag-tag, aggressive group of players who pressed opponents above their weigh class effectively. They were speedy, aggressive on the forecheck, and what they may have lacked in dangerous offense, they certainly played the shutdown role effectively. Victories over Slovakia and Germany aside, the Swiss nearly stunned the Americans in a 2-1 loss, and held an elite Swedish group to a 4-2 score. There were strong performances on the defensive end from the skilled Leon Muggli, dynamic and shifty Ludvig Johnson, and a surprisingly gritty performance from Daniil Ustinkov that helped keep the team hanging around more advanced competition. Christian Kirsch and Elijah Neuenschwander, both NHL Draft selections stood dependably tall in net, and through it all the Swiss may very well have simply just fallen slightly short of matching the truly best in the tournament.
Lars Steiner took home my MVP award as he played with some great physical energy, serious power off the wings and looked much, much more like the player I remember from before his injury earlier this season. It was a true return to form for him and he was rewarded as one of their leading scorers. He may very well be a major player in the 2027 tournament if his quickness takes another step and has a finisher to lob the puck to. Switzerland lacked a true goal scorer with just two players scoring two goals to lead the way, and the addition of one or two real finishes might unlock some serious headroom for thsi group next year. The eyeballs were often trained on 2027 eligible Jonah Neuenschwander who was back for his second World Junior Tournament. In fact, if Neuenschwander returns as many times as he could, he will set the record with five appearances at the tournament. Last season I felt Neuenschwander was a bit raw, physically outmatched and lacked a true separation skill at this tournament, that’s understandable considering he was just a very large 15 year old. This year, he’s added a whole new level to his game thanks to his experience at the National League level. He’s approaching 40 games of experience in one of the toughest leagues in the world, and you can clearly see the benefits. He looked faster, stronger, much more effective at protecting the puck, and while he only landed a single assist here, he still showcased a combination of size, skill, and pace that absolutely bodes well for his future as a prospect. He certainly made himself a curiousity at the very least, if not a very strong contender in next year’s class, and a staple of this team in next year’s tournament. It’ll be a big test in 2027 however, as all three goalies and all but 5 skaters are ineligible to return. There will be plenty of new faces, and Switzerland hasn’t been earth-shattering in the U18s, but there will be some bright names leading the way and hopefully can surprise once again.
Quarterfinal Elimination - United States
MVP - James Hagens (F)
In the Russia/Belarus-free era of this tournament, there is always going to be at least a single team that is capable of taking home gold that gets sent home in a quarterfinal. This season it was the repeat champions from the United States. It was a painful, bitter defeat at the hands of the Finns in overtime after a miraculous Ryker Lee goal to tie the game late in the third period. To come so close and fall so short is a disappointment, but I’m glad to see there doesn’t seem to be too much of an overreaction to this result. This American team came in a little weaker than years prior, especially outside of their very, very talented forward group with somewhat questionable goaltending on top of it all. In this tournament that’s a difficult hill to climb, and unfortunately for the States, it just wasn’t meant to be. That having been said, there were absolutely some stellar performances to keep in mind. Cole Hutson was once again tremendous in the three games he played, thankfully not missing a step after a dangerous looking puck to the head and ending up in the hospital. The rush speed, skill at that speed and ruthless offensive pace is a sight to behold, and my kicking myself for underrating him a bit too much continues through 2026. He really came alive during his draft year into his U18 and ever since he hasn’t looked back. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him in a Capitals uniform by the end of the year and he’ll certainly have some great mentors there who should be able to line up with his style of play perfectly. Jacob Chychrun comes to mind as a high offense, shot heavy presence on the blueline, and the league is better when there are more Cole Hutsons in it. Will Zellers found himself on the scoresheet more than twice the amount of anyone else on the team, which is par for the course for the smart, aggressive finisher who clearly benefitted from a talented group of skilled playmakers around him. I also really enjoyed watching Brodie Ziemer, who wearing the captain’s C did not look out of place as the smart, well-rounded possession hound with good pace in his game and more than enough physicality, skill, and deference to linemates to make things move in the right direction. The line of Teddy Stiga, L.J. Mooney and Ryker Lee might have been one of the most delightful in the entire tournament, with ridiculous amounts of energy, speed and skill that certainly had their share of big moments on both sides of the puck. The physical players also were standouts, as I felt A.J. Spellacy deserved a bit more puck luck thanks to his raw motor and strength, driving the net constantly and only landing a single goal for it. Shane Vansaghi had his fair share of destruction on the ice as well, as did William Horcoff and even LA Kings pick Brendan McMorrow. Almost the entire forward core was a ton of fun to watch, and from top to bottom there was something to take home.
The defensemen on this team were better than expected, and I was pleased to see how much trust Luke Osburn got, at times on the powerplay, and quarterbacking great rushes with his fluid footwork, skill level and a heck of a shot from the point. There was no production, but I remain a big fan of him. Draft Nerds will obviously be focused on Chase Reid of the Soo Greyhounds, who I felt had a very strong tournament that firmly put him in the conversation of some of the best defenders in the draft. While I believe he trails the poise, calm nature of other names like Hakansson and Piiparinen in this class, he brings a skill level and puck protection ability that makes him much more of a lethal offensive threat at the moment, and you absolutely saw that as Reid found plenty of success quarterbacking the American powerplay. There is a very intriguing player here, and this only feeds into how exciting this draft class is to watch.
The Americans may have had their tournaments cut short by the Finns, a story all too common over the years, but they absolutely showed a tremendous amount of talent that should bode well for the American National program for the years to come. Picking an MVP was basically impossible as this team largely won by committee, and Hutson was a close selection, but the constant aggressive and speedy threat of James Hagens really caught my attention. The budding physical game he started to develop last year came into focus more in this tournament, and he continues to show high end playmaking tools that elevate everyone he plays with. It was a tough call, but on a group like this, Hagens seemed to stick out just a hair more than others. As a team, the speed, skill, flash, and excitement that this group brings will always stand out, and from my perspective watching this year’s U18 club, there’s more of that on the way…
Quarterfinal Elimination - Slovakia
MVP - Tomas Chrenko (C)
For the 10th time in 11 years since winning a bronze medal in 2015, the Slovaks were once again eliminated in the quarterfinal. On the bright side, they brought the youngest team in the tournament, and some of their best performers were among the returnees. Up front, I felt Samuel Murin showed some really speed and physicality that teams like Slovakia desperately need, and Alex Misiak, Andreas Straka, and Tobias Tomik all brought clever passing ability and systemic playmaking talent. Matus Lisy showed his mobile, skilled abilities on the defensive side of things, and while Adam Goljer had a bit of a rocky tournament, he’s still quite young with plenty of development time left, and still showed defensive smarts that should grow in the coming years. Luka Radivojevic looked every bit as skilled, fluid and creative as I remember, but even more aggressive and high-pace than he was last year. He may be a bit small, but I think his play at this tournament warrants a close look at his play with Boston College. He was slippery, quick with his decisions, and finished over a point a game quarterbacking a surprisingly threatening Slovak powerplay. Adam Nemec, another 2026 eligible also performed well with his highly intelligent pass-first game, aware of surroundings and driving play effectively for the Slovaks. My MVP of the tournament, Tomas Chrenko fell just a goal short of tying for the scoring lead, thanks to a hat trick against Germany and landing two against the Americans a few days later. Chrenko certainly boosted his profile here, even aside from his shooting ability, with a skill level and creativity unlike many of his peers. The big question remains if he can project to NHL level pace of play, but for the time being, he looks to be a serious asset for the Slovak national team for next year. As is tradition, personal favourite Michal Svrcek had so many looks and opportunities but just couldn’t find the back of the net. The Slovaks had fewer really great scoring chances against Canada than you can count on two hands, but the one starting and finishing a few of those sequences was Svrcek, thanks to his tireless effort and skill level. I was screaming for him to shoot the puck more on the powerplay than he did, but I guess when you’ve got a shooter like Chrenko and an offensive defender like Radivojevic out there, you’re not the highest priority. I’m still a big fan and felt he showed well, but he’s had a rocky year and am hopeful for a big back half after this tournament.
It’s very likely that this Slovak team might be enough of a threat to medal next year, honestly. They’ve gotten to three straight bronze medal games at the U18s, and their 2007 and 2008 group seems primed to be a tremendous group for next year. Pradel and Henriquez are strong goaltenders who will return. Chovan, Svrcek, Straka, Misiak, Dubravik, Nemec, Chrenko, and Tomik are almost three full lines of competitive forwards. Goljer, Lisy and Kalman are more than capable defenders with Radivojevic who may have played his way back into NHL Draft discussion this year. Lucian Bernat, Matej Stankoven, and 2009-born Oliver Ozogany could also be very big additions to the group, and it would be foolish to underrate the 2027 group. This year’s team set the stage and provided valuable experience to valuable names, and I already can’t wait to see what they can do in Alberta next year.
4th Place - Finland
MVP - Petteri Rimpinen (G)
It may seem disappointing to go from a silver medal to a 4th place finish, but I believe this year’s Finnish group is something of a return to form, and sets the stage for at least one very, very strong group coming back for 2027, and hopefully beyond. Their gold medal hopes came down to the only shootout finish of the tournament, and after nine long, dramatic rounds, they came just about as close as you possibly could. The Finns were heavy, hard, but had some really impressive skill, especially on the defensive side of the game. Aron Kiviharju put an exclamation point on his junior career with an excellent performance, showcasing the creativity and skill that he’s always had, but at a breakneck speed with mobility that it seems has really improved since his draft year. Personal favourite Daniel Nieminen had a strong tournament, looking way more physical than I remember, and even if he ended up off the scoresheet, he still landed a player of the game performance against the mighty Swedes. Arttu Välilä played the hero, scoring the decisive overtime goal against the United States, and landing his other goal against the Canadians in their bronze medal loss. He was dynamic, fluid and confident, and definitely showed better than I expected going in. Emil Hemming reminded us all that he’s still playing like a first round pick, combining size, skill, shooting ability and strength well, and making an impact often even if he wasn’t leading the team in scoring. The Finns were the traditional heavy, physical and team-focused group that has led them to victory in years prior, with peripheral talents that carried quite a bit of exciting skill, like Jasper Kuhta, Leo Tuuva, Matias Vanhanen, and Joona Saarelainen.
Had that shootout just tipped the other way like it so desperately could have, I think there’s a great chance this group beats the Czechs at their own game in what would’ve been an epic gold medal matchup, but hockey is fickle, and shootouts can be unpredictable. It was a hard fought, well earned finish for the Finns, and while there was no hardware, this was an exciting and impressive group that had as good a chance as any to win the whole thing. Like Slovakia, some of Finland’s key performers are likely to return, even if just 7 names are eligible. Lasse Boelius flashed some of the skilled offensive ability he’s always had, and Max Westergård and Matias Vanhanen were major sources of skill and pace that Finland desperately needed to be successful. The really intriguing bit is going to be the return of Oliver Suvanto and Juho Piiparinen, who were both standouts in my opinion. Suvanto went so far as to be named one of the best performers on the team with his humongous size and great smarts up the middle of the ice. The next tournament likely brings names like Oscar Hemming, Vertti Svensk, Ossi Tukio, Samu Alalauri, Jere Somervuori and others who should all be exciting additions that keep Finland firmly in the discussion of gold medal contenders. There may not have been hardware for the Finns here, but a failure this tournament was not.
Bronze Medal - Canada
MVP - Michael Hage (F)
After two years without a medal, Canada finally found their way back to the podium, taking home the bronze. The Canadians were simply offensively dominant for long stretches of the tournament, scoring no fewer than four goals in all but one game. A bizarre, 2-1 overtime win over Latvia aside, the Canadians were an exceptional group of scorers as expected, backstopped by a pair of high end goaltenders who kept them in games at key moments time and time again. Unfortunately, this tournament always becomes a game of individual wins, and Canada fell flat in the match that mattered most, failing to dispatch their Czech rivals once again in a 6-4 semifinal loss. It was a shattering result for a team with gold medal aspirations, but this was not a team without weaknesses. The Czechs put on a forechecking masterclass, driving through the Canadian defense consistently, attacking defenders down low and Canada significantly struggled to get breakouts moving, leading to too many turnovers and 50/50 situations that turned against them over time. That said, if this team got the puck past the centre line with possession, you were toast. If you took a penalty, you were toast. They were 50% on the powerplay. They landed 12 powerplay goals, and shot 17% overall, and had the second best penalty kill in the tournament behind the Swiss’ ridiculous 94%. While the 3rd period of the semifinal against Czechia got out of hand and disappointing for both the team and fans alike, this was not a Canadian team marching to the penalty box time and time again like years past with just 21 shorthanded situations faced, putting them right in the middle of the tournament, and we saw the benefits of such an approach with just how ruthless this team was against their opponents. They easily handled the Finns in the bronze medal match, marching to a perfectly acceptable results considering the strength of this tournament in 2025.
Michael Hage was absolutely sublime, with ridiculous skill and transition pace that they desperately needed, and paired very well with likely top 2026 NHL Draft pick Gavin McKenna. For many, this was an opportunity to see him for the first time, and while I’ve been skeptical of his game this year and he isn’t my #1 at the moment, you definitely saw what makes him so special, and what can make him a bit frustrating. The creativity and pure skill level are easily 10/10. Making plays and offensive zone awareness, especially on the powerplay is truly second to none. He’s an incredible playmaker to say the least, and there’s plenty of value there, and I certainly am not jumping on the trope you’re seeing of McKenna being some kind of enormous bust or disappointment. To me, he was Gavin McKenna. You get what you get. At times, he’s special, elite, unique and absolutely automatic, and at others, you may be pulling your hair out. There are players like that in the NHL, and he remains a top tier talent in this year’s draft, but to see others slowly drift towards my conclusion that this class is more open-ended than we think is selfishly somewhat assuring. The Canadians got great performances out of almost every forward given the roles they were in. I can’t really sort through the list and be picky. From Iginla, to Beaudoin, to Martone, to Misa, to O’Reilly, to Reschny and beyond, by and large, it may have been one of the most talented offensive groups we’ve seen in years in all the different ways you can score in this game.
All that having been said, I think it’s high time for many to realize that this is just the new reality we are in. Since Canada went to 10 straight gold medal games in the 2000’s into the 2010’s, they’ve appeared in 6 in the last 15, failing to medal in 4 tournaments. Just like any other team, the Canadians are likely to have areas of strength, and areas where they are equal to or trail their competition on any given roster, and the Czechs have masterfully handled what seems to be repeated issues with the Canadians over the last three years. There has been a lot of talk about what Canada could do to “fix” things and return to hegemony, and I worry that the issue is far too structural, decentralized and nuanced to find a way to be dominant and surpass the world like they did in my youth. If I had to pick one area that is a consistent worry, it would be on the defensive end of the game. There was plenty of skill, plenty of finishing ability and plenty of creativity from many defensemen on this team this year, but one discipline I’ve noted the Czechs mastering is forcing Canadian defensemen into unfamiliar defensive zone situations under pressure. If you watch teams like the Czechs and Swedes, you notice how many times the defensemen are patient with the puck, making reads on retrievals and using partners effectively to maintain possession, and opening space off the puck and utilizing it effectively. There seems to be a major focus at getting the puck up the ice as much as possible, and under strong forechecks, you end up panicking and flipping the puck 40 feet in the air, hoping a Michael Hage snags it in stride and attacks the offensive zone. I could be wrong, but it really didn’t feel like there was as much of that with the best of the best in this tournament. The actual defensive zone coverages and rush defending were also areas of weakness that I’ve noted in my own work with CHL defenders over the years, and I still remain steadfast that there is a fundamental misunderstanding what makes a defenseman effective, and how to analyze them at this age. The ability to use footwork and lateral motion to guide play to the boards, stay calm but keep gaps tight, and defending with the feet and stick, not the arms and reach are major factors that drive good results, and it seemed that that was another key weakness for this group.
The Canadians weren’t “bad”, they didn’t “fail”, they aren’t “busts”, nothing like that could be further from the truth, but this tournament was simply exceptionally competitive, and Canada, like any other team, was not perfect and had gaps. When they weren’t in the driver’s seat, which wasn’t often, their opponents found ways to break them down and get through to the final. A bronze is a great result, and the future continues to look bright. Jack Ivankovic is likely back and will be a huge part of the team next year. Keaton Verhoeff, Cole Reschny, Braeden Cootes, Brady Martin, Caleb Desnoyers and perhaps even Gavin McKenna will return, and there’s plenty more on the way from the 2007, 2008 and even 2009 age group that could push this team back to gold medal contention. A fantastic team that was tremendous amounts of fun to watch, but like anyone else, they are not invincible, and someone has to lose a semifinal game.
Silver Medal - Czechia
MVP - Tomas Galvas (D)
Before the tournament I was very clear that this is a gold medal calibre team, and clearly I was onto something. The Czechs have a brand and they stick to it. Despite less than stellar goaltending, it almost didn’t matter, as the Czechs played an exceptional shut down game, led by a great group of defenders that stymied opponents time and time again. Adam Jiricek and Tomas Galvas were absolutely stellar, combining good defensive ability with skill, creativity, and raw energy that was exciting to watch. Radim Mrtka and Matyas Man showed strong defensive ability, standing tall and shutting down play, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Man get some consideration as an NHL draft pick. I’ve liked him going back to last year and while he may be a longshot, there’s a simplicity and effectiveness in his game that absolutely stood out. Up front, the Czechs were lethal at times, with excellent performances from Adam Benak, Vaclav Nestrasil, Tomas Poletin, Max Curran, Petr Sikora, and 12 point tournament MVP Vojtech Cihar. Cihar came up huge with two goals against the Canadians, but this was a deep group of very strong talents across the spectrum of this sport. Some were more physical, some were more skilled, some were pure speed, and some were a well-rounded combination that simply got the job done.
While Cihar got the MVP nod, I cannot help but be absolutely thrilled with Team Scouching favourite Tomas Galvas. Listed as the name I would’ve taken at 200th in the 2024 draft, Galvas once again showed why NHL teams should take a flyer on him. He led the tournament in scoring from a defenseman, but where Zayne Parekh was a shot-first, confident attacker, Galvas was a clever, sneaky and skilled presence who was wandering into scoring areas, making plays down low, while chipping in very well defensively. Cihar was great, and definitely great when it counted, but in my view the real success of this group stemmed from the best names on the backend, and Galvas led the way. Jiricek would also be an acceptable option here, but boy was Galvas ever cooking all over the ice in every game. He isn’t eligible to return next year, but I would not be surprised to see him on the men’s national team at some point in his future, if not in an NHL sweater. I’ve loved him for years and it’s nice to finally see him get some good looks. On a similar note, what a great performance from Adam Jiricek, just as many were forgetting about just how promising he was looking before a gruesome knee injury ended his excellent 2024 World Junior. He really seemed like a comfortable, smart, and dangerous two way threat that is a trend I hope continues into an NHL career with St. Louis in the near future.
The Czechs are clearly stamping themselves as a force to be reckoned with once again, and with 12 names eligible to return, including Cihar, Nestrasil, Benak, Mrtka, and draft eligible Adam Novotny, it’s entirely possible that they end up right back in a gold medal game. Two strong goaltenders in Marek Sklenicka and Frantisek Poletin are on the way to fill their key weakness, but you should absolutely look out for Dominick Byrtus, Ondrej Ruml, and 2009-born Lukas Kachlir to fill in the shoes of Jiricek and Galvas, and a potential top 2027 pick in Petr Tomek also waiting in the wings for next year’s tournament. The Czechs aren’t going anywhere, and I can already tell that they’re not to be underestimated in Alberta.
Gold Medal - Sweden
MVP - Ivar Stenberg (RW)
For the first time in over a decade, the Swedes have flipped off the hockey world and won themselves a World Junior gold medal. This year’s group was truly special in so many ways. Tournament-best consistent goaltending from Love Härenstam with some excellent modern possession-style defenders in front of him, with a balanced group of physical, skilled and competitive forwards ahead of them, the Swedes gained steam as the tournament wore on, with just two games finishing a goal ahead. Their debut against Slovakia, and their shocking semifinal shootout victory over Finland. Yes, they came a hair’s width away from ending with a bitter bronze medal game appearance, but… they didn’t, and they clamped down and controlled the gold medal game against an excellent Czechia roster, using their firepower to attack their weakpoint on their way to a championship.
So many names on this roster stood out. Alfons Freij was sublime, with excellent puck skill and a great mind for how to use it, creating offense constantly and absolutely reassuring me of my bullish ranking of him back in 2024. Sascha Boumedienne was highly creative and had some impressive offensive zone moments that were among the best in the tournament. Anton Frondell has a cannon of a shot and we saw it time and time again with a heavy, physical style of play that should be able to transition to the NHL seamlessly. Captain Jack Berglund was also a pleasant surprise for me, with a great combination of physical tools and skill, bulldozing his way to the net countless time and bringing a dimension that this team has been looking for to get over the hump. Victor Eklund was just as impressive and exciting as he was last year, and while he can’t be on the 2027 roster, he certainly made a name for himself as a premier forechecker that was behind a tremendous amount of Sweden’s success, complementing the more finishing-oriented names he shared the ice with.
The real story with Sweden lies in the 2026 draft eligibles though. What an incredible performance from all four honestly. Casper Juustovaara Karlsson, a surprise addition even to me, showed exactly why he was there with a physical forechecking game with some net-drives that led to some key goals for the Swedes, including the opening goal in the gold medal match shorthanded. William Hakansson was not only humongous, but mobile, stable and flashed that rush offense that makes him so intriguing offsetting some of the more finesse and skill-oriented defenders on this team. Viggo Bjorck and Ivar Stenberg though, oh my goodness what a pair of talents these two are. Bjorck was one of the few 2026 eligibles that blew out my expectations here. I thought his size and lack of high end quickness and agility would be limiting factors at this tournament but the smarts trumped everything. Slick passes, careful timing, deceptive skill, and an underrated off-puck game were all top-tier abilities from start to finish. He’s only gotten better and better since last year, and he has quickly risen up my board in the time since and I strongly believe he isn’t all that far off the top group in this class, especially with his developmental trajectory being a smaller member of his family and still a young-ish name for the draft. Ivar Stenberg on the other hand absolutely solidified himself at #1 on my board for the time being. He was there before the tournament, and he’s still there now. The two-way, dual-threat offensive game he brings is simply second to none. I’m not sure he’s truly a superstar level, top of the league quality play driver, but he seems to just always know what to do to keep play moving forward. He’s not as hyperskilled as McKenna, but I think he uses his skill level in much more realistic and practical ways through traffic and along the boards. He’s not the fastest player in the world, but he protects the puck so well and finds passing lanes so easily, that as a complimentary forward, there isn’t much more you could want out of a guy. There’s a real Seth Jarvis-type vibe out of him to me, and while that might not sound particularly appealing as a 1st overall pick, I think this draft is a large group of players at the top that have similar values to that level of NHLer. A top-tier offensive talent with enough defensive ability to flex that talent. He started slowly, but once the playoffs hit, he just kept snowballing as his confidence rose, culminating in a three point gold medal performance that cemented his status as a premier prospect for this upcoming draft. The best part? He can, and very well could come back next year. Not only can he come back, but Boumedienne, Harenstam, Frondell, Nilson, Genborg, Bjorck, and Juustovaara Karlsson, are all among the names that could be on this roster next year looking for a repeat. It’s an exciting time for Swedish hockey, and I already can’t wait for the next iteration of this tournament to see how things shake out for all these countries.
Will’s All-Star Team
Ivar Stenberg (SWE) - Michael Hage (CAN) - Victor Eklund (SWE)
Adam Jiricek (CZE) - Tomas Galvas (CZE)
Love Harenstam (SWE)
MVP: Ivar Stenberg (SWE)
”Who Dat” Player of the Tournament: Vojtech Cihar (CZE)
Biggest Surprise Performance: Jack Berglund (SWE)
