Oshawa Generals’ Onni Kalto (78), Barrie Colts’ Emil Hemming (28), and Ottawa 67’s Jasper Kuhta (22). Credit: OHL Images
Finland has announced its pre-tournament roster for the 2026 World Juniors. Their training camp for the event is set to begin next week, when the teams travel to Minnesota early next week before finalizing their roster for their Boxing Day showdown against Denmark.
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Finland’s preliminary roster features three OHL players: Emil Hemming, Jasper Kuhta, and Onni Kalto. All three are 2006-born, meaning this is their last year of eligibility to play at this tournament. For Hemming, it would be his third World Junior appearance, while Kuhta and Kalto will have to fight and earn their spot on the roster.
We recently wrote a story on Hemming and how he has been an offensive play driver for the Barrie Colts this season. The Dallas Stars’ 2024 first-rounder scored his eighth of the season in Barrie’s 2-1 win over Niagara Saturday night, increasing his season output to eight goals and 28 points in 17 games.
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His Barrie teammate, Cole Beaudoin, was featured on Canada’s top line on Day 1 of practice. It’s reasonable to expect that Hemming will also be slotted onto Finland’s top line.
Jasper Kuhta has been an excellent addition to the Ottawa 67’s lineup. They stole him in the second round of the 2025 CHL Import Draft. He has become a player that Head Coach Dave Cameron can use in any situation.
The OHL recently announced their rosters for the 2026 Connor McDavid Top Prospects Game. Kuhta was not one of the three overage players who were named to either roster. Considering his season, 16 goals, 29 points in 31 games, the Finnish forward deserved to be on Team East.
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Kuhta has never played for Finland at a IIHF-sanctioned event, or the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and U17 World Hockey Challenge.
Oshawa Generals’ forward Onni Kalto is in a similar boat as his countryman Kuhta. He, too, has never represented Finland in the above tournaments. And like Kuhta, he boasts a strong frame at 6-foot-2, 187 pounds.
It hasn’t been a glamorous season for the Helsinki, Finland, native. He’s recorded five goals and four assists for nine points in 30 games and is a -19. That plus/minus rating should be taken with a bit of a grain of salt, considering the Generals are one of the worst teams in the OHL this season.
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