Every year, The Athletic’s prospects experts Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler produce a joint ranking of the top 25 NHL prospects participating at the World Juniors.
This year, they each submitted an individual list of their top 26 prospects, and then the rankings were averaged. Players who appeared on one list but not the other (of which there were four each) were assigned a rank of 27th.
These aren’t the top players now, or the players they expect to have the greatest impact at the tournament, but rather the top prospects based on their NHL projections. Pronman and Wheeler had a shared top-five and top-12 prospects, but their orders differed.
Here’s their combined ranking, as well as their individual lists, ahead of the 2026 tournament in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
1. Michael Misa, C, Canada (San Jose Sharks)
Pronman’s rank: No. 1
Wheeler’s rank: No. 1
Misa enters the tournament as an MVP favorite who can use his high-end skating and improvisation skills to break down defenses. He projects as a top-line center for Canada who drives play and can be a leading scorer in the tournament.
2. Ivar Stenberg, RW, Sweden (2026 NHL Draft)
Pronman’s rank: No. 4
Wheeler’s rank: No. 2
Stenberg is an electric offensive weapon who can crack a game open with his high-end puck handling, playmaking and natural scoring touch. He projects to be a primary scorer on the wing and a focal point of Sweden’s power play.
T3. Porter Martone, RW, Canada (Philadelphia Flyers)
Pronman’s rank: No. 3
Wheeler’s rank: No. 4
Martone is a heavy winger who uses his elite hands and massive frame to bully opponents and dominate the area below the hash marks. A returning forward for Canada, he projects to be a go-to scorer who thrives in traffic, wearing down defenders physically while possessing the soft skill to finish in tight.
T3. Keaton Verhoeff, RHD, Canada (2026 NHL Draft)
Pronman’s rank: No. 2
Wheeler’s rank: No. 5
A towering presence on the blue line, Verhoeff combines exceptional size with good hockey sense, a high compete level and a heavy point shot to make an impact at both ends. He’s a 17-year-old, though, so the top draft-eligible shouldn’t be expected to play many minutes at the tournament.
5. Gavin McKenna, LW, Canada (2026 NHL Draft)
Pronman’s rank: No. 5
Wheeler’s rank: No. 3
McKenna possesses off-the-charts vision and puck skills that allow him to pick apart defenses and generate high volumes of scoring chances. A 2026 draft eligible, McKenna projects as a dynamic top-line playmaker who will quarterback Canada’s power play.
6. Alberts Smits, LHD, Latvia (2026 NHL Draft)
Pronman’s rank: No. 6
Wheeler’s rank: No. 9
Smits offers a complete package of size and mobility. He will be the top defenseman for Latvia, and excels at killing plays with his length. He has a big point shot and can make enough plays to generate offense as well.
T7. James Hagens, C, USA (Boston Bruins)
Pronman’s rank: No. 9
Wheeler’s rank: No. 7
Hagens is a high-tempo offensive driver who uses elite edge work and vision to create plenty of chances in open ice. He projects as a top-line center for USA who can dominate possession and should be a top scorer in the tournament.
T7. Chase Reid, RHD, USA (2026 NHL Draft)
Pronman’s rank: No. 8
Wheeler’s rank: No. 8
Reid is a dynamic offensive catalyst from the blue line, using speed, vision and hands to generate chances and act as a fourth forward off the rush. While his defensive game is average, his ability to quarterback a power play and push the pace makes him a significant weapon in transition and provide much-needed skill to Team USA’s blue line.
T9. Zayne Parekh, RHD, Canada (Calgary Flames)
Pronman’s rank: No. 12
Wheeler’s rank: No. 6
Parekh projects to run the first power-play unit for Canada with his elite ability to see the ice. His capacity to create scoring chances out of nothing makes him a game-changing offensive weapon, even if his defensive play isn’t a selling point.
T9. Carson Carels, LHD, Canada (2026 NHL Draft)
Pronman’s rank: No. 7
Wheeler’s rank: No. 11
Carels is a powerful two-way force who uses his fluid skating to close plays physically and escape pressure with the puck. He projects as a reliable defender, even as a 17-year-old, who can kill penalties for Canada.
11. Anton Frondell, C, Sweden (Chicago Blackhawks)
Pronman’s rank: No. 11
Wheeler’s rank: No. 10
Frondell is a versatile offensive threat who blends smooth puck skills with a lethal shot that can beat goalies from range. He projects as a top-six center who can finish plays or set up teammates, while offering a strong physical presence that allows him to compete in the hard areas.
12. Cole Hutson, LHD, USA (Washington Capitals)
Pronman’s rank: No. 10
Wheeler’s rank: No. 12
Hutson is an offensive dynamo from the back end, using elite agility and vision to walk the blue line and make plays to his teammates. Expect him to be a top point-producer among defensemen in the tournament.
13. Caleb Desnoyers, C, Canada (Utah Mammoth)
Pronman’s rank: No. 15
Wheeler’s rank: No. 13
Desnoyers is a prototypical two-way center who can be trusted to play in defensive situations while also providing some offense. His blend of size, speed and playmaking intelligence makes him a candidate to play in any situation.
14. Kashawn Aitcheson, LHD, Canada (New York Islanders)
Pronman’s rank: No. 14
Wheeler’s rank: No. 15
A miserable-to-play-against defender, Aitcheson brings a physical edge and agitation that wears down opponents. He projects to shut down top forwards while contributing secondary offense through his strong skating and heavy point shot.
15. Tij Iginla, C/LW, Canada (Utah Mammoth)
Pronman’s rank: No. 17
Wheeler’s rank: No. 14
Iginla is a pure scorer who thrives in one-on-one situations, using his quick hands and release to beat defenders and goaltenders alike. He projects as a top-six forward who can create his own shot and break open shifts with his individual skill, although he can play center as well.
16. Brady Martin, C, Canada (Nashville Predators)
Pronman’s rank: No. 16
Wheeler’s rank: No. 16
Martin combines high-end skill with a punishing physical game, making him a unique presence in the top nine. He projects to win battles and provide offense in the hard areas.
17. Michael Hage, C, Canada (Montreal Canadiens)
Pronman’s rank: No. 21
Wheeler’s rank: No. 18
Hage is a dynamic skater with the creativity to generate offense at top speed, making him a threat in transition. He projects as a reliable top-six forward who will help Canada’s power play and consistently drive play with his skill and pace.
18. Oliver Suvanto, C, Finland (2026 NHL Draft)
Pronman’s rank: No. 13
Wheeler’s rank: Not ranked
Suvanto is a heavy, direct center who blends a large frame with soft hands to make flashy plays in tight. He projects to play significant minutes for Finland down the middle, even as a player who is days away from being eligible for the 2027 draft.
T19. Will Horcoff, LW, USA (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Pronman’s rank: No. 21
Wheeler’s rank: No. 23
One of the breakout sophomores in college hockey this season, Horcoff is a big forward with legit skill who should be an important player for Team USA up front.
T19. Ryker Lee, RW, USA (Nashville Predators)
Pronman’s rank: Not ranked
Wheeler’s rank: No. 17
Lee is an extremely gifted puck handler who can dazzle with his one-on-one skill and possesses an NHL shot and a sneaky competitive streak.
21. Braeden Cootes, C, Canada (Vancouver Canucks)
Pronman’s rank: No. 18
Wheeler’s rank: Not ranked
Cootes is a hardworking, competitive center whose consistent effort level and impact make him a projectable middle-six NHL center — and someone some observers believe will wear a letter in the league. He may not have the high-end skill of many on this list, but he’s well-liked.
T22. Adam Jiricek, RHD, Czechia (St. Louis Blues)
Pronman’s rank: No. 19
Wheeler’s rank: Not ranked
Jiricek is entering his third World Juniors for Czechia and should be one of the top defensemen in the tournament this year.
T22. Cole Eiserman, LW, USA (New York Islanders)
Pronman’s rank: Not ranked
Wheeler’s rank: No. 19
Eiserman is a sniper whose diverse shooting arsenal makes him a threat from anywhere inside the offensive zone and a marked man on the power play. He’s got the ability to be a one-shot game-breaker for Team USA.
T24. Cole Reschny, C, Canada (Calgary Flames)
Pronman’s rank: No. 23
Wheeler’s rank: No. 24
Reschny is slated to play a prominent role for Canada. The highly intelligent and competitive center is a two-way player who can be used in a bunch of different ways.
T24. Carter Bear, LW, Canada (Detroit Red Wings)
Pronman’s rank: No. 20
Wheeler’s rank: Not ranked
Carter Bear will likely start the tournament as a healthy scratch for Canada, but could be a versatile addition for them later in the tournament. He can score, PK and plays quite hard.
Honorable mentions (received votes)
Radim Mrtka, RHD, Czechia (Buffalo Sabres)
Pronman’s rank: Not ranked
Wheeler’s rank: No. 21
Victor Eklund, RW, Sweden (New York Islanders)
Pronman’s rank: Not ranked
Wheeler’s rank: No. 22
Cameron Reid, LHD, Canada (Nashville Predators)
Pronman’s rank: No. 24
Wheeler’s rank: No. 25
