Scouting Stenberg, McKenna and more than 100 NHL prospects at World Juniors

MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL — Twenty-nine games. Eleven days. And just like that, the 2026 World Juniors are complete.

I was in the Twin Cities for the full tournament, bouncing between Grand Casino Arena and 3M Arena at Mariucci. And to wrap up our coverage, I’m opening up my notebook. Here’s everything I had written down on more than 100 drafted and draft-eligible NHL prospects over the course of the tournament.

Sweden

Viggo Bjorck (F, 2026 NHL Draft): Vision. Craft on the power play. Runs the half wall/flank so, so well. Drives. Wins battles. Strong on his feet. Processes faster than his peers. Just so impressive. Hard to believe he’ll play in two more of these tournaments. One of the best game-to-game players in the tournament. On my all-star ballot. A reasonable top-10 pick for me.

Ivar Stenberg (F, 2026 NHL Draft): Quick hands and will make plays under tight pressure in difficult spots (the most impressive player in the tournament with guys on his hip, even if it occasionally comes with a turnover). Can overhandle and try to do too much, but his ability to play through contact and hold possession is superb. Drew some penalties doing it, too. Played with some jam in the important games. Best player in the semi and the gold medal game for me. Final cut for my all-star ballot (which has to be submitted at the first intermission of the final), but would have been on it at tournament’s end. No. 1 for me in 2026 right now.

Jack Berglund (F, Philadelphia Flyers): Liked him on PK. Effort plays. A little choppy/slow out of the blocks, though. Wide skating base. Will push through the middle. Two huge plays in the gold medal game.

Lucas Pettersson (F, Anaheim Ducks): Missed semifinal with illness. Would have played a more prominent role in most years, but settled in on the third line on this team. Good skater. Good player. I’m a fan, though he wasn’t a standout.

Linus Eriksson (F, Florida Panthers): Competed. Rose to 1C. Won battles. Tracked. Kept plays alive in the offensive zone. Good, complete player at this level. Doesn’t have a dynamic quality, though.

Eric Nilson (F, Anaheim Ducks): Started as 1C before swapping with Eriksson. Slick. Needs to get stronger because I really like him as a player.

Milton Gastrin (F, Washington Capitals): Depth player who came out for the gold medal game. Protects pucks and gets in and out of stops and starts below the goal line well. Muted impact.

Anton Frondell (F, Chicago Blackhawks): Doing a better job than he did at U18s finding soft ice in the slot to get open for his shot. Built a head of steam off the rush a few times. A couple of big moments. Good.

Victor Eklund (F, New York Islanders): Saved his best for the gold medal game, scoring and making a big effort play in dying seconds. Saucer passing and feel noticeable. Works even when points aren’t falling and he still finished at a point per game. Not dominant but good and relied upon.

Victor Johansson (D, Toronto Maple Leafs): Needs to be more disciplined on the puck. Competes. Hard to play against. Stands up. Rotated between being scratched and being No. 7.

Alfons Freij (D, Winnipeg Jets): Positive tournament. Contributed offensively at five-on-five and on PP. No. 4 D in terms of total usage for the Swedes. Hit a couple posts, too. Skating. Aggressive. Wants the puck. Defended well, even if he didn’t get tough matchups. Some of the best hockey I’ve seen him play.

William Hakansson (D, 2026 NHL Draft): Showed comfort carrying pucks and beating the first layer of pressure. However, execution isn’t always there. Pucks will slip off his stick. Instincts are there, though. Box outs are strong. Defended hard. Important cog for next year’s team.

Felix Ohrqvist (D, undrafted): Competitive. Battles for a smaller D. Strong, too.

Eddie Genborg (F, Detroit Red Wings): He went to net, was good on the cycle and got better as the tournament went on. He was third string on his line with Stenberg and Bjorck, but fit in and played his role.

Sascha Boumedienne (D, Winnipeg Jets): Got better as the tournament went on and big in big games. Showed some vision. PK’d well. Got open for his one-timer. Some mistakes, which come with his game, but still impacted it all over the ice.

Leo Sahlin Wallenius (D, San Jose Sharks): Uses his feet so well to exit and enter the zone, but also has a good feel on the puck and for where his teammates are. An important combination for D nowadays. He played a ton and was Sweden’s best D. They needed one of their D to elevate, and he did in all three zones. Excellent showing.

Love Harenstam (G, St. Louis Blues): Quick hands and reflexes. Showed real athleticism going post-to-post. There wasn’t a true game-stealer at this year’s World Juniors, but he performed the best.

Czechia

Petr Sikora (F, Washington Capitals): Excellent on PK. All situations. Really strong tournament. Showed some skill. One of the best players on the ice in the semifinal with Canada. Consistent. Considered him for my all-star ballot.

Adam Benak (F, Minnesota Wild): Playmaking and skating noticeable, productive in the end, but would have liked to see him get to the slot and net more offensively.

Vojtech Cihar (F, Los Angeles Kings): Big plays in big moments game to game. He skated well, competed and made some important skill plays. Played among the biggest minutes by a forward in the tournament. Excellent on-ice results. Looks like a pro. A little more strength will go a long way. He was on my all-star ballot.

Vaclav Nestrasil (F, Chicago Blackhawks): A strong preliminary round. Quieter medal round. Finished with respectable usage and production on the whole for an 18-year-old, but he was clearly the third most impressive player on their successful top line. Works and can play with anyone, which will remain an asset in his NHL career.

Tomas Poletin (F, New York Islanders): Big, heavy player who was an important cog on the second line and did a lot of little things at five-on-five in the offensive zone (going to the net, winning battles, etc.).

Stepan Hoch (F, Utah Mammoth): Struggled with the pace of play. One of the only Czechs who underperformed.

Adam Novotny (F, 2026 NHL Draft): Forced turnovers, including on Czechia’s 2-1 goal in the semifinal. Led the Czechs in shots and was snakebitten. Relied on all tournament by head coach Patrik Augusta (Novotny was one of his favorites). Supports play well. Strong on feet and through his stride. Better than his counting stats.

Max Curran (F, Colorado Avalanche): A very respectable tournament. Was a top player earlier in his career and then had a couple of pretty vanilla seasons. He has begun to put it together more.

Radim Mrtka (D, Buffalo Sabres): Missed the start of the tournament due to injury and was their No. 4 D in their impressive top four when he came back. Skating and length are always a factor. Would have liked to see him take charge a little more, given the tools.

Max Psenicka (D, Utah Mammoth): No. 5 D and probably the best No. 5 D in the tournament. Takes up so much space with his skating and length, played to positive results for them, and contributed offensively.

Jakub Fibigr (D, Seattle Kraken): Steady in some of the toughest matchups in the tournament. Really solid player.

Vladimir Dravecky (D, 2026 NHL Draft): Barely played as draft eligible because of the strength of their blue line. Will run PP for them next year, I’d imagine.

Tomas Galvas (D, undrafted): Absolutely tremendous. Everywhere with his skating. Often deep in offensive zone but rarely caught out of position back the other way because he swings back to the point so quickly. Controlled play on a ton of shifts, including against top opposition. Thinks it. Competes. And the mobility is elite. Should have been picked already, but third time’s the charm.

Adam Jiricek (D, St. Louis Blues): Made three of Czechia’s biggest plays of the tournament offensively. Broke up a lot of plays in neutral zone. Gapped well and good timing on surfs and close-outs generally (though his worst beat of the tournament was in the gold medal game). Wasn’t on my all-star ballot but would have been my third D.

Canada

Michael Hage (F, Montreal Canadiens): Drove play at center at this level, which will be an important takeaway for the Habs. His skill and speed were noticeable in basically every game, and he made some flashy one-on-one plays. Led the tournament in scoring with a couple of posts and a missed penalty shot in there. Dangerous on the power play but also played to excellent results at five-on-five and was often the best player on Canada’s best line. A top prospect.

Brady Martin (F, Nashville Predators): Consistent. Did think his feet looked a little slow at times (average skating), but he brings it every shift, played back post/net on power play really well, and was super effective at five-on-five before going down with a shoulder injury that put him in a sling for the bronze medal game and kept him out of the last two periods of the semifinal. Canada missed him when he wasn’t out there, and if he’s not in the NHL next year, he’ll be a big part of the team again. Plays on instinct more than smarts, but just a good player.

Jett Luchanko (F, Philadelphia Flyers): Good on PK. Speed noticeable. But Luchanko, despite playing on one of the team’s two power-play units, really struggled to generate much of anything offensively as a 19-year-old returning first-round pick. His game has some definite limitations offensively.

Sam O’Reilly (F, Tampa Bay Lightning): Good on PK and shot blocking. A big part of the third line and played well when elevated to the second line and PP in the bronze medal game. Relied upon defensively in the bottom six. Drove the net. Had a couple of breakaways. Contributed more than I expected offensively. Positive tournament and impact (tied for team lead at plus-7, outscoring the opposition 12-5 at even-strength).

Cole Beaudoin (F, Utah Mammoth): Effort plays. Big backcheck in the semifinal on a three-on-one. A couple of them. Bit of a slow start but good in medal round, and I thought he got better as the tournament went on. Can never fault his work ethic or drive.

Gavin McKenna (F, 2026 NHL Draft): McKenna was quiet in some important moments, and I know his posture and effort continue to frustrate at times (big backcheck late in third period of the semifinal that he didn’t empty out for that stood out, plus the late ejection for abuse of officials). He also made the best PP in the tournament go, outscored the opposition 9-2 at even strength, hit three posts, and could have easily led the event in scoring (which he almost did). I think we’re too hard on him at times. He’s an imperfect player, for sure. I’ve been critical throughout this season. He’s also under more pressure than any 18-year-old in the sport.

Caleb Desnoyers (F, Utah Mammoth): Desnoyers started as Canada’s 13th forward but quickly rose to the third line and then stayed there. He wasn’t used on either special team’s unit but played well and contributed at five-on-five. He had the highest skill level on that line with Sam O’Reilly and Cole Beaudoin, even if he didn’t necessarily have the highest total impact. Positive plays on the puck for the most part. I thought he was good.

Porter Martone (F, Philadelphia Flyers): Despite leading Canada in goals, I didn’t feel like Martone elevated for them. He had some good games but was also quiet in a couple, and never seemed able to sustain the momentum. A couple of learning moments for him in terms of the moment and his role as captain, too. Needs to work on his feet so that he can be more impactful all the time. Skill level and hockey sense are real.

Tij Iginla (F, Utah Mammoth): Despite a goal in the opener and nearly a second, didn’t like his game (which included some lost battles). Consistently found the score sheet throughout, though, and I thought he was the best player on that top line with Michael Misa and Martone. He hit a couple of posts and drew multiple power plays. He doesn’t always make the right play as a passer, but plays with speed and skill, can score and protects pucks well through open ice and into coverage.

Michael Misa (F, San Jose Sharks): Misa, given the 60-plus goals and 130-plus points he registered last year, didn’t meet expectations. Often quiet. Took a couple of poorly timed penalties. Just never quite came up big in a big moment for Canada. There were chances for him to rewrite his script a little, including on a look with four minutes left in the second period of a tie game in the semifinal, but he couldn’t convert on them and did make enough of them happen himself. Liked his quarterfinal best.

Cole Reschny (F, Calgary Flames): Bumper on PP and made some plays at five-on-five in depth role. Better as the tournament went on. Had a strong medal round. Works. Soft skill. Nose for net. Expect him to be a go-to guy on next year’s team.

Braeden Cootes (F, Vancouver Canucks): Scored against Denmark and in the bronze medal game, but struggled to generate offense for much of the tournament, played out of position on the wing, and didn’t earn being a go-to defensive guy over O’Reilly/Beaudoin. Outplayed by Reschny amongst bottom-sixers as well. In the end, he looked like their 11th or 12th forward (of 14), which is how he was used.

Liam Greentree (F, Los Angeles Kings): The tournament started, and Canada decided Greentree didn’t have the pace a couple of shifts into it, which begs the question of why they brought him (after the same happened at U18s).

Carter Bear (F, Detroit Red Wings): Played a total of 10 shifts in the tournament, so not a lot to add on Bear. He tracked and was in good spots on the first few and less noticeable on the last few.

Ethan MacKenzie (D, 2026 NHL Draft): Skating was noticeable at times, but not as much as it was in camp/pre-tournament. He rose from No. 7 D in the very first game of the tournament, but kind of fell back into that role at times and lost his power-play role. Better in the first game than the second (turned a couple of pucks over). Didn’t look out of place, but the level showed to be a challenge at times as well. Will be a good player at North Dakota and should be a mid-round pick.

Cameron Reid (D, Nashville Predators): Uncharacteristic struggles all tournament for a player who normally reads it and defends it at a consistently high level. Sloppy with the puck at times. Didn’t show much offense. Out of position and scrambled on some big goals against. Needs to be harder at times. He was walked a couple of times. He also struggled in the semifinal and never looked like he could play his game/was himself with Zayne Parekh.

Kashawn Aitcheson (D, New York Islanders): Some huge shot blocks. Won a lot of battles. Physicality and big shot present, as they always are. He also looked scrambled at times and struggled setting good gaps in neutral ice. A mixed bag on the whole.

Keaton Verhoeff (D, 2026 NHL Draft): Most impactful in five-on-five offensive zone pieces. Rotates around the O-zone really well and gets open. Creeps off the point at good times to become a threat around the slot. Made a couple of passes that should have resulted in assists. But also showed his age defensively at times and punted a lot of pucks out. Can overhandle the puck at times, too.

Carson Carels (D, 2026 NHL Draft): Positive in camp but played a limited role in the tournament. No real comments or takeaways with him. He was fine at this level as a summer birthday draft-eligible. He was never going to provide much offense and his defense wasn’t standout, but he belonged in their eight, I think. He’ll be a big part of next year’s team’s matchup pair, whatever that looks like.

Zayne Parekh (D, Calgary Flames): The usual give-and-take that comes with Parekh’s game was on display throughout the tournament, but his play creation and swagger were also welcome additions to a team that really lacked that last year. He was running both PP units by the end of it and made several huge plays in important moments offensively. Turnovers and man-to-man D are an issue at times, but he broke up his fair share of plays with an active stick and gave the team some juice offensively.

Ben Danford (D, Toronto Maple Leafs): Got shots through but limited otherwise at this level. Bobbled a lot of pucks. Struggled in a couple of important games, getting hemmed in his own zone. He was fine on the whole, but his puck play is what it is, and there were times when the pressure seemed to get to him in his own zone and in transition. He and Aitcheson were also put in a bit of a no-win role for those two late in the tournament, though.

Harrison Brunicke (D, Pittsburgh Penguins): Brunicke got caught out of position and spun around in the D-zone a few times early in the tournament, and his minutes were reduced. PP wasn’t a natural role for him at this level, even though they tried him there. Want to see him play a little harder in his man-to-man D coverage, too. I actually thought he played better once his minutes moved from 18-20 to 14-15, but the coaching staff had clearly decided he wasn’t a go-to guy, and they tried to spread out the minutes to find that person and never did. Not a confidence-building tournament for him, which is what you’d hope for when you get sent down from the NHL. Skating and potential remain.

Carter George (G, Los Angeles Kings): Some big post-to-post stops in the bronze medal game, which was his best of the tournament. Just OK in round robin, which opened the door for Ivankovic.

Jack Ivankovic (G, Nashville Predators): Performed well. I’m a big believer in him. He was a little scrambled at times in the chaos in front of him, but battled.

Finland

Julius Miettinen (F, Seattle Kraken): Late to play due to injuries. Wore “C” when Aron Kiviharju was sick. Big role. Strong. Won battles. Competitive. Would have liked to see him create more for himself.

Joona Saarelainen (F, Tampa Bay Lightning): Talented player on the perimeter at this level with his feel on the puck, but also plays with determination and competitiveness. Some nice drives to the net. Not going to play in the NHL, but I’ve really enjoyed watching over the last few years.

Max Westergard (F, Philadelphia Flyers): Plays with jump and intention. Noticeable throughout. Positive impact at this level and a positive tournament. Long shot for the NHL, but he’s a good player.

Kasper Pikkarainen (F, New Jersey Devils): Limited checking type at this level.

Aatos Koivu (F, Montreal Canadiens): Koivu, a standout with the Finns at the World Junior Summer Showcase at the end of July, fell out of favor on this year’s team, averaging about 10 minutes per game and sitting out a couple. I actually thought he was fine, but the coaching staff wanted more size.

Heikki Ruohonen (F, Philadelphia Flyers): Top player on this team from World Junior Summer Showcase all the way through. Competitive heartbeat of his lines. Driver. Not super skilled, but plays winning hockey.

Emil Hemming (F, Dallas Stars): Only first-rounder on the team and continues to come and go. Needed more from him. Wasn’t nearly noticeable enough given his talent level relative to this group. A theme.

Atte Joki (F, Dallas Stars): Played under 10 minutes per game. He is what he is. Scored in the semifinal. He was fine.

Oliver Suvanto (F, 2026 NHL Draft): Bottom-sixer but on PP and played well enough across about 15 minutes per game to be named one of their three players of the tournament. Big guy who continues to play well game-to-game across an extended period at this point. Plays on inside. Strong on cycle. Can shoot it. Not the quickest (in feet or mind), but he’s going to be an NHLer.

Aron Kiviharju (D, Minnesota Wild): Swan song for him as the go-to player for this age group. Missed a game due to illness and played a lot to positive results in the rest across 23 minutes per game. Still want to see him attack for himself more, and the skating is average for a smaller D, but compensates with his smarts on both sides of it.

Juho Piiparinen (D, 2026 NHL Draft): No. 7 and scratched a couple of times. Played to positive on-ice results, though. Never flashes, and I think he was overrated coming out of summer competitions, but he’s a solid two-way D. Effective. I liked him in the semifinal, even though he was still technically the No. 7 D and did have a tough turnover in the third period. He’ll be a big part of next year’s team.

Lasse Boelius (D, Anaheim Ducks): Skates well and drove a lot of offense from the back end. Moves pucks. Involves himself. Defending wasn’t always buttoned up.

Daniel Nieminen (D, Nashville Predators): Played alongside Kiviharju on Finland’s top pair, and while he wasn’t productive, he hit a crossbar and was named Finland’s player of the game in the semifinal loss to Sweden. His skating stands out at this level.

Veeti Vaisanen (D, Utah Mammoth): Thought this level looked like a little too much for him at times.

Petteri Rimpinen (G, Los Angeles Kings): Top goalie award winner last year. Struggled a little more this year and gave up a few softies, but still played every minute for them and, importantly, led them past Team USA in the quarterfinals. Bit of a down year, but he’s solid.

USA

Will Zellers (F, Boston Bruins): Zellers was a bright spot for Team USA after initially being left off their camp roster. He led them in goals (five), points (eight), plus-minus (+6), and shots (17) in their five games and scored the game-winner in all three of their wins. Knack for putting himself in good spots. Willing to go into the mud around the net. Pinpoint accurate shot. Played with confidence. Played as well as could be asked of him. Good prospect.

James Hagens (F, Boston Bruins): Hagens was good; he led their forwards in time on ice for the second straight year, finished second on the team in scoring (seven in five fames) and shots (16), etc. But they needed him to dominate. If they were going to have success, he was going to have to be on the tournament all-star team. And he just never quite rose to that level.

Brodie Ziemer (F, Buffalo Sabres): Ziemer, who was again Team USA’s captain, is a good player at this level and does a lot of positive things on the ice. I would have liked to see more of them result in goals, and for him to get to the inside a little more (which he normally does).

A.J. Spellacy (F, Chicago Blackhawks): Spellacy was effective in his role, playing a driven, what-you-see-is-what-you-get, north-south game, contributing on the penalty kill, and winning his bottom-six minutes (14:05 per game). There’s not a lot of creativity or finesse to his game, but he does some important things very well and played with a clear identity on a team that seemed to have several players unsure of how they needed to be playing.

Cole Eiserman (F, New York Islanders): Eiserman wasn’t good enough for a 19-year-old returnee with his track record for scoring internationally. I thought he was better at last year’s tournament as a 13th forward, but he had a tough time jelling with his linemates and finding ways to contribute this year. I’d guess the Islanders didn’t like the way he was used, and I don’t think the coaching staff understood him like David Carle did a year ago, but he also just didn’t play well and needs to be more effective when the shot is falling.

Ryker Lee (F, Nashville Predators): Lee had an up-and-down tournament. His first game was his worst of the tournament. His skill on the puck is always noticeable, but he tried to do too much, too often, and turned a lot of pucks over. A learning opportunity.

L.J. Mooney (F, Montreal Canadiens): Mooney’s skating is always noticeable, and he flashed his creativity and playmaking at times, but he struggled more at the U20 level to drive play than he did at U18 worlds in the spring, which may be a signal of some of the upward progression challenges he may face at his size. I thought he was just OK and that he was used a little too prominently.

Will Horcoff (F, Pittsburgh Penguins): Given that Horcoff entered the tournament as college hockey’s goal-scoring leader, he had a disappointing tournament. They gave him every opportunity to figure it out on the top line with Hagens and Ziemer, and he just couldn’t find a way to play off them (which is normally such a strength of his). Below average boots from a standstill noticeable at times, too.

Max Plante (F, Detroit Red Wings): Plante, college hockey’s leading scorer, was limited to just two and two-thirds games due to injury and wasn’t as impactful as expected when he did play. We’ll call this one a wash for him, though.

Cole McKinney (F, San Jose Sharks): McKinney played just 9:40 per game and didn’t have a positive tournament. He struggled a little with the puck. They’ll need him to be better next year, but he’s never going to have a lot of offense at this level.

Shane Vansaghi (F, Philadelphia Flyers): USA’s least-used player (5:11 per game and in and out of the lineup), and he was minus-4 in just 15:34 of total ice time in the tournament. I thought he and Spellacy were going to make up a solid fourth line in the tournament, but his puck play is lacking, and he didn’t play with the heaviness or presence he has shown at times at the college level. It hasn’t been a great year for Vansaghi on the whole.

Brendan McMorrow (F, Los Angeles Kings): Great on PK, blocking shots and being disruptive. His usual competitive self. Found ways to contribute. Effective on the fourth line. Still think he’s more likely an AHL bottom-sixer than an NHL fourth-liner.

Teddy Stiga (F, Nashville Predators): Stiga wore a letter and had chances that he just didn’t finish, including multiple breakaways. He was active, involved, and played with pace, but they needed him to bear down on some of his looks and produce more.

Chase Reid (D, 2026 NHL Draft): Reid was the only non-Hutson Team USA defenseman who consistently generated offense and made plays. It was a positive tournament for him and his draft stock, which was already high coming in. There were times when he needed to defend a little firmer, but he was still one of the only D they trusted and that part of his game continues to come.

Cole Hutson (D, Washington Capitals): In the games he played before and after his injury scare, Hutson was USA’s best player and MVP. It felt like their defense struggled whenever he wasn’t on the ice. Unique ability to make plays at this level persists, but he defends hard, too. Big fan. I think he’s got the juice.

Logan Hensler (D, Ottawa Senators): Awful as a 19-year-old returnee and first-round pick at this event. Just has not taken a step this year (including at Wisconsin, where his minutes are down from his freshman year)

Luke Osburn (D, Buffalo Sabres): Osburn played nearly 22 minutes per game for USA and was fine, but the fact that they had to play him that much was indicative of their blue line being an issue. He’s a bit of a water bug who skates really well, and that makes him good at both ends at this level, but he isn’t a pure stopper or a pure offensive type.

E.J. Emery (D, New York Rangers): Emery has gone from playing big minutes on Team USA’s top pair with Hutson at his U18 worlds to playing 10 minutes per game as a 19-year-old first-round pick at the World Juniors. He has always been able to skate. But the rest of his game (taking steps with his puck play, playing with more jam, his decisions at times) has come along slowly. He’s not close to being ready to turn pro.

Adam Kleber (D, Buffalo Sabres): Kleber had a solid tournament, playing 22 minutes to strong results. His game offensively is a little limited at this level, but he and Hutson formed a legit top pair, and I thought he defended well even when Hutson was injured. He has a real chance to become a depth NHL defenseman.

Asher Barnett (D, Edmonton Oilers): He is what he is at this level, which is a depth guy who doesn’t have a defining quality/utility.

Nicholas Kempf (G, Washington Capitals): The better of the three goalies, but doesn’t have the tools of the other two.

Caleb Heil (G, Tampa Bay Lightning): He gets beat up high a lot and seems to go down early and struggle with his angles at times. I don’t view him as an NHL goalie prospect.

Brady Knowling (G, 2026 NHL Draft): Tough to get thrown in against the Swedes as he did. Most toolsy of the three, but still raw.

Switzerland

Jonah Neuenschwander (F, 2027 NHL Draft): Pursues pucks and forechecks. Makes plays quickly. Good skater. Sees the ice well on PP. Owed more than the loan assist he had, but didn’t create a ton for himself either. Definitely has some pro tools.

Lars Steiner (F, 2026 NHL Draft): Heavy wrister. Very strong for his size. Led the Swiss in shots on goal (17 in five games). Engaged. Competes. Solid showing.

Leon Muggli (D, Washington Capitals): Captain. Balanced slap shot. Hit a couple of posts. Imperfect at times, but a big part of a Swiss team that overperformed nonetheless and contributed offensively. Still not sure what he is in terms of projecting beyond AHL, but he’s a good player at this level.

Latvia

Bruno Osmanis (F, undrafted): Thought he should have been a late-round pick last year. Good playmaker at this level. Flank on PP really well. Predictably led Latvia in scoring with six in five games. Should be an SHL/KHL/AHL top-sixer.

Olivers Murnieks (D, 2026 NHL Draft): Fine tournament, but not as impactful/impressive as last year’s. Relied upon. Played a lot. Good in bumper on PP. But an OK draft year kind of continued. Has gone from a second-round candidate to more of a mid-to-late round guy for me this year.

Rudolfs Berzkalns (F, 2026 NHL Draft): Big goal against Canada. Pro build. Around puck. Didn’t play much on the whole (8:51 per game), and his offensive game is pretty straightforward. Late-round pick consideration.

Roberts Naudins (F, 2027 NHL Draft): Can look a little stilted and pitch-fork, but skates OK for his size. Good hands and comfortable under pressure. Played well against Canada. Game still a little raw and hasn’t yet had much of an impact at this level, but a fascinating makeup that will still draw attention next year.

Alberts Smits (D, 2026 NHL Draft): Asked do a lot, which is always a challenge for top draft eligibles from lesser teams. Skated, competed, and made some plays while trying to play within structure and not take as many of the chances we’ve seen him take in Finland this year. Top-10 talent at this point, and looking forward to seeing him in the Olympics.

Slovakia

Tomas Chrenko (F, 2026 NHL Draft): Slovakia’s best forward as a draft-eligible. Led the team in goals (5), points (8) and shots (19) in their five games. He has an NHL shot/release and is dangerous on the flank on the PP. Competed. Can play at different paces. Has some jam. Tricky as a sub-6-foot winger but should go top 40-50.

Adam Nemec (F, 2026 NHL Draft): Doesn’t have the juice that Chrenko’s game has in the offensive zone, but competes, plays to positive results, and puts himself in good spots on both sides of it. Mid-round pick. Just want to see him develop more of a defining quality/attribute.

Michal Svrcek (F, Detroit Red Wings): A couple of moments, but a little quieter than I expected. Have traditionally been a fan, but he wasn’t particularly noticeable given his track record and that he was one of only three drafted players for them this year.

Adam Goljer (D, 2026 NHL Draft): Played just a little over 13 minutes per game. Skating most noticeable. Moves really well. More mobile than I’d previously identified.

Michal Pradel (G, Detroit Red Wings): Named one of their three players of the tournament and better than his .877 save percentage indicated. Has some tools, but work to do to refine them.

Germany

Maxim Schafer (F, Washington Capitals): Good instincts. Effective. Only played 14:06 per game, but I thought he had an OK tournament. Solid player at this level and should be a go-to guy next year.

David Lewandowski (F, Edmonton Oilers): Relied upon. Consistent. Smart. Good junior hockey player who will have a long pro career. Mid-tier pro projection feels most likely, though.

Carlos Handel (D, Montreal Canadiens): Good junior defenseman, but similar projection to Lewandowski. I don’t see NHL attributes. Played well, though, after an up-and-down couple of years.