Three players to watch on every WJC team

The time has finally arrived for the 2026 world junior hockey championship, set to begin on Friday in Minnesota.

In anticipation of the festivities, here is a look at three players to watch on each of the 10 teams competing.

James Hagens, C
Draft year: 2025, seventh overall by Boston Bruins

About this time last year, Hagens started to lose his grip as the top-rated, draft-eligible player, although he did start the second half of last season in gold medal fashion, the second straight for Team USA. Ultimately, Hagens fell to Boston with pick No. 7, which could look like a steal in the years to come. Hagens played on the first power play while also anchoring and driving the Americas’ top line, which featured Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard. He finished last year’s event with five goals and nine points. Hagens will adapt easily with a slightly different-looking American team and is expected to be a top producer once again, as they go for the three-peat.  

Will Horcoff, F
Draft year: 2025, 24th overall by Pittsburgh Penguins

Literally and figuratively, it’s hard to look past big Horcoff. The 6-foot-5 son of former NHLer Shawn Horcoff was taken 24th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2025 after scrambling to trade for the pick. He enjoyed a steady rise through the ranks from the beginning to the end of last season. This season, he’s exploded once again for Michigan, scoring at almost a goal-per-game clip, as the NCAA’s top goal-getter with 19. He moves well, handles the puck with speed and isn’t shy.  

Cole Hutson, D
Draft year: 2024, 43rd overall by Washington Capitals

He is as serious as they come and will do anything to win. Hearing the noise of how this U.S. team will have a hard time three-peating will surely drive the uber-competitive player. Hutson led this tournament in scoring last year with 11 points in a gold medal run. He has some similarities to his older brother Lane Hutson in that he can dipsy-doodle with the puck on his stick and defend with his feet, but Cole is a little bigger and more difficult to play against.  

Ivar Stenberg, F
Draft year: 2026 eligible

Just recently, he has started to enter the conversation as a top projected pick in the 2026 NHL draft. Stenberg is always in the mix. He’s not overly physical, but that does not deter him from going to the hard areas. He is a dual threat to make plays and help those around him, but also as a scorer. Producing points comes easier to him than his brother Otto Stenberg, who recently made his NHL debut with St. Louis. Ivan is producing historic SHL numbers with 24 points in 25 games for Frolunda.  He possesses the type of attitude and big-game mentality to leave scouts wondering if indeed he is first overall material by the end of the tournament.  

Anton Frondell, C
Draft year: 2025, third overall by Chicago Blackhawks

Frondell can do it all. He made a great impression at Blackhawks camp after being taken 3rd overall by Chicago in 2025. While his minutes have been somewhat inconsistent in SHL play, he should play a top role with this year’s national team. He can play it any way you want. He’s strong on his skates and strong on the puck. He skates well, can make plays and really shoot the puck at an elite level. His quiet confidence is very much in line with the typical Swedish player.   

Victor Eklund, F
Draft year: 2025, 15th overall by New York Islanders

Played a big role for a young player in getting Djurgardens promoted back to the SHL from the Allsvenskan. Eklund is another player who does a great job of finding quiet ice and taking full advantage of it once he gets there. He is always lurking in the weeds, ready to pounce to make a play. He plays with detail and is not a liability defensively. He had six points in the tournament last year, and while his SHL numbers are down, he is expected to carry a big load for a country projected to be playing for a medal.  

Adam Nemec, F
Draft year: 2026 eligible

The younger brother of New Jersey’s Simon Nemec, Adam has made some noise as a late-2007-born prospect for the 2026 draft. He plays a different position than Simon, and ultimately, that will help eliminate comparisons. His ranking is varied amongst pundits, and his performance at this event should provide a more consensus view of his NHL projection. He has two U-18 worlds and a Hlinka-Gretzky tournament under his belt, and will now get a chance to man the wing with the U-20 group. Nemec has played pro games at the highest level in each of the two previous seasons, but is now a regular on Nitra’s blueline. He is up over half-a-point per game on three goals and 12 assists.  

Jan Chovan, C
Draft year: 2025, 184th overall by Los Angeles Kings

Following a similar path to four-time world junior Dalibor Dvorsky, Chovan is playing with OHL Sudbury this season. Chovan uses an effective all-around game to produce points and yet still be an effective checker. It has taken some time to adapt to the smaller surface and being away from home, but Chovan left the Wolves with half of his season’s 18 points scored over the last ten games.  

Luka Radivojevic, D
Draft year: 2026 eligible

Expected to go in the 2025 NHL draft, the son of former NHLer Branko Radivojevic went undrafted. He’s now in his freshman season at Boston College and has put up an impressive nine assists over his first 16 college games. Last year, he won a Clark Cup with Muskegon, which had two high picks in the 2025 draft, so surely he would’ve had plenty of scout exposure.  As a right-shot, slightly undersized defenceman, he does play with some risk in his game.  Having said that, he should play top-pairing minutes, produce some offence, play a leadership role and play with a chip on his shoulder to make yet another impression on NHL scouts.

David Lewandowski, F
Draft year: 2025, 117th overall by Edmonton Oilers

While he won’t draw the same hype as Tim Stutzle, Leon Draisaitl or JJ Peterka, Lewandowski should be a headline player for the Germans. In his second season playing for WHL Saskatoon, Lewandowski has scored eight goals and added 24 assists for 32 points in just 28 games. He returns for a second straight WJC after having put up two goals in last year’s event. He left the Blades after a four-assist night in a 9-3 win over Moose Jaw, so he should be feeling good about himself returning to the national team. 

Max Schaefer, F
Draft year: 2025, 96th overall by Washington Capitals

It’s hard not to trust a player drafted by the Washington Capitals. Schaefer possesses power forward size and has put up point-per-game numbers on a good Chicoutimi team. He leans toward the power forward size and isn’t shy to work around the net, in front of it, or on the forecheck behind it. He is definitely another scoring threat opponents will have to be aware of.  

Carlos Handel, D
Draft year: 2025, 177th overall by Montreal Canadiens

From a young age, Handel has navigated playing in Germany, Sweden, and for the last two years, with QMJHL Halifax. He is expected to be a top-three player on this team for several reasons. First, the Montreal Canadiens draft pick has played in a number of high-leverage international events. He’s had two Hlinka-Gretzky’s, two U-18 tournaments and this will be his second crack with the U-20 group. He’s a steady performer regardless of the level of competition. He is likely to play big minutes as a top-pairing defender for both his offence and match-up potential.  

Lars Steiner, F
Draft year: 2026 eligible

Another highly touted prospect for the 2026 draft, Steiner is amidst a long line of highly successful import players for the Huskies. Steiner played just four games in last year’s tournament, averaging just over 12 minutes per game. That number should increase in this tournament as he will be relied upon to produce at least secondary offence for a country that is challenged in that department. He grew up in the Davos program before making his way to North America last year, a year in which he produced better than a point-per-game numbers. He missed a month earlier in the season, but posted five points in five games before leaving to join the national team. 

Ludvig Johnson, D
Draft year: 2025, 174th overall by Utah Mammoth

Utah appreciates size, often drafting players 6-foot-2 and above. Johnson is one of the few players taken in the Bill Armstrong era that doesn’t meet that standard, or at least not yet. He is now in his second season playing at Switzerland’s highest level.  Last year, through 31 games, Johnson amassed 10 points. This season, he has surpassed that total in one fewer game played. Johnson played just under 19 minutes per game with two points last year in a second-pairing role. It should be more of the same this time around with some added responsibility. 

Jonah Neuenschwander, F
Draft year: 2027 eligible

At 16 years-old, Neuenschwander will play in his second world juniors. With a March 2009 birthday, he is not eligible for the NHL until the 2027 draft. His brother Elijah Neuenschwander, split duties as one of two netminders for the Swiss last year and is likely to do the same this year. Jonah played over 10 minutes a game as a 15-year-old player and has grown immensely.  At 6-foot-3, 187 pounds, he has been able to accumulate 18 games at the top level, accounting for six points, playing roughly 14 minutes per game. It will be interesting to see if he can produce high-level offence this tournament.  

Gavin McKenna, LW
Draft year: 2026 eligible

Lauded as the next big thing in hockey when he entered the WHL, McKenna put up 244 points over two seasons and 133 games played in Medicine Hat. Rather than return for a third WHL season, he felt it necessary to challenge himself by attending Penn State University this season. While he is over a point-per-game as a young freshman, he has been under the gun for some of his defensive and off-puck play.  That said, he may be the most gifted playmaker in the tournament and he will look to use the event as a proving ground that he should indeed be the first player off the board in June.

Keaton Verhoeff, D
Draft year: 2026 eligible

As a sizeable right-shot defenceman, Verhoeff looked rather pedestrian playing for Canada at the 2025 Hlinka-Gretzky tournament. This, after a fantastic 45-point campaign playing under James Patrick in WHL Victoria. Like McKenna, he challenged himself by attending the University of North Dakota to further his hockey development. The first-half returns have been positive to the point where Verhoeff is now strongly being considered as this draft’s top player. He only got a limited look in one of the two pre-tournament games against Sweden, and he only played 12:11 in his last college game before joining Canada.  

Zayne Parekh, D
Draft year: 2024, ninth overall by Calgary Flames

It was a toss-up as to which former Saginaw Spirit star would be the more interesting player to watch. Both Parekh and Michael Misa are coming off injuries sustained in the NHL, but both should be healthy enough to have a significant impact for Canada. Both players will be making their U-20 debuts after shockingly having been left off the roster last year. At his best, Parekh owns the ice. He transports the puck, makes plays and finds lanes to get shots through. He should feature prominently on Canada’s power play. He does have a penchant for being a little nonchalant, but Dale Hunter also coached Evan Bouchard, so he should be able to sort things out.

Adam Jecho, RW
Draft year: 2024, 95th overall by St. Louis Blues

Because of his 6-foot-5, slight frame, it may take some time for Jecho to make his way to the NHL. A good first step was moving to play with WHL Edmonton two seasons ago. He is a fascinating study in that he shows flashes of brilliance, yet when that’s not happening, he tends not to be noticed. For a big player, he does get around the ice well, and his puck handles are quite good. He will be vilified by Team Canada fans, however, as it was he who ended the red-and-white's tournament with the game-winning goal late in the 2025 tournament quarterfinal. In the comfort of his national team mates, he will be fun to watch in his second tournament.  

Vaclav Nestrasil, F
Draft year: 2025, 25th overall by Chicago Blackhawks

The more one went to see Muskegon last year, the more they liked this player. Originally, teams were hot to trace Russian-born Ivan Ryabkin as he made his way to North America after plenty of fanfare.  Throughout the course of the year, Nestrasil began to steal the spotlight, and it was he and not Ryabkin taken in the first round. He had a good regular season, and his potential was clearly evident. That potential took a step forward in the playoffs, helping Muskegon to the Clark Cup. At 6-foot-6, Nestrasil is enjoying a fine freshman campaign at UMass, where he has an even 10 goals and 10 helpers for 20 points in 18 games.  

Radim Mrtka, D
Draft year: 2025, ninth overall by Buffalo Sabres

Another behemoth of a player, Mrtka made his way from Czechia to WHL Seattle last year, and the move proved to be beneficial. Mrtka had a strong showing in last year’s Hlinka-Gretzky and then ended up with limited playing time with Trinec in Czechia’s top professional league. Once he landed in North America, his minutes in all situations went way up, and he thrived as a big body on the smaller rink. He finished the season playing in the U-18 worlds, eating minutes and adding a bit of offence.  He should be primed for a big tournament as Czechia’s highest NHL pick and a bit of AHL seasoning at the start of the year. In 14 games with Seattle, Mrtka has one goal and 15 points.  

Juho Piiparinen, D
Draft year: 2026 eligible

Another well-positioned defenceman for the 2026 draft, Piiparinen has risen dramatically on several draft boards. His ability to play top-pairing minutes at the Liiga level has many scouts believing his game will translate well to the NHL. He is the rare 6-foot-3, 200-pound right-shot defenceman NHL teams covet. His minutes waned en route to joining the national team, but the intense competition between draft eligibles and the pride of playing for his country should elevate him to big things in this tournament after average showings in the World U-18s and the U-17s last season.  

Aaron Kiviharju, D
Draft year: 2024, 122nd overall by Minnesota Wild

As an undersized defenceman, Kiviharju plays with the heart of a lion. He should be the heartbeat for the always tough-to-play-against Finns. During the 2024 draft, he was heard on social media saying how he would not let Wild GM Bill Guerin down for taking a chance on him. Look for Kiviharju to make a big impression in front of local fans in Minnesota, while taking a leadership role as Finland’s captain. He’s a pro’s pro, having played Liiga games as a regular for the last two seasons, and intermittently two seasons previously.   

Petteri Rimpinen, G
Draft year: 2025, 152nd overall by Los Angeles Kings

In last year’s tournament, he became the first goalie to play every minute for his country. Finland does have other strong options this year, but Rimpenen has earned the right to lose the net this time around. He was named the tournament’s top netminder and almost led the Finns to a stunning upset over the Americans. He made 36 saves, most of which were brilliant, in taking the US to overtime. He had excellent Liiga numbers last year, not quite as good this year, but having gone through two drafts to get to the Kings last year, is still very impressive.  

Alberts Smits, D
Draft year: 2026 eligible

Latvian-born and Finnish-trained, Smits has experienced a meteoric rise on draft charts. At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, he already possesses a pro body. He started the season in the U-20 loop, and after averaging two points per game over five games, he was quickly promoted to Jukurit’s Liiga club. He has not looked back, and in some draft rankings, he is sitting in or just outside the top ten. A two-way player getting big Liiga minutes, Smits should see upwards of 25 minutes per game and have all the difficult match-ups for his country. 

Olivers Murnieks, F
Draft year: 2026 eligible

Back for a second straight season, Murnieks moved from the USHL to CHL Saint John for the 2025-26 season. Early in the season, he was getting plenty of looks from scouts because of his all-around game. His play in the QMJHL has calmed, and getting back to representing the national team should inspire him. He will be leaned on as a primary scoring threat after putting up four points in five games as a double-underaged player in the 2025 tournament

Roberts Naudins, F
Draft year: 2027 eligible

At 6-foot-6, Naudins stands above the crowd. His story is fascinating in that it is rare to see a Latvian player move to the United States for prep school, which Naudins did at 14 years old to play at Shattuck St. Mary’s. He has already matched his 42-point output with the U-18 team from last year in 23 fewer games. Another player who returns for a second tournament, having had just one assist in five games played in 2025.  

Mads Kongsbak, LW
Draft year: 2025, 112th by Florida Panthers

A world junior veteran, Kongsbak is the only NHL-drafted player from Denmark. He returns for his third world juniors, but first in the top division. While he only recently started his season, he should be in good form for the start of the tournament. He will be leaned on to produce points, although that will not be his role should he make it in the North American pro ranks. He’s better suited as a two-way player who gives an honest effort on both sides of the ice. He may be an effective player, extending plays in the offensive zone so as to alleviate some of the pressure Denmark is going to have against deeper, more talented teams.  

Anton Linde, F
Draft year: 2026 eligible

If it seems like he’s been around forever, it’s because this will mark Linde’s fourth world junior tournament. Not many will know that, as Denmark has spent the last three world juniors in a lower division. While representing Denmark internationally, Linde played the three previous seasons with Vaxjo’s program in Sweden. This year, he’s taken his game to QMJHL Chicoutimi, where he has averaged about a half-point-per-game. Linde is partially responsible for Denmark’s promotion to the top group with his three-goal effort in the lower division tournament last year. He will have to be better than what he’s shown so far in Chicoutimi if the Danes have any chance of hanging around in the top division next year.  

Markus Jacobsen, D
Draft year: 2026 eligible

If nothing else, Jacobsen’s path this season has been one worth following.  As a 6-foot-2 right-shot defenceman who skates well, two seasons ago, he left Denmark for Sweden, playing several games in Malmo’s system, most notably 42 games last year with the U-20 team. His numbers aren’t dazzling, but he definitely fits the complementary role to a tee. He now plays for USHL Sioux Falls, and in his seven games with his new team, Jacobsen has put up 5 points.  Jacobsen should see big minutes and provide at least a few points based on his recent production uptick.