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The World Junior Hockey Championships kick off on Friday and will feature a host of talented players. Future NHL stars who have competed in the U20 Men's Tournament in recent years include Connor Bedard, McLean Celebrini, Lane Hutson and Leo Karlsson.
The Canadian Press looks at some of the players to watch at this year's tournament in Minnesota:
Gavin McKenna
The 18-year-old forward from Whitehorse, once considered the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, struggled to break the record for total points last season, scoring 18 in 16 NCAA games with Penn State after dominating the Western Hockey League with the Medicine Hat Tigers. McKenna, who has 129 points in 56 competitions in 2024-25 and was ranked fifth in Canada at the World Junior Championships, could very well be the No. 1 overall pick — and will be a key part of his country's attack.
The 18-year-old hockey player looks back on last year's tournament and his desire to bring home a gold medal for Canada.
Ivar Stenberg
The 18-year-old Swedish winger is one of the players challenging McKenna on expert draft boards. Stenberg, a skilled playmaker, has spent the last two seasons in his country's top professional league with Frolunda, scoring 24 points in 25 games in the 2025-26 season.
Michael Misa
Even uninvited to Canada's selection camp 12 months ago, the 19-year-old forward parachuted from the San Jose Sharks into the tournament. Misa, who was selected second overall in June's NHL Draft after scoring 134 points in 65 games with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League in 2024-25, scored his first goal with the Sharks this fall and totaled three points in seven games with San Jose.
Anton Frondell
The 18-year-old Swede, drafted third overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in June, has played professionally in his home country for the past three seasons with Djurgården. Frondell, a big center, had 15 points in 25 games in 2025-26 before joining the national team.
James Hagens
The 19-year-old returned to lead Team USA on home soil in Minneapolis and St. Paul, a key part of last January's victory in Ottawa. Hagens, a center selected seventh overall in the 2025 draft by the Boston Bruins, has 18 points in 16 games for Boston College.
Cole Hutson
The younger brother of Montreal Canadiens star Lane Hutson, the defenseman led all skaters with 11 points in seven events at last year's world junior championships in the United States. Hutson, 19, a second-round pick of the Washington Capitals in 2024, scored 20 points in 18 games for Boston University in 2025-26.
Albert's Smiths
The 18-year-old defenseman from Latvia could be a top-10 pick in the upcoming draft. Smits has spent the last two seasons in Finland's top professional division, scoring 12 points in 29 games in the 2025/26 season.
Chase Reed
The 17-year-old American guard is another draft-eligible prospect to be introduced to Minnesota scouts. Reed spent the last two seasons with the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, who scored 35 points in 31 games during the 2025-26 season.
