2025 U-18 Men’s World Championship: Roobroeck, Frondell among top standouts on final day of round robin
The six-day round-robin portion of the U-18 World Championship is set, with Canada and USA set to enter the quarterfinals with perfect 4-0 records and the top spots in their respective groups.
Norway and Switzerland will play in the relegation game on Wednesday night, with the other eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals that same day.
A Latvian win would have guaranteed them a spot in the quarterfinal without having to care about what other teams did. Instead, they got crushed 5-0 to Slovakia in a game where they just never had control.
It didn’t matter in the end, though, as Canada managed to crush Norway to finish the round robin with a perfect 4-0-0-0 record.
Sweden got off to an excellent start to their game, scoring three goals before the halfway point of the first. Czechia would answer back before the end of the first, but Sweden would take control in the latter stages to win the game 8-1.
The last game of the group stage was a strange one. Germany surprisingly gave the United States more than it expected, especially since the game had no meaning outside of the U.S. trying to finish the opening round undefeated. The Germans struck first in the opening period, and though the Americans were able to get on the board, they would play catch-up until Richard Gallant gave the hosts their first lead of the game late in the second period.
Even though Germany put up a good fight, the Americans came away with a 5-3 victory, also going 4-0-0 in the preliminary round.
Here’s a look at the four quarterfinal matchups for Wednesday:
The quarter-final matchups are set 👀 #U18MensWorlds pic.twitter.com/OopBXKauUM
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) April 29, 2025Latvia 0, Slovakia 5
Latvia
#30 Ivans Kufterins, G: When your team does nothing of note offensively, there’s not much else you can do. The two goals in the first 40 weren’t anything special, but Kufterins was left out to dry by his defenders who struggled to clear the crease. The 6-foot-2 goalie did a fine job of tracking pucks and showing athleticism, but it wasn’t enough.
Slovakia
#2 Michal Pradel, G: Pradel was perfect today, giving him a solid shot at competing for top goaltender when the tournament comes to a close. He was the difference-maker in this game. HE wasn’t overly busy, but he gave Latvia little to work with wherever they tried to shoot. The Tri-City Storm goaltender covers a lot of the net at 6-foot-5, and he has proven he can steal games internationally. He has a nice 3-1-0 record through four games, which has to give him some confidence heading into the playoff round.
#29 Tomas Chrenko, C (2026): Chrenko has been Slovakia’s best player in this tournament, and might even earn some MVP consideration if Slovakia can go farther than the quarterfinal. He’s been so dangerous around the net, registering points in every game except the 1-0 shootout victory over Finland. His ability to get his team moving even when they’re struggling to control the puck is incredible.
#21 Adam Nemec, LW: It’s hard to beat a two-goal performance. The playmaking winger had a decent tournament to date before today but this was the one game where things really looked up for him. He’s been productive with the Slovak U-18 team throughout most of the season, but today was his best individual performance from what I’ve seen. The younger brother of Simon Nemec looks to be a mid-round pick next year after missing the draft cutoff for 2025 by a month.
Czechia 3, Sweden 7
Czechia
#18 Adam Benak, C: I’m convinced this team would be an even bigger disaster if it wasn’t for Benak’s play, especially on the power play. Few players show as much patience as Benak does to try and find open scoring lanes. It’s risky at a tournament like this when you’re as small as he is but Benak has the skills and the hockey sense to go up against just about anyone. Benak has been Czechia’s best player in this tournament, bar none.
#8 Vit Zahejsky, C: Zahejsky has been good throughout the tournament, and his 3-2 power play goal off of Benak’s feed gave his team some life. He has a habit of finding open lanes all over the ice and that was especially prevalent on the power play here. The Kamloops Blazers forward isn’t a lock to get drafted as an undersized, underperforming scorer. But his actual skill is undeniable here.
Sweden
#14 Filip Ekberg, LW: Ekberg continues his chase to become tournament MVP. The winger had a two-goal, three-point first period, with his chemistry with Viktor Klingsell being evident from puck drop. He finished with four points, which is bonkers. Ekberg has registered at least three points in all but one game in this tournament, and he scored in the lone game he didn’t. Right spot, right time, all the time.
#25 Viktor Klingsell, LW: Klingsell had a goal and an assist in the first period, and he was one of Sweden’s more effective power-play contributors. He loves working in open space, and he’s got the shot to make goalies pay. He’s averaging nearly two points a game on a Swedish team with so many weapons, but Klingsell has been one of the best since the start of the season.
#16 Anton Frondell, C: Frondell had a quiet showing against the Americans, but scored a goal and an assist today. The top Swedish prospect won most of the battles he was engaged in and was so dangerous around the net. Funny what happens when you get a bit of rest after coming over from the other side of the world, huh?
#1 Mans Goos, G: I didn’t like Goos’ performance against Germany but thought he was excellent today. He made 17 stops in the first period alone, nearly tying his 20-save effort in his first start. He did a great job through traffic, and there wasn’t much he could have done on the two Czech goals. After some uninspiring performances from Love Harenstam, you have to wonder if Goos has secured the starter’s gig for the playoff round.
Canada Norway
Canada
#26 Ryan Roobroeck, RW (2026): Roobroeck had a two-point first period and finished with four. He’s a big forward who defenders struggle with because he has quick footwork and can be massively deceptive. Roobroeck has been one of Canada’s most consistent wingers, finding ways to generate high-quality chances nightly. His first period effort was easily the most impressive of his tournament so far.
#24 Braden Cootes, C: The projected first-rounder scored the 2-0 goal, but then he proceeded to have a couple of other good looks over the rest of the first period. He’s a smart, skilled and crafty forward, which has allowed him to put up great numbers as Canada’s captain.
#19 Cameron Schmidt, LW: I’m a little surprised Schmidt didn’t score given the volume he had in the first two periods. He led the way with six shots in the first 40 and was all over the ice before Canada quieted down in the third. The small but skilled forward was as energetic as it got – he clearly didn’t care about getting hurt or anything.
#10 Quinn Beauchesne, D: While his defensive game still needs work, his O-zone play has been the best of any Canadian defenseman in this tournament. I think scouts like the way he moves and rushes the puck because he does it with so little fear. He had an assist today, but could have had another two or three.
#7 Cole Reschny, C: There’s something about Reschny when he wears the C. He’s so dangerous, especially as a playmaker. He’s always scanning for the right pass, and he had a trio of assists in the third period alone. He continues to rise up the draft rankings – potentially as high as the top 20.
#9 Ben Kindel, RW: I was shocked Kindel didn’t score in the second period on any of his three looks. But he made up for it with a pair of assists in the third period, including on a shorthanded play midway through the third. That’s two great showings since joining the team for the third game yesterday.
Norway
#16 Mikkel Eriksen, C: Eriksen might be one of the youngest draft-eligible prospects this season, but his impact has been massive. He has easily been Norway’s best player through four games, doing a bit of everything for a team that lacks much skill. Between his speed, skill and work ethic, Eriksen has been one of my favorite players to watch. He’s not big, but he’s got the hockey sense to outsmart just about anyone.
#30 Felix Timraz-Westin, G (2027): The 6-foot-6 keeper allowed a goal on his first shot against, which was tough. He then allowed another four minutes later to make it look like the game was going to be completely one-sided. Instead, Timraz-Westin was outstanding to keep Norway in the game, showing a high level of composure under pressure. This was likely the toughest competition he has ever had to face and he wasn’t fazed in the slightest. I think he might be a difference-maker against Switzerland in the relegation game.
USA 5, Germany 3
USA
#4 Richard Gallant, LW: Despite having a relatively quiet preliminary round compared to teammates L.J. Mooney, Gallant came up with a couple of clutch goals that the United States needed to come away with a win. With the game tied at three late in the second, the Harvard commit made a great defensive play in the neutral zone, picking the pocked of a German player, walking in and scoring shorthanded on the breakaway to give the U.S. the lead. Gallant added an empty-net goal to seal the win, giving him four goals in the opening round.
#12 Cullen Potter, C: While Gallant was scoring the big goals, Potter was out making great plays to set up his teammates. He picked up a pair of secondary assists in the win, giving him four points on the tournament so far. The son of U.S. hockey legend Jenny Potter fought consistency during his season with Arizona State this past season, but has shown in the tournament that his skillset can be useful not just in Texas, but also at the next level.
#13 Asher Barnett, D: He wears the ‘C’ for Team USA, and Barnett used his on-ice game to lead the team to a first-place finish in Group B. The Michigan commit put the Americans on the board after falling behind early in the contest, his first goal in international competition. Barnett also logged 18:13 of ice time in the win, finishing with a +3 rating.
Germany
#28 Gustavs Griva, C: Germany put up quite the fight in the final game of the group stage, making it seem like they have a chance to pull off an upset, even though they had nothing to play for. The (slightly) smaller of the Griva twins was a big play-driver on Monday. Along with assisting on Dustin Willhoeft’s goal to put the Germans out in front, Griva notched his first of the tournament to put his side up just before the halfway mark of the contest. If Germany wants to make noise in the knockout stage, the line of the Griva boys and Willhoeft will have to step up.
#1 Aaron Kaiser, G (2026): The only way a team like Germany is trailing by one heading into the final minute against a team like the U.S. is because of its netminder. Kaiser was seemingly thrown to the wolves, as his only appearance so far in the tournament was in relief in the 9-4 drubbing against Sweden last week. Yet, the 17-year-old put together a strong effort, turning away 32 shots on Monday night, including all 14 he faced in the third period.
– from Tyler Kuehl
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