How every NHL prospect performed at the 2024 World Junior Championship

Credit: Denton Mateychuk/Cutter Gauthier/Otto Stenberg (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)

What a tournament. There’s not much quite like World Junior Championship hockey after Christmas, is there?

The 2024 edition in Gothenburg didn’t disappoint, with the tourney’s two heavyweights – the United States of America and the hosts from Sweden – battling it out for gold last Friday. The final lived up to the hype, with the United States eventually skating out to the victory to silence the home crowd.

There was no shortage of crazy moments. The first-ever German win over Finland, before needing to save their tournament in the relegation round. Latvia went goalless for three games before winning their most important game of the year. The two-time defending champs from Canada were eliminated off of a crazy bounce in the quarterfinal. The Finns had a 5-4 lead with two minutes left in the bronze medal game before allowing four goals in 50 seconds.

Pick your poison. It was electric.

Prospects from some NHL teams – like Buffalo, Vancouver, San Jose and St. Louis, among others – gave their fans something to cheer about each day with some incredible individual performances. But one country in particular had a bigger reason to celebrate when the medals were awarded Friday evening.

With a few days to digest everything that happened, it’s time to evaluate at all the NHL prospects who competed in the WJC. Of note, Colorado and Edmonton had no representatives named to any roster, while Dallas’ lone prospect – Aram Minnetian – remained on USA’s taxi squad and didn’t see any ice time. Players who never touched the ice – such as Buffalo’s Scott Ratzlaff or Seattle’s Jagger Firkus – were not included.

So, let’s get to it:

Anaheim Ducks

Noah Warren, D (Canada): Warren seemed to have his struggles, with his big frame slowing him down at points. He was best in his own end, making some simple defensive plays such as stick-checking in crucial times and throwing the body, too. But it wasn’t anything overly special, either.

Rodwin Dionicio, D (Switzerland): Not only was Dionicio Switzerland’s best player, but he was one of the most important defensemen, period. He played at a point-per-game rate during the preliminary round, but he also played all situations and was a minute-muncher for a team that needed someone to step up in Lian Bischel’s absence. Mission accomplished.

Arizona Coyotes

Conor Geekie, C (Canada): Canada was hoping for more from Geekie in the round-robin, but he never really did take over. The ejection just 10 seconds into the final round-robin game turned heads. Geekie’s two-way game didn’t get enough love, but Canada would have wanted more from him on the scoresheet after registering all three of his points in the first two games.

Maveric Lamoureux, D (Canada): Lamoureux was one of Canada’s best players, eating minutes and throwing the body around on the top pair with Denton Mateychuk. Lamoureux is the opposite of flashy, but he gets the job done and makes himself difficult to play against. He should have no issue making his mark in the NHL a few years.

Samu Bau, C (Finland): Bau had a strong first few games as Finland’s fourth line often their most valuable group. The 6-foot-5 center had a nice two-point game against the Germans, but his more defensive, shutdown style took over against Latvia and Sweden.

Julian Lutz, LW (Germany): Simply put, the Germans needed Lutz to be better. After a great start to the season with Green Bay, he had just two points in four preliminary round games, both coming on the power play against Canada in the do-or-die game for Germany’s quarterfinal hopes.

Adam Zlnka, LW (Slovakia): While scoring isn’t a big part of Zlnka’s game, using speed to generate chances was. He didn’t play a lot, averaging around seven minutes a game, but the seventh-rounder did make himself useful when they needed some energy.

Melker Thelin, G (Sweden): Thelin did everything asked of him in a 15-save shutout effort against the Germans but was in net for the team’s lone preliminary-round loss against the Finns. Still, it was an overall solid showing for Thelin, who entered the tournament having played almost as much with Sweden as he had anywhere in Sweden this year. At 18, expect Thelin to have the inside track to the starter’s gig next year.

Boston Bruins

Matthew Poitras, C (Canada): It certainly wasn’t an easy tournament for Poitras, who admitted it was difficult going from the NHL to the WJC. He seemed to get better as the tournament wore on, but he didn’t use the bigger ice to his advantage often and seemed snakebitten near the crease.

Dans Locmelis, C (Latvia): Despite an early playoff loss to the United States, Locmelis had a good tournament for Latvia. Well, as good as any team that failed to score in its first three games, of course. He didn’t actually register a shot against Germany, but he was a huge part of the team’s win with three assists before scoring the team’s final two goals against USA. The one thing that really stood out compared to last year’s tournament was how Locmelis has learned to use his body more effectively for positioning and physicality, which was likely aided by his time with UMass in the NCAA.

Buffalo Sabres

Matthew Savoie, RW (Canada): Savoie never looked like himself in Sweden, recording just one assist and missing a game due to injury. He had some close looks early in the tournament but he just never seemed 100 percent. It’s a shame because Savoie could have used a huge performance after overcoming an early-season injury.

Jiri Kulich, RW (Czechia): Kulich is Czechia’s all-time world junior scoring leader for a reason. He just seems to rise to the occasion, finding ways to generate high-percentage chances each game. Kulich saved his best game for last, scoring two power-play goals to give him six goals and 12 points in seven games. It’s clear Kulich is going to be quite the goal-scorer with Buffalo one day very soon.

Norwin Panocha, D (Germany): Panocha brought good pace to go along with his 6-foot-2 frame. The Germans rarely had an easy day in their zone, but I thought he was reliable in his own zone during the game against the Finns. Otherwise, I wasn’t expecting a whole lot more.

Maxim Strbak, D (Slovakia): Strbak’s tournament was very interesting to say the least. He had nine points as he helped dictate the pace of play on the Slovak blueline. But he continued to lose puck battles along the boards on a consistent basis and would get beaten by more mobile skaters on the rush a little too often. Still, as an 18-year-old tasked with being a No. 1 on a midpack team, Strbak looked good, all things considered.

Anton Wahlberg, LW (Sweden): Was there a forward with a better net-front presence in Group A? Wahlberg especially showed how valuable he is right in front of the Swiss net in the quarterfinal, helping round out a skilled top six with a frame that proved difficult to move. So, while his numbers lacked, I’d argue he was one of Sweden’s most important forwards.

Noah Ostlund, C (Sweden): For someone coming off an injury prior to the tournament, I thought Ostlund looked very good. His creativity was on display, especially as the tournament wore on. Jonathan Lekkerimaki was the goal-scorer on the top line, mostly on the power play. Ostlund, however, was the one who seemed to generate most of the dangerous chances and deserved the all-star team attention he received.

Calgary Flames

Samuel Honzek, C (Slovakia): Calgary’s lone NHL prospect was very useful in his third tournament. The 6-foot-3 forward had a point per game through the preliminary round, with his play in the first three games making him one of Slovakia’s better players. Honzek had a quiet final game against Finland, which didn’t help.

Carolina Hurricanes

Felix Unger Sorum, RW (Sweden): What a tournament for a player who wouldn’t surprise me if he’s challenging for an NHL spot next year. FUS was one of Sweden’s premier passers, but he was outstanding in transition and was also a standout defensively. From an all-around standpoint, few players were as good as Unger Sorum was. I love his game, and he’s likely another value pickup in the second round by one of the best teams at the draft table.

Chicago Blackhawks

Adam Gajan, G (Slovakia): Gajan was one of the best goaltenders in the WJC and definitely should have started that last preliminary-round game against the Americans. He unfortunately saved his worst game for the quarterfinal, but there was only so much he could do with the breakdowns in front of him. Gajan has a bright future ahead of him, and his performance in Sweden is further proof last year’s run wasn’t a fluke.

Martin Misiak, RW (Slovakia): Misiak had a quiet three points, with all of his production coming during blowout wins against Czechia and Norway. I thought he seemed to lack the competitive level needed to take a further step at this tournament. Given what I’ve seen from him in the OHL, I was disappointed.

Frank Nazar, C (USA): Nazar, man. What a tournament. After missing this event due to injury last year, the University of Michigan star exploded with a four-assist effort against Switzerland. He was consistently one of USA’s best play generators – and clearly among the best in the tournament. Across the board, few players were as effective offensively, even for someone who never scored once.

Oliver Moore, LW (USA): Moore is such a fascinating player. He’s one of the fastest you’ll find at this age, and he brings a fourth-line grinder’s mentality to the top line. It paid off well once Jimmy Snuggerud went down with an illness, even producing some offense alongside Cutter Gauthier. Next year, Moore’s going to play an even bigger role.

Gavin Hayes, LW (USA): In the OHL, Hayes is a goal-scorer chasing 40 goals for the second consecutive year. Here, Hayes was the energy guy, often playing below 10 minutes but making an impact almost every time he hit the ice. That’s why he was there, and I thought he did fine – nothing more.

Sam Rinzel, D (USA): Rinzel’s specialty is his own zone play, and few American defenders were better than him in that department. He kept things simple and steady while using his reach on his big 6-foot-4 frame to take space away. He’s putting up good numbers with the University of Minnesota, but he’ll make a living by taking away scoring lanes.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Denton Mateychuk, D (Canada): Mateychuk didn’t go on a scoring spree like he did in the WHL, but he did have four points while averaging more than 23 minutes a night. Mateychuk should have had a few more assists, but so many of his plays fell flat by the time the puck was near the net. Still, he was one of Canada’s best players, as expected.

Jordan Dumais, RW (Canada): To say Dumais was underwhelming is an understatement. Given he’s been one of the most productive CHL forwards over the past decade, it was rough seeing him need four games to score his first goal. Dumais played with quality linemates all tournament long, but it felt like he was watching more often than not. His average skating was exposed on the bigger ice.

Oiva Keskinen, C (Finland): Keskinen was best when he was setting up Kasper Halttunen on the power play, but he also played a very strong D-zone game. He was always one of the first players back trying to break up plays and stole the puck often off defenders. As a seventh-round pick in 2023, Keskinen is looking like a steal.

Gavin Brindley, RW (USA): After playing a bottom-line role at this event last year, Brindley was one of USA’s most dangerous goal-scorers. He had three two-goal games, but he also had a couple of quiet showings with no shots against Czechia and Latvia. The highs were much higher than the lows, though, and his chemistry with Nazar was superb.

Detroit Red Wings

Nate Danielson, C (Canada): Danielson only had three points, but you could tell why he made it so long at Detroit’s training camp. Few players battled as hard on the boards as he did, he got in the way of the Czech rush and landed some hits, too. Danielson will never be flashy, but he plays a smart, simple game with very few noticeable flaws.

Kevin Bicker, C (Germany): Bicker played his best game against Finland but was mostly quiet otherwise. He only had three shots on net in four preliminary-round games, with just two assists to show for. He finally scored in the relegation game, but like Lutz from Arizona, seeing Bicker be more productive would have been nice.

Anton Johansson, D (Sweden): Johansson was Sweden’s seventh defenseman and rarely played after the first two games, but he was never on the ice for a goal against. The big 6-foot-4 defenseman is a mainstay in SHL competition, but he ended up being Sweden’s odd man out this year. Defensively, I thought he looked fine against Latvia and Germany.

Axel Sandin Pellikka, D (Sweden): Nobody controls defensive zone exits like ASP, who also led all Swedish defenders in shots and ice time. Sandin Pellikka is one of the best offensive defense prospects in the game today, and this felt like one of his most complete tournaments. The confidence, the two-way play, everything came together for Sandin Pellikka to prove he’s the real deal. You have to wonder if he takes a legitimate run at a roster spot in Detroit next year.

Trey Augustine, G (USA): Augustine shared the net with Jacob Fowler, and most of USA’s games were quite one-sided. But Augustine’s first two starts against Norway (22 saves) and Slovakia (38 saves) were impressive, even if neither team put up a huge fight. Augustine struggled in the pre-tournament against Sweden and Canada but he reset and looked like the Augustine we’ve seen time and time again internationally when the games started to count.

Florida Panthers

Marek Alscher, D (Czechia): It was a solid showing for Alscher, who was Czechia’s best defenseman in the tournament. He played over 20 minutes a night, but I felt he was more defensively sound when I caught him in Five Nations action back in late August. Alscher is most effective when he can simplify the game in his own zone and doesn’t have to deal with quick skaters at a high pace, especially when he’s dealing with heavy offensive pressure.

Sandis Vilmanis, LW (Latvia): Vilmanis saved his best game for the last round-robin match, which helped solidify Latvia’s spot in the quarterfinal. He scored twice and had three points total while seeing more than 20 minutes of ice time, playing in all situations, It was a rough tournament for Latvia, but Vilmanis was one of the few forwards that seemed to generate anything – including a five-shot effort in a 10-0 loss to Canada.

Los Angeles Kings

Otto Salin, D (Finland): Statistically, it was a quiet tournament for Salin, who didn’t get on the scoresheet until the quarterfinal. It’s strange, given I’ve always thought he’s a good heads-up offensive defenseman. But Salin saw his ice time increase as the tournament went on, with the biggest positive being his gap control. The bigger ice made it easier for Salin to showcase his speed.

Minnesota Wild

Rasmus Kumpulainen, C (Finland): He was a victim of Finland’s early struggles, going from playing 15:12 in the first game to not even seeing the ice after the loss to Germany – until it mattered. He was one of Finland’s best players in the final two games and probably should have played more.

Servac Petrovsky, RW (Slovakia): Petrovsky was playing at a near MVP rate with five goals and nine points before the Slovaks were ultimately eliminated. He was so dangerous in front of the net, and even in that rough loss to the United States, he still found ways to stay productive.

Liam Ohgren, LW (Sweden): I was hoping to see much more from Ohgren, who had an assist in the opening-day blowout against Latvia and then not again until the quarterfinal. You could tell he was rusty, having only played seven games before the start of the tournament between Sweden’s U-20 team and Farjestad’s SHL’s squad. Hopefully, he has a better second half of the year.

Montreal Canadiens

Owen Beck, C (Canada): Beck was brought on to bring experience and two-way play. Mission accomplished. The Beck/Owen Allard/Nate Danielson was the only line that Canada never touched, and for good reason. They saw some power-play time, brought loads of energy, won faceoffs and battled hard. Beck was the glue that made it all happen.

Filip Mesar, RW (Slovakia): Mesar was one of Slovakia’s best players with nine points, including the goal that kept their chances alive by forcing overtime against Finland. Mesar entered the tournament looking like one of the best wingers in the OHL, and he put his passing prowess on full display in Sweden. It’s been a huge year for Mesar, and this tournament had to be a good confidence booster for the second half.

Jacob Fowler, G (USA): Fowler won both of his starts, but they weren’t pretty. He allowed three goals each to Switzerland and Czechia and even get out-goalied against Michael Hrabal against the Czechs. Augustine was USA’s man going into the tournament and earned the net back, but I don’t doubt we’ll see Fowler in American colors again some day.

Lane Hutson, D (USA): I found myself having to seek out Hutson more than I’m used to early on. Usually, his skill takes over and he makes his dominance clear. And yet, he still was named to the tournament all-star team. That’s just how he rolls. I felt like he looked much better down the line and was especially good during the medal round. He’s still prone to getting beat easily from time to time in his own zone, but he’s still Lane Hutson, and he’s still great.

Nashville Predators

Matthew Wood, RW (Canada): Wood bounced around a little bit throughout the tournament but mainly served as Canada’s 13th forward. Given he’s not a great skater, that allowed him to focus on the power play and other situations where his quick release could come in handy. He had a three-point effort against Latvia, marking his only real offensive contributions all tournament. We’ll see how he performs as a returning forward next year, back on the smaller ice.

Kasper Kulonummi, D (Finland): It was a solid showing for Kulonummi, who led Finland with more than 22 minutes of ice time a game. Kulonummi worked on the power play, showing his value as a mobile, puck-moving defenseman. I felt like he got exposed a bit too much in his own zone, forcing him to try and play catch up, but he often made up for it with a non-stop work ethic.

New Jersey Devils

Leeni Hameenaho, LW (Finland): Hameenaho didn’t let his average skating slow him down. He scored twice in the bronze medal game, helping him finish with six points in seven games. He played some solid hockey down the stretch as the Finns kept finding themselves in one-goal games, with his best performances coming after he saw his ice time reduced by 3-4 minutes compared to the start of the tournament.

Seamus Casey, D (USA): I thought Casey was great offensively but left some room for improvement defensively. It’s been an issue for him for a while, but I found he was losing his footing and getting lost in front of his own net a little often. But I’m also being pickier on him because I expect big things from him. I was still quite pleased with his overall performance.

New York Islanders

Quinn Finley, LW (USA): Finley had a nice two-point game against Switzerland as coach David Carle started rolling lines in the blowout victory, but I thought he also looked good against Slovakia. Otherwise, his role was to be a bottom-six energy winger and I thought he achieved that.

Danny Nelson, RW (USA): Nelson’s job was to shut things down, and he did just that. He even nabbed a pair of points later in the tournament as he seemed to get more comfortable just shooting the puck from anywhere. He’ll be back in the same role next year.

New York Rangers

Drew Fortescue, D (USA): Between the physicality, the offense and the blocks, this was some of the best hockey I’ve seen out of Fortescue. He was one of the best slot passers on the roster while drawing opponents away from the American net. He seemed to really get under the skin of his opponents, which you love to see.

Gabe Perreault, RW (USA): Perreault is going to tear this tournament apart next year, isn’t he? His chemistry with Ryan Leonard and Will Smith was unbelievable, as expected. But Perreault was the guy creating so many chances, especially during the round-robin. Rangers fans expected big things from Perreault, and he delivered on USA’s third line.

Adam Sykora, LW (Slovakia): Sykora anchored the No. 1 left wing spot all tournament long, showing value as a net-crasher. He landed some solid hits, battled hard along the boards and moved the puck well, too. Sykora and Mesar especially looked good together.

Ottawa Senators

Oskar Pettersson, RW (Sweden): After registering an assist in the opening game against Latvia, Pettersson was quiet the rest of the way with no more shots and no points. They brought him to win puck battles and bring speed, but that’s about all he did.

Tomas Hamara, D (Czechia): I’d say it was a solid tournament for Hamara, a prospect I’ve come to like over the years. The Brantford Bulldogs defenseman had a pair of two-point efforts in the round-robin while playing more than 25 minutes a night more often than not. Hamara struggled in his own zone against some of the better teams, but offensively, he was very effective.

Jorian Donovan, D (Canada): Donovan’s tournament was… not so great. His best game with Canada was during the pre-tournament against the United States, just hours after arriving from Canada. It felt like he was in his own zone more than the other half without much urgency to do anything to change that.

Philadelphia Flyers

Oliver Bonk, D (Canada): I feel bad for him because you just know the bounce off him in the quarterfinal will weigh on him for a while. Bonk had a fine tournament, but the one thing that’ll maybe go unnoticed is how many plays he’d stop by just poking his stick out in the neutral zone. Simple and effective.

Alex Ciernik, RW (Slovakia): Ciernik’s tournament ended after just three games, registering one assist in the 8-4 win over Norway. It was a disappointing end for the 19-year-old that many had high expectations for, especially after multiple strong showings with the U-20 team earlier this year.

Cutter Gauthier, C (USA): Gauthier played at an MVP level all tournament long. In the summer, the Flyers’ prospect put his goal-scoring prowess on display. This time? Nobody was a better playmaker. Whether it be his dominance on the power play or his ability to get creative on his setups, Gauthier played as strong of a tournament as I’ve seen from him. He’s ready for NHL duty next year.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Brayden Yager, C (Canada): After a bit of a slower start, Yager was one of Canada’s best players. He played best alongside Macklin Celebrini, with his combination of heads-up playmaking and good positioning in the offensive zone allowing him to be effective. He finished with five points in five games, and should play a top-line role for this squad next year – potentially alongside long-time buddy Riley Heidt, who should have made this team.

Kalle Kangas, D (Finland): Kangas’ ice time increased with every game as the Finns tried different things out on the blue line. He even spent time as Finland’s net-front presence on the power play. He was a good transition player, but I thought he lacked mobility in his own zone and was getting beat a bit too often.

Emil Pienniemi, D (Finland): He struggled, simple as that. It seemed like he never made an effort to stop plays at the blueline and was stuck by his own net more often than not. I’ve seen him play some decent hockey – that wasn’t on display in Sweden. I just wanted more in his own zone.

San Jose Sharks

Jake Furlong, D (Canada): From a pure defensive perspective, Furlong was one of Canada’s best players. He kept up with the pace, had some good outlet passes and was as good as anyone at stopping players at Canada’s blueline. I was thoroughly impressed with his play, especially since he was far from a lock to make the team before having a strong training camp in Oakville.

Kasper Halttunen, RW (Finland): Halttunen had a better first half than second half, and he’ll be disappointed about how the final game ended. But Halttunen continues to be one of my favorite prospects for a reason. He has an incredible shot, one that very few can compete with. The London Knights star loves to throw the body, too. Halttunen can trail behind when the pace of the game is high, but he’s going to be lethal on the power play one day.

Mattias Havelid, D (Sweden): Axel Sandin Pellikka and Theo Lindstein got most of the attention on Sweden, but Havelid had a mighty fine tournament himself. He generated chances from the point, including the 1-1 goal in the gold medal game. He has a hard shot and isn’t afraid to wait until he finds the smallest opening to make it work. He’s an understated puck-mover who only continues to improve.

Filip Bystedt, C (Sweden): Some games, you couldn’t help but get excited about Bystedt, especially early. But he was invisible during the medal round, almost like he was playing hurt or something. He wasn’t generating chances, he looked a bit lost in the offensive zone and went scoreless in the final three games. I was a little disappointed, to be honest.

Will Smith, C (USA): If Smith doesn’t go pro next year, he’s going to rip this tournament to shreds. Early MVP candidate, for sure. I’d argue he was a top-10 player despite playing 13-14 minutes a night. His chemistry with his Boston College linemates was evident, and few players make the smart puck-moving decisions that Smith does. He’s so, so dangerous around the net, but he also knows where to put shots to get tipped, too.

Eric Pohlkamp, D (USA): Pohlkamp didn’t play a lot, but he served his purpose. He scored with his incredible shot while showing some flashes of skill. There weren’t many instances where his mobility concerns were an issue, but coach David Carle gave him favorable matchups.

Seattle Kraken

Carson Rehkopf, LW (Canada): I’m torn. On one hand, I wanted to see the OHL’s most dangerous forward play more. On the other hand, Rehkopf didn’t exactly shine in those minutes he had. Rehkopf finished with four points, but he had just seven shots in five games – not ideal for a player on a 62-goal pace, is it? Sure, he lacked ice time, but so did Wood, who had 11 shots in nearly two fewer minutes per game. Rehkopf had some looks but was prone to just throwing passes away instead of using his shot himself.

Ty Nelson, D (Canada): Nelson didn’t play much as the seventh defenseman, but he still had three points and didn’t really do anything outrageous in his own zone. He was the last player added to the final roster as an injury replacement and held his own. Nothing too special.

Eduard Sale, RW (Czechia): Sale seemed to use a rough first game against Slovakia as motivation, and it paid off. He had a hat-trick against Norway and then tallied another assist against the Americans. He was snakebitten the rest of the way, but was still one of the team’s best top shot generators on the Czechs behind Jiri Kulich. Kulich won’t be back next year, so look for Sale to be relied on heavily in his third tournament.

Niklas Kokko, G (Finland): Kokko came in as Finland’s starter but was outplayed by Noa Vali in the latter stages of the preliminary round. Still, the Finns went with Kokko when it mattered, and I thought he had a decent showing against Slovakia. His rebound control proved to be an issue, but he was definitely athletic. But every time I’ve watched him, it has bothered me how quickly the 6-foot-4 goaltender can go down at all times. Niklas: you’re big. Use your frame.

Jani Nyman, RW (Finland): Nyman seemed to come alive in the second half of the tournament and was the primary reason why the Finns beat Sweden in the round-robin. It took him four games and 22 shots – including 11 against Germany – before he finally scored his first goal of the tournament, so it wasn’t for a lack of trying. In the latter stages, especially in the bronze medal game, Nyman was one of Finland’s better players. He has the potential to be a high-volume shooter in the NHL one day.

Zeb Forsfjall, C (Sweden): Forsfjall was a surprising addition to the roster, but he’s been known to be a productive member of Sweden’s junior programs. He had just one assist this year but I liked his speed and penalty-killing. I’m not high on him as a prospect, but he plays a role and wasn’t used out his comfort zone.

St. Louis Blues

Jakub Stancl, LW (Czechia): Stancl was just having a fine tournament until that fateful Jan. 2 game against Canada. He scored the opener and then added the game-winner with 11 seconds left to send the two-time defending champs home. To me, this felt like some of his best hockey of the season, especially given his lack of production with Vaxjo’s U-20 team. His skating was brutal at times, but he clearly isn’t afraid to use his 6-foot-3, 200-plus-pound frame.

Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, C (Finland): Kaskimaki only had two goals, but it wasn’t from a lack of trying. He had 13 shots over the final three games alone, mostly from in close near the slot, but he just couldn’t seem to get the puck where he wanted it despite playing around 18 minutes a night each game. Defensively, though, Kaskimaki was excellent, and few Finnish players had the shot volume he did.

Dalibor Dvorsky, C (Slovakia): Dvorsky finished the tournament with six points, but four came in an 8-4 win over Norway. He showed up big against Norway and Finland but looked too quiet the rest of the way. It just felt like an average showing for a player we know can dominate internationally, but he’ll have another chance next year – if he doesn’t crack the Blues’ roster, that is.

Juraj Pekarcik, LW (Slovakia): I’ve seen Pekarcik perform much better than this, especially after a dominant U-18 showing last year. He saw his ice time jump drastically near the end of the tournament, and I felt he played his best the more they leaned on him. He struggles to perform when the game’s pace is high, but I’m not too concerned about his career trajectory yet. Next year’s tournament will be big for him.

Otto Stenberg, LW (Sweden): Stenberg had a night to remember against Germany, scoring a hat-trick in the building he plays in all year long in the SHL. He had points in every game leading up to the final, with his ice time quietly increasing throughout. Stenberg will be one of Sweden’s top guns next year after watching a large chunk of its core age out, but I have full confidence that Stenberg will deliver.

Theo Lindstein, D (Sweden): Lindstein went from being a late addition to becoming one of the best defensemen in the tournament in almost every facet. He was one of the best puck-movers, he scored and shut guys down defensively. I’d say he started better than he finished, but Lindstein proved he should have been on this team from the get-go.

Jimmy Snuggerud, RW (USA): Snuggerud started the tournament with four goals in his first two games before an illness slowed things down. He still scored one of USA’s biggest goals of the tournament, helping to get the team back on track in their comeback win over the Finns. It’s a shame we couldn’t see him at a full pace the entire tournament because with the way he started, he was heading toward MVP territory.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Isaac Howard, LW (USA): The move to Michigan State University has been great for Howard. he just looks like a completely different player than the one who struggled at the University of Minnesota-Duluth last year. Howard had goals in every round-robin game while watching his ice time improve, which eventually led to a two-goal final game against Sweden. That allowed him to tie Jonathan Lekkerimaki for the tournament lead in scoring and even earn some all-star team consideration. As the lone representative for the Bolts, Howard was incredible..

Toronto Maple Leafs

Easton Cowan, LW (Canada): Personally, I didn’t understand Cowan’s inclusion on Team Canada, especially when London Knights teammate Denver Barkey was miles better at selection camp. Cowan was the final Canadian skater to register a point when he scored on an empty-netter – but it came after a bad miss that hit the post first. Cowan just looked nervous when he had the puck. He should be back next year, potentially in a bigger role while still spending time on the PK.

Fraser Minten, LW (Canada): Minten played top six all tournament long, but had just three points in five games. No matter who he played with, Minten was cast as the two-way defensive forward – which makes sense, but it felt like he was used way too often for what he ended up bringing to the table. He was just fine.

Vancouver Canucks

Jonathan Lekkerimaki, RW (Sweden): Nobody likes to shoot like Lekkerimaki, who was averaging around 10 shot attempts per game. A lot of his damage came at 5-on-5, I also don’t remember him being this physical, either. This was Lekkerimaki’s best WJC in three attempts, recording points in every preliminary round game while trying to pick up Sweden on his back against Switzerland with nine shots.

Elias Pettersson, D (Sweden): I thought Pettersson had a good all-around tournament, showing an effective two-way game with speed. Pettersson sometimes would get being too passive with the puck on a breakout opportunity, but he was great in his own zone and focused on getting opponents as far away from a high-danger scoring position as possible.

Tom Willander, D (Sweden): Willander had a great showing, proving to be the better defender between him and partner Theo Lindstein. He did a good job of blocking shots and taking lanes away in front while also dazzling from time to time while rushing the puck. Willander will challenge for a spot on Sweden’s top pair during the 2025 event.

Vegas Golden Knights

Matyas Sapovaliv, C (Czechia): Sapovaliv was one of my favorite prospects early on, using his 6-foot-4 frame effectively around the net. But he wasn’t noticeable during the medal round, especially when they needed him and the other stars against Sweden. He was definitely more effective last year, but I’m not worried about his development – Sapovaliv has been excellent with Saginaw this year.

Arttu Kärki, D (Finland): I’m not sure why Kärki wasn’t used more as the PP quarterback for a Finnish team that should have had more success on the man advantage. Granted, his overall game seemed to struggle, especially in transition. Kärki’s ice time dropped by about five minutes from Game 1 to Game 5, so it didn’t seem like the Finnish coaching staff liked what they saw – but they rarely used him to his strengths, either.

David Edstrom, C (Sweden): As expected, it was a solid first showing for Edstrom. The scoresheet might suggest otherwise, but Edstrom built upon his strong U-18s by showing some great two-way awareness and smart heads-up playmaking. He’s so good in so many different parts of the game and is quickly becoming one of the top Swedish prospects in the game today.

Washington Capitals

Ryan Leonard, LW (USA): Just refer to the Perreault and Smith blurbs. Leonard’s going to be so dangerous next year, and this event showed his pro-level hockey IQ. He just does a little bit of everything, including sending great stretch passes from his own zone.

Ryan Chesley, D (USA): Chesley was more engaged offensively than I’ve seen from in the past. He was best against Finland when he had five shots with 25:13 of ice time while playing all situations for the Americans. It was a solid all-around performance.

Winnipeg Jets

Rutger McGroarty, LW (USA): McGroarty didn’t look like someone who started the month in the hospital. He hit everyone in sight, brought incredible energy and looked great on the top line with good friend Cutter Gauthier. McGroarty has pro-level talent already, with a great shot and a frame built for chaos. Just imagine how good he would have been had he not missed nearly a month due to an injury.

Elias Salomonsson, D (Sweden): Salomonsson was one of my favorite Swedes during the World Junior Summer Showcase, but it was a different story come the real show. He was given a one-game suspension early and was a mess at times defensively, leading to an overall disappointing performance. Salomonsson finally got on the scoresheet against Czechia, but you could see the difference between his game and that of Axel Sandin Pellikka’s on the same pairing – ASP was much better at both ends of the ice.

Fabian Wagner, RW (Sweden): After a great showing at this event last year, Wagner failed to register a point this time around. His ice time fell throughout the tournament and it just didn’t seem like he was anywhere near as confident as he was as an 18-year-old. It was somewhat concerning, to be honest.

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