One prospect per nation to watch at the World Junior Championship

Raphael Simard
One prospect per nation to watch at the World Junior Championship
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The best time of the year is upon us: the World Junior Championship gets underway in Minnesota from December 26 to January 5.

Of course, we'll be keeping an eye on the Habs prospects invited to the tournament: Michael Hage (Canada), LJ Mooney (USA), Aatos Koivu (Finland), Mikus Vecvanags (Latvia), and Carlos Handel (Germany).

For the purposes of this book, however, I will concentrate on naming one prospect per nation to watch, who is not a Habs prospect.

Denmark – Mads Kongsbak Klyvø

As always, Denmark won't be having a big tournament.

Their goal will simply be to survive and do well enough to stay in the tournament next year. The team won't be counting on any big prospects in particular. In fact, only Mads Kongsbak Klyvø has been drafted.

He's a former fourth-round pick of the Florida Panthers (112th overall) in the most recent NHL auction. This season, the young forward has not played a single game due to injury. It will be interesting to see how he performs.

Last year, with Vastra Frolunda Jr, he collected 29 points in 42 games.

Latvia – Alberts Smits

In the history of professional hockey, Zemgus Girgensons is the Latvian who was drafted earliest in the NHL draft. In 2012, he was selected 14th by the Buffalo Sabres.

This record could be broken this season by the sensational Alberts Smits. Mock drafts estimate that he should emerge in the top 20 of the first round. Some even rank him 8th.

In 29 Liiga games, the Latvian has six goals and six assists. Smits is a left-handed throwing defenseman who stands 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs close to 200 pounds.

He is an offensive defenseman who is very mobile, but can play both ways on the rink as well. He certainly has the physicality for the job, and whether on the power play, at even strength, or shorthanded, he can play in all facets of the game.

If the Latvians can reach the quarterfinals, Smits will be one of the main contributors.

Switzerland – Lars Steiner

Switzerland doesn't have a good club. To avoid relegation, it will have to beat the Germans, which is very possible.

There isn't a lot of talent, but Lars Steiner, a guy who plays in Quebec (Rouyn-Noranda), will be one to watch. It's not impossible that he'll go out in the first round, despite the fact that he's missed several games due to injury.

Currently nearing point-per-game (14 in 15 games) in 2025-2026. Last year, he collected 60 in 57 games.

With Switzerland, he'll play on the first line and on the first wave of the powerplay. If Switzerland wants to stay in the tournament next year, the Huskies' protégé will have to step up.

Germany – Max Penkin

It's going to be tough for Germany, as the nation isn't counting on a future NHL goaltender, and defensively, it's pretty thin. Habs defenseman Carlos Handel will get plenty of playing time, in any case.

Up front, there's no Leon Draisaitl or Tim Stutzle in the making. But there is Max Penkin, a 16-year-old forward who is very interesting. I don't know if he'll play much because he's so young, but he's got talent coming out of his ears.

Eligible for the 2027 draft, he'll potentially be the best German prospect since the Ottawa Senators forward.

Penkin may only have two goals in 14 LED games, but he's 16 and plays against men.

Against youngsters a little more his age, he could be very good.

He'll be one to watch.

Czech Republic – Adam Novotny

Adam Novotny has just turned 18 and is playing in Canada. In the OHL with the Peterborough Petes, the Czech scored 35 points in 29 games.

And every site tracking prospects has him in the first round of the upcoming draft. Sportsnet's Sam Consentino (10th) and Jason Bukala (7th) even rank him in the top-10.

He's a 6'1″ winger who plays well on both sides of the rink. He has an excellent shot. On the Czech power play, he'll be the player to watch.

He's also a real competitor.

A good tournament on his part could move him up in many a mock draft.

Slovakia – Adam Nemec

Slovakia will be counting on just three prospects already drafted in the NHL: Michal Pradel and Michal Svrck of the Red Wings, and Jan Chovan of the Los Angeles Kings.

The prospect to watch in Slovakia is Adam Nemec, Simon's brother.

Nemec is a 6'1″ forward with 15 points in 28 games in Slovakia.

He won't be drafted in the first round, but should be one of the first Slovaks to be selected by an NHL team in 2026. He's not the most offensive player, as you can see from his stats, but he plays good hockey over 200 feet.

Finland – Veeti Väisänen

Last year, Veeti Väisänen wasn't too important for the Finnish team at the WJC.

This season, he should have more responsibility, as he is a talented and intriguing defenseman. The Medicine Hat Tigers are one of the best teams in the WHL, and Väisänen is a big reason for their dominance.

In 29 games, he has 18 points. The Finn is 19 years old, plays left-handed, and is very mobile. He is a former Mammoth third-round pick in 2024.

Sweden – Ivar Stenberg

Ivar Stenberg. For those of you who don't know him, you're going to notice him pretty quickly at the next WJC.

In the top-5 of the upcoming draft, Gavin McKenna and Keaton Verheoff, the two Canadiens, are likely to go out fairly early, but there's also Stenberg, who will be in the conversation until the end.

He's much better than Anton Frondell, who was drafted third overall in 2025 by the Chicago Blackhawks. In 25 games in the Swedish professional league, this 6-foot 181-pound winger collected 24 points. He just turned 18 last September and is Frolunda HC's top scorer.

He is the brother of Otto Stenberg, a Blues prospect who was selected 23rd overall in 2023 by St. Louis.

If Sweden can win gold, it will be thanks to Ivar Stenberg.

United States – Cole Hutson

Forget Team USA's eight first-round picks.

I'll be keeping an eye on one of the Capitals' second-round picks (43rd overall) at the next WJC: Lane's brother, Cole Hutson. The Americans may not have the depth of Team Canadiens, but they've got quite a defenseman on their hands, possibly the best in the tournament.

Like Lane, Cole is a highly underrated defender with good hands, good vision, and outstanding competitiveness.

In addition to Hutson, I'm looking forward to Cole Eiserman, Trevor Connelly, Will Horcoff (Michael Hage's Michigan teammate), and James Hagens.

Canada – Michael Misa

Canada's strength is great and, like other powerful nations, it's Gold or nothing. Choosing Gavin McKenna as the Canadiens prospect to watch would have been too easy.

I would have liked to pick another undrafted prospect, Keaton Verhoeff, a top prospect who will be drafted in the top three at the next draft. The problem: he's not likely to play much, since his name isn't Matthew Schaeffer and he's only 17.

I'm looking forward to following Michael Misa, as he's on loan from the Sharks (same goes for Sam Dickinson, by the way) and is a second-round pick in the most recent draft. The youngster is having trouble settling in comfortably in the NHL, having collected three points in seven games. And in the AHL, he has just one assist in two games.

He'll be an integral part of the Sharks' future, but right now, he doesn't have the full confidence of his coaching staff in San Jose. The World Championship isn't a last-chance tournament or even a very important competition, but if he can regain some confidence and dominate, it will help him for the rest of his first professional season.


Extension

On that note, I wish you an excellent World Junior Championship. We're obviously hoping for a Canadian victory.

Here are the groups:

Group A

United States

Sweden

Slovakia

Switzerland

Germany

Group B

Canada

Finland

Czech Republic

Latvia

Denmark

Just a reminder that after the round robin, the top two finishers will face the fourth-placed teams in the other division in the medal round. And the two second-placed teams will face the third-placed teams in the other division.

The last-place teams will compete to stay in the tournament next year.

The Norwegians will be in the tournament in 2027.

Here's my prediction:

Canada (1B) v. Switzerland (4A) Canada (1B) vs. Sweden (2A)
Sweden (2A) vs. Czech Republic (3B) Canada (1B) vs. United States (1A)
United States (1A) vs. Latvia (4B) United States (1A) vs. Finland (2B)
Finland (2B) vs. Slovakia (3B)

Logic will prevail in this tournament.

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