2026 World Juniors: Top standouts from Day 1
ST. PAUL and MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Day 1 of the World Juniors didn’t disappoint.
It had a bit of everything. Big goals, tight battles, and the latest edition of one of international hockey’s top rivalries.
Here’s a breakdown of everything that happened in Minnesota on Friday night:
Sweden 3, Slovakia 2
Sweden has become the first team to secure a victory this year, beating Slovakia 3-2 in a game dominated by special teams.
Anton Frondell was the highlight of the night, scoring a goal and adding an assist – both while the Swedes were up a man. But a late second-period goal from Tomas Pobezal on Slovakia’s 5-on-3 brought things even closer heading into the stretch run.
Sweden thought they regained their two-goal advantage around the halfway point in the third after Viggo Bjorck scored a shorthanded breakaway goal. After a quick review, though, the goal was revoked due to goaltender interference, resulting in a one-goal advantage again.
That proved to be important for the Slovaks. With 9:05 left in the game, Tobias Pitka stole the puck from a Swedish defender and got it to Tobias Tomik, who made it 2-2. Sweden would ultimately get the victory off of Ivar Stenberg’s goal with about four minutes to go, avoiding a shocking upset in the opening game of the tournament.
Here is a look at the top performers from Friday’s bout:
Lines for Sweden vs. Slovakia. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/BRuQO54dyR
— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) December 26, 2025Sweden
#30 Love Harenstam, G (St. Louis Blues): That wasn’t an easy outing for Harenstam, but he looked tremendous. Slovakia outplayed the Swedes at various points in the first, but Harenstam tracked pucks as quickly and as confidently as I’ve seen from him. That’s not entirely surprising, either – he’s been great against pros this season after some so-so showings with the U-18 team over the past few years.
#20 Alfons Freij, D (Winnipeg Jets): Freij quarterbacked Sweden’s power play today, which resulted in a primary assist on the 1-0 goal. Sweden’s game plan seemed to be all about passing the puck to Frondell, but it clearly worked. Freij also did a good job of breaking up a few chances going back the other way for good measure.
#16 Anton Frondell, LW (Chicago Blackhawks): I thought Frondell was invisible in the pre-tournament, but he was much more noticeable in this one. He had two good chances in the first, including a shot that just hit the post. His pure strength allowed him to win most of his puck battles consistently, and, eventually, he’d tally the opening goal on the power play in the second. He then made a great pass on the second goal, finding his good friend Victor Eklund in close. Nobody seemed to be able to match him today. Even though he’s a good center, I feel like moving him to the wing allowed Frondell to really shine – he was all offense, all the time today.
#18 Victor Eklund, RW (New York Islanders): Eklund is absolute money around the crease, especially on the power play. He loves getting himself into an open spot to bank home a rebound or convert on a pass, just like he did to make it 2-0 today. Like Frondell, I was hoping for more out of him during the pre-tournament. Today, though, he seemed to have found his confidence.
#21 Viggo Björck, C (2026 NHL Draft): Björck was flying today. He scored a great shorthanded goal in the third period, but it was ultimately waved off due to goalie interference. Beyond that, his speed and quick hands allowed him to win most of his individual plays. He’s playing with so much confidence after a strong pre-tournament.
Slovakia
#30 Alan Lenďák, G: Lenďák was the reason the Swedes didn’t take a multi-goal lead in the first. He made a handful of excellent stops, including a pair while his team was shorthanded. The Des Moines Buccaneers goaltender struggled in his two games with Slovakia last year, but came up big tonight – something he has shown he’s capable of in the USHL.
#10 Tomas Pobezal, C: It felt like Pobezal was destined to score at some point in this game. He was buzzing, coming close on a few chances early in the frame while leading the team on the top line. It’s been a difficult season for him in Slovakia, but I thought he looked good today.
#21 Adam Nemec, RW (2026 NHL Draft): Although Nemec didn’t score today, I thought he had a good game. He had a few good chances in the third period but came up short. It felt like he had the puck more than he didn’t at 5-on-5, although the game had enough penalties to really slow the pace down. He was Slovakia’s best forward in the third period as the team tried to get the lead.
Finland 6, Denmark 2
Finland has pulled off the first upset of the World Junior Championship, beating Denmark 6-2 in Minnesota.
The Finns took a 3-1 lead in the first period, with Roope Vesterinen, Onni Kalto and Oliver Suvanto finding the back of the net. The Danes struggled to generate scoring chances, but did get a goal from William Bundgaard at 6:08 to give them some life.
Everything fell apart shortly after, though. Saarelainen and Vesterinen each scored a second goal, while Aatos Koivu converted on a pass early in the second to help steal a 6-1 advantage after 40.
Anton Linde gave the Danes another reason to celebrate in the third period, but the game was far out of reach at that point, with the Finns winning 6-2.
Denmark
#19 William Bundgaard, RW: Bundgaard had a great showing against Canada, and he was rewarded with the 2-1 goal in the first. He’s one of the few Danish players who can continuously get to the front of the net, and he has some speed to work with, as well. It’s still early, but he’s going to remain an important part of Denmark’s attack.
Finland
#25 Lasse Boelius, D (Anaheim Ducks): Boelius was my favorite Finnish defender during the pre-tournament and that continued over to today. He had a pair of assists while leading the team on the man advantage. He’s a solid puck-mover who sees the ice well and knows when it’s better to look for a teammate instead of shooting the puck himself.
#10 Roope Vesterinen, LW: Vesterinen didn’t score in either of his games a year ago, but he was going to be counted on in a big way this year after putting up some great performances with the U-20 team. He only has one goal in the top Finnish league this season, in what has been a brutal year for him professionally. But with two goals today, you could tell he was buzzing. Vesterinen was almost always in the right spot at the right time, and it paid off.
#12 Joona Saarelainen, LW (Tampa Bay Lightning): The speedy winger always comes to play when he wears his nation’s colors. He scored on the power play in the second period on his sixth shot of the game. He was a one-man shooting machine, so it was surprising he didn’t score a few more.
#15 Aatos Koivu, C (Montreal Canadiens): A Koivu scoring in Minnesota? Say it ain’t so. Koivu scored the 4-1 goal in the second period, but he also had a couple of passes that led to goals shortly after. He’s not flashy, but he’s a smart two-way player who works hard at both ends. Finland doesn’t have many high-end difference-makers, but Koivu’s work ethic should continue to pay dividends.
#29 Jasper Kuhta, C: Kuhta was Finland’s third-line center today, but he played like a man on a mission. He had three assists, with all of them looking mighty impressive. Kuhta has put himself on the map as a potential top 60 pick in 2026 after going undrafted a year ago. His rugged frame, quick shot and excellent hockey sense should allow him to get a second chance.
#38 Oliver Suvanto, C (2026 NHL Draft): Suvanto really impressed me as the team’s No. 1 center with Julius Miettinen out. He used his 6-foot-3 frame to get into ideal scoring and passing lanes and it led to the 3-1 goal on the man advantage. He just commands attention every time he hits the ice.
USA 6, Germany 3
The final score might not prove it, but USA’s 6-3 win over Germany was much closer than you might have thought.
The Americans cruised to an 8-0 win earlier in the pre-tournament, but the Germans wanted revenge. It didn’t start well for them, though, with Max Plante, Chase Reid and Will Horcoff scoring in the first 16 minutes to make it 3-0. Timo Kose gave Germany something to cheer about at 17:39, though – and they’d make sure to make it count.
Simon Seidl and Lenny Boos would each score for Germany in the first 11 minutes of the second, helping to close the gap. That forced the Americans to play on their heels, and they’d get two goals from Will Zellers and another from Cole Eiserman to make it 6-3 heading into the third. Both teams had some decent looks in the third, but the score remained the same, with USA winning on home ice to open the tournament.
Germany
#29 Lennart Neiße, G: Sure, he allowed a bunch of goals tonight. But it could have easily been much, much worse. He did a great job of reacting to high-danger chances, and most of the goals against weren’t his fault. He had as good a high-scoring game as you’ll find – he never gave up.
#7 Carlos Handel, D (Montreal Canadiens): Handel had a good tournament last year, but didn’t have any offense to show for it. So it was nice to see him contribute to Germany’s first goal, rushing into the zone and creating a chance that was picked up in front. He’s smart, skilled and plays a strong two-way game – I think he could be a decent value selection by the Canadiens.
#25 Tobias Schwarz, LW: Schwarz was the most noticeable forward early on, getting a handful of quality looks around the crease. He figured out how to expose USA’s defensemen – starting from the outside and carving back in while shooting low. Schwarz plays against men, and looks to be a big part of the team’s offense moving forward.
USA
#25 Chase Reid, D (2026 NHL Draft): I thought Reid was just fine during the two pre-tournament games, but he came to play today. He scored the 2-0 goal, and nearly had another after showing some high pace. There’s a lot of competition to be the top defenseman in the 2026 NHL Draft, and Reid is definitely in the conversation. It’ll be interesting to see how they use him going forward because I loved his play today.
#44 Cole Hutson, D (Washington Capitals): Hutson played nearly 10 minutes in the opening period – which is kind of insane, given USA has some decent defensive depth. It felt like most of the mistakes, though, came when Hutson wasn’t on the ice. Hutson had a strong shift that led to the 4-2 goal, which proved important given that Germany scored on the next play. He’s just so slick, doing an excellent job of protecting the puck and avoiding danger.
#12 Will Zellers, LW (Boston Bruins): Zellers wasn’t even named to USA’s original training camp roster – and now he’s the team’s most lethal forward. He scored a pair in the second to give the USA the edge, showing some decent patience on both plays. His ability to wait until the goalie is screened to put his deceptive shot on display has made him tremendously dangerous in college, and after a good pre-tournament game against the Germans a few nights ago (and today), he’s clearly playing with confidence.
#24 Will Horcoff, LW (Pittsburgh Penguins): After entering the tournament as one of the most lethal shooters in the NCAA, he has kept things alive with USA the past few days. He scored in each pre-tournament game and then tallied the second goal today, using his powerful release to confuse the Germans around the net. He’s so physically imposing – opponents just don’t know how to deal with him effectively.
Canada 7, Czechia 5
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Mark it down as another thriller between one of junior hockey’s hottest rivalries.
Canada and Czechia met up in a rematch of the team’s two quarterfinal matchups from the past two years, with Canada beating Czechia 7-5 to cap off the opening day of the 2026 World Junior Championship.
The two teams traded chances in the first period, and Canada ultimately took a 2-1 lead into the first break. Brady Martin scored the 1-0 goal at 13:53, and then assisted on Michael Hage’s marker at 17:38. Between those, though, was Tomas Poletin’s 1-1 goal, re-directing Adam Benak’s chance in.
The Czechs came out flying in the second, outshooting Canada 11-5. At 24:02, Vojtech Cihar tipped in Benak’s shot to make it 2-2, and then Petr Sikora scored eight minutes later to give Czechia their first advantage. Canada would get one back, however, with Zayne Parekh tying the game at 37:02 with a good shot from the point.
The third period was absolutely wild, with four goals in six minutes. Parekh scored his second of the night, taking advantage of the power play at 43:49. Two minutes later, Poletin’s second of the night evened things back up. Canada scored consecutive goals from Tij Iginla and Ethan MacKenzie to give Canada some leeway – and they needed that, given Tomas Galvas would score to make it 6-5. Porter Martone would finish the night off with Canada’s seventh goal, putting it away with a minute left.
Canada
#13 Ethan MacKenzie, D: Nobody has ever mistaken MacKenzie for an offensive defenseman. But with a goal and an assist tonight, it’s hard to find a more important game he has ever played. He’s Canada’s seventh defenseman, but he didn’t play like one today – he was excellent with the puck, and it didn’t take away from his defensive game.
#14 Ben Danford, D (Toronto Maple Leafs): Danford had a quiet pre-tournament but looked very noticeable early in this game. He broke up a pair of quality chances from the Czechs early and then created a perfect screen on the 2-1 goal. He even made up for a few personal mistakes at points in the game – he seemed a lot more active at both ends of the ice, as well.
#19 Zayne Parekh, D (Calgary Flames): Parekh seemed a bit all over the place in the first half, but he made up for it in the second half. He scored the tying goal late in the third period and then tallied the go-ahead marker early in the third. It quickly started to feel like a vintage OHL-like performance from the former Saginaw Spirit superstar – his ability to take over junior hockey games defensively is something very few have been able to match in recent years.
#28 Brady Martin, RW (Nashville Predators): What a $%^& disturber. He creates havoc in front of the net on a nightly basis and it paid off with a goal and an assist in the first period. He was one of the few Canadians who seemed to throw the Czech defenders off their game because he battled so hard and gave up nothing in front. He’s going to become a fan favorite very, very quickly for Canada.
#29 Michael Hage, C (Montreal Canadiens): Hage is an incredible competitor. He had a goal and an assist in the first period, and added a second assist in the third period for good measure. His shot on the 2-1 goal was incredible – he waited until Danford was right in front to fire off a shot. Hage has continued to get better with every game dating back to the start of the pre-tournament, and has looked like Canada’s best center overall with his ability to drive play, beat opponents physically and create quality chances.
Czechia
#5 Adam Jiricek, D (St. Louis Blues): Jiricek directly saved three sure goals in the first period alone. He was blocking shots, getting the puck out of danger and getting himself out of trouble consistently. Jiricek is so smart, physically gifted and can make up for his own mistakes with the puck. The Czechs could easily have fallen far behind in the first without his ability to get into scoring lanes to break them out.
#14 Vaclav Nestrasil, RW (Chicago Blackhawks): It’s difficult to miss a 6-foot-6 winger who can skate, but that’s Nestrasil for you. He nearly scored in the first period after breaking out of the penalty box and sending himself on a breakaway. He wasn’t able to score there, but he then had another good chance later on. I mostly liked his defensive game – he used his long reach to his advantage quite often tonight.
#15 Vojtech Cihar, LW (Los Angeles Kings): The future Kelowna Rockets forward impressed tonight, showcasing his blend of speed, hockey sense and willingness to get to the net to knock in rebounds. He had a pair of points today, with his shiftiness around the net proving to be a problem for the Canadians.
#17 Petr Sikora, C (Washington Capitals): Sikora was a big reason for Czechia’s comeback effort. He scored the go-ahead goal to make it 3-2 late in the first period, and then he helped set up Poletin for the 4-4 goal that gave the Czechs some momentum back early in the third. A few momentum-shifting plays from Sikora basically changed everything for his team.
#18 Tomas Poletin, LW (New York Islanders): Poletin had a pair of goals today, finishing as Czechia’s top player. He did as good a job as anyone at re-directing pucks toward the net, often making life miserable for the defenders in front. The Czechs don’t have a true game-breaking goal-scorer, so they’ll need some more of that out of Poletin as the tournament progresses.
#20 Adam Benak, C (Minnesota Wild): Benak is a wizard internationally for the Czechs. It never seems to matter what event it is; he shows up. The Wild prospect had a pair of assists today, helping to kickstart Czechia’s attack. He also didn’t seem afraid of the physical play along the boards, even though that’s not really his game.
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