2026 World Juniors: Top standouts from the quarterfinal round
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – And then there were four.
Canada, Czechia, Finland, and Sweden are off to the medal round at the 2026 World Junior Championship in St. Paul, Minnesota, after snagging quarterfinal victories on Friday.
Canada and Czechia will play in one semifinal, while Finland and Sweden will meet up in the other.
Here’s a look at the top standouts from the four quarterfinal matchups in St. Paul and Minneapolis:
Sweden 6, Latvia 3
Sweden became the first team off to the semifinal after beating Latvia 6-3 at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul.
They’ll face off against Finland in a highly anticipated rivalry matchup during the semifinals on Sunday evening in St. Paul.
Latvia has never advanced to the semifinal in tournament history, but has managed to stay in the top division every year since earning promotion back in 2022.
Anton Frondell led the way for the Swedes, tallying two goals – including one just 10 seconds into the game. Jack Berglund, Sascha Boumedienne, Felix Carrell and Leo Sahlin Wallenius also scored, while the Latvians got goals from Kristers Ansons, Karlis Flugins and Olivers Murnieks.
Latvia
#30 Nils Maurins, G: Maurins was one of the top goaltenders from the round-robin and he continued with an excellent showing against the Swedes. He allowed a goal on his first shot again, but he made 19 stops in the first half of the game as Sweden held full control. The 19-year-old is a big, athletic goaltender who has had a difficult season with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers, but he gave Latvia a chance to win in each of his starts in Minnesota.
#14 Olivers Murnieks, C (2026 NHL Draft): Murnieks was one of the few forwards who seemed to break the Swedish D corps today. He scored the 6-3 goal late in the game, but he nearly had another goal off an outstanding individual play in the first period. He seemed to be really feeling it today – and now we’ll wait to see where he gets drafted.
#23 Alberts Šmits, D (2026 NHL Draft): While Šmits would benefit from hitting the net a bit more, he does as good a job as anyone at getting the puck on net. He assisted on the 1-1 power-play goal, and then had a few solid defensive plays while the game was still tight to keep Latvia in the game. He finishes his tournament with a solid three-game point streak while playing the toughest minutes of any Latvian defender.
Sweden
#4 Leo Sahlin Wallenius, D (San Jose Sharks): Sahlin Wallenius has been Sweden’s best defenseman, so a one-goal, two-assist effort today wasn’t unexpected. He helped start the game on the right foot after having his shot tipped in by Anton Frondell. He then assisted on the fourth goal to help fully own the scoreboard. LSW does a good job of controlling the pace of play while being calm and collected with the puck.
#20 Alfons Freij, D (Winnipeg Jets): Freij has now registered a point in all five games so far after tallying two assists today. That’s now seven assists for the puck-moving defenseman who was tasked with playing key minutes right out of the gate. Today was arguably his most noticeable game with the puck.
#15 Ivar Stenberg, RW (2026 NHL Draft): Stenberg hasn’t dominated any game in particular, but he has been incredibly consistent throughout. He had an assist on the 3-1 goal and he had a couple of other decent looks, but couldn’t find the back of the net. Stenberg is a strong, skilled forward who does a lot of work in the perimeter, but he can fire like the best of them in tight, too.
#16 Anton Frondell, LW (Chicago Blackhawks): When Frondell is on his game, everyone else is in danger. Frondell scored twice in this game, including on a goal just 10 seconds into the game. He then made it 5-1 early in the third period to really put the game out while having a couple of other strong looks that nearly went in. Frondell has been Sweden’s best player in Minnesota, as expected.
#18 Victor Eklund, RW (New York Islanders): Eklund was flying today. I felt like he struggled to make much of an impact throughout this tournament, but he had a great breakaway chance in the second period, which ultimately led to Sweden’s fourth goal. He had a pair of assists total, but probably should have had a few more given how well he was playing. Eklund loves to shoot the puck, but he also did a great job of challenging for loose pucks in the D-zone and along the boards.
Czechia 6, Switzerland 3
Czechia is off to the quarterfinal after a 6-2 comeback victory over Switzerland on Friday.
The Czechs will look to get revenge against Canada after losing 7-5 in the first round-robin game of the tournament.
The Swiss found themselves with a 2-1 advantage prior to the halfway point of the game. Leon Muggli and Jamiro Reber each tallied markers, only to be split by Tomas Galvas. Unfortunately for the pre-game underdogs, Switzerland fell apart in the second, with Samuel Drancak, Adam Jiricek, Petr Sikora, Jiri Klima and Jakub Fibigr all contributing goals in the 6-2 victory.
Czechia
#5 Adam Jiricek, D (St. Louis Blues): What else can I say? Jiricek is going for the MVP title. The Blues prospect had two goals to help lift the Czechs in front. His skating is top-notch, and his poise and hockey sense with the puck look NHL-quality already. Seriously, every time I’ve watched him for Czechia, I have believed he could step into St. Louis’ lineup immediately. That goal he scored to win the game was pretty.
#23 Tomas Galvas, D: Galvas continues to make a case to get drafted in his third year of eligibility. He’s up to eight points through five games as he looks to do what Cole Hutson did a year ago and lead the tournament in scoring. Galvas has been the best draft-eligible prospect in this tournament, no question.
#11 Matej Kubiesa, LW: I’m not sure there have been more impactful fourth-liners at this tournament. Every pass he makes seems to make it somewhere dangerous, and he shoots a lot, too. It feels like he never loses a battle through the middle, and he connects with whoever he wants. I loved his assist on the 2-2 goal, and he did it again on the 5-2 marker.
#15 Vojtech Cihar, LW (Los Angeles Kings): Cihar remains Czechia’s most impressive forward. He had the primary assist on the 4-2 goal, and then he transitioned into more of an energy guy who outworked everyone. Cihar isn’t big, but he’s built strong and mentally tough, and he seems to thrive in high-energy games.
#21 Jiri Klima, RW: How about a nice three-point game out of the fourth-liner? I hadn’t noticed him much in this tournament beyond an assist against Denmark, but his passes never seemed to miss the mark today. That’s the type of scoring depth the Czechs need if they’re going to win the tournament.
#24 Adam Novotny, LW (2026 NHL Draft): Novotny had his best game today. It felt like he used his size and mobility to win puck battles. He didn’t score, but he won most of his individual battles. Two scouts I talked to here today thought he was Czechia’s best forward – sometimes, it’s not the offense, but it’s the two-way play that shines.
Switzerland
#7 Basile Sansonnens, D (Vancouver Canucks): I really liked Sansonnens’ tournament. He’s big, takes up space, and has a great reach. I love how Sansonnens forces opponents to the outside – he doesn’t give you much space to work with. The Canucks prospect has impressed me over the past few years, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a solid career as a third-pair defender.
#19 Jonah Neuenschwander, C (2027 NHL Draft): After a slow start to the tournament, Switzerland’s first-line center was finally rewarded for his effort. He made a great pass to Reber on the 2-1 power-play goal, flicking it over Michal Orsulak’s goal stick while under pressure. It felt like he moved a bit quicker and with intent today – my biggest concern with him before was that he didn’t seem too involved away from the puck.
#62 Mike Aeschlimann, LW: Especially early, I thought Aeschlimann was Switzerland’s hardest-working player today. He continuously stole the puck on backchecks and won most of his footraces thanks to his high-end speed. There isn’t much flash to his game, but he does a fantastic job at regaining possession when he really needs it.
#89 Kimi Koerber, RW: Koerber makes it his mission to block everything sent his way. He had a pair of goals early in the tournament, but today, his defensive game was more on display. In the first period alone, it felt like he broke up about three quality plays the Czechs had around the crease. Overall, I liked his tournament.
After leading for the majority of the night, the United States is out of the 2026 World Junior Championship after losing to Finland 4-3 in overtime.
This marks the second straight year that the host team has been knocked out of the tournament in the quarterfinal, with Canada bowing out a year ago against Czechia.
Cole Hutson led the way for USA with a goal and an assist, with Cole Eiserman snagging USA’s second goal. The Finns got goals from Heikki Ruohonen, Leo Tuuva and Joona Saarelainen, with two goals in a minute, changing the entire scope of the game. But everything changed with under two minutes to go. Will Zellers would do an excellent job rushing between three Finnish opponents before getting taken down. From there, James Hagens found Ryker Lee in front, with USA scoring to force overtime.
Both teams had decent opportunities, but the Finns had more control. Arttu Valila would score at 2:11 into the extra stanza, ending the game and securing the Finns yet another spot in the final four.
Finland
#30 Petteri Rimpinen, G (Los Angeles Kings): Rimpinen had to be excellent – again. The Finnish forwards were struggling to sustain pressure, and the defenders left Rimpinen out to dry a little too much. Rimpinen leaves a lot of the top of the net open (he’s not a big goalie), but he makes up for it by directing it away out of trouble at the last time. I love his glove hand and how he uses his shoulders to his advantage. If it wasn’t for Rimpinen’s massive showing in the third, the Finns were
#33 Aron Kiviharju, D (Minnesota Wild): What a game. Kiviharju was buzzing all over in the first half, and it was only a matter of time until he got on the scoresheet. His feed to Leo Tuuva was incredible – that’s the type of move very few defenders his age can pull off. Kiviharju has a good shot and he isn’t afraid to use it, but he has always been better as a distributor.
#22 Emil Hemming, LW (Dallas Stars): I thought Hemming was Finland’s best forward today. He kept buzzing early to get his team on the board, and he had an excellent chance in the third that rang off the post. He was playing with something to prove, which, given this was his last World Junior game, was definitely true. Hemming needed a bit more skill to play with, but I really liked how he consistently created scoring chances.
#23 Leo Tuuva, RW: I didn’t notice Tuuva much in the first 40. I definitely noticed him in the final 20. He scored the 2-2 goal and then found Joona Saarelainen in tight to make it 3-2. Tuuva has absolutely turned heads this week for his ability to sneak past defenders and create quality chances – and consecutive hot shifts changed the course of the game, for sure.
#28 Heikki Ruohonen, C (Philadelphia Flyers): Ruhonen was everywhere yet again. If you haven’t been paying close attention, he’s dominating the two-way game. His quick acceleration has come in handy, and his defensive game really helped the Finns survive without a few other goals against. I loved his goal to make it 1-1 – it woke them up, even though it didn’t work out in the end.
USA
#31 Nick Kempf, G (Washington Capitals): The Americans needed Kempf not to lose the game. He was good, even if he ultimately lost the game. I can’t tell you the last time I saw him in so control of his rebounds. He often gives up on bad bounces and then lacks the athleticism to make it work. Kempf was busy in the first period, and I felt that allowed him to gain his confidence and get into a rhythm.
#6 Adam Kleber, D (Buffalo Sabres): This was Kleber’s most incredible game. With Hutson by his side, Kleber could focus on getting the puck out of the zone and keeping things simple. Kleber is a big dude who gets in the way of pucks, hits hard and can shut down plays as well as anyone on this American team.
#44 Cole Hutson, D (Washington Capitals): What a difference getting Hutson back in the lineup did for this team. Last Saturday, he was carted off on a backboard after going unconscious following a blocked shot to the head. Today, he looked rested and at his absolute best. He tends to take over shifts and dominate the play better than any other defender at this tournament. USA is significantly better with Hutson in control. Oh, by the way: Hutson is now USA Hockey’s all-time leading scorer among blueliners at the World Junior Championship with 15 points.
#12 Will Zellers, LW (Boston Bruins): Even before he helped set up the tying goal, Zellers was USA’s best forward. He was promoted to the top line, where he seemed like a man on a mission with the way he continued to get puck on net. He’s so slippery, often beating opponents with his incredible footwork. Zellers has absolutely put himself on the map with his incredible play.
#34 Cole Eiserman, LW (New York Islanders): Eiserman was expected to be one of USA’s top players, but he was far too invisible before today. Everything changed when he received a pass from Hutson in the second – that confidence, that smile, it was back. It felt like an overall much-improved effort from Eiserman, who is used to scoring clutch goals for the Americans in big games.
Canada 7, Slovakia 1
Canada’s quarterfinal curse is over following a massive 7-1 win over Slovakia on Friday night.
Canada will play Czechia in the semifinal on Sunday, serving as a rematch for Canada’s 7-5 victory to kick off the tournament. The Czechs also eliminated Canada from the past two quarterfinal games.
The Canadians took a commanding 5-0 lead into the first period. Cole Reschny, Tij Iginla, Michael Misa, Sam O’Reilly and Brady Martin put on a shooting clinic, putting the game well out of reach early. Of note, 14 Canadians registered at least one point in the frame, but not a single player had two.
The second period wasn’t as lethal as the game’s general pace started to wind down. Jan Chovan would score the lone Slovak goal, but Porter Martone and Cole Beaudoin further cemented Canada’s massive advantage.
Canada
#19 Zayne Parekh, D (Calgary Flames): I’m not sure Parekh made a bad pass tonight. Wherever he wanted the puck, he got it there. Parekh had a pair of assists, helping to set up both the 3-0 and the 7-0 goal. Parekh hsa continued to keep himself in the MVP race, and he may have surpassed Michael Hage after today (although many think he was already ahead).
#20 Keaton Verhoeff, D (2026 NHL Draft): Verhoeff started the game with an ugly giveaway, but he made up for it with two assists. He’s one of the most offensively inclined defensemen in the 2026 draft, often firing shots through traffic in an attempt to generate a rebound. Serving on Canada’s fourth D pair, Verhoeff didn’t play a lot to start, but it felt like he was given more responsibilities in the offensive zone as the game wore on.
#7 Michael Misa, C (San Jose Sharks): This is the Misa we were expecting from the start. He seemed to be playing at a whole other level tonight – his speed, shot, and hockey sense were all on display. Misa’s lack of high-end play beyond the game against Denmark has been a serious talking point over the past week but it looked like he was shot out of a cannon today.
#9 Gavin McKenna, LW (2026 NHL Draft): McKenna’s natural skill was hard to ignore. He made a great pass on a power-play goal in the first period, with every play looking effortless. He’s incredibly smart – and, for what it’s worth, scouts have been really impressed with his 200-foot game at this tournament. There’s still some work to be done, but it feels like Canada’s coaching staff can rely on him away from the puck a bit more.
#11 Tij Iginla, LW (Utah Mammoth): Iginla had his best period of the tournament in the first. He scored off a laser beam of a shot, and nearly had a second – only for it to get blocked by Misa. He was absolutely flying tonight as he seemed to spice things up offensively early. He looked motivated as heck to win every battle, even when the game was out of reach.
#22 Porter Martone, RW (Philadelphia Flyers): Don’t look now, but Martone is challenging for Canada’s scoring lead. He had a two-point performance while also being much more involved defensively and physically. Martone has needed to be better, and he helped spark the top line’s energy in the second period as the Slovaks started to zero in on them a bit more.
#23 Sam O’Reilly, RW (Tampa Bay Lightning): O’Reilly scored the 4-0 goal after a solid effort in front, outmuscling a Slovak defender before beating Lendak blocker side. Away from the puck, I thought O’Reilly did a great job of creating lanes for his linemates, often skating through the middle to draw someone away. His smart play has given Canada a serious boost in the bottom six.
#26 Cole Beaudoin, C (Utah Mammoth): Beaudoin started the tournament as more of a depth player – he’s going to finish as one of Canada’s most important forwards. He scored a goal and added an assist while also being a menace to the Slovak blueliners. Few forwards on Canada are as lethal directly in front of the net as Beaudoin.
Slovakia
#12 Jan Chovan, C (Los Angeles Kings): I’ll throw him a bone here: Chovan might have scored a seemingly meaningless goal in the end, but it definitely helped relieve the team, which otherwise couldn’t keep up with Canada. Chovan had a very disappointing tournament with no points before tonight, so that had to feel good. The 6-foot-3 forward will be relied on heavily in Alberta next year.
Remaining Schedule
(All times ET)
Sunday, January 4
- 4:30 PM – Sweden vs. Finland — Grand Casino Arena
- 8:30 PM – Canada vs. Czechia — Grand Casino Arena
Monday, January 5
- 4:30 PM – Bronze Medal Game — Grand Casino Arena
- 8:30 PM – Gold Medal Game — Grand Casino Arena