Top 10 prospects to watch at the 2026 World Championship

May 13, 2026, 10:30 EDTUpdated: May 13, 2026, 09:43 EDT

Top 10 prospects to watch at the 2026 World Championship

Credit: Steven Ellis

The IIHF World Championship might not get a ton of love in North America – but if you’re a hockey diehard, it’s one of the best times of the year.

The 2026 edition lacks the high-end offensive stars we saw at the Olympics. That’s typical in an Olympic year – some of the game’s top names just want to take a break. But it should open the door for some of hockey’s youngest stars to step up and play bigger roles than usual in the pursuit of gold.

Today, we’re looking at 10 prospects – including a pair of draft eligibles – worth keeping a close eye on in Switzerland from May 15-31. Some will be among the top players for their respective nations, while others will likely play deeper in their teams’ lineups.

Let’s take a look:

Stian Solberg, D, 20, Norway (Anaheim Ducks)

There might not be a more important player on this list than Solberg. He was excellent for Norway at the past two World Championships, playing 25-plus minutes in four of his seven games a year ago. Known more for his physical play, Solberg still managed to score four goals and six points in seven games to give Norway a fighting chance at making the quarterfinal. He just finished his first year of North American pro hockey, where he put up a solid 12 goals, 24 points and 102 penalty minutes in 71 games with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. Solberg can physically dominate opponents, and he continues to become significantly more dangerous with the puck the older he gets. Look for the 20-year-old to eat a ton of minutes while playing the power play, penalty kill, and late in tight games, too.

James Hagens, C, USA, 19 (Boston Bruins)

Hagens got his first taste of pro hockey earlier this spring after finishing his second year at Boston College. We also saw him play a pivotal role at the World Juniors, where he was unable to win gold for the second consecutive year. Still, we saw him put up solid numbers at all levels this year before finishing in the NHL with Boston. The former USA Hockey National Team Development Program superstar has always shown up big internationally, including record-breaking performances at both the U-17 World Challenge and the U-18 World Championship. Hagens is a smart, two-way forward who could play anywhere in this lineup while providing speed and hockey sense. A strong showing in Switzerland could help boost Hagens’ confidence heading into his first pro hockey season.

Anton Frondell, LW/C, 19, Sweden (Chicago Blackhawks)

What an exciting year for the Trångsund, Sweden native. World Junior gold, a 20-goal SHL rookie season, his NHL debut and a solid stretch of games against men in international competition – it’s hard to beat that. The Blackhawks have a good one in Frondell, who was selected third overall back in 2025. Now, he’ll look to close out the year with another gold after having a major impact at the World Juniors earlier this year. Frondell does an excellent job of getting himself into scoring lanes, especially on the right side. He’s fine as a playmaker, but you’d much rather have him firing shots on net. Still, the dual-threat nature of his game is explosive. Look for him to try and force his way up Sweden’s lineup this month.

Max Plante, LW, 20 USA, (Detroit Red Wings)

Plante played alongside Hagens and Ike Howard on USA’s second line in the pre-tournament game and will likely be given plenty of opportunity to keep himself in the top nine. The University of Minnesota-Duluth star just took home the Hobey Baker Award after registering 25 goals and 52 points in 40 games. Plante was injured during the World Juniors but would otherwise have been a crucial part of the team’s playoff push had he remained healthy. Overall, Plante is no stranger to big performances internationally – he’s one of the USNTDP’s best playmakers in recent memory. But since departing for college, Plante has proven he can be an excellent shooter, too. Look for the Americans to use him quite a bit.

Ike Howard, LW, 22, USA (Edmonton Oilers)

Howard played a minor role with USA en route to gold last year. Will his opportunities improve in Year 2? The former USNTDP scoring star had a tough time in the NHL with just two goals and five points in 29 games. He was much better in the AHL, where he had 50 points as a rookie. At 22, the pressure is on for Howard – a Hobey Baker winner – to prove himself in the NHL. Could a strong showing in a scoring role change things for Howard? With so many young players on this team, Howard could be put in a spot to step up in a big way. He’s a strong skater with a good shot, and he could be used in a power-play role, too.

Porter Martone, RW, 19, Canada (Philadelphia Flyers)

Fresh off a strong start to his pro career, Martone is set for his second World Championship action already. This will mark the eighth time he has represented his country internationally, having won gold at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and 2024 U-18 World Championship. He was drafted in to the senior team for the first time last year after injuries arose later in the event, and it was a good experience for him to play and learn alongside pro players. Martone will likely still play a bit more of a minor role for Canada, but after scoring four goals and 10 points in nine regular season games, and another five points in 10 postseason games, the former Canadian WJC captain should have no issue stepping up when needed.

Sam Dickinson, D, 19, Canada (San Jose Sharks)

Dickinson likely won’t play as big a role with Canada as some of the others on this list. But the experience will be great, regardless. Dickinson is coming off his first year of pro hockey, registering one goal and 14 points in 72 games. It was definitely a learning year for the NHL rookie, who had 161 points over the previous two years in the OHL. But we’re talking about a 19-year-old who was still eligible for the World Juniors in December and would have played a prominent role had he been loaned out. Dickinson has had mixed results internationally for Canada, but the full year of NHL hockey should help his confidence, regardless.

Tinus Luc Koblar, C, 18, Norway (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Toronto’s top forward prospect is Koblar – for now, of course. Many in the scouting community were surprised the Leafs used a second-round pick on him last year. But Koblar is a big-bodied, two-way center who can be quite responsible in his own zone. Players with his type of build are more likely to be AAAA guys who can play on the fourth line. There’s still plenty of runway for Koblar, who currently plays pro hockey in Sweden. For Norway, though, Koblar has been excellent at all levels this year. With a lack of high-end producers to choose from, Koblar could be leaned on heavily in a way he has never been before. Most of his value will come away from the puck, though.

Viggo Björck, C, 18, Sweden (2026 NHL Draft)

Björck parlayed a strong rookie SHL season – which included time as Djurgarden’s No. 1 center – into a spot on Sweden’s men’s senior team. Björck was electric at the World Juniors, showing a high-end blend of hockey sense and raw skill. He might be a bit small, but it hasn’t hindered him too much against men, and he has been downright dominant against his own age group. Björck is a human highlight reel, and he’s a tremendous passer who will use his quick hands to get the puck into dangerous areas. It’ll be interesting to see how Sweden deploys Björck, but he did enough during the various exhibition tournaments to get himself onto this team.

Ivar Stenberg, LW, 18, Sweden (2026 NHL Draft)

All eyes will be on Stenberg, who is still in the conversation to go first overall in 2026. There truly isn’t an area he struggles with in any meaningful way. He’s incredible with the puck, has a fantastic shot and he’s exceptionally intelligent, too. Stenberg’s production fell as the season wore on. But he still had one of the best seasons by a U-19 player in recent SHL history. His excellent World Junior performance proved he’s capable of big moments. Don’t be surprised if he pushes himself into the top six early and never leaves.

Other notables: Ryker Lee, RW, USA (Nashville Predators); Danny Nelson, C, USA (New York Islanders); Jack Berglund, C, Sweden (Philadelphia Flyers)

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