Team USA hockey on their stick tape
Team USA hockey gives the specifics of how they wrap their hockey stick and other superstitions that they have before hitting the ice.
Sports Seriously
The world junior hockey championship is in full swing right now and we’ve already seen some of the big names rise to the top. In my previous round-up of NCAA talents repping their nations at the tourney, I highlighted players such as Penn State’s Gavin McKenna, the likely first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and Vaclav Nestrasil of UMass, a Chicago Blackhawks first-rounder. Well, both players are among the scoring leaders in the world juniors early on and they still have a lot of hockey to go.
This week, let’s switch the focus to players outside of the NCAA who are at the tournament. Some Canadians, such as Calgary’s Zayne Parekh and San Jose’s Michael Misa, were loaned out by their NHL teams, so I wouldn’t call them ‘prospects’ anymore. But there are still a ton of NHL prospects to keep an eye on, so let’s take a look at 10 names you should know as the world juniors continue.
1. Anton Frondell, C, Sweden
Drafted third overall by Chicago in 2025, Frondell is a big, two-way center with a great shot. He’s lethal on the power play and has already been playing against men back home in Sweden where, last year, he helped Djurgarden earn promotion to the SHL. This season, he’s been on fire and if Sweden wins gold, Frondell will be a big factor.
2. Victor Eklund, RW, Sweden
Taken in the first round of the 2025 draft by the New York Islanders, Eklund isn’t the biggest player on the ice, but he plays like it. The kid has an unceasing motor and a lot of skill to go with it. His brother William is already in the NHL with San Jose and based on the way Victor has played against men back in Sweden, his future is just as bright.
3. Ivar Stenberg, LW, Sweden
A potential lottery pick in the 2026 draft, Stenberg has put up numbers in the SHL that, frankly, we have rarely seen from a teenager. The younger brother of St. Louis Blues rookie Otto Stenberg, Ivar is a great skater with high-end skill. Some pundits believe he could even push McKenna for first overall.
4. Alberts Smits, D, Latvia
Simply put, Latvia has never had a high-end prospect like Smits. He’s a big, minute-munching defenseman who can contribute at both ends and he has already looked solid at this year’s world juniors, despite the fact he just turned 18 in early December. Smits could very well be taken in the top 10 of the 2026 draft.
5. Brady Martin, C, Canada
After making Nashville out of camp, Martin was re-assigned to junior after playing three games with the Predators. Since then, he has put up more than a point per game in junior. A physical, two-way player with skill, Martin grew up on a farm in Ontario and is much stronger than his mid-sized frame would indicate. He’s going to be a weapon for Canada.
6. Michal Pradel, G, Slovakia
While Slovakia brought a young team bereft of big-name NHL prospects, they do have solid goaltending, led by Pradel. A Detroit Red Wings draft pick who plays junior over here with Tri-City of the USHL, the Slovakian national has great size and kicked off his world juniors with a great effort against Germany for his team’s first win.
7. Adam Jiricek, D, Czechia
The first of three Czechs who are playing junior in the Ontario League with Brantford this year, Jiricek is a St. Louis Blues prospect with a lot of great tools. He’s big, he’s physical and he can put the puck in the net. The younger brother of defenseman David Jiricek, Adam will be key to Czechia’s gold-medal hopes.
8. Adam Benak, C, Czechia
The second Czech from Brantford (defenseman Vladimir Dravecky is the third), Benak is an incredibly dangerous offensive weapon. At 5-foot-7, he doesn’t have ideal NHL size, which is why the Minnesota Wild were able to draft him in the fourth round in 2025. So far, the gamble has paid off, as Benak has been one of the leading scorers in the OHL.
9. Petteri Rimpinen, G, Finland
A star from last year’s tournament returns with a clear mandate: Get that gold medal that was oh-so-close when Rimpinen helped the Finns all the way to the final. They lost to a loaded Team USA, but Rimpinen, now a Los Angeles Kings prospect, put himself on the map with an incredible performance that landed him Top Goalie honors.
10. Radim Mrtka, D, Czechia
Due to an injury recovery, Mrtka did not play in Czechia’s first couple of games, but they are waiting for him because they know how crucial the Buffalo Sabres first-rounder is to their success. Mrtka is a towering two-way defenseman who played in the minors this year before being re-assigned to junior.
