Projected #1 overall 2026 pick Gavin McKenna is already making his presence felt for Team Canada in Ottawa. McKenna had 2 goals for the Canadians, including the game-winner with under three minutes left, to help Canada to a 3-2 win over Czechia in this World Junior Championship pre-tournament matchup. With McKenna, his teammates & fellow under-agers Porter Martone and Matthew Schaefer (both 2025 DE), and American James Hagens (2025 DE), it certainly appears youth will be well-served at this tournament. Significantly adding to this “youth movement” is Team Sweden, whose roster contains under-age forwards Linus Eriksson (FLA 2024, 2nd round 58th overall), Viktor Eklund (2025 DE), and Jack Berglund (PHI 2024, 2nd round 51st overall), as well as defenseman Viggo Gustafsson (NSH 2024, 3rd round 77th overall).
Eklund is projected to go mid to early first round in 2025, and will be joined in the 1st round by the aforementioned Martone, Schaefer, and Hagens.