Tuning into a World Junior Championship game between Canada and the United States is rarely a bad idea. The two countries are loaded with young talent and that skill, combined with the ferociousness of the rivalry, almost always produces compelling hockey.
There will be an added layer to the fun at the 2025 WJC, though; one that hockey fans and NHL bottom-feeders alike should be intrigued by. When you watch Canada and Team USA battle this time out, there’s a great chance you’ll be watching the next two first-overall picks in the NHL Draft and, quite possibly, the first three selections in a 2025 event that’s about six months away.
Canada’s roster is locked in and has no fewer than four draft-eligible players. Winger Porter Martone and defenceman Matthew Schaefer are both strong candidates to be top three selections in June. 2007-born goalie Jack Ivankovic is also eligible to be picked in 2025, while forward Gavin McKenna — who turns 17 on Saturday — is the drool-inducing talent expected to go first overall in 2026.
Meanwhile, the guy who headlined Sam Cosentino’s December rankings — James Hagens of Team USA — will be going head-to-head against the Canadian contenders for that top 2025 draft slot.
Just a little more intrigue for the rivalry.
Of course, the WJC — which starts in exactly one week in Ottawa — is largely comprised of prospects who already have an NHL affiliation skating for 10 different countries. As such, we wanted to use this week’s edition of the power rankings to highlight each NHL squad’s representation at the annual holiday tournament.
While Canada has finalized its roster, that’s not the case for every country at this point. So, with the understanding, there’s still a cut or two to come before Boxing Day, here’s who each NHL club and its fans can keep an eye on at the event.
1. Washington Capitals (21-8-2) Lane Hutson is starring as a freshman blue-liner with the Montreal Canadiens; now, fans of the Caps can dream on a similar path for Lane’s young brother, Cole Hutson (43rd overall, 2024), who’ll be on Team USA’s back end. Power winger Ryan Leonard (eighth overall, 2023) is also back with the Americans after winning gold in 2024. Washington also has Czech centre Petr Sikora (sixth round, 2024), Slovak middleman Miroslav Satan (seventh-rounder, 2024 and, yes, son of that Miroslav Satan), Latvian winger Eriks Mateiko (90th overall, 2024) and Swiss D-man Leon Muggli (52nd overall, 2024) at the tourney.
2. Vegas Golden Knights (20-8-3) The Knights took American winger Trevor Connelly with the 19th pick in the 2024 draft. Vegas will also be watching Canadian winger Mathieu Cataford (third round, 2023) and Finnish forward Tuomas Uronen (sixth round, 2023).
3. New Jersey Devils (21-10-3) The one Devil at the WJC is Swedish winger Herman Traff, who was a third-rounder in 2024.
4. Winnipeg Jets (23-10-1) The Jets acquired Canadian centre Brayden Yager from Pittsburgh this past summer when Team USA’s WJC captain from last year — Rutger McGroarty — indicated he didn’t want to embark on a pro career in Winnipeg. Now Yager — taken 14th overall by Pittsburgh in 2023 — will wear the C for Canada. Yager’s latest big trade saw him go to the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes from the Moose Jaw Warriors.
5. Los Angeles Kings (18-9-4) The Kings have a couple puckstoppers to monitor in Canadian Carter George (second round, 2024) and America’s Hampton Slukynsky (fourth round, 2023). Czech D-man Jakub Dvorak was a second-rounder in 2023.
6. Toronto Maple Leafs (20-10-2) Canadian winger Easton Cowan (28th overall, 2023) is back for another go with Team Canada and could have a top-line role. The Leafs also have Czech forward Miroslav Holinka (fifth round, 2024) at the event.
7. Florida Panthers (20-11-2) The defending champs’ lone representative at the WJC is Swedish centre Linus Eriksson, who was taken 58th overall last June with the first pick Florida made in the draft.
8. Carolina Hurricanes (20-10-1) Canadian forward Bradly Nadeau — a first-rounder in 2023 — has shown pretty well as a teenager in the AHL and should be a go-to guy for the Canadians. The Canes also have two Swedish forwards headed to Ottawa in the form of Felix Unger Sorum (second-rounder, 2023) and Oskar Vuollet (fifth round, 2024).
9. Minnesota Wild (20-8-4) Zeev Buium, a potential 12th-overall steal last June for Minny, should see all kinds of ice on the American blueline. The Wild also have a couple other D-men at the event in Finland’s Aron Kiviharju (2024 fourth-rounder) and Sebastian Soini (fifth round, 2024). A third Finn — centre Rasmus Kumpulainen — was taken by the Wild in the second round in 2023.
10. Edmonton Oilers (18-11-2) The Oilers have a pair of blue-liners at the WJC. They are Canada’s Beau Akey (56th overall, 2023) and American Paul Fischer. The latter was drafted 138th overall by St. Louis in 2023 and traded to Edmonton this past summer as part of the whole scene that saw the Oilers not match the Blues’ offers sheets for RFAs Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg.
11. Tampa Bay Lightning (17-10-2) Winger Ethan Gauthier, a second-rounder in 2023, will skate for Canada and Joona Saarelainen (fifth round, 2024) is a Finnish forward.
12. Dallas Stars (19-12-0) Dallas’ 2024 first-rounder, forward Emil Hemming, will be representing Finland. Aram Minnetian, a fourth-rounder from 2023, is an American defender.
13. Utah Hockey Club (15-11-5) The Hockey Club has a couple goalies at the WJC, with Michael Hrabal (38th overall, 2023) backstopping Czechia and Melker Thelin (fifth round, 2023) on Sweden. Up front, Utah has Canadian centre Cole Beaudoin (24th overall, 2024) and Czech middleman Vojtech Hradec (sixth round, 2024). Finally, there’s Finnish rearguard Veeti Vaisanen, who was a third-rounder last June.
14. Ottawa Senators (16-13-2) It was at least a bit surprising when defenceman Carter Yakemchuk, the seventh-overall selection last June, was not invited to Canada’s selection camp. As it stands, the lone player in Ottawa with Senators ties is 2023 seventh-rounder Vladimir Nikitin. As Kazakhstan’s goalie, he figures to be a busy guy.
15. Vancouver Canucks (16-9-6) The Canucks have a trio of blue-liners to monitor. Headlining the crew is Swede Tom Willander, the 11th pick in the 2023 draft. Vancouver also has Canadian Sawyer Mynio (third round, 2023) and Basile Sansonnen (seventh round, 2024) of Switzerland.
16. Boston Bruins (17-13-3) The B’s one horse in the WJC race is American forward Chris Pelosi, a third-rounder in 2023.
17. Colorado Avalanche (18-15-0) Calum Ritchie, the 27th pick in the 2023 draft, figures to be a top-six centre for Canada and will serve as an alternate captain.
18. Calgary Flames (15-11-6) Offence-oriented defenceman Zayne Parekh, the ninth-overall selection in 2024, did not get the call from Canada. However, Axel Hurtig — a D-man taken 208th overall by Calgary in 2023 — will wear Sweden’s wonderful sweater.
19. Pittsburgh Penguins (14-14-5) Tanner Howe has had an eventful WHL season so far, first missing time with an injury, then getting swapped from Regina to Calgary. The 46th pick in the 2024 draft will line up as one of Canada’s wingers. The Pens actually have two blueliners on the Lions, with Emil Pieniniemi (third round, 2024) and Kalle Kangas (seventh round, 2024) suiting up for Finland.
20. Philadelphia Flyers (14-14-4) Philly has three guys on Canada and could very well have had four if Denver Barkley had not been a tough cut in his final attempt to make the WJC squad. As it is, the Flyers will watch 2024 first-rounder Jett Luchanko skate up front, 2023 first-rounder Oliver Bonk man the blueline and Carson Bjarnason suit up in goal for the Red and White. Philadelphia also has Swedish centre Jack Berglund (51st overall, 2024) and Finnish pivot Heikki Ruohonen (fourth round, 2024) to watch.
21. Detroit Red Wings (13-14-4) Defenceman Axel Sandin-Pellikka, the 17th overall pick in 2023, is Sweden’s captain. Trey Augustine (second round, 2023) is back looking for another gold in the American crease and winger Jesse Kiiskinen — originally drafted in 2023’s third round by Nashville and traded to Detroit for a player we’ll see later in this ranking — will line up for Finland.
22. St. Louis Blues (15-15-3) The Blues are loaded with Czech prospects. Defenceman Adam Jiricek (16th overall, 2024) and forwards Adam Jecho (third round, 2024), Ondrej Kos (third round, 2024) and Jakub Stancl (fourth round, 2023) are all in the Czechia mix. There’s also two Swedes in 2023 first-rounders Otto Stenberg (centre) Theo Lindstein (defence). Finally, Juraj Pekarcik (third round, 2023) will rep Slovakia and defenceman Colin Ralph (second round, 2024) skates with Team USA.
23. New York Islanders (12-14-7) Winger Cole Eiserman, who landed in the Isles lap at No. 20 last June, will be counted on to bury for Team USA. Danny Nelson, a second-rounder from 2023, is also in the American forward crew. Additionally, the Islanders also have Swedish stopper Marcus Gidlof (fifth round, 2024) and Finnish winger Jesse Nurmi (fourth round, 2023) at the tournament.
24. Seattle Kraken (15-16-2) Centre Berkly Catton (eighth overall, 2024) and returning winger Carson Rehkopf (second round, 2023) will be counted on to produce for Team Canada. A third Canuck, 2023 third-rounder Caden Price, will line up on the blueline. The Kraken also have two Finns in goalie Kim Saarinen (third round, 2024) and forward Julius Miettinen (second round, 2024) and two Czechs in 2023 first-round centre Eduard Sale and 2024 seventh-round D-man Jakub Fibigr. Finally, there’s Swedish centre Zeb Forsfjall, the 180th pick of the 2023 draft.
25. New York Rangers (15-15-1) The Rangers’ most recent two first-rounders will skate for Team USA. Winger Gabe Perreault (23rd overall, 2023) won gold with the Americans last year and he’ll be joined this time out by defenceman E.J. Emery (30th overall, 2024). Defenceman Drew Fortescue (third round, 2023) is also back defending the title for the United States. The Rangers also have Swiss forward Rico Gredig (sixth round, 2024) at the tournament.
26. Anaheim Ducks (12-14-4) Beckett Sennecke was cut from Team Canada and if the Canadians don’t win gold, the skilled forward is one of a few names that will be brought up with respect to roster-building decisions. The Ducks do have two forwards on Team USA in Carey Terrance (second round, 2023) and Austin Burnevik (sixth round, 2024). There’s also Czech defenceman Vojtech Port — Anaheim’s final pick in 2023 — and Latvian blue-liner Darels Uljanskis, the Ducks’ last pick in the 2024 draft.
27. Montreal Canadiens (12-16-3) The Habs’ final pick in the 2024 draft, seventh-rounder Rasmus Bergqvist, is a lanky Swedish blueliner. Of course, with Russia still banned by the IIHF, we won’t see 2024 fifth-overall pick Ivan Demidov at the event.
28. Chicago Blackhawks (11-19-2) Centre Oliver Moore (19th overall, 2023) will be key to the American attack up front and A.J. Spellacy (third round, 2024) is also among the USA forward group. Chicago also has centre Jiri Felcman (third round, 2023) suiting up for Czechia.
29. Columbus Blue Jackets (12-15-5) Columbus took Canadian forward Luca Pinneli in 2023’s fourth round, then Swedish goalie Melvin Strahl with its next pick in Rd. 5.
30. San Jose Sharks (11-18-5) The Sharks look like they locked into a beauty with Canadian defenceman Sam Dickinson, taken 11th overall in 2024. Dickinson’s London Knights teammate, winger Kasper Halttunen (second round, 2023) will be counted on to fill the net for the Finns. San Jose also has American forward Brandon Svoboda (third round, 2023) and Swiss stopper Christian Kirsch (fourth round, 2024).
31. Nashville Predators (9-17-6) It’s quite possible a couple of Preds draftees — Tanner Molendyk and Andrew Gibson — will form Canada’s top defence pair. Molendyk, a first-rounder in 2023, will wear an A for Canada. Gibson, meanwhile, was taken in the second round in 2023 by Detroit and later swapped to the Preds for Finn Jesse Kiiskinen. Another player Nashville acquired via trade will star for Sweden in centre David Edstrom, the final pick of 2023’s first round by Vegas. The Knights actually shipped Edstrom to San Jose at the 2024 trade deadline in the Tomas Hertl transaction and Edstrom was on the move again as the main return in the swap that sent goalie Yaroslav Askarov to San Jose from Nashville last summer. The Preds still have two more Swedes to watch in defenceman Viggo Gustafsson (third round, 2024) and forward Felix Nilsson (second round, 2023). Nashville also has a pair of Americans in high-motor winger Teddy Stiga (55th overall, 2024) and forward Joey Willis (fourth round, 2023). At last, the Preds have Czech goalie Jakub Milota (fourth round, 2024) to monitor.
32. Buffalo Sabres (11-17-4) Konsta Helenius, last year’s 14th overall pick, will be a key member of Finland’s forward crew. Ditto for centre Anton Wahlberg (second round, 2023) with Sweden. Buffalo has a couple Americans to watch in 2024 second-round defenceman Adam Kieber and 2024 third-round winger Brodie Ziemer. The Sabres also have a key Slovakian in defenceman Maxim Strbak (45th overall in 2023) and another blue-liner in German Norwin Panocha, the 205th pick in the 2023 draft.
