Do you get those post-Christmas blues? The realization that ‘tis no longer the season, and that it’s just winter? Well, I have some good news: The hockey world has found a way to extend the holiday season a couple weeks longer.
Dec. 26 is the annual kickoff of the World Junior Championship. If you’re new to the sport, think of it as hockey’s March Madness tournament but with international teams. It features the best U20 players from the top hockey countries in the world going at it for gold, silver and bronze medals.
Team USA won gold last year after beating Sweden in the gold medal game.
It was during the 2023 World Juniors that most hockey fans became acquainted with Dylan Guenther. Playing alongside Connor Bedard and Logan Stankoven, he scored 10 points — including the overtime winner in the gold medal game.
Utah Hockey Club prospects at the World Juniors
The roster announcements are at different stages for each country. Team Sweden, for example, has released its full roster. Teams Canada and USA have released their selection camp rosters, which will be whittled down to 24 players. The other teams have not released their selection camp rosters.
Here are Utah HC’s prospects who could play in this year’s World Juniors:
- Melker Thelin (Sweden). Thelin is the only confirmed Utah HC player going to the World Juniors at this point.
- Cole Beaudoin (Canada). Beaudoin is attending Canada’s selection camp.
- Veeti Väisänen (Finland)
- Michael Hrabal (Czechia)
- Vojtěch Hradec (Czechia)
- Ales Cech (Czechia)
Team Canada drew a lot of heat for not including Tij Iginla on its selection camp roster, but it was later revealed that Iginla had undergone hip surgery and that he’d miss the remainder of the season. That’s likely the same hip injury that kept him out of Utah’s rookie camp.
Another Utah prospect not included on his country’s roster is Noel Nordh, who played for Sweden in last year’s tournament. He played at the World Junior Championship Summer Showcase but did not score any points. Nordh started the season in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners, but the club ultimately assigned him to the Soo Greyhounds in the OHL. He has 14 point in 11 games.
Team USA did not invite any Utah prospects to its development camp, but Will Skahan, their second-round selection in the 2024 draft, might have a shot next year.
Where to watch the World Juniors
The tournament, which begins the day after Christmas, will be streamed on NHL Network. The location rotates between the participating countries. This year, it’s in Ottawa.