2025 World Juniors Preview & Predictions

The 2025 World Juniors take place in Ottawa, Ontario with the host nation Canada and the United States of America (USA) emerging as the two favourites. Their matchup on New Year’s Eve may very well be a preview of the Gold Medal game. Perennial powerhouses Sweden and Finland will look to spoil the party, along with dark horses Slovakia and Czechia who are coming off a 2024 tournament where they knocked out the Canadians in the quarterfinal and toppled the Swedes to win bronze. Newcomers Kazakhstan look to avoid being relegated and will likely battle it out versus Latvia who will look to upset Germany again this year in a tough group A to gain another quarterfinal appearance. Germany and Switzerland round out the field of teams for this year’s tournament, both looking to improve on rough 2024 results that saw Germany battling it out with Norway in the relegation round after a shocking loss to Latvia after an opening day win over Finland that looked to secure their quarterfinal status. The Swiss are hoping to improve on their one win last year in a weaker group B that is without the Canadians, Americans and Finns. With that being said let’s get into the 2025 predictions.

Group A

1.     Canada

2.     USA

3.     Finland

4.     Latvia

5.     Germany

Group A has three top teams after Canada’s shocking quarterfinal loss to the Czechs in last year’s tournament. The headliner of these group games will be the New Year’s Eve showdown between the two North American rivals. The winner of this game likely takes the top seed in the group presumably avoiding a dark horse candidate in the quarterfinals. An intriguing game to look out for will be a rematch of last year in Germany vs Latvia. This game will likely have major implications on the relegation battle with the winner projected to make the quarterfinals. Germany has a weaker roster than in past years with their star talents of Tim Stutzle and JJ Peterka playing prominent roles for their NHL teams. Latvia has some interesting talents including a 2026 draft prospect who projects to be one of the highest drafted Latvian players in history. Finland has question marks in net and does not have a standout #1 defender. The Finns will rely heavily on Konsta Helenius, who is rumoured to play a role similar to Finnish star Aleksander Barkov for this Finnish team, playing big minutes in all aspects of the game. Canada has the deepest roster with the USA close behind returning more players than the Canadians. The USA returns 10 players from their gold medal winning team in 2024. The USA boasts a lethal trio out of Boston College with James Hagens, Gabe Perrault and Ryan Leonard providing an elite offensive punch and chemistry to the American lineup. Both teams have some notable players not on their rosters including Calgary Flames first round pick Zayne Parakh (CAN), leading OHL scorer and top 2025 draft prospect Michael Misa (CAN), Washington Capitals second round pick Andrew Cristall (CAN), Anaheim Ducks first round pick Beckett Sennecke (CAN), and San Jose Sharks first round pick Quentin Musty (USA). The Finns also left off prominent Edmonton Oilers second round pick Eemil Vinni who would’ve brought international experience to the Finnish net but was left off the roster due to a tumultuous start to his season bouncing between leagues in Finland.

Top 3 players to watch in this group for each team:

Canada: Colorado Avalanche first round pick Calum Ritchie (F), Toronto Maple Leafs first round pick Easton Cowan (F), and projected top 3 pick in the 2025 draft Matthew Schaefer (D)

Ritchie and Cowan project to be linemates on the Canadians top line and have shown great chemistry with fellow linemate Bradley Nadeau in their pre-tournament games. Ritchie is my pick for MVP and best forward. Ritchie has been on a tear since returning to the OHL’s Oshawa Generals after a brief stint with the Colorado Avalanche where he produced his first NHL goal. Cowan has arguably been the best player in the Canadian Hockey League the past two seasons. Cowan is currently on an OHL record 56 game point streak spanning two seasons and is an electric player that always seems to be around the puck. Cowan and Ritchie will be integral parts of a Canadian attack that will look to strike early and often this tournament. Matthew Schaefer has a very good chance of becoming the favourite for the first overall selection in the 2025 draft with a solid performance. In the three pre-tournament games Schaefer showcased great skating and puck movement. Projected to quarterback the Canadian powerplay expect Schaefer to get lots of opportunities on the offensive end of the ice where he continues to grow his game. The Erie Otters player has greatly improved his game from last season and has got all the tools of a top 2 defenceman in the NHL.

USA: Projected top 3 pick in the 2025 draft James Hagens (F), Minnesota Wild first round pick Zeev Buium (D), and New York Rangers first round pick Gabe Perrault (F)

James Hagens and Gabe Perrault make up two thirds of what looks to be the tournament’s most lethal line. The Boston College trio that includes Hagens, Perrault, and linemate Washington Capitals first rounder Ryan Leonard has been lighting up the NCAA this year and looks to bring that success and chemistry to the World Juniors. Hagens is competing with Canadians Porter Martone and Matthew Schaefer in an open race to become the first overall pick in the upcoming draft. Unless one of these players really pulls away, it seems likely to come down to a team preference as who to take with any of the first three picks in the 2025 draft. Perrault is the leading scorer returning from last year’s tournament where he had 10 points in 7 games. With this being said, I have Perrault leading the tournament in scoring this year beating out Calum Ritchie (CAN), Easton Cowan (CAN), Otto Stenberg (SWE) and his linemates Hagens and Leonard. Buium is returning from last year’s gold medal team and projects to be the workhorse on the backend for the USA. Buium will likely challenge the reigning defender of the tournament Axel Sandin-Pellikka (SWE) for top defender in this year’s tournament.

Finland: Buffalo Sabres first round pick Konsta Helenius (F), San Jose Sharks second round pick Kasper Halttunen (F), and Minnesota Wild fourth round pick Aron Kiviharju (D)

Konsta Helenius is projected to be the #1 center for a Finnish team that will once again be very top heavy on the offensive side. Helenius has been rumoured to be taking on a Sasha Barkov role, playing in all aspects of the game from the powerplay to the penalty kill. Halttunen will look to provide an offensive spark for this Finnish team. The sniper from the London Knights had a great post season last year with the Knights and its spilled over into this season where he’s split time with the Knights and the Sharks’ AHL team the Barracuda with 10 points in 15 games across the two leagues. While the Finns do not have a designated #1 defenceman for this tournament, I expect to see another Wild prospect take the reigns of their team’s defence core with Kiviharju leading a Finnish defence that may be asked more than usual given the uncertainty in the Finnish goal to begin the tournament.

Latvia: 2026 draft prospect Olivers Murnieks (F), Washington Capitals third round pick Eriks Mateiko (F), and Anaheim Ducks seventh round pick Darels Uljanskis (D)

Germany: Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) Julius Sumpf (F), Buffalo Sabres seventh round pick Norwin Panocha (D), and projected third round pick in the 2025 draft David Lewandowski (F)

I can not say much about the Latvian and German players as I do not know enough about them to give a proper rundown. Latvia has two returning players as well in Mateiko and Uljanskis who will look to bring their size and experience to a Latvian team looking to build on their quarterfinal appearance last year. Murnieks will be an interesting player to watch as he is being heralded as one of the best Latvian prospects. Sumpf and Panocha are returning players for the Germans, and Lewandowski looks to provide an offensive spark for Germany who is hoping to avoid the relegation round for a second straight tournament.

Group B

1.     Sweden

2.     Czechia

3.     Slovakia

4.     Switzerland

5.     Kazakhstan

Group B is the weaker of the two groups and looks to be Sweden’s group to lose. The Czechs could have something to say about that if they can get a spectacular game from my prediction for top goaltender, Michael Hrabal. After Sweden it will be an interesting fight between the Czechs, Slovaks and Swiss to see who can grab the second spot and avoid the North American teams in the quarterfinals. Kazakhstan comes in as huge underdogs, sporting just one NHL prospect in Ottawa Senators seventh round pick Vladimir Nikitin. Nikitin was sensational in Division 1A to get the Kazakhs promoted last year and performing in front of a “home” crowd in Ottawa could we see a stunning goalie performance to produce an upset by the Kazakhs? Barring this upset it looks likely that the Kazakhs will go into a relegation battle with the loser of the Germany-Latvia rematch from last tournament that sent Germany into the relegation round. If the Kazakhs have any chance of staying up it’ll likely rest on the Senators sole prospect at the tournament putting on a show in front of a crowd that will surely be rooting for the hometown prospect and underdog team. History is on the Kazakhs side as they have never been relegated the year after being promoted to the tournament. This group has a lot of intriguing goalies that can all become international darlings if they can produce a superb performance for their countries on the biggest stage. Has me thinking back to 2015 in Canada where a Slovakian goalie by the name of Denis Godla stole the show. Godla went on to lead the Slovaks to a bronze medal, tournament MVP and top goaltender honours playing a key role in upset wins over Czechia, Finland and Sweden. Hrabal, Nikitin, Ewan Huet (SUI), and Samuel Urban (SVK) will all look to provide a similar spark in net for their respective countries and provide another World Junior magical moment.

Top 3 players to watch in this group for each team:

Sweden: Detroit Red Wings first round pick Axel Sandin-Pellikka (D), St. Louis Blues first round pick Otto Stenberg (F), and projected first round pick in 2025 Victor Eklund (F)

Sandin-Pellikka is the heart of the Swedish defence and is the reigning defender of the tournament. I have Sweden making the gold medal game and falling to the Canadians, but I have Sandin-Pellikka repeating as defender of the tournament just edging out Zeev Buium of the USA. Axel has an elite combination of puck skills and skating that allow him to be an elite two-way defender who quarterbacks the Swedish powerplay while also playing on the shutdown pairing against the opposition’s best players. Otto Stenberg is the Swedes highest scoring returnee from last tournament. A shifty forward with elite stick handling and dynamic scoring touch, he projects to lead the Swedes in scoring and challenge for the top scorer. Victor Eklund is one of the top European draft eligible forwards and it will be interesting to see what role he has in a 19-year-old dominated Swedish team. Playing in the second division of the Swedish Hockey League, Eklund has showcased explosive speed and silky stick handling. Victor has drawn similarities to his older brother William who is currently playing a prominent role on the rebuilding San Jose Sharks. Could we see the two brothers teaming up in the future?

Czechia: Arizona Coyotes (Utah Hockey Club) second round pick Michael Hrabal (G), St. Louis Blues first round pick Adam Jiricek (D), and Seattle Kraken first round pick Eduard Sale (F)

Michael Hrabal is an imposing presence in the net standing at 6’6. Hrabal has been exceptional the past two seasons with the University of Massachusetts, but it has not seemed to track over to the national team where he has struggled. Hrabal is looking to put those struggles behind him and carry this Czech team to back-to-back medals. Adam is the younger brother of David Jiricek of the Minnesota Wild and possesses similar playmaking abilities that have made both first round picks. Adam has struggled with injuries and missed out on last year’s tournament after suffering a severe leg injury in the Czech’s first game. Look out for Jiricek to drive the offence from the back end and lead the Czech defence in ice time. Eduard Sale had a tumultuous draft year in 2023-2024 falling down draft boards from his early projection as a top 5-10 player down to the Seattle Kraken at 20th overall. When Sale is on his game, he is a lethal shooter who can score from anywhere on the ice and possesses underrated playmaking skills for someone seen primarily as a goal scorer. If the Czechs are to contend with the likes of the Canadians, Americans and Swedes they’ll need Sale to drive the Czech offence.

Slovakia: St. Louis Blues first round pick Dalibor Dvorsky (F), 2025 draft eligible Michal Pradel (G), and 2025 draft eligible Luka Radivojevic (D)

The Slovaks lack the depth of recent tournaments, but still possess a team strong enough to cause some upset shouts. Dvorsky is the primary threat on this Slovak team as he is returning for his FOURTH World Juniors. The former 10th overall pick has been playing for the Blues AHL affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds and having an impressive season tallying 21 points in 27 games. Dvorsky will be critical if Slovakia wants to be able to generate enough offence to upset a powerhouse. Michal Pradel may not be the starting goalie for this Slovak team, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Samuel Urban struggles early in the tournament to see the Slovaks turn to another option in Pradel. A 2025 draft eligible goalie, Pradel is the youngest goalie on the Slovak roster, but it is not a rare occurrence to see the Slovaks throw their goalie depth chart in the blender. Adam Gajan was the third string goalie back in 2022-2023 and emerged to be the Slovaks starter and led them to two wins, including an upset of the USA in the group stage and a stellar quarterfinal appearance in the tournament where he made 53 saves only to have their hearts broken by a Connor Bedard overtime winner. Pradel has been having a great season at the U20 level in Slovakia and could take over the crease for a Slovak team that does not have a confirmed #1 option with Samuel Urban struggling this season in the USHL. I do not know too much about Radivojevic, but he is projected as an early round pick in the 2025 NHL draft. Known to be a mobile, playmaking defender Luka should be a key contributor on the back end for Slovakia along with leading scorer returnee and Sabres second round pick Maxim Strbak.

Switzerland: 2027 draft eligible Jonah Neuenschwander (F), 2026 draft eligible Lars Steiner (F), and Penticton Bees BCHL Simon Meier (F)

Jonah Neuenschwander is the youngest player at the World Juniors this year coming in at FIFTEEN YEARS OLD, insane. Jonah has torn up the Swiss U20 league and has played five games in the top league in Switzerland even registering a point. It amazes me to see a 15-year-old on a tournament roster, let alone playing in a league with former NHL players in a top European league. At 6’3 and 181 pounds, Jonah shouldn’t be too deterred from playing with older competition either. I am not expecting much from a 15-year-old at an U20 tournament, but if he gets some run time, he will be an intriguing player to follow. Steiner is another intriguing young Swiss prospect who is currently playing in the QMJHL and has 36 points through 29 games. With the Swiss likely not going to the medal round it would be exciting to see them run out the young guys and see what the future holds. Simon Meier is the returning leading scorer after having 2 goals in last years tournament. Another interesting player to watch will be Swiss goalie Ewan Huet, who is the son of Hall of Fame French goalie Cristobal Huet. The Swiss have a crowded goalie room, and it will be interesting to see how they go about handling the starting duties in their first few games.

Kazakhstan: Ottawa Senators seventh round pick Vladimir Nikitin (G), Snezhnye Barsy Astana MHL Kirill Lyapunov (F), and Snezhnye Barsy Astana MHL Beibarys Orazov (D)

The lone Ottawa Senators prospect in this tournament is also the lone draftee on this Kazakh roster. Vladimir Nikitin was an integral part of the Kazakh’s promotion from Division 1A. Nikitin posted a 4-1 record with a sub 2 goals against average and a sensational .944 save percentage on route to promotion. Nikitin will have to be the catalyst if the Kazakh’s want to avoid relegation. Kirill and Beibarys are two of the top scoring players from the team that was promoted and should play big roles on a team that lacks an offensive threat.

Relegation

Germany over Kazakhstan

The Germans find themselves in a similar scenario as last year fighting it out in the relegation series after an upset loss against the Latvians. Germany should have enough firepower to edge out the Kazakhs, but this could be the defining point of the tournament for the Kazakhs and Senators prospect Nikitin in front of a crowd that might have some vetted interest in his team’s success. This result would end an impressive streak of Kazakh teams never being relegated the same year they get promoted.

Quarterfinals

Canada over Switzerland

Czechia over Finland

USA over Slovakia

Sweden over Latvia

The Czechia Finland matchup is the most intriguing matchup in the quarterfinals and projects as the only game that will be within a 2-goal margin. Ultimately, I see the Czechs overcoming the Finns in a very physical, defensive game that builds the resume for Michael Hrabal to win the goaltender of the tournament award. Canada, USA, and Sweden should flex their muscles and breeze past inferior opposition in matchups where they will be heavy favourites.

Semifinals

Canada over Czechia

Sweden over USA

Both games will be tightly contested games, with Canada having to overcome a heroic effort by Hrabal to advance. Canada gets its revenge against a Czech team that knocked them out of the tournament last year in the quarterfinals. The Swedes depth and offensive skill will cause a weaker American defence group fits in what could become a high scoring affair. The Americans could easily pull this game out if they get a great game from Detroit Red Wings second round pick Trey Augustine who will be in his third World Juniors and arguably should have been the best goaltender of last years tournament. The Swedes would also be avenging a loss last year coming in the gold medal game against a very familiar USA team.

Medal Round

Gold: Canada

Silver: Sweden

Bronze: USA

The three tournament favourites are the three teams to hit the podium in this prediction. Canada overcomes Sweden in an intense gold medal game that has sparks flying between teams who have a history at the U18 level that may boil over in a gritty gold medal game. In my opinion, the Canadian forward depth and goaltending of Carter George will be the main factors projecting Canada to gold. Carter George is undefeated when wearing the maple leaf and looks to continue that trend in this tournament. USA drags a win out over the Czechs after a tough semifinal loss to the Swedes. Ultimately the USA’s offensive firepower breaks through Hrabal’s wall, and the Czechs can not muster up enough offence to challenge Trey Augustine and the USA team.

Team of the Tournament

F: Gabe Perrault (USA)^

F: Calum Ritchie (CAN)*

F: Easton Cowan (CAN)

D: Axel Sandin-Pellikka (SWE)#

D: Zeev Buium (USA)

G: Michael Hrabal (CZE)

^ Leading Scorer

* MVP & Best Forward

# Best Defender