Overview
- The 2026 World Junior Championship begins December 26 in St. Paul and Minneapolis, with Team USA hosting as the two-time defending gold medalist.
- Most national teams have submitted final or near-final rosters, and prospects from 30 of the NHL’s 32 franchises are slated to play, with only the Hurricanes and Blue Jackets unrepresented.
- USA TODAY spotlights a college-driven cast, led by Penn State’s Gavin McKenna, Boston College’s James Hagens, Michigan State’s Porter Martone, Michigan’s Will Horcoff and Michael Hage, and BU defenseman Cole Hutson.
- Goaltending is the key question for the Americans after Trey Augustine aged out, with Notre Dame’s Nick Kempf identified as a candidate and 17-year-old Brady Knowling invited late to camp.
- Canada, Sweden and Czechia are cited as strong challengers, and the NCAA pipeline features prominently for multiple nations, including European standouts such as UMass winger Vaclav Nestrasil.