2024 IIHF Under-18 World Championship Preview
It’s that time of year again! The 2024 IIHF World Under-18 Championship is a must-watch event for any NHL Draft nerd such as myself. Scrappy, skilled teams giving everything they have to put a cap on their junior seasons before the big weekend in June, doing what they can to make an impact on the limitless NHL scouts and managers that will be in attendance. For a team like the USA who have played all season together, this is their pinnacle and this season is no different. This iteration looks to be a huge toss up, especially in the middle of the field as many teams are bringing rosters that are strong in key areas but may lack some depth. Switzerland, Finland, Czechia, and even Norway are bringing impressive talents to the table and could make a serious impact at just the right time.
This tournament is a great tool for evaluators such as myself to see their understandings of these players put to the test against their own cohort. To a point, the U18s are a great way to see if the strengths and weaknesses you may see are as much of a factor as you believe them to be when put in a best on best junior hockey situation. Pro players in Europe are back playing junior competition, standout junior players in smaller countries are put up against the best young talent in the world, and players from teams that may overinflate or deflate their perceived value are given a chance for a fresh start and a new perspective. Going and changing your rankings a tremendous amount at this point, or overthinking great and poor performances on the scoresheet in this tournament is a dangerous game, however, and it is always important to remember that any player born in 2005 or from Russia/Belarus are not eligible to be here and don’t receive the same chances that those in this tournament get. There’s plenty of room for biases to kick in, but sticking to the lens of curiousity and open-mindedness has been the right path forward more ofthen than not.
As usual, you can check the embedded sheet in this piece to track the standings, the rosters and all your favorite players in one spot so be sure to keep this open as you watch the games and pick your favourites! As a note, NHLeS is a position, league and age adjust measure of a prospect’s overall value as they are. Generally 20-25 is a baseline for first line production but it is only a guideline and certainly not a rule.
Kazakhstan - NHLeS Average Unavailable - Ranked 10th
Player to Watch: Svyatoslav Yevplov - D - SKA St. Petersburg U16
Last season, Kazakhstan was promoted largely on the back of Ottawa Senators draft pick Vladimir Nikitin who backstopped the team to the championship with a 1.50 GAA and a .936 SPCT. He is not eligible this year. Neither is his backup. In fact there is only one returnee from last season’s team in Roman Bolshedvorsky and he was not a particularly effective defender at the MHL level this season. Many of these players are coming from the junior league in Kazakhstan which is essentially impossible to project into this tournament, so I have no idea how to evaluate their NHLeS metric. I honestly have no clue what to expect from this team, but what does intrigue me is that 8 of these players could be back next year, with one eligible for 2026s installment. All but one of these are playing lower level junior hockey in Russia. Could these be the names that surprise us and put on the list for the next three NHL Drafts? Potentially, because the 2007s don’t bring a tremendous amount of promise. They’re underdogs to say the least, and my hunch is that they’re bringing a very young team to prepare them for a likely Division 1A placement next season that can work their way back in down the road. Going from the Russian U16 level to the Canadian U18 team for 15 year old Svyatoslav Yevplov and his fellow kids would be quite the eye-opening experience to learn from. I’m always interested in the extreme youth that mid-level nations sometimes bring to these tournaments, especially if they’re playing in better nations, but I’m not expecting a ton from this inexperienced Kazakh roster lacking the key player that brought them here last season.
Latvia - NHLeS Average Unavailable - Ranked 9th
Player to Watch: Darels Uljanskis - D - AIK U20
Speaking of youth, Latvia is bringing the youngest team to the tournament on average with three 2026 NHL Draft-eligible players on the roster in Olivers Murnieks, Martins Klaucans and Karlis Flugins coming to Finland. From what I’ve seen of the players on this roster, I don’t think Latvia will be a team to be trifled with. Darels Uljanskis is always a shooting threat on the power play, what I’ve seen of Karlis Flugins has been excellent in Sweden and he may be one to make an impact in this tournament as well. The name I am truly interested in is Maksims Haritoncevs, however. With 25 goals in 22 games with Swedish juniors-only program IFK Täby being fed pucks by current 2026 NHL Draft darling Viggo Björck, he earned himself a transfer to Mora IK where he has performed well, working his way to U20 competition for a game. He’s a shooting threat with some good skill and could be a major part of the team’s potential success. This is likely going to be a team that will need some stellar goaltending however, and I’m not totally sure who is going to be getting the nod in net. None of them have been tested internationally for this team all that much, and while I’ve liked what I’ve seen of Mikus Vecvanags this season, the Latvians will be in tough to match up in their group and are likely to be battling Norway for a quarterfinal spot. There is plenty of room to set the stage for the future of Latvian hockey, however with some interesting younger names like Murnieks and Flugins who could catch some lightning in a bottle if things break their way.
Slovakia - 5.12 Average NHLeS - Ranked 8th
Player to Watch - Tomas Pobezal - C - HK Nitra
After a few very strong teams at this tournament, I’m not sure this Slovak roster quite holds up to those previous iterations. There are some serious bright spots, let most notably by Tomas Pobezal, and 2026 eligible Adam Nemec, brother of Simon has been impressive in the limited pro hockey I’ve seen him play. There are some players that I’ve caught and enjoyed here and there in Adam Belusko and Pavol Prokopovic but there isn’t much in the way of elite talent that makes this team competitive. Miroslav Satan’s gigantic son Miroslav is going to be here and I’ve always had time for the lanky, fluid skating big boy, but my expectations for the team are somewhat limited. That said, this is a group where a large chunk of them have played together at some point this year and last for extended periods with the national team program, which can give you a bit of an advantage in short tournaments, but this is going to be a tough battle for this group of players. They have a bit of an easier trip by avoiding Sweden, Canada, the Czechs and the Swiss, but my expectations are pretty reserved.
Norway - 8.53 Average NHLeS - Ranked 7th
Player to Watch - Mikkel Eriksen - C - Vålerenga U20
If there’s a country outside the top echelon of nations that I am bullish on, it’s Norway. They managed to stay in the top division last year over Germany, bolstered by 2005-born Stian Solberg and returnee Elias Straume Vatne and looked like they deserved it. Four players return from last year’s roster, and at least three of them should be key cogs in the machine this year. The really interesting thing about Norway is their serious talent at the younger end of things. Five players are eligible to return next year, Niklas Aaram Olsen eligible for the year after that. From what I’m told, Aaram Olsen is a serious talent to keep an eye on. For me, Mikkel Eriksen has impressed whenever I’ve seen him and was a bit disappointed to see him leave Sweden to play with hometown team Vålerenga midseason. He was simply dominant at the Norwegian junior level and in the limited time I saw at the pro level, he didn’t look out of place. Nephew of Norwegian legend Espen Knutsen, I’m very curious to see what the youth of Norway can do. On top of that, Elias Vatne could be a player who reminds scouts in person that they shouldn’t completely forget about him. He’s rambunctious, highly skilled and zips around the ice extremely well and may be the most entertaining player at his best to not be ranked on my draft bord for 2024. He should have a serious role for this team as he did last season. In a group with Slovakia, Latvia and Finland, the Norwegians could surprise people and set the stage for a strong few years for junior hockey in Norway, hopefully reviving a hockey federation that has been struggling politically and financially over there. There’s a bright future here, and while Marcus Walberg is going to be very very busy, he did just turn away 27 of 29 shots in two periods of work in a 4-3 overtime loss to, excuse me while I check my notes, Canada.
Switzerland - 7.57 NHLeS Average - Ranked 6th
Player to Watch - Jamiro Reber - C - HV71 J20
The Swiss team this year is not to be looked over with some strong areas that should keep them in contention to perhaps challenge for a quarterfinal upset. Is it likely? Probably not, but with names like Leon Muggli, Daniil Ustinkov, Jamiro Reber and a strong trio of goaltenders who could steal a game here and there. The middle of the roster is also quite impressive as I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen of Robin Nico Antenen’s well-rounded skill-forward game with plenty of pace in the tank. Basile Sansonnens’ production may not jump out at you but he’s been a solid defensive presence both in Switzerland and internationally. Reber is going to need to be the quarterback of the whole show however. In my viewings of him he’s been an excellent transition presence, getting pucks up the ice with great efficiency and being a pesky defensive presence off the puck, but actually generating offense under pressure and creating space for himself with the puck have been a challenge for him in Sweden and his success is likely Switzerland’s success here. Luckily they have some weapons to deploy on the power play that may be able to keep Switzerland hanging around. Leon Muggli’s shot from the point as well as his timing and vision are key factors for this group, and Daniil Ustinkov always brings the shifty skill and creativity to his power play time that you don’t get to see nearly as often in an offensive situation at 5v5. Does this team come home with a medal? I would be stunned, but this is a team that may be able to hang in there in an elimination game and hold back much better teams while chipping away at them with their offensive pieces on the roster, especially with strong goaltending from arguably any of the three that they’ve brought.
Czechia - 11.72 NHLeS Average - Ranked 5th
Player to Watch - Tomas Galvas - D - Bílí Tygři Liberec
The Czechs are always a bit of a tricky team to project. They often bring strong teams that may not immediately look like they match up well against the top end teams, but they always put forward an effort that puts them right there with them. This year’s iteration of the roster is a strong one in my opinion. Sure, Adam Jecho and Max Curran are probably going to be names people will first look at with their hulking frames and impressive moments of skill and thinking under pressure, but the rest of the roster is peppered with players who have impressed me this season. Adam Benák may be small, but the guy is electrifying. He pushes defenders onto their heels, challenges them, isn’t afraid to chase after his own chips into the offensive zone, and has been a serious offensive catalyst that earned time in the top pro division in Czechia. Not bad for a 5’7” 2025 NHL Draft-eligible. Tomas Galvas has been a favorite of mine, even if his NHL upside may be somewhat of a question mark. He’s agile, dynamic, has creative vision on the ice and certainly puts in the necessary effort defensively that should work just fine at this tournament. I was also legitimately very unhappy when Ondrej Kos was shut down for the season after a pretty strong first few months playing 2nd division pro hockey in Finland with KOOVEE. He’s big, highly skilled, and gives me echoes of what I remember of Jani Nyman a few years ago. Plenty of tools to be a strong power forward with some real high end moments and a quick release that should be a threat, especially if he’s out on the power play. Jakub Fibigr is coming off a great year with the Mississauga Steelheads as a defenseman who leads with his skating and patience with the puck, and while I’ve had some mixed viewings of him this year, he’s still got plenty of great tools that should showcase well here, and he should be a great supplementary offensive weapon behind Galvas for the Czechs. In my view this is a team that certainly could surprise people a bit and work their way to a medal performance with a balanced lineup with some pop at the top. That goes doubly if Matyas Marik can put up numbers like what he’s done in Czechia this season.
Finland - 12.1 Average NHLeS - Ranked 4th
Player to Watch - Aron Kiviharju - D - HIFK
Remember one of the cardinal rules of junior hockey: Never underestimate the Finns. Ever. If there is a country that somehow manages to find a way to win, it’s Finland, regardless of who they put on the roster. This season they seem to have brought quite a strong roster with some serious names in consideration for the 2024 NHL Draft. Of course, all eyes will be trained on Aron Kiviharju who has missed all but 7 games this season and is playing his first competitive hockey since October, and in my view, this tournament is a major point of interest for me to see if his relatively weak performance in Liiga is something to be legitimately concerned about. Veeti Väisänen will bring mobility and skill to the defensive side of the game, and there should be plenty of physical play to go with him in Emil Hemming, Joona Saarelainen and others. Up the middle the team is led of course by Konsta Helenius, coming off of an excellent season in Liiga donning the golden helmet a number of times at the pro level. Daniel Nieminen is a name I’ll have my eyes trained on specifically, though. The skating and skill combination are intriguing and he’s found himself on my list at various points this season, currently sitting on my watchlist for the 2024 NHL Draft. It’s a high profile tournament for him to showcase himself, but his international performances have been strong to date. Up and down the lineup there are players where I’ve gone “huh, that was neat” a number of times when seeing Finland play internationally. Mitja Jokinen, Natan Teshome, Markus Loponen, and Aatos Koivu should ring some good pace to the team even if many lack a certain level of finishing ability that could put this team over the top. Taken as a whole, this is a strong group at the top and should contend for some hardware if things break right, especially with someone like Konsta Helenius being a key focal point for the roster at both ends.
USA - 16.83 Average NHLeS - Ranked 3rd
Player to Watch - James Hagens - C - U.S. National U18 Team
The US national program is often favoured significantly in this tournament every season, but this year I have them a bit lower. This is largely due to just how evenly I see these top three teams. The NTDP roster is deep, and loaded with well-rounded high IQ players with an elite finisher in Cole Eiserman, who I expect will have a feast here, especially on power plays. I’m partially hoping Teddy Stiga has a coming out party, but selfishly I’d prefer him to keep flying under the radar. The defense group is deep and well-rounded, and I’m certainly looking forward to how Logan Hensler performs as he goes into his NHL Draft season next year. There are a lot of similarities to Sam Dickinson in my view and I am imagining that he will be taking the reins a bit here. Trevor Connelly is the only non-NTDP player on the roster but it shouldn’t take long to see why. I’ve found his play with Tri-City to be very individual and a bit ham-fisted, but regardless he was extremely productive and you should be able to see why very quickly here. Fast, skilled, resilient and above all else, confident, Connelly doesn’t shy away from challenging defenders and goaltenders and should be a key offensive weapon for the Americans. Another name I was pleasantly surprised to see here is L.J. Mooney. He’s a very small guy and a 2025 NHL Draft eligible player, but he’s just a lightning bolt out there with tons of skill and a high fun factor that should be an interesting watch. James Hagens may very well be the star of the show, however. The skill level he brings, combined with the smarts and timing with his playmaking are high-end, landing an assist per game this season to go with his 30 goals. While I’m not totally sold on “#1 Prospect for Next Year” status, I can’t see him being much further back and he should be a key cog on the American roster this year. While they may not have the unbelievably deep and skilled offensive roster they have had in years prior, they should have no problem going toe-to-toe with anyone while blowing out some of the smaller teams down the standings.
Sweden - 15.91 Average NHLeS - Ranked 2nd
Player to Watch - Alfons Freij - D - Växjö Lakers HC J20
There is a lot of hesitation in the hockey community about the 2006 class of Swedes but I’m not sure it’s as bad as portrayed. There is plenty of depth and very little in the way of weaknesses here. They have size and strength up the middle in Jack Berglund, and Hugo Orrsten, they have skilled playmaking in Viggo Nordlund, Alex Zetterberg, Lucas Pettersson and Victor Eklund, and defensively have a bit of everything as well. I look forward to Gabriel Eliasson being an insufferable jerk out there in a good way, even if he’s unranked on my board, and Felix Öhrqvist brings almost the polar opposite as an undersized, zippy and skilled offensive defenseman. The Växjö boys should be serious stars of the show though, and while eyes will likely be on Leo Sahlin Wallenius, I’ll be firmly trained on Alfons Freij. This is the biggest test he’s faced, and he’s been absolutely fantastic almost everywhere on the ice in every game I’ve seen, with NHL-projectable offensive skill and playmaking for a defenseman, or at least the kind of offensive defenseman that I’d be looking for personally. Viktor Eklund, brother of William is also here, and he along with Linus Eriksson have had excellent showings in HockeyAllsvenskan playing together. With intensity up and down the ice and remarkable smarts and positioning at any pace of play, especially with Linus Eriksson, they only continue to help round out a talented, balanced and relatively deep Swedish team that can go at it with anybody in the tournament. On top of it all, don’t look away from Love Härenstam in net. He has been excellent as a 2025-eligible in J20 Nationell this year and could backstop this team to a gold medal if he keeps up his level of play that I’ve seen this year.
Canada - 21.54 NHLeS Average - Ranked 1st
Player to Watch - Gavin McKenna - F - Medicine Hat Tigers
Canada often brings a somewhat lower quality team to this tournament as the CHL playoffs are ongoing and some players choosing to heal minor injuries or take some time off before the NHL Draft and Combine. This season seems different, even if they’re missing some key names. At least up front and in net, this roster looks stacked. Up and down the lineup there are just so many names that should be able to take over shifts in this tournament. Cole Beaudoin, Tij Iginla, Marek Vanacker, Carson Wetsch, Liam Greentree and Porter Martone are physical, resilient and determined players who can make an impact in all areas of the ice. Roger McQueen brings a solid power game with good finishing ability, and Ryder Ritchie, Jett Luchanko and Malcolm Spence bring intelligent offensive tools to the picture that should supplement everyone else well. In net you have the highly touted duo of Ryerson Leenders and Jack Ivankovic with Owen Sound’s Carter George, and while I’m partial to the Mississauga boys based on my viewings, any of the three should be strong options here. Defensively, the Canadians should at least have enough there to prevent dangerous chances against and move pucks into the neutral zone with strong efficiency. Harrison Brunicke gets around the ice well with solid shot-first offense, Henry Mews has great vision with the puck on his stick, Charlie Elick will try to ride the line between taking penalties and committing murder, with the rest of the group being younger and a little less refined but showing plenty of promise. I’ll be very curious to lay eyes on the 2025-eligibles, especially Matthew Schaefer who I’ve really enjoyed when watching Erie this year. Of course the star of the show to many will be Gavin McKenna. I’ll admit that I think the hype train on him is a little bit out of control already, he’s still an extraordinarily skilled and confident playmaker with strong finishing ability on his own. If he can avoid being too pressured physically which is where his game fell a bit short in my viewings, he could be a serious offensive threat here. Regardless, he’s the player on this roster who sits #1 in my NHLeS in the entire tournament, and has all the skill, creativity, vision and confidence necessary to be a hugely impactful player here. To me, Canada just brings a tsunami of offensive pieces across the spectrum of how offense can be generated, with a physical side to them that should still manage to keep them out of the box, at least as the tournament wears on. The defense group may be young, but it may not matter a ton with the talent elsewhere in the lineup and they at the very least sit in the top tier of teams in this tournament with the USA and Sweden.
Will’s All-Star Team Predictions
Forwards - Gavin McKenna (CAN) - Tij Iginla (CAN) - James Hagens (USA)
Defense - Alfons Freij (SWE) - Cole Hutson (USA)
Goaltender - Love Härenstam (SWE)
