Now that most national teams have submitted their final rosters for the 2023 World Junior Championship, it’s time to take a look at all the prospects competing in this year’s tournament who have been drafted by an NHL team.
The World Juniors are a great time for NHL fans to get acquainted with some of their team’s top prospects likely in attendance. 30 of the NHL’s 32 teams have recently drafted players who will be playing for their national team when the tournament begins on Boxing Day (December 26, 2022).
Only two NHL teams do not have prospects playing in this year’s tournament and they are the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both teams have made plenty of trades in recent years involving draft picks and prospects so it makes sense that they have zero U20 prospects who made the cut this year.
Related: Guide to the 2023 World Junior Championship
For fans of the remaining 30 teams, this is a great chance to familiarize yourself with some of your team’s future players and to cheer them on as they develop into NHL players. The following is a list of the NHL affiliated prospects organized alphabetically so you can check out which prospects will be representing your favourite NHL team at the 2023 World Junior Championship.
NHL Teams with Prospects in the 2023 World Juniors
Anaheim Ducks (3)
- Nathan Gaucher – Canada – 2022 1st round pick (22nd)
- Olen Zellweger – Canada – 2021 1st round pick (34th)
- Tyson Hinds – Canada – 2021 3rd round pick (76th)
Arizona Coyotes (4)
- Dylan Guenther – Canada – 2021 1st round pick (9th)
- Logan Cooley – USA – 2022 1st round pick (3rd)
- Adam Zlnka – Slovakia – 2022 7th round pick (204th)
- Julian Lutz – Germany – 2022 2nd round pick (43rd)
Boston Bruins (2)
- Fabian Lysell – Sweden – 2021 1st round pick (21st)
- Dans Locmelis – Latvia – 2022 4th round pick (119th)
Buffalo Sabres (3)
- Noah Ostlund – Sweden – 2022 1st round pick (16th)
- Jiri Kulich – Czechia – 2022 1st round pick (28th)
- Isak Rosen – Sweden – 2021 1st round pick (14th)
Calgary Flames (2)
- Topi Ronni – Finland – 2022 2nd round pick (59th)
- William Stromgren – Sweden – 2021 2nd round pick (45th)
Carolina Hurricanes (4)
- Ville Koivunen – Finland – 2021 2nd round pick (51st)
- Aleksi Heimosalmi – Finland – 2021 2nd round pick (44th)
- Jackson Blake – USA – 2021 4th round pick (109th)
- Nikita Quapp – Germany – 2021 6th round pick (187th)
Chicago Blackhawks (5)
- Colton Dach – Canada – 2021 2nd round pick (62nd)
- Nolan Allan – Canada – 2021 1st round pick (32nd)
- Ethan Del Mastro – Canada – 2021 4th round pick (105th)
- Kevin Korchinski – Canada – 2022 1st round pick (7th)
- Victor Stjernborg – Sweden – 2021 4th round pick (108th)
Related: Early Look at the 2024 NHL Draft
Colorado Avalanche (1)
- Sean Behrens – USA – 2021 2nd round pick (61st)
Columbus Blue Jackets (3)
- David Jiricek – Czechia – 2022 1st round pick (6th)
- Stanislav Svozil? – Czechia – 2021 3rd round pick (69th)
- Martin Rysavy – Czechia – 2021 7th round pick (197th)
Dallas Stars (1)
- Logan Stankoven – Canada – 2021 2nd round pick (47th)
Detroit Red Wings (1)
- Red Savage – USA – 2021 4th round pick (114th)
Edmonton Oilers (1)
- Reid Schaefer – Canada – 2022 1st round pick (32nd)
Florida Panthers (3)
- Ludvig Jansson – Sweden – 2022 4th round pick (125th)
- Sandis Vilmanis – Latvia – 2022 5th round pick (157th)
- Jakub Kos – Czechia – 2021 6th round pick (184th)
Los Angeles Kings (3)
- Brandt Clarke – Canada – 2021 1st round pick (8th)
- Kenny Connors – USA – 2022 4th round pick (103rd)
- Otto Salin – Finland – 2022 5th round pick (148th)
Minnesota Wild (5)
- Liam Ohgren – Sweden – 2022 1st round pick (19th)
- Servac Petrovsky – Slovakia – 2022 6th round pick (185th)
- Caedan Bankier – Canada – 2021 3rd round pick (86th)
- Jack Peart – USA – 2021 2nd round pick (54th)
- David Spacek – Czechia – 2022 5th round pick (153rd)
Montreal Canadiens (6)
- Filip Mesar – Slovakia – 2022 1st round pick (26th)
- Lane Hutson – USA – 2022 2nd round pick (62nd)
- Oliver Kapanen – Finland – 2022 5th round pick (153rd)
- Joshua Roy – USA – 2021 5th round pick (150th)
- Adam Engstrom – Sweden – 2022 3rd round pick (92nd)
- Vinzenz Rohrer – Austria – 2022 3rd round pick (75th)
Nashville Predators (3)
- Joakim Kemell – Finland – 2022 1st round pick (17th)
- Jack Matier – Canada – 2021 4th round pick (124th)
- Ryan Ufko – USA – 2021 4th round pick (115th)
New Jersey Devils (5)
- Luke Hughes – USA – 2021 1st round pick (4th)
- Simon Nemec – Slovakia – 2022 1st round pick (2nd)
- Topias Vilen – Finland – 2021 5th round pick (129th)
- Seamus Casey – USA – 2022 2nd round pick (46th)
- Petr Hauser – Czechia – 2022 5th round pick (141st)
Related: 6 Predictions for the 2023 World Junior Championship
New York Islanders (2)
- Aleksi Malinen – Finland – 2021 6th round pick (189th)
- Calle Odelius – Sweden – 2022 2nd round pick (65th)
New York Rangers (4)
- Adam Sykora – Slovakia – 2022 2nd round pick (63rd)
- Kalle Vaisanen – Finland – 2021 4th round pick (106th)
- Brennan Othmann – Canada – 2021 1st round pick (16th)
- Jaroslav Chmelar – Czechia – 2021 5th round pick (144th)
Ottawa Senators (4)
- Zack Ostapchuk – Canada – 2021 2nd round pick (39th)
- Tyler Boucher – USA – 2021 1st round pick (10th)
- Oskar Pettersson – Sweden – 2022 3rd round pick (72nd)
- Tomas Hamara – Czechia – 2022 3rd round pick (87th)
Philadelphia Flyers (1)
- Cutter Gauthier – USA – 2022 1st round pick (5th)
San Jose Sharks (2)
- Benjamin Gaudreau – Canada – 2021 3rd round pick (81st)
- Filip Bystedt – Sweden – 2022 1st round pick (27th)
Seattle Kraken (3)
- Jani Nyman – Finland – 2022 2nd round pick (49th)
- Niklas Kokko – Finland – 2022 2nd round pick (58th)
- Shane Wright – Canada – 2022 1st round pick (4th)
St. Louis Blues (3)
- Aleksanteri Kaskimaki – Finland – 2022 3rd round pick (73rd)
- Jimmy Snuggerud – USA – 2022 1st round pick (23nd)
- Simon Robertsson – Sweden – 2021 3rd round pick (71st)
Tampa Bay Lightning (3)
- Niko Huuhtanen – Finland – 2021 7th round pick (224th)
- Dylan Duke – USA – 2021 4th round pick (126th)
- Klavs Veinbergs – Latvia – 2022 7th round pick (224th)
Related: 2023 Draft Eligible Players in the 2023 WJC
Vancouver Canucks (3)
- Aku Koskenvuo – Finland – 2021 5th round pick (137th)
- Jonathan Lekkerimaki – Sweden – 2022 1st round pick (15th)
- Elias Pettersson – Sweden – 2022 3rd round pick (80th)
Vegas Golden Knights (4)
- Zach Dean – Canada – 1st round pick (30th)
- Carl Lindbom – Sweden – 7th round pick (222nd)
- Jakub Brabenec – Czechia – 4th round pick (102nd)
- Matyas Sapovaliv – Czechia – 2nd round pick (48th)
Washington Capitals (1)
- Ryan Chesley – USA – 2nd round pick (37th)
Winnipeg Jets (4)
- Brad Lambert – Finland – 2022 1st round pick (30th)
- Rutger McGroarty – USA – 2022 1st round pick (14th)
- Chaz Lucius – USA – 2021 1st round pick (18th)
- Fabian Wagner – Sweden – 6th round pick (175th)
Plenty of NHL Prospects to Watch This Year
With 30 of 32 NHL teams boasting drafted prospects in this year’s tournament, there is someone to watch for nearly every NHL fan. Most of the best players in the 2023 WJC have already been drafted into the NHL, but there are several undrafted players who will look to use this tournament as a springboard toward the NHL Draft in June where they will join the fold as an NHL affiliated prospect.
